Height of load and highway travel

Ralph Bauer

Well-known Member
Ideally, one wants to have a trailer (lo-boy) as close to the ground as possible when rolling down the roads (CG, overall height, etc.) And bridges and underpasses have their own maximums. Are there any maps, websites where one can plan a trip based on total height of load? Just curious at this point..... Thanks in advance, Ralph.
 
(quoted from post at 11:02:52 01/15/12) Ideally, one wants to have a trailer (lo-boy) as close to the ground as possible when rolling down the roads (CG, overall height, etc.) And bridges and underpasses have their own maximums. Are there any maps, websites where one can plan a trip based on total height of load? Just curious at this point..... Thanks in advance, Ralph.

Back when I was trucking we all used the Rand-McNally motor carriers road atlas. The low clearance over passes and weight restricted bridges and highways are all pinpointed on that map. You can find one at any truck stop.

Might be a version of it on-line as well. I've never looked for it.
 
I thought of them, see them at the truck stops. Just didn't make the connection to height restrictions. I think Wal-Mart may have them, too. I'll check it out this pm....thanks.
 
Yup, Randy McNally is the traveler's friend. All the size & weight rules, plus that handy mileage chart in the back. If no truck stop close by, oops that's called a travel center now, try a book store such as Barnes & Noble or Border's. Costs about 20 bucks. New edition every year with the latest rule changes.
Willie
 
when in doubt, call/check with local dot/port of entry to double check in case of any new work on that road that may have changed height...as far i know unless i wrong, usually any bridge/underpass under 14>15 ft should be posted in enough time to stop before BAM...
 
Yepp, BAM is what I don't like to hear, but backing up for who knows how far before you can turn around when you do stop in time is another thing.... and ohhh that so lovely traffic jam that ensues ....lol
 
!3.6 is legal hight and anything over that is and oversized . Just love it when you are routed under permit and the bozo's knowing you are over hight send you wright to a under pass that is 6 inches to low to get under . Happened to me not once but many times . Good thing there is air ride and DUMP valves and ditches and berms , but ya can sure back traffic up . And oh the fun ya have with the local Barnies .
 
Be sides the the under passes you have to deal with utility lines that were not put in properly. In the 38 years I drove I taken down lines on roads with a 13.6 trailer.
 
In New York State any bridge that does not have 14.0 ft clearance over all the travel lanes has to be posted for its height. Signs have to be a certain distance away for breaking distance.
 
What the books do NOT tell you is the high railroad tracks and crowned intersections you can get hung up on. Or the intelligently designed intersections with islands, signs, and stop signs placed where the trailer or load needs to be to make the corner.

Route surveys can be your best friend. Do NOT trust the books or maps, and NEVER trust the signs with bridge heights. Measure if you are going to be close. Bridges get expensive to replace after you drive your escavator into them.
 
Ah we won't go into that . as we will not talk about all the lines that went down on one move that i was routed on in Ark, all i could say was OH WELL you sent me this way knowing that i was 14foot eight inches high. and the few mail boxes that went flyen because i was 12 foot wide.on a GOAT path.with oncoming traffic that left me no place to go except to the right. Lets see here W.Va. N. C. and Tex and Ark. Oh. and last but not least Pa. were the worst to haul and over sized load thru.
 
It depends on the state your going to be in .

Ne is 14' 6" legal
Most of the states west of the Mississippi are 14' except for OK,MN,IA,
All of the states east of the Mississippi are 13'6" MI is littered with bridges not much over 13'6" For permits on loads over 13'6" in MI I use (Jacks Permit Service)
If you call me @ 989-413-5684 I can help you out with this info more. If you are going to be higher than the stated heights you will need over height permits they will have routing on them.
OK is real expensive to run without permits and are looking for that at this time according to the officer that checked my permit and width about a month ago.
 
It depends on the state your going to be in .

Ne is 14' 6" legal
Most of the states west of the Mississippi are 14' except for OK,MN,IA,
All of the states east of the Mississippi are 13'6" MI is littered with bridges not much over 13'6" For permits on loads over 13'6" in MI I use (Jacks Permit Service)
If you call me @ 989-413-5684 I can help you out with this info more. If you are going to be higher than the stated heights you will need over height permits they will have routing on them.
OK is real expensive to run without permits and are looking for that at this time according to the officer that checked my permit and width about a month ago.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top