The Truckers’ Report flatbed Hall of Shame.

Thanks for the cite.
I agree with you and Razororange and have always known there is a carve out for Conestogas, Car carriers and open top truck tarp systems. So that didn't surprise me, but the tie down assemblies, still give me pause, especially when they are part of the load securing equipment. I almost see the exclusion of the tie down assemblies referring to say, the hooks on a trailer with strap/Delta rings because of the beef it needs, but the actual delta ring is closer to the trailer than the hook that it holds onto...or a winch that sticks out, especially when it's been tensioned to the point that it pulls the winch upward and outward ..where it bulges slightly from under the rub rail...because I was reading the part as you point out, if it holds cargo (and maybe this is my sticking point) it actually serves as part of the cargo's securement and thereby subject to cargo restrictions, and is not part of the vehicle itself that is getting the exclusion under that CFR section.

That said, I have to concede, because it is very ambiguous, even though it is trying to be very specific as it points out in: 658.16:

(c) Each exclusion allowance is specific and may not be combined with other excluded devices.​

and that being said, I'll still, when I go back to work, make my own practice to keeping everything within the confines of the trailer, especially for open deck trailers as I have already conditioned myself under those constraints and they have served me without fail, so far...just in case someone for DOT who's stopping me, doesn't see it as ambiguous.

Thanks again for the cite and the chance to be proven wrong.

 

Thank you, not been anywhere but for some reason stopped getting notifications, suppose I have to keep talking so they know I'm still alive. My wife of 40 years died in June but I have the dogs and lots of friends here, and one couple have invited me for Christmas dinner.

 

Re: Conestogas, the term doesn't exist over here but certain specialist carriers did have something similar, mainly coil carriers I think. But what almost finished off flatdecks here was the arrival of, first Continental Tilts and then curtainsiders. Bit pressed for time at the moment but I'll try and dig out some pictures later, if someone else doesn't beat me to it.

 

Actually, no. Soft lumber that can be bitten into, can be chewed through, to extend the analogy. Depending on the length of run, for instance, we have to do load checks and retension straps etc, within the first 50 miles and then every so many hours/miles afterward and/or every stop. That soft lumber continues being bitten into when you retension it after the steel has gotten into it, and the splintering that wood is famous for only helps it get worse.
Regrettably, I had to learn the hard way (the best provided you survive ). One load cost me $700 dollars for a tow truck to help me reload the shifted load which I had run for 1000 miles and was only about 200 miles away from delivery..when the soft lumber that was used since the shipper had run out of hardwood, gave way. I think I've posted those pictures on these forums before. In fact, I had just retightened in Tenaha, TX, heading to The Woodlands, TX, when I left Tenaha, and rounded the curve outside of the city and looked in my mirror to my horror...the load was being held on by my straps but tilted off the trailer. Expensive lesson for a company driver, but...it was my responsibility and fault for not insisting on them working to find hardwood lumber to do the job right.

Another instance was taking beams from Columbia City, IN to a place in New Jersey. That load didn't cost me anything, except some manual labor to get the beam up from the pile where it had broken the soft lumber and sunk into the pile. So no, softish lumber is a no, no for steel and girders.

Below is the load shift out of Tenaha, TX, courtesy of hard and soft wood lumber. This was the soft lumber stack side. The other stack with all hardwood didn't move, this one with half hardwood and soft wood gave way.


This shows the front stack that was all hardwood, still intact.

 

Not to mention, it looks like he is about to hit that sign. Maybe it's just the angle of the photo LOL.

 

I still am not sure you were wrong.

What about that rule about straps being inside the rubrail when practicable? Does that not also apply to chains and binders? Certainly many DOT officers out there would likely assume that it does.

 

While it's no guarantee, being able to quickly find & quote the applicable reg can make the officer think. Unless it's Capt. Richard Head who's just gonna find something else because you dared to question him. The language in the regs is meant to be very specific, hence the separate mention of "load carrying" and "load securement. "

But everything inside the rails is best practices when you can. A chain or binder has a much better chance of standing up to a rub than a strap, but why have the exposure unnecessarily?

 

A lot of large steel mills will not load on pine dunnage. There's usually a sign where you scale in with a list of do's and don'ts . It's been a while since I've hauled any steel, maybe things changed.

 

My condolences on your loss.

 

Thanks mate, kind of you and to those who thanked your post too, but it wasn't unexpected, she'd been very ill for 10 years and the French health service is 2nd to none, so I have much more freedom now without having to organise my days around the 4 visits a day health visitors coming in. But I do miss them at the same time, overworked and underpaid, all of them, and I have been able to repay in one small way today, delivering a no longer needed piece of equipment to one of them who is marrooned at home now with cancer.