When you hear the term overloaded trucks you immediately picture enormous trucks, transformer type perhaps.
You are not that far from your imagination.
Overloaded trucks really have the biggest truck trailers that ever existed in the history of the trucking industry.
Although there are those trailers like the tow trucks which are big enough, the freight loaders seem to prefer overloaded trucks.
Many think that it is not of such an importance to you load the truck more than it is allowed.
I think it is wrong.
On the subject of this, there are overload size permits that need to be obeyed.
Additionally, before you learn them, you need to know about their importance first.
Why is Important to Pay Attention to the Weight?
Being involved in the trucking industry requires the least of attention. Whether you are a freight broker or an owner-operator there are existing rules to comply with.
Conversely, if you own a company and want to run a successful trucking company then you need to devote yourself to the business.
Whether you have tow truck drivers or power loads, paying attention to the weight is a must.
With this in mind, you need to include the weight rules in the documentation in order to maintain a reliable and trustworthy business.
Likewise, there are trucking businesses which have an exquisite team of truck drivers who do their job impeccably.
As an example, the video down below shows how a secure transport of overloaded trucks should be done. This is one of the reasons why there are truck driving schools or a driver training programs.
As you can see, there is an entire team helping the transportation to be done smoothly. They are doing everything with precision and patience.
After all, you know what they say ‘Patience is a virtue’.
On the other hand, there are those cargo loaders that seldom obey the Government’s regulations and the weight rules.
Notably, the rules of the following must be obeyed:
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)
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Overloading the overloaded trucks makes simply no sense. It is enough that the cargo is oversized.
Do you even know the meaning of the term overload?
With this in mind, same as there are safety regulations, there are weight freight regulations that also require obeying.
Weight Freight Regulations
Same as you care about equipping trucking office or buying semi truck mud flaps, you need to care about the overweight restrictions.
The first thing to remember regarding the overloaded trucks is that the federal and state laws include cargo restrictions.
According to the program of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, there is a weight mandate:
- GVW – 80,000 pounds
- Single Axle Weight – 20,000 pounds
- Tandem Axle Weight – 34,000 pounds
Furthermore, these rules are made in order to protect the following:
- The highways which are made to support a particular amount of weight
- Protecting the bridges that also support a certain amount of weight
Another key point is that each state has certain load permits which the trucking companies in the United States must obey.
In order to complete the exact number of cargo weight, you need to contact the states in order to learn more about their cargo limits.
It is important to realize that this is strictly important for the overloaded trucks that involve over the road (OTR) trucking.
In particular, the long haul drivers, as well as the companies offering these services, must know the states’ overweight permits.
The Risk of Overloaded Trucks
There are truck manufacturers that determine the rating of the weight. Thereupon, the assignment is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and it is significantly noted on the truck’s plate.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier SafetAdministrationon (FMCSA), if a certain truck does not have a plate then the officers will come to a certain assumption.
Their conclusion will be that the GVWR applies to the 26,001 pounds or more.
Consequently, the truck drivers may run into some risks during the freight transportation.
Government Laws and Regulations
With regards to the type of cargo that you are transporting, there are certain regulations that the trucking companies and truck drivers must obey.
Under those circumstances, there are rules made by the Government which apply to the trucking industry and transportation in general.
For instance, complying with the following is obligatory:
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
- US Department of Energy and Fuel Economy
- The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
If the trucking company or the truck driver do not possibly comply with the rules applying to their cargo, the fees are inevitable.
Cargo Securement
The art of the cargo securement lies within particular requirements. For instance, the tie downs, preparing the vehicle for inspection etc.
However, all of that is not enough in the transportations made with overloaded trucks.
It takes more.
Continually, there are certain requirements that all of the employees involved in the trucking industry need to obey:
- Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- Freight Transportation
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
- Safety and Fitness Electronic Records System (SAFER)
Accidents
Consequently, if trucking companies force into putting overloaded trucks on the highways, the possibility of an accident is 100%.
What is important to realize is that overloaded trucks suffer from a low-quality performance. To emphasize, the truck drivers are incapable of maintaining balance while driving.
Sometimes, the trucking companies are responsible for supporting overloaded trucks. They are doing this without realizing that it is then impossible for the truck drivers to transport the cargo on-time.
What happens next?
- The imbalance of the truck increases
- Truck driver’s ability to operate the vehicle decreases
- Accident occurs
If you are a victim of a truck crash then you need to consult your attorney and possibly switch the company.
Overloaded Truck Fails – 10 Videos That Will Shock You!
Living in the world of trucks is not easy at all. Having said this, the truck drivers may be brave but there are situations where bravery comes to zero.
