Thoughts on efficiency

While I don't do stuff nearly as big as some of these guys I do often do wide RGN stuff and never once have they asked what type of trailer I have.

Everytime I get a permit with a route I've never run before my first stop is google maps checking all the turns for clearances and possible tight places. Its great to be able to go down to the street view in cities and look exactly where the low bridges are and see the posted heightds. While that's no guarantee the height hasn't changed it gives me and idea of what to expect.

For local moves near home I have run them ahead of time in my pickup just to make sure since some of the city streets to new customers can be tight.

 

Years ago, I delivered a machine to Rayville, LA. Find it on a map, if you don't mind. They routed me on i20 to 425 to 80. There is a big RRXX between 20 and 80. I called the receiver and he told me not to go that way. He told me to go to LA583 instead. He said that the state always routes drivers up 425, but they can't make it with an Rgn and 7 days prior, one delivering a combine got hit by the train.
I went up 583. Big hump in the road where the track is....could double as a small levee. There was a stop sign on the other side of the track. I looked left and looked right and floored it. Dragged all over that track but I made it. I delivered the load and I went by 425. The track was so high that you would have troubles with most stepdecks clearing. And this is the way they route you. It looks like a small 4 ft levee that's just wide enough for the train track. I had to go quite a few miles across US 80 west to find a place where I could get back to 20 without risking getting hi centered.

 

A lot of states ask as part of the permit ordering system - TX for example - as if it is a lowboy trailer and if it has hydraulic lift. In theory they use this information in the routing process

 

I was pulling hubs out Pensacola to Limon Colorado. Texas routed me through downtown Dallas!!!!!!!!!WTF????????

I called the state and had them amend it to the superload route (i20,i820 exit 13 bus 278, us287). Why on earth would they route me through downtown Dallas?

 

We always say no

 

I did say In Theory!

It is Texas after, so only slightly less random routing than Oklahoma

 

Six, you think that's bad. I had a different permit order my Md the other week as my regular guy was out. I was rte specific with this lady. What does she di. Hits the easy rte button, and Md had me going all over downtown Baltimore.
I called the city to amend it, but since it was in effect that day she couldn't do it.
Back on the phone, order a new permit 285 dollars later. Yea like I'm going through downtown with an oversize crate. Stupid female dog

 

Big Ronnie, I wasn't responding to your post. You finished before I posted mine...just trying to fathom why Texas does stupid stuff. They routed me on Loop12 with a blade once. We were going to Arizona, but they sent us downtown Dallas. And the clincher...they were having a parade on the route.