Loadboard aims to disrupt US trucking’s third-party disruptors

Loadboard aims to disrupt US trucking’s third-party disruptorshttps://www.joc.com/sites/default/files/field_feature_image/trucks-loading-multiple-us-fit.jpgWilliam B. Cassidy, Senior Editorwww.joc.com2019 11 21

Trucks being loaded.

In a big leap, Kane said MyRiteLoad.com is shooting to have 165,000 trucks on board by April 15. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com.

The problem with the myriad companies vying for the title of “disruptor” in the truck freight market is they’re not disruptive enough, according to Matthew Kane. “The problem is, they’re still brokers,” said Kane, speaking of companies such as Uber Freight and Convoy in particular. They may offer new and innovative third-party services, but they’re still third parties.

Kane wants to build something different: a marketplace directly connecting shippers with trucking companies and owner-operators without an intermediary that arranges transportation. He’s been working on MyRiteLoad.com for several years and believes new or pending agreements with insurance and factoring companies will bring new truckers to the service.

Kane calls it ‘a fix, rather than disruption’

“We directly connect shipping manufacturing companies to screened qualified drivers,” Kane said. What myriteload.com doesn’t do is broker freight. “We’ve been called disruptive, but I’d prefer to categorize what we do as a fix, rather than disruption. We have built something that is quite unique, a real shipper-to-carrier loadboard.” A loadboard, he said, without brokers.

“The reason shippers use a freight broker or 3PL [third-party logistics provider] is the task of managing all those relationships” with carriers, Kane said. “We’re going to offer shippers that service, but we’ll give it to them for free. They can post freight on our board and connect and contract with the carrier themselves. We take out the over-complication,” along with an accumulated layer of costs, he said.

Technological disruption once was heralded as a way to eliminate middlemen, but that’s proven a difficult task. The internet was supposed to connect consumers and producers directly, for example. Instead, we have Amazon, the ultimate retail “middleman.” Likewise, technology hasn’t eliminated brokerage but allowed brokers to offer more services to shippers.

But it’s also offered an opening for Kane, who has been pursuing his goal of connecting shippers and truckers since 2011. His biggest challenge is one familiar to brokerages: gaining scale. “Right now we’ve got about 120 shippers and about 3,400 to 3,600 drivers,” Kane said. He thinks that number will rise with new insurance and factoring agreements.

Getting enough drivers on board has been a problem. The company stopped taking freight at one point and “relaunched” itself in 2017. The agreement with OTR Capital and another factoring company could bring thousands more drivers and companies to MyRiteLoad, he said.

MyRiteLoad.com goal: 165,000 trucks by April 15

In a big leap, Kane said MyRiteLoad is shooting to have 165,000 trucks on board by April 15. The system is free for shippers to use, but drivers or trucking companies pay an $18 sign-up fee and $18 per assigned load. Truckers can also sign up for free and pay $27 per load. MyRiteLoad runs credit checks on shippers and checks driver qualifications.

The latest iteration of MyRiteLoad was introduced last year, along with Android and iPhone apps used by truckers and fleet dispatchers to find and assign loads. For shippers, the service includes shipment tracking and geofencing. Kane plans to add additional data-based services. “We’re giving the shipper tools to be more proficient to help reduce loading times,” Kane said.

Kane and MyRiteLoad differ from many competitors. They’re based in Philadelphia, not Silicon Valley. Kane previously published an automotive circular. He’s neither a techie nor a trucker by trade. His venture isn’t underwritten by venture capital. He is an entrepreneur, however, and after selling his publishing business he found himself looking for a new opportunity.

Meeting several truck drivers at an event in Washington, DC, several years ago sparked his interest. “One of my brothers is an over-the-road driver, and I remember hearing about problems with brokers and detention times at shippers,” he said. “I came back from that event and decided I wanted to find out more.” His research method involved a lot of time on the road.

“I went on a tour,” he said. “I drove around the country for eight and a half months and got perspective from a lot of drivers — reefers, flatbed, dry box guys, tankers — I talked to them all. It was like getting a master’s degree in eight months. I talked to shippers as well. I would pull into industrial parks and jump up on the docks, asking questions. I got perspective from both sides.”

The answers Kane received left him convinced shippers and truckers would be better off without brokers between them. Not that he thinks brokers are “bad,” but “they complicate the system,” he said. “We came up with a system that allows the shippers and carriers to bypass the rings of fire in the middle and communicate and contract directly. It really is just plain common sense.”

Direct access to a new source of capacity

There are plenty of 3PL companies, and carriers and shippers, that would vehemently disagree, but there are also shippers who would welcome and benefit from direct access to a new source of capacity. That’s what’s driving interest in digital marketplaces of all types for truckers and shippers, whether they are brokerages or include 3PLs or not.

Kane insists there are significant savings for shippers, and gains for truckers, in connecting directly through his system. “A broker will charge a shipper $2,000 for a load, and pay the trucker $1,600. Why not pay the trucker $1,900 directly and save $100 on the load?” he asked. When you save $100 on 1,000 loads on a weekly basis, that’s $100,000 a week.”

Increasingly, however, shippers are looking for more than transactional cost savings. Kane acknowledges that and is planning to add services to the marketplace, including more-sophisticated shipment monitoring, such as telematics. “I want to increase those value-adds,” he said. “I’ve got another two dozen pieces of the puzzle that I want to add to the system.”

Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@ihsmarkit.com and follow him on Twitter: @willbcassidy.

https://www.joc.com/trucking-logistics/loadboard-aims-disrupt-us-trucking%E2%80%99s-third-party-disruptors_20181212.html

$57,000 Ticket: RI Sets Record For Largest Truck Fine

$57,000 Ticket: RI Sets Record For Largest Truck Fine

A massively overweight load made the national news after it was stuck on the side of a highway without a permit for days late last month. Now, that same load is getting headlines again with a $57,000 fine thought to be the largest for a motor vehicle violation in state history.

The 16-axle truck was meant to carry heavy loads, but without a permit, it was almost 400,000 pounds overweight. Its cargo was a generator weighing more than 560,000 lbs. and while the company had put in for a special permit it had not yet been approved.

Bay Crane Northeast is a carrier that until this incident was in good standing with the RIDOT. But for some reason, the load was dispatched before the permit was approved. So when the truck was stopped on the side of I-95 on its way to Massachusetts, that’s where it stayed for days.

Eventually, the truck and its cargo were moved to a Park & Ride on Route 117 to alleviate some of the traffic caused by curious onlookers. Finally, the RIDOT allowed the truck to continue on once the carrier agreed to a few conditions including getting a $25 million insurance policy, paying for the cost of a police escort, and reimbursing RIDOT up to $60,000 for their costs in dealing with the incident.

No one was injured, and no property was damaged or destroyed, but the RIDOT has now hit the carrier with a $57,000 fine for the mistake. This amount is in addition to the previous money paid.

And it looks like the company’s troubles aren’t over. A traffic tribunal date for the carrier has been set for August 31st.

Source: wpri, usnews, boston, instrancejournal, wpri, boston, turnto10, turnto10

https://www.thetruckersreport.com/57000-ticket-ri-sets-record-largest-truck-fine/

MnDOT Explores the Use of a Unified Permitting Process for Oversize/Overweight Loads

Researchers produced a proof-of-concept for developing a one-stop permitting process that would allow commercial haulers to plan a travel route and secure all required permits from a single source. MnDOT is working to develop a first-of-its-kind, unified permitting process to consolidate the requirements of every jurisdiction in the state into a single, quick-response platform that meets the needs of haulers.

“From a hauler’s perspective, the permitting process can be very cumbersome. Each agency’s application is different as are the general provisions that haulers need to follow,” said Renae Kuehl, Senior Associate, SRF Consulting Group, Inc.

“As carriers, we’re trying to do our due diligence in getting permits. But the current process can lead to significant safety and legal risks,” said Richard Johnson, Transportation Manager, Tiller Corporation.

What Was the Need?

Hauling oversize or overweight freight on Minnesota’s roadway system—highways, county roads, township roads and city streets—requires approval by each governing authority along the route. Roadway managers must review hauler travel plans to make sure size and weight limits for vehicles and loads will not endanger roadway facilities, hauler equipment and personnel before issuing the over-size or overweight permit.

Any single hauling route may require permits from multiple roadway authorities, each with different application procedures and response times. Some governing bodies, MnDOT among them, issue these permits online and can turn them around in minutes. Other agencies issue permits by mail, fax or email, which can take several days.

Haulers, however, may not have time to wait for a permit. If equipment breaks down at a loading site, for example, replacement equipment is needed immediately to meet contract deadlines and avoid paying labor costs for idle workers. A construction emergency may also demand large equipment be towed to a site. In situations like these, haulers often make the trip without appropriate permitting, accepting the legal and safety risks.

What Was Our Goal?

To simplify the permitting process, Minnesota local agencies would like to develop an online permitting application process that would allow permit-seekers to determine routes based on their vehicle and load size, and secure all necessary permits at one time. This research, the first phase of a multiphase study, aimed to determine the feasibility of a one-stop, unified permitting process by studying its technological and operational needs and gathering input from various stakeholders.

What Did We Do?

Investigators worked with the Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) and a group of policy experts from county and state agencies, commercial haulers and consultants to identify audiences with a stake in a unified permitting process. During meetings in northern Minnesota and in the Twin Cities area, investigators and TAP members met with key stakeholders: haulers and representatives from industry organizations; seven MnDOT offices (including Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations, Information Technology, Maintenance and Geospatial Information); Minnesota counties; the City of Duluth; the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council; Minnesota State Patrol; the State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Section; and a county sheriff’s office.

The research team identified the challenges and needs of each stakeholder and organized the concerns according to policy, process and technology. Then they explored solutions that would allow the development of a one-stop permitting process.

What Did We Learn?

Researchers determined that a unified permitting process is feasible. Policy issues include the need to standardize general provisions statewide, such as travel hours, insurance requirements and warning devices such as flagging needs. For example, currently the color of flags and lettering on banners vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; well-framed general provisions could make these requirements more uniform to serve multiple jurisdictions. The information required by each governing authority in its permit applications could also be normalized.

Process issues were about workflow. More than 80 percent of hauler requests are repeat-able: A commercial haul may be run on the same route with the same-size load three times a month for four months and may not require a full reapplication each time. Some agencies rely on paper, fax or emails to receive permit requests; others purchase permit-ting software; still others build their own software. These systems could be made more uniform so they could interact and share information among agencies.

Technology issues called for an interoperable system that could bring together geographic information system (GIS) capabilities and regulatory data that could be both received and shared. Mapping data could identify each permit required along a route being developed, and a portal could allow agencies to share information as well as allow permit-seekers to enter information and retrieve permits themselves. A portal could also integrate different software packages while offering information like Minnesota’s Gopher State One Call digging hotline.

What’s Next?

In Phase II of this project, which has already begun, researchers will develop a pilot portal that allows users to create route plans, identify permits needed and apply for all permits in one action. Investigators will test the platform with a three-county group. If this effort is successful, researchers will build a unified permitting process for use within all jurisdictions in Minnesota.

MnDOT is also enhancing its software for handling oversize/overweight permits and carrier credentials. Transportation Research Synthesis 1704 surveyed state agencies about current offerings.


This post pertains to the LRRB-produced Report 2017-26, “Oversize/Overweight Vehicle Unified Permitting Process (UPP) Phase I,” published August 2017. 

https://mntransportationresearch.org/2017/10/18/mndot-explores-the-use-of-a-unified-permitting-process-for-oversizeoverweight-loads/

Oversize Loads vs. Superloads: What’s the Difference?

Hauling a larger-than-usual load comes with its own set of challenges, both logistical and legal. But these challenges vary widely when comparing an oversize load with a superload.

Let’s take the State of New York’s rules on these two classifications as an example:

1. Oversize Loads

On state highways in New York, an oversize permit is necessary for a vehicle that is – inclusive of load – over 8 feet wide, 13.5 feet tall or 40 feet long (if a single vehicle); 65 feet long (if a combination of vehicles); or 48 feet long (if a single trailer). If you’re only exceeding the limit in length and are hauling objects like poles, girders or columns, no oversize permit is required.

2. Superloads

In contrast to oversize load permits, superload permits take longer to obtain and can mean a lot of extra headaches for the hauler. In New York, a vehicle qualifies as a superload if it’s over 16 feet wide, 16 feet tall, 160 feet long or over 200,000 lbs. in gross weight. Going over just one of these dimensions will qualify your load as a superload. On top of the logistical considerations of moving a superload on public roads, bureaucracy is a huge potential headache. Getting a superload permit approved means a more extensive review process, more limitations for the haul, the need to hire state-vetted escort support, and in New York, submission of a surety bond to the state.

https://www.permitcompany.com/news/oversize-loads-vs-superloads-whats-difference/

US heavy-haul truckers build revenue, but face big challenges

Demand for wind turbines will provide more business and revenue for heavy-haul trucking companies, as companies rush to claim tax credits. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com.

The largest US heavy-haul trucking companies carried an oversized amount of revenue last year as the US energy boom ratcheted up demand for oil field equipment, wind turbines, and other outsized freight, and the size of heavy-haul projects and cargo increased.

The 10 largest heavy-haul carriers pushed their combined revenue up 33.3 percent to $2.8 billion, according to a report from transportation research firm SJ Consulting Group. Daseke led the way, nearly doubling its heavy-haul revenue to $925 million through acquisitions.

The strength of energy markets and potential for US infrastructure investment are two factors that will determine how high heavy-haul or specialized trucking revenue will climb in 2019. The availability or lack of resources — particularly specially trained truck drivers — is another.

Dry-van truckload capacity may be abundant, but that’s not the case when it comes to heavy-haul trucking. “There’s not enough truck capacity to meet the demand,” David Ferebee, vice president of sales and marketing for Lone Star Transportation, said last month.

When it comes to oversize, overweight freight, “everytime we figure out how to move it, they make it bigger,” Ferebee told the 2019 JOC Breakbulk & Project Cargo Conference in New Orleans April 29-May 1. The size of the equipment being moved “is pushing the limits,” he said.

Daseke, a transportation holding company that is the parent of Lone Star and 16 other companies, pushed its own limits, acquiring five specialized and heavy-haul flatbed trucking companies in 2018. That helped raise its total revenue 91.3 percent to $1.6 billion.

Landstar leads organic growth

Excluding Daseke, the remaining nine carriers increased heavy-haul revenue 15.4 percent, led by Landstar System, which saw a 22.2 percent increase in revenue from oversized/overweight cargo, SJ Consulting said. The research firm put that revenue at $416 million last year.

The heavy-haul business has been performing well for Landstar this year, even when traditional truckload business is soft, CEO Jim Gattoni said in an April 25 earnings call transcribed by Seeking Alpha. “We always tend to be one of the first guys in when there’s a special project going on,” he said.

Flatbed trucking represents 30 percent of Landstar’s revenue — $1.03 billion in the first quarter and $4.6 billion in 2018 — and specialized trucking revenue about 30 percent of flatbed sales, Gattoni said. With limited capacity, heavy-haul pricing is resistant to spot-like volatility.

Three of the motor carriers — United Vision Logistics, Bennett Motor Express, and Universal Truckload Services — had heavy-haul revenue in the $200-300 million range. Universal increased heavy-haul revenue 20.1 percent, Bennett 19.3 percent, and United 7.7 percent.

Five carriers — Anderson Trucking Service, American Eagle Logistics, Combined Transport, Admiral Merchants Motor Freight, and Acme Truck Line — had between $100 million and $200 million in heavy-haul revenue. Their combined revenue was up $70 million, or 11.9 percent.

Business is blowing in the wind

Heavy-haul carriers will get a lift in 2020 from the increasing viability of wind-based energy production. But the size and weight of shipments are a growing challenge for logistics managers moving wind towers to inland sites, speakers at the JOC breakbulk conference said.

“There are turbine prototypes on tap right now that will be in excess of 160 meters [in length], and we have 120-meter turbines now,” Dan Shreve, head of global wind energy research at Wood Mackenzie, said at the event. “There are enormous challenges moving this equipment.”

That challenge could lead to more collaborative projects linking heavy-haul, over-dimension truck fleets with out-of-gauge railroading. “There’s not enough truck capacity to meet the demand, there’s no question about that,” Lone Star’s Ferebee said. “Trucks can’t do it all.”

Wind turbine shipments are rising in advance of the expiration of US production tax credits in 2023. “We’re moving massive pieces of equipment in a heightened level of activity, said John Lusty, director of energy and utility solutions for Siemens Gamesa Canada.

“[Turbine] manufacturers are racing to get their bids out to market so they can beat their competitors in locking up transportation capacity,” Gene Lemke, vice president of projects at Anderson Trucking Services, the sixth-largest US heavy-haul trucker, said earlier this year.

In January, Lemke told JOC.com his St. Cloud, Minnesota-based company has projects booked through autumn of 2019, and had walked away from some business due to lack of capacity.

Tariffs may prove a heavy-haul headwind

Wind energy may provide a tailwind for heavy-haul truckers, but higher US tariffs may prove a headwind. Tariffs placed on Chinese aluminum and steel are expected to lower the US construction equipment industry’s domestic output, according to IHS Markit.

Heavy construction equipment is a staple cargo for oversize/overweight trucking operations. IHS Markit, the parent company of JOC.com, expects construction equipment output to fall by almost $500 million a year over the next 10 years as a result of US tariffs and trade wars.

Higher-cost steel eventually could dampen construction activity, IHS Markit said in a report prepared for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Tariffs will increase costs of producing agriculture and construction equipment 6 percent and mining equipment 7 percent.

As cargo gets bigger and heavier, shippers such as CG Power Systems are looking for ways to balance the weight of what’s being shipped and the equipment used to move it, said Jurgen Huygh, head of outbound logistics and business control for the India-based company.

“We’ve used new technology to lower the weight of the trailers, so they can handle the increased weight of the transformers,” Huygh said at the breakbulk conference. “We need to see more innovation in every area of project cargo,” including the heavy-haul trucking leg.

Contact William B. Cassidy at bill.cassidy@ihsmarkit.com and follow him on Twitter: @willbcassidy.

https://www.joc.com/trucking-logistics/truckload-freight/us-heavy-haul-truckers-build-revenue-face-big-challenges_20190613.html

Your Guide to Driving an Oversized Load Through Indiana

Indiana’s state motto is “Crossroads of America,” which is due to the fact that Indiana has more miles of Interstate Highway per square mile than any other state. If you plan on traversing these highways with an oversized load, you’ll need an Indiana oversize permit. And The Permit Company is here to help.   The…

The post Your Guide to Driving an Oversized Load Through Indiana appeared first on The Permit Company.

Indiana’s state motto is “Crossroads of America,” which is due to the fact that Indiana has more miles of Interstate Highway per square mile than any other state. If you plan on traversing these highways with an oversized load, you’ll need an Indiana oversize permit. And The Permit Company is here to help.

 

The Permit Company takes the hassle out of obtaining oversize and overweight truck permits by working directly with state and local agencies on your behalf. Below is everything you need to know about moving oversized loads through the state of Indiana and how to obtain a permit.

 

1. How long are oversize permits valid for in Indiana?

Single-trip permits are valid for 15 consecutive days.

 

2. What are the legal dimensions for loads in Indiana?

The legal limits in Indiana are as follows:

  • Gross weight: 80,000 lbs. on all roads*
  • Width: 8’6″ on all roads
  • Height: 13’6″ on all roads
  • Length: 40′ for single units on all roads; 45′ for buses on all roads; 65′ for articulating buses on all roads; 53′ for semi-trailers** and load on all roads; 28’6″ for twins and doubles on all roads; 65′ for auto and boat transporters on all roads; 75′ for stinger-steered on all roads; Rocky Mountain doubles, turnpike doubles and triples are not allowed on any roads***; 75′ for saddle mounts on designated highways, 33′ on all other roads

*Bridge Formula applies.

 

**Trailers more than 48’6″ shall have a kingpin setting that does not exceed 40’6″ for trailers manufactured before 12/31/84 and 42’6″ for trailers manufactured before 1/1/85. For trailers manufactured since 1/1/85, the kingpin setting should not exceed 43′. Kingpin distance is measured to the rearmost axle.

 

***Turnpike and Rocky Mountain doubles are allowed on the toll road. A tandem trailer combination shall have a minimum of five axles and a maximum of nine axles. There is no overall length limit. Triples are allowed as long as they are three of the same size (28’6″). There is no overall length limit for triples. Triple trailer combinations should have a minimum of seven axles and a maximum of nine axles. Triples and doubles must get a special permit to run on the tollway, and the weight maximum is 127,400 lbs. Drivers must have a physical exam every two years.

 

The permitted vehicles cannot be operated during the existence of hazardous weather or road and traffic conditions; furthermore, any movement shall not proceed when visibility is less than 500′. Oversized movement shall not be operated at any time when the wind velocity exceeds 25 mph.

 

Drivers going into or coming out of the following ports will be required to have a Transportation Workers Identification Card issued by the Transportation Safety Administration: Evansville, Indiana Harbor and Louisville.

 

3. What are the permit limits for loads in Indiana?

The routine-issue permit limits in Indiana are as follows:

  • Weight:
    • Single: 28,000
    • Tandem: 48,000
    • Tridem: 60,000
  • Gross Weight*:
    • 5 axles: 108,000 on specified configurations
    • 6 axles: 120,000 on specified configurations
    • 7 axles: 120,000 on specified configurations
    • 8 axles: 120,000 on specified configurations
  • Length: 110′
  • Width: 16′
  • Height: 15’

If the load exceeds any of these dimensions or weights, refer to the section on superloads.

 

 

4. Is continuous travel allowed for oversize permits in Indiana?

Loads that are only overweight can travel 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

Loads up to 110′ long, 10′ wide, and 13’6″ high — and with a weight under 200,000 lbs. — will be allowed continuous travel seven days a week.

 

Loads more than 110′ long, 10’–14’4″ wide, 13’6″–15′ high — and with a weight of up to 200,000 lbs. — may travel one half hour before sunrise until one half hour after sunset, seven days a week.

 

For loads exceeding 16′ wide, 15′ high or 200,000 lbs., travel is permitted from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

 

The state of Indiana reserves the right to post any road during spring frost.

 

Travel is prohibited on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

Travel is prohibited beginning at noon on the last weekday preceding the holiday and continuing until sunrise of the weekday following the above mentioned holidays.

 

5. When are escorts needed in Indiana?

On all highways:

  • One escort is needed for lengths more than 110′.
  • One escort and one height pole are needed for heights more than 14’6″.
  • A detailed route survey is needed with the application for widths more than 16′.
  • For heights more than 17′, a letter must be secured from utility companies stating their knowledge of the move and approval to disturb aerial lines across the route. If no aerial line exists, you must have a statement that the entire route has been checked and that no utilities will be affected.

On two-lane highways:

  • One front escort is needed for widths 12’4″–14’4″.

  • One front and one rear escort (two in total) are needed for widths 14’4″–17′.

On four-lane highways:

  • One rear escort is needed for widths 12’4″–14’4″.

  • One rear escort is needed for widths 14’4″–17′.

  • Two police escorts needed for widths more than 17′. The fee is $31 per hour and $.044 per mile.

 

6. What is a superload in Indiana?

Superloads are loads more than 16′ wide, 15′ high, 110′ long and 120,000 lbs.

  • Companies will be required to submit one original M-233 form with the permit application.
  • Permits will be issued via the telephone. The company will receive the permit number, fee expiration date and special provisions in that manner.
  • Companies will receive special provisions sheets, a copy of which must be attached to the permit that will be held in the truck. The company will type the numbers of the provisions that apply in the Special Provisions box on its copy of the permit.
  • Loads over 130′ will require a route survey if the load does not have a rear-steerable dolly.
  • Other movements generally do not require a route survey; however, it could be required upon specific request.
  • A traffic control letter is only required if the application has a slowdown on an Interstate, which will require police escort.
  • 24-hour notice is no longer required. The company must notify INDOT that the movement is taking place prior to the movement.
  • Companies may fax changes on superload applications to the Permit Section.
  • Drawings of the load are only required if the load exceeds 17′ in height.

 

If the load is only oversized, permits are $40 plus $10 executive approval. Overweight permits are $20, plus 60 cents per mile if the load weighs 108,001–150,000 lbs. Loads weighing 150,000 or more are $1 per mile plus the design review fee. There is also a $25 executive approval fee, $10 administrative fee and a $10 per-bridge fee.

 

Permits for superloads weighing more than 200,000 lbs. will take five to seven days to process.

 

Allow two weeks for processing applications.

If you need help with getting an oversize permit in Indiana, or have a question about permits in any other states, give us a call at (800) 359-9407 or send us an email.

The post Your Guide to Driving an Oversized Load Through Indiana appeared first on The Permit Company.

https://www.permitcompany.com/news/your-guide-to-driving-an-oversized-load-through-indiana/

6 Frequently Asked Questions About Oversize Permits in Kansas

“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” In 1939, Judy Garland uttered this line, which has become one of the most famous lines in cinematic history. But what happens when you are in Kansas, and you’re driving an oversized load? If you find yourself driving through Tornado Alley and need assistance with obtaining…

The post 6 Frequently Asked Questions About Oversize Permits in Kansas appeared first on The Permit Company.

“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” In 1939, Judy Garland uttered this line, which has become one of the most famous lines in cinematic history. But what happens when you are in Kansas, and you’re driving an oversized load? If you find yourself driving through Tornado Alley and need assistance with obtaining an oversize permit in Kansas, The Permit Company is here to help.

 

The Permit Company takes the hassle out of obtaining oversize and overweight truck permits by working directly with state and local agencies on your behalf. Below is everything you need to know about moving oversized loads through the state of Kansas and how to obtain a permit.

 

1. How long are oversize permits valid for in Kansas?

Single-trip permits are good for one trip (seven travel days).

 

2. What are the legal dimensions for loads in Kansas?

The legal limits in Kansas are as follows:

  • Gross weight: 80,000 lbs. on designated interstate highways and 85,500 on all other roads*
  • Width: 8’6” on all roads
  • Height: 14’ on all roads
  • Length: 45’ for single units and buses on all roads; 59’6” for semi-trailers on all roads; 28’6” for twins and doubles on all roads; 75’ for autotransporters on all roads; 125’ for Rocky Mountain doubles, turnpike doubles and triples on all roads; 75’ for saddle mounts with a maximum of three units on all roads

*Bridge Formula applies.

 

Rocky Mountain doubles, turnpike doubles and triples are allowed on turnpikes of up to 125’ long.

 

The weight on any group of axles is limited by the Bridge Formula. Tandem axles with centers
less than 40” apart are counted as one axle.

 

3. What are the permit limits for loads in Kansas?

The routine-issue permit limits in Kansas are as follows:

  • Weight:
    • Single: 22,000
    • Tandem: 45,000
    • Tridem: 60,000
    • Quad: 65,000
  • Gross Weight*:
    • 5 axles: 95,000
    • 6 axles: 110,000
    • 7 axles: 150,000
    • 8 axles: 150,000
  • Length: 126′
  • Width: 16’6″
  • Height: Based on clearances; loads more than 17’ high must notify utility company

If the load exceeds any of these dimensions or weights, refer to the section on superloads. The maximum weight that the state allows you to register on your IRP cab card is 85,500 lbs.

 

Contact your IRP base state to increase your weight or to increase the weight on the permit weight space. The increase is valid for 72 hours.

 

4. Is continuous travel allowed for oversize permits in Kansas?

Continuous travel is allowed one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There are no movement restrictions on holidays.

 

There are no state restrictions for loads that are only overweight, but the Federal Bridge Formula applies.

 

5. When are escorts needed in Kansas?

On highways of less than four lanes:

  • One front and one rear escort (two in total) are needed for widths more than 14’. The rear escort may be eliminated if a warning light is attached to the top of the towing vehicle and to the rear of each load, and is mounted 2’–8’ above the surface of the road.

On all highways:

  • One front and one rear escort (two in total) are needed for mobile homes more than 12’6” wide. On four-lane highways, the mobile home needs an 8” amber flashing light attached to the top of the power unit and another to the top rear of the mobile home being towed.

  • One front and one rear escort (two in total) are needed for superloads with widths more than 16’6” or heights more than 18’. Qualifying superload vehicles include, but are not limited to, houses, barns, sheds, granaries and storage tanks.

  • One front and one rear escort (two in total) are needed for widths more than 14’ on the KS Turnpike.

Pilot car certifications are not required in Kansas.

 

6. What is a superload in Kansas?

Anything that exceeds the following requires a bridge analysis: 18’ high, 16’6” wide, 126’ long or 150,000 lbs. Call 785-271-3231 to schedule your analysis.

 

Applications for superloads must be submitted at least 10 days prior to the desired date of movement.

 

If you need help with getting an oversize permit in Kansas or have a question about permits in any other states, give us a call at (800) 359-9407 or send us an email.

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