If you watch the video, a road is shown with signs posted. NO TRUCKS and 10 TON LIMIT. I'm assuming the news crew video'd the actual road involved.

 

Frequently signs are posted in such a way that you can't see them until after you've turned on to the road. And then the driver has to find a place to turn around. I've seen situations out in the sticks where I had to drive quite a few miles to find a parking lot big enough. By then I was not only in violation of the weight limit/no truck signs but probably breaking another law for turning around on private property.

 

As for following the customers directions, don't forget that they know how to get to work in a car, not a truck. I had a pickup in Louisville, KY that had no directions in our QC. I called the customer and they gave me the directions. However, when I took the exit they told me to take, and made the left they told me to take, I was instantly in trouble - the highway underpass was 11'. There was no markings on the ramp about this and you couldn't see the low bridge until after the turn was made. So, there I sat, stuck, until a cop showed up to direct traffic while I backed up to get back onto the entrance ramp.

 

After the "flood of '93", I went through an area in North East Arkansas that had the road bed washed out from under the railroad tracks. The bridges didn't exactly have weight limits on then, but they did have slower speed limits as the truck got heavier. With my load, my speed was 15 mph, and I walked a couple of bridges before I crossed them. But, those signs were in the middle of the bridge too. I hit the first one going the speed limit, and when I saw the sign I let it roll across that one. But for the rest of them, I approached slow enough to see the sign before I hit the bridge. No cops on that road, and I got away with it. Also, the only time I EVER took that road.

 

A couple of companies I worked for would give the driver "suggested routing" via qualcomm. At the time, you needed a '53 trailer permit in Vermont. The company would let the computer pick the routing and send it to you... Until 3 of the drivers took US-4 west of White River Junction into NY. Then they took US-4 off the computer. Then, when 3 more drivers, following the suggested routing, crossed some bridge in Chicago, they brought the company some $33,000 worth of fines. To this day, I have no idea which bridge it was, but the "suggested routing" came to an end. Because of that "suggested routing", the fine was given to the company, not the driver.

One trip into Milwaukee, I was not able to get directions to the customer any other way, so I called the police department. After all, if you're on a restricted route, who's going to give you the ticket? I also had a pocket recorder attached to the phone. Easier to listen to directions than read them in the dark for a 5 AM appointment at the dock. I started to see signs, "NO TRUCKS 6 PM TO 6 AM", so I turned off the engine brake, and I got stopped about a block later. I told the officer that when I was given the directions, I asked about restrictions or low obstructions, and was told there were none. He asked just who was stupid enough to send me down THAT road, so I played the recording back for him. The look of surprise on his face when he recognized the voice... That's my DESK SARGENT... I made my appointment time and did not get cited.

 

One one delivery, I got to back up 7 miles because there was nowhere to turn around. There were no signs or barriers when I turned onto the road, but the very last bridge (with my customer right on the other side) had 9 foot clearance, and no road surface, just some planks laid down. I was given directions by a woman that rides a 4-wheel ATV to and from work.

 

A situation such as this, where the customer did not understand the importance of the height requirements of your unit is unfortunate........but.........For this particular driver, his employer would have had specific travel information available from the customer (The Oil Company) or the drilling company (they hauled the entire drilling rig into location on a road that was legal for the trucks to be on).

As far as that goes, Halliburton would have had a sales-person make several trips into the location before a Halliburton truck was ever dispatched to it. Every salesperson that works for an oilfield service company knows what type of roads the company's trucks are going to require to access the location. Usually the sales people will have had a minimum of 6 months of driving the company's equipment in the field (even the "College Kids").

I feel bad for this guy and the manner in which he was treated. But he should have been talking to someone about directions to get to the location before he left the district where he is home based. That information was available to him for the asking.

 

I confess, I didnt watch the video

 

Okay, I just watched and after seeing the signs and the road, I have to say this driver is a moron! Gee officer, I know it's a crappy little road that is posted no trucks, but my gps said it was okay, so that's all I need

 

My GPS has been good to me 95% of the time. I always call the shipper/consignee for directions anyway.

A good example on how a GPS can ruin your day:

You are traveling south on I-75, your GPS tells you to take exit 110 because it is the shortest distance to your destination. That works fine IF YOU ARE IN A CAR.

In a truck you would be better off going 2 miles south to exit 108 and driving a half mile longer on a wider road more suitable for an 18 wheeler.

A GPS always looks for the shortest distance which can really burn you every now and then. I have had this happen to me two times and I ended up in a residential neighborhood with real thin streets.

This is why I ALWAYS call and ask for directions, I've even had customers tell me to ignore your GPS because it will take you to the wrong exit/street.