Folks in our industry probably pay a little more attention to trucks than regular drivers. We can glance at a truck and get a pretty good idea of what kind of cargo it might be hauling – most of the time. Occasionally, however, even logistics experts are stumped.
Take for example, the recent hauls that were being spotted on the highways surrounding our hometown of Wilmington, NC. Come to find out, these over-sized “mystery tubes” are tower sections of wind turbines that were being shipped from our port to Edenton, NC.
It seems that we’ll be seeing more and more large-scale cargo in our neck of the woods. Just this week, Wilmington’s port hosted its largest visiting ship yet. And, yes, Matchmaker Logistics helped haul away some of the freight that was on it!
Large-scale cargo is quite fascinating. One of the most iconic heavy hauls dates all the way back to 1967 when a piece of the Saturn V-Apollo rocket was transported through a canyon en route to Cape Canaveral. It remains one of the largest pieces of cargo ever moved on wheels.
Entire space shuttles and fighter jets have to get from one place to another – and if they can’t fly, there’s no other way to transport them.
Heavy hauls and unusual cargo demand incredible logistical prowess, as many local laws come in to play. Despite a large part of the trucking industry relying on interstate commerce, the rules that govern heavy hauls are not federally regulated. Each state has its own laws about where, when, and how to transport super-sized cargo.
In the case of super-shipments like the Space Shuttle (or a giant ram!), entire roads may need to be closed to make way for the wide load as it travels from point A to point B. Other considerations include permits, pilot cars (aka escort vehicles), high pole cars and police escorts. Sometimes, even utility companies have to get involved, removing power lines, traffic lights or other utility obstructions.
Consequently, one of the best tips for hauling big cargo over interstate lines? Give it time! Notifying all of the appropriate state regulatory bodies of your big haul as early as possible can save a lot of headaches in the long run.
Despite all of the bad schoolroom jokes made over the years, we really love a wide load. I know what you’re thinking, so we might as well just go there:
Make way this weekend,
~Bob
