Buying a Second-Hand Car

If you intend to move an oversized load, you are likely to experience many challenges when transporting the cargo. Luckily for you, heavy haulage companies have the experience needed to move the item from its point of origin to the destination. This extract discusses some challenges experienced when hauling heavy loads and how heavy haulage companies overcome these problems. 

Oversized And Overweight Loads

An everyday challenge experienced by haulage companies is that every load is different. For example, the company could be contracted to move a house today and a turbine tomorrow. Therefore, the haulage company has to come up with inventive ways to carry each load. For example, a house can be dismantled and moved into two or three parts. On the other hand, some loads, such as rigs, pre-made bridges or industrial equipment, cannot be dismantled. In this case, the company will use special trailers to transport the cargo. Typically, the company will assess the weight and dimensions of the load to establish a suitable trailer. Most of these trailers will have hundreds of tyres to increase the contact area and reduce the pressure applied to the road. It prevents the trailer from damaging the road. The haulage company could also pull or push the haulage truck to reduce the rolling friction and stop the engine and brakes from overworking when tackling steep slopes. 

Low-Lying Bridges

Since oversized loads exceed the standard dimensions of conventional containers, the haulage truck could experience difficulties when driving under bridges. There are a few strategies to overcome this issue. First, the haulage company conducts an assessment to establish the height of the various bridges. If they are too low, they will consider routes without any bridges. If the load and bridge are of equal height, the company could opt to use an articulated trailer with an adjustable height. Power lines and street lights could also pose a threat to the oversized load. In this case, the company will negotiate with the utility company to disconnect these utilities to enable the haulage truck to pass. 

Traffic

Heavy haulage trucks can pose a significant risk to other road users. Since they exceed the standard road dimensions, oncoming or overtaking vehicles could hit the truck. To overcome this, haulage companies install signage at the front and rear of the haulage truck. Besides, the haulage trucks have emergency lights to keep them visible on the roads. The trucks also have pilot vehicles at the front and rear to ensure motorists slow down as they approach the convoy. The pilot vehicle drivers also inform the haulage truck driver about the traffic conditions. For example, if there is a lot of traffic build-up, the convoy could stop over to allow other vehicles to pass.