Question about running a 10’ wide load TN to CA

I think every state require oversize loads to stop at the weigh station and walk the permit inside .

some more knowledgeable folks can chime in on this


Read the permit very carefully

there will be curfews on it if times and days you can’t drive

and they could get randomly voided

Friend of mine got their permit voided in Oklahoma when the sports ball team won , they had to sit for a day in Texas , because Oklahoma cancelled EVERY oversize permit in the state for the day of the celebration party in Oklahoma City.

Permits got cancelled even if you were not traveling anywhere near okc .

Beacons are no big deal



if you’re gonna haul oversize much you’re gonna need em

We use this one
Strobes N' More LED EBeacon Elite Class 1

 

Whatever you do, while reading them, double check and make sure the route you're given you follow.....and second, check the Road Atlas, just as a safety precaution to check the route's clearances. Doesn't hurt to do a Google drive through if you have the time, to see where the route is taking you. I know you said it was "only" 10' wide, but it's a good practice to get into to be proactive in double checking everything you can before you deploy, if only for peace of mind.

I say check the route, because sometimes, roads get listed that aren't real clear. Exits you might have to get off to avoid say construction limitations on width, and some states have strange references to the same roads with numbers...for instance, State Routes, diverge from Interstate roads, or rejoin...if you have a permit that takes you around on the exited state route and you're still on the Interstate, you're not following your routing. So...pre plan, pre plan, pre plan.
Good luck.

 

Well you are already ahead of some of these bufoons out here..good on u for asking questions . Dont be nervous, we all have started with our first one. Although some drivers u may run into out here theyve basically known how to drive since the day they was born. or so they will tell you. Just ignore them
10wide is the perfect size to get your feet wet. Wide enough to keep you on your toes, but not so wide that it will get you in alot of trouble.... Open both your windows and take a tape measure, and measure from your mirror to the other mirror.. you will find that you do 10 wide loads everyday without knowing it.

Safe travels

 

easier to think of 10’ wide as only 9” wider on both sides…

cause then 12’ is just 12” wider than that on each side ….

next thing you know 20’ wide is only 12” wider on each side than 18’ wide….

 

Hmmm....Is this by any chance a trane AC unit? You may have gotten the same first oversized load that I did. If it is, I remember none of the states on that route require lights.

 

@Ddh77777 and @Adi23 congratulations on popping the cherry for oversize. Did you both make it without hitting stuff? Were you nervous sucking up seat into your rectum as you traversed?

 

Haha maybe a little. The biggest surprise to me was that a ton of the roads I was routed on were 2 lane, right through towns. I'd have thought it'd be nothing but interstate, but I honestly think I'm on back roads more often oversized than not.

 

My neighbor regularly hauls a 16 wide , and he is often routed off the interstate and on a two lane .

the permits don’t require a front escort car for a 16 wide 99 foot long , but the company pays for one

that rear escort car isn’t much help
On a two lane .

the cargo he regular hauls costs $44 million , so you don’t wanna bump into anything with it .

read your permits carefully

some
Towns you are routed through ask for
You to contact them and advise them when you are passing through

He regular is routed through a small town that has some tight spots and it’s not mentioned in the permit but he calls ahead and let’s em know when he’s gonna be passing through and about half the time the entire towns police department (both officers ) will show up and escort him through town .



and twice he’s been routed on an interstate that had been narrowed for
Construction with jersey walls , and he couldn’t fit .

he blocked traffic on I-40 for two hours waiting for the state troopers to arrive and clear the traffic behind him so he could back up to the nearest exit .

another time he was able to pull
Onto The shoulder at a construction zone that didn’t look like he could fit .
Called for a state trooper and the trooper blocked the road and my friend rode with the trooper with a tape
Measure to see if his load would fit ,

it was a tight squeeze but they decided it could fit ,

If you are ON your permitted route and get in a jam or see a spot you’re not sure you can fit , don’t be afraid to stop and call the police or the state troopers for assistance blocking traffic

because even if you ARE on your permitted route , if you hit something , it’s on you .
You’re supposed to be able to determine if you can fit or not

either visually or stop and hop out with your measuring tape or height pole and check .


Read your permits carefully and make notes on them , the permit says take hwy 37 north to hwy 91 East

Is that gonna be a right turn or a left turn ?

Is there a landmark nearby ?
What town is it in ?

Is that an easy turn with plenty of space or a hard tight turn ?

Get out your atlas and trace the route ,


Google maps is your friend here .

 

Hope he gets paid good for all that. As a company driver, I don't think oversize is worth it.

 

your Probabaly right


He gets 20% of the gross to the truck


that particular load isn’t worth the hassle for what it pays but they only do it once every two months .

he also does alot of loads that are significantly less hassle that pay pretty good
Most of the stuff the company does is 10.5 wide and the rig weighs around 110k when loaded , their usual cargo is about 65,000 lbs

Brand new W-900s , driver gets to go to the KW dealer and pick the color when they order it , home every weekend .usually leave Sunday night , get back Friday morning .

Lot of OSOW drivers are gone for weeks

And the company has direct freight customers

they never ever use a broker .
They will deadhead a thousand miles before they’d use a broker .

he’s next in line to train for their 13 axle 200k lb loads

Probabaly could make more money somewhere else but this outfit has a good work / life balance .

same as my job ,
I drive a service truck , and maintain and repair water treatment systems for contaminated water , and vapor recovery systems .
I could make more somewhere else but I have a very good work / life balance .