Don't Overload That Trailer Without Proper Permits.

009to090 · Post by **009to090** » Thu. Apr. 02, 2009 8:59 pm

A news article I found today.....

Information from: The Express-Times, http://www.lehighvalleylive.com

Overweight truck stuck on Route 378 in Bethlehem for three weeks
Thursday, April 02, 2009
By JD MALONE
The Express-Times
BETHLEHEM | A truck hauling a 213,000-pound steel cylinder sat idle on Route 378 for almost three weeks -- and earned its driver a whopping fine due to a lack of proper permits, police said.

The truck and trailer, bright red and more than 160 feet long, was headed for a grinding and polishing shop in Allentown on March 12 when it tipped while turning right from West Fourth Street onto Route 378, police said.

City police worked with two tow trucks for several hours to right the mammoth semi, point it across the Hill-to-Hill Bridge and park it just south of the Eighth Avenue exit.

The trailer, a tarp snug over the load, sat on the highway shoulder until Wednesday when, with new permits and a state police exit, the truck completed its trip.

But not before police tagged the driver, James Stephenson, 48, of Middletown, Ohio, and owner Guy M. Turner Inc., of Greensboro, N.C., with a $37,554.54 ticket for being overweight.

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Thu. Apr. 02, 2009 10:01 pm

Geeeze, and I thought the pick up truck that I saw stopped today by the state police looked heavy. It was full of asphalt chunks. Later I learned it was 2010 pounds over weight. A far cry from 213,000 pounds!

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Thu. Apr. 02, 2009 10:13 pm

Proper Prior Planning Prevents P**s Poor Performance! ....and these clowns pretend to be a professional trucking firm?
Sure, they were circumventing the permit process, but I'd bet the permits were a great deal less than the fines and aggravation. I wonder what their insurance carrier thinks of the towing bills, etc.

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 7:15 am

You really want to see some "Heavy haulers", we ship some of our equipment with these trucks....amazing how they can maneuver them in/around our plant. We have one sitting outside our plant waiting to pick up a unit....

http://www.diamondheavyhaul.com/equipment.htm

Post by **Richard S.** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 7:20 am

I wonder if they got the larger V-8 in that truck.

samhill · Post by **samhill** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 10:21 am

The load permits naturally cost but are well worth it, with large oversize-over weight loads you are limited to certain routes & hours for safety reasons. Any so-called hauler that ignores this IMO should lose more than just money but also his right to haul.

WNY · Post by **WNY** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 10:43 am

Yes, those heavy hauler can only cruise 30mph, during daylight hours, and not on weekends...or something like that.

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 10:52 am

Wow, that's one big rig!!

Has anyone seen that new logging show on Friday night? American loggers is the name. It's about loggers in northern Maine... they don't need permits to run heavy loads.... they own the road! No registration, no inspections, no permits, no speed limits. Every once in a while it'll make the newspaper if they set a new record. They only get weighed as they unload so they never know if a record is set until after the fact. Last I knew the record was around 420,000 pounds. That's a single semi hauling a double trailer. This road, "The Golden Road", is open to the public. I'll tell you what mister man, when you see one of those rigs coming at you at 80 MPH, you give him all the room he wants! They take their half right out of the middle!

009to090 · Post by **009to090** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 10:57 am

Freddy wrote:Wow, that's one big rig!!

Has anyone seen that new logging show on Friday night? American loggers is the name. It's about loggers in northern Maine... they don't need permits to run heavy loads.... they own the road! No registration, no inspections, no permits, no speed limits. Every once in a while it'll make the newspaper if they set a new record. They only get weighed as they unload so they never know if a record is set until after the fact. Last I knew the record was around 420,000 pounds. That's a single semi hauling a double trailer. This road, "The Golden Road", is open to the public. I'll tell you what mister man, when you see one of those rigs coming at you at 80 MPH, you give him all the room he wants! They take their half right out of the middle!

Yep, good show, I also like Extreme Loggers on Discovery channel. And Ice Road Truckers, on History channel is another good one.

Post by **Richard S.** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 10:58 am

samhill wrote:with large oversize-over weight loads you are limited to certain routes & hours for safety reasons.

...and on the other hand there is a lot posted for standard truck traffic that doesn't need to be. 115 in this area is a prime example. Coming down from the mountain into the valley no trucks over 21K It's pretty steep and even has a few runaway truck ramps but overall it's not really bad. I used to come down it in 4th with the exahust brake most of the way. Never touch the brakes. Years ago the limit was undoubtedly a good idea because the road continued right into the city. Since then it's been reconfigured and now goes down the Expressway which is pretty much near interstate. They really don't need it to be posted... the only other route to get down off the mountain form there is the turnpike. $$$

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 11:32 am

I know of several trucking companies that just accept fines as a cost of doing business.

That $37K fine once in 20 yrs. is cheaper than 20 yrs of overweight permits. Quite a few companies operate this way in MA.

samhill · Post by **samhill** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 11:36 am

Your right it seems once limits are posted they never seem to go away with improvements to the roads. but with many things some people ruin it for everybody, that being the no engine brake rules in some areas. A properly mufflered truck doesn`t make all that much noise but you got the drivers that insists on straight pipes.

Bulldogr6 · Post by **Bulldogr6** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 6:34 pm

SMITTY wrote:I know of several trucking companies that just accept fines as a cost of doing business.

That $37K fine once in 20 yrs. is cheaper than 20 yrs of overweight permits. Quite a few companies operate this way in MA.

I'll vouch for that. I have seen some crazy things coming in and going from our yard. Tri axles grossing 120,000 lbs, massive equipment that should be broke down to three low beds all together on one low bed being 14 feet+ wide.

zeeklu · Post by **zeeklu** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 7:57 pm

We move a lot of big loads where I work. The gross weight of this load is 710,000 lbs .Chris

zeeklu · Post by **zeeklu** » Fri. Apr. 03, 2009 8:02 pm

This one is 800,000 lbs and 235' long,21' wide and 20' high. Chris

Don't Overload That Trailer Without Proper Permits.

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