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I got up at 6 am and drove towards Smithville, ON, some 60 miles away. I bought 2 "oversize load" signs and 4 flags at our shop the night before but I still didn't have the rotating lights required on New York OD permit. I decided to stop at TA/Flying J on I-90, east of Buffalo, once I cross the border. I got lost on the way to Smithville thanks to my GPS that kept sending me down some very narrow roads that I had to avoid because of the 41 ft wheelbase on the stepdeck. Eventually I got to the shipper, just before the appointment time of 8 am.

I found the shipping office inside the plant and the shipping clerk was a rather attractive female. I told her what I was picking up and where it was going and she quickly found the paperwork and I signed it. I said I didn't know how far back inside the plant I should back up the truck, and she took me across the floor to the place where the loading guy was supposed to be. I was surprised to see that when we left the office, the girl put on not just the hard hat but safety glasses and a ... respirator. It wasn't just a mask, but a full blown thingie that people wear during nuclear attacks

She wanted to show me the items I was picking up and as we walked I couldn't resist asking why she was wearing the respirator. She said, "There's lots of dust here ... And I was trying to get pregnant..." ??? What do you say to that? I didn't say anything and we just kept walking. She showed me the stuff that was going on my truck. They looked like 2 giant cookies made out of concrete, 10 feet in diameter and about 1 foot thick. Each weighed 14,000 lbs. After the forklift guy put them on the lower deck, approximately 1 foot of the "cookie" was sticking out on both sides.

I asked the forklift guy if 2 straps per "cookie" were enough but he didn't have a clue. Since each of my 4" straps is rated for 5,400 lbs, I decided to use 4 straps for the entire load, crossing them over each other, 2 for each "cookie". I spent some time attaching the OD signs and flags (first time!)... When I was fighting with the rear OD sign, the attractive shipping clerk with the respirator showed up again. "You know it has to be tarped?" she asked me. I thought she was kidding: each "cookie" was wrapped in hard plastic already! I pointed this out to her but all I learned was that "all loads leaving our plant have to be tarped."

I drove the truck out of the plant and parked in an open area so that I could work without the hard hat. Just to be sure I sent a message to Dispatch asking them if they knew the shipper wanted this load tarped (there was nothing about tarping on my load info). The load planner wrote back, "Please tarp."

So, I unrolled my brand new bright blue "steel" tarp (16' x 20', with a flap) and got to work. After 30 minutes and when almost all 50 of my bungee cords were gone I was ready to start driving.

I got to the border in Fort Erie, ON and stopped to check on the load and get something to eat. The straps were okay and both "cookies" were still on the deck I lucked out on the US side by choosing Lane 1, which turned out the be the widest. Even with my 10'6" load I still had room on both sides to clear the lane without problems.

I did get into some narrow spots at toll booths on I-90 and then on 15 south, in a construction zone before Williamsburg. The 15 in that spot was so tight that I had to put on my 4-way flashers and slow down to 35 miles per hour. The zone lasted for 8 (!) miles and on quite a few occasions I had 1/2 foot of spare space on the left and as much on the right. Guys behind me were not thrilled but I didn't want to ruin my new tarp and damage the "cookies"

Usually I keep my CB shut off, but today I had it on just in case something would go wrong with my tarp or load. At one point a guy's voice said, "Hey, oversize, yellow International? Your oversize load sign on the back is gone, man." I grabbed the mike and asked the guy if he could still see the "D" sign on the back of the load, but his response died in static. I wasn't sure what to do but then another voice said there was a "bear" in the middle a few miles down the road. I decided not to take my chances and took the first exit hoping I can get onto the entrance ramp on the other side of the bridge and stop there. As my luck today would have it, there was no entrance ramp once I got through the light at the end of the ramp. Instead I saw the signs, "MacDonald's only" and "Mall only". Evidently these were put on for truckers like me What's worse I saw a roundabout ahead and the 3 lanes were turning into 1, with concrete barriers on both sides. So, I parked on the right while I still had 3 lanes ...

I walked behind the truck and the "D" sign was still there! One side of this sign says, "Oversize Load" and the other side just says, "D". I had used the D side because the load was small in the back and not all the letters of the "Oversize Load" sign would be visible. So, I just stopped for nothing. After tightening straps and checking everything, I saw no other way out except to pull sharp to the left from the right shoulder where I was sitting and then do a blind back into a private dirt road running off the main road at 90% angle. The road I was on led to the shopping center and it was about 6 pm ... but the traffic was light. By the time I got the truck and trailer onto the dirt road, 3 or 4 cars were waiting for me from both directions.

I shut down just past 8 pm on Hwy 15 in PA, some 4 miles before the junction with 322 because it was getting dark. According to the OD permits I was only allowed to drive from 1/2 hr before the sunrise till 1/2 hr after the sunset. It was a bit after that and at one point I remember passing a cop sitting on the shoulder. I was positive he'd start chasing me for driving after sunset but he stayed put on the shoulder. I found a truck stop shortly after that.

I'm about 120 miles from Baltimore, MD where I unload and then reload tomorrow. Looks like I'll be taking some small construction equipment from Baltimore to a suburb of Toronto, ON.

[Jumbo]

I do believe in the U.S. you need to use the "Oversize Load" side of the sign. In Canada you can use either the "D" or the "Oversize Load" As far as the beacons half of our trailers have strobes in the back bumper that we just turn on. All the trailers have a 4 prong plug at the back and we carry two portable magnetic strobes that plug into that plug. All our trucks have strobes mounted on them permanently. Truck stops sell a magnetic beacon that plugs into a cigerette lighter if you can figure out where to hang it on your mirror bracket. If you plan on pulling alot of this type stuff you should figure out how you want to do it. The pictures you posted the flags need to be on the widest point of the load, Not on the trailer. I have some flags that are on bungees and some that are on magnets for different loads. You will figure it out as time goes by.

[GMAN]

You also need to put 2 flags on the front of your truck. All together you should have 6 flags. One other thing that I will mention. It is usually safer to use the "Oversize Load" side of your banner. You may check on the rear of your trailer. It should have a plug that can be used to plug in a strobe or other flashing light. They don't usually come with the lights, but you can find the pigtail type of attachment at most trailer dealers or Fleetpride. Fleetpride is a truck parts store. They are all over the U.S. Some states may allow you to run an oversize load after dark if you have lights. In any case, if you happen to run a bit longer than you are supposed to you are less likely to be bothered if you have flashing lights.

One other thing that I would suggest to you pulling over size loads. I always plan my trip so that I know where I will stop for the night. Most of the time it isn't a problem finding a place to park unless you are very wide. If you have an idea of how many miles you will drive and where you need to stop then it makes the trip much easier. There can be travel restrictions around some cities. As someone else mentioned, make sure to read and reread your permits. I believe Alabama requires you to sign your name with a red ink pen. Pulling over size isn't all that difficult. You just need to make sure you do what is required on the permit. You need to make sure you follow the route on the permit. Pulling over size just requires a little more attention to detail than legal loads. Most states also require an escort for loads over 12' wide. A few have changed their rules recently so you should check each state in which you plan on running before making your trip. One other note I will mention. ALWAYS MEASURE YOUR LOAD BEFORE LEAVING THE SHIPPER. I never order my permits before I measure the load myself. You cannot always rely on shippers to accurately measure their load. If the load is wider than is states on your permits then you will need to order new permits. If a piece of pipe is sticking out from the main part of the piece you are hauling then you need to order your permit for the widest part including the piece that is sticking out. I have had instances where shippers have given me dimensions and not included something that was sticking out beyond the main piece. That is why I prefer to check width's and heights myself. By the way, I also keep a height stick in my trucks. I believe they cost about $175. It is good to have if you plan on hauling very much over size freight.

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Originally Posted by GMAN

You also need to put 2 flags on the front of your truck. All together you should have 6 flags. One other thing that I will mention. It is usually safer to use the "Oversize Load" side of your banner. You may check on the rear of your trailer. It should have a plug that can be used to plug in a strobe or other flashing light. They don't usually come with the lights, but you can find the pigtail type of attachment at most trailer dealers or Fleetpride. Fleetpride is a truck parts store. They are all over the U.S. Some states may allow you to run an oversize load after dark if you have lights. In any case, if you happen to run a bit longer than you are supposed to you are less likely to be bothered if you have flashing lights.

One other thing that I would suggest to you pulling over size loads. I always plan my trip so that I know where I will stop for the night. Most of the time it isn't a problem finding a place to park unless you are very wide. If you have an idea of how many miles you will drive and where you need to stop then it makes the trip much easier. There can be travel restrictions around some cities. As someone else mentioned, make sure to read and reread your permits. I believe Alabama requires you to sign your name with a red ink pen. Pulling over size isn't all that difficult. You just need to make sure you do what is required on the permit. You need to make sure you follow the route on the permit. Pulling over size just requires a little more attention to detail than legal loads. Most states also require an escort for loads over 12' wide. A few have changed their rules recently so you should check each state in which you plan on running before making your trip. One other note I will mention. ALWAYS MEASURE YOUR LOAD BEFORE LEAVING THE SHIPPER. I never order my permits before I measure the load myself. You cannot always rely on shippers to accurately measure their load. If the load is wider than is states on your permits then you will need to order new permits. If a piece of pipe is sticking out from the main part of the piece you are hauling then you need to order your permit for the widest part including the piece that is sticking out. I have had instances where shippers have given me dimensions and not included something that was sticking out beyond the main piece. That is why I prefer to check width's and heights myself. By the way, I also keep a height stick in my trucks. I believe they cost about $175. It is good to have if you plan on hauling very much over size freight.

Yeah, this OD loads need lots of preparation. This was my first time. Next time I'll make sure I have all the flags and lights and whatever else is required on the Permits. I'm thinking of going to a tow truck equipment shop and picking up a cheap roof light bar for the truck. I"m not sure how often I'll be doing these OD runs ... Thanks to all for the tips.

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September 4th, 2009

The Russian-owned "SeverStahl" plant (Russian for "North Steel") looked like a Zombie-Land: everything covered with dust, hardly any people around, big equipment crossing in front of you, unpaved "dirt" roads with potholes. The few people I did see looked grim and covered with dust, just like everything else. The only person smiling was a supervisor (originally from Holland) who was working with the invisible to me crane operator

They took off the 2 concrete "cookies" from my truck with a crane that slides under the ceiling of the shop and then I made my way back through dirt roads, and potholes and 100 stop signs and railroad crossings to the main gate.

A couple of things I learned from this Trip #1 with my own stepdeck:

1) concrete edges can destroy straps even if they don't look sharp (1 strap is practically done for); and
2) even when you point the tip of the bungee cord hook away from the tarp, the lower part will make a hole in the tarp, if the load is low and flat (I now have a 3 mm hole in my brand new tarp where the hook went through).

I took a hammer to all the hooks on all the bungee cords and modified the lower part so that it's now bent towards the rubber. These 'custom bungee cords" are not available in stores but they are not going to mess with my tarps any more. Actually, the smiling supervisor from the SeverStahl plant helped me with the first 20 bungee cords - he had a hammer in his toolbox and he said he didn't mind helping me since he "had nothing else to do until the crane came back to unload me". No wonder he was smiling ... I've attached a picture of the new custom look of my bungee cords.

My return load is 2 mini-excavators that I picked up at Baltimore Port. It took about 5 hours from start to finish and a special escort ($45/hr) to take me in and out of the port. All because I didn't have the TWIC card.

I secured the loaders with chains and the front was easy: I just threw the chains over the axles. But the rear of the machines didn't leave much room for chains between the axle housing and the wheel. I threaded the rear chains through the eyelets designed for crane hookup and by the time I got to the TA truck stop just 2 miles away from the port, I damaged the paint around the eyes. Grrr.. I took the 4 chains off and squeezed them behind the tires and onto the rear axle housings. The machine brand is CAT and the color is the standard CAT yellow: I'm going to pick up a spray can of yellow Tuesday from my CAT dealer and cover the scratches before going to the consignee. Next time I'll know better than to put chains on painted surfaces. I'm still wondering though why no engineer at the CAT plant thought of adding some chain tie-downs on the machines... They made tie-downs for cranes, but totally ignored the needs of the truckers who have to secure the machines somehow to the trailer.

What I"ve learned about my new trailer during these 2 trips is that it doesn't back up easily. Because of the fixed axles and 40.88' constant "king-pin to center of axles" setup, for some reason it feels worse than a 53' dry van with the same axle position. I had no problems backing a dry van and especially a 48" flatbed (10'1" spread) but the setup on my step is very "back-unfriendly". I also have to watch corners more closely now when turning at street lights as the trailer has a large off-track.

Other than that I"m happy with the equipment and wouldn't go back to just having a truck. Having your own trailer does make you feel a little better about yourself, you know?

[allan5oh]

Sounds like this case of dry van disease is cured!

Congratulations on your trailer, your first load with your trailer, and your first oversize load. I have yet to do one. I feel as though my company does not compensate enough for oversize. Usually pay 10-15 CPM extra. Whoopie.

Anyways, yes you need to bend the back part of the S on the bungees. I would squish it a little more then your picture shows. Always have spare carpet or tough rubber to put underneath your straps.

We have a customer with similar equipment to those loaders, just a little smaller. Try to use straps wherever you can, at an angle. Works fantastic. Chain on one side, strap on the other. The strap actually tightens up the chain.

[GMAN]

If you get in a bind you could stop at any grocery store and buy a box of pampers. They can work great to protect your tarps. A pair of pliers can also work well to bend your hooks. I would suggest you bend them as flat as possible to avoid any damage. When wind gets under the tarp those hooks can play havoc on them.

[RostyC]

Thanks for the tip on the rubber straps. I just ordered some new 21" straps, and I noticed that the hook on these straps wasn't as bent in as my old ones, and I was thinking it was a good thing because I could take the hooks off when the strap wears out and just order straps with no hooks, maybe save a little money.

As it turns out, I now have something else to do today.

My old ones did rub some little holes in my tarps, so I would imagine these new ones could really wreak havoc.

[GMAN]

Rather than using a hammer you can also use a pair of pliers. That is what I normally use to bend the hook down.

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Originally Posted by allan5oh

Sounds like this case of dry van disease is cured!

We have a customer with similar equipment to those loaders, just a little smaller. Try to use straps wherever you can, at an angle. Works fantastic. Chain on one side, strap on the other. The strap actually tightens up the chain.

i thought of using straps on these loaders but didn't see any spots where i could attach them without damaging the strap. when you say "sides" you mean to put straps on the driver's side of the machine and then use chains on the passenger side? or you mean the front and the rear of the loader? i prefer straps myself and like to use them instead of chains as often as possible....