Question about running a 10’ wide load TN to CA

All the time. NC once routed me to a bridge to get back on 40. Well I get there and the bridge is actually torn out, like gone, not there. They were rebuilding it.

 

Woah...what did you do?

 

Called the state and got an alternate route. Luckily I saw the bridge was missing and the road closed before I made the turn.

One time Missouri routed my 65 ton load to a 18 ton bridge. It was Saturday before I found that one. Called the troopers, they called someone at the state. They helped be back out and turn around and gave me directions on how to get around it. I would have probably just took my chances, but that bridge legitimately looked like 18 tons was the max.

 

Nice save

 

Pulled a 100 ft long, 14 wide pedestrian bridge on a stretch flat. 2 pilot cars. In Illinois, they routed me down a 2 lane parallel to i57. Came to an old bridge, no shoulder with poles on the end. Half the bridge had been torn down. If it were still 2 lane, I would center it, if it didn’t have the poles, a flat would allow the load to ride over the walls.
I called HP. A trooper came out, verified that I was on route. We had to back 2 miles and the state issued another route. I thanked him.

If I need HP, I will call without hesitation. Thing is, be absolutely sure that you did your homework.

 

on the permit, there will be a clause that says something about how there’s no guarantee that your load will actually fit on the road and how it’s your responsibility to somehow figure it out.

So…. (prepare to go down another rabbit hole)…

“It’s just driving, right Six?”

Not hardly. Heavy haul is to trucking as trucking is to driving a Honda Civic. The State is sending you down a path with no guarantees and you have to figure out how to get through it all by yourself. Think about it…if the State guaranteed the route, you wouldn’t need a pole car for over heights.

Every driver here has ran into a situation where he did the homework, did everything right, but still ran into problems. There are certain loads where the State will require 3 pilot cars (by this time, one of them will probably be law enforcement). For a superload move, the metro city will get involved, usually meaning a city permit and special curfew hours. And still no guarantee that you will be able to fit on the permitted route.

 

In addition to what others have pointed out, recently, there were floods everywhere. If you were moving a load and ran into flooded areas, you're back to square one...and they won't necessarily know if that road/route is flooded out ahead of time, so that's where the noggin on your shoulders needs to kick in and start notifying folks to get alternative options.

 

I do recall reading that, now that you mention it. It was just the first time I'd ever seen that come into play after having "DO NOT get out of route, EVER" hammered home a bazillion times. It was quite a long detour, too. I almost thought I'd for sure missed it but eventually I always found the little detour sign with the arrow.

The more I learn about this the more I feel that it's kind of amazing that oversized loads don't require endorsements. At least, not as far as I'm aware. Do they, sometimes?

 

Only with multi component trailers. You are supposed to have a doubles endorsement with a jeep or stinger. Although I have never been checked for it.

 

You know I hear about that doubles thing about once every two or three years then I promptly forget it. I don't know why.