What is heavy haul, wide load and oversize load?
In Colorado the legal (this means no permit is required) maximum load width is 8’6”, the legal maximum load height is 14’ 6” and 13’ on non-designated highways, the legal overall semitrailer maximum length is 75′ (plus front 4’ and rear 10’ over hang) and the legal weight is 80,000 lbs GVW (gross vehicle weight) and 85,000 lbs on non-designated highways.
The above sizes and weights are to be used as indicators only. These are maximums that when exceeded will require permits for your load once on the semitrailer.
Colorado has numerous oversize and overweight loads due to the evolving Uinta Oil industry. Great Western Transportation knows the permit requirements for Colorado, plus all US states and Canadian provinces. For your company this means one call to Great Western Transportation will immediately answer your freight questions. Also the complex matter of booking pilot cars or flag cars, is thoroughly addressed when booking a heavy haul load through Great Western Transportation.
The following are several heavy haul, oversize and overweight freight cases related to the oil industry and construction machinery moves.
1-Your non-divisible crown block weighs 55,000 lbs, so in this case your load will be overweight! Why, the crown block only weighs 55,000 lbs you may ask. However the additional weight of the tractor trailer of 33,000 lbs to 38,000 lbs, must be added to the total weight (aka GVW). This means on the low end the GVW will be 88,000 lbs and on the high end will be 93,000 lbs.
There is also a second issue that has to be addressed with this load, and that is the fact common flatbed trailers are rated to transport up to approximately 48,000 lbs. This means a specialized type of trailer will be needed to transport this load. This is where the term heavy haul is introduced. This type of specialized trailer in trucking industry speak is called a “heavy haul trailer”. These are trailers that can transport loads above the 48,000 pound mark. Common weight hauling capacity of these trailers is 40,000 to 120,000 pounds. The crown block will ideally be loaded onto a lowboy trailer so to keep the center of gravity lower.
A permit will be required for the crown block load, because it’s overweight and it is a heavy haul load.
2-Your non-divisible oil field tank is 9’ wide! The oil field tank is considered an over width load when on a trailer, since the maximum legal width of a load is 8’ 6”. If the oil field tank weighs 30,000 lbs, it can be transported by a standard flatbed trailer, as the average maximum trailer weight capacity is 48,000 lbs. This is not a heavy haul load, since no special flatbed trailer is required but it will require a permit, because the oil field tank is oversize.
3-Your non-divisible drilling rig substructure is 13.5’ high at its highest dimension. At first you may think that’s OK, because the maximum height is 14’, but it is oversize! This is because the trailer is generally 1.5 feet to 2 feet from the road at the trailer bed level, this is where the drilling rig substructure will be placed, thus it is 15’ or 15.5’ off the ground in terms of height.
At this point lets define what non-divisible means according to the Colorado DOT (Department of Transportation).
Nondivisible Load or Vehicle – Any Load or Vehicle exceeding applicable statutory size or weight limits which, if separated into smaller Loads or Vehicles, would compromise the intended use of the Vehicle, for example, Make it unable to perform the function for which it was intended; Destroy the value of the Load or Vehicle, i.e., Make it unusable for its intended purpose; or Require more than 8 workhours to dismantle using appropriate equipment. The Applicant for a Nondivisible Load permit has the burden of proof as to the number of workhours required to dismantle the Load.
So in our cases the above loads could not have been broken down or split up to reduce the overall dimensions or weight. In all cases, the crown block, the oil field tank and the drilling rig substructure cannot be broken down into smaller pieces.
To be eligible for an oversize or overweight permit, the main criterion is that the load be non-divisible, that is, that it cannot be reduced down and transported on a legal tractor trailer.
Colorado Permits
Oversize and over width permits are required for freight that is over the dimensional maximums in terms of width, height and length when loaded on a trailer. Overweight permits are required for loads that put the gross vehicle weight over the maximum weight limit. The process of getting a Colorado DOT “Permission to Move an Oversize/Overweight Load” is a fairly complex and out of the scope of this article. However some of the basic dimension and weight questions the State of Colorado Department of Transportation will ask are:
- Shipment consists of
- Width
- Height (Actual)
- Overall Length
- Front Overhang
- Rear Overhang
- Trailer Length
- Number of Axles
- Gross Weight
Colorado Oversize Signs
All trucking companies in Colorado involved in hauling oversize and overweight shipments must have amber colored strobe or flashing lights on top of the tractor trailer. Plus signs or banners stating:
OVERSIZE LOAD
To summarize, a heavy haul load is one that requires a special type of trailer that can support the weight of the load, and it will most likely due to dimensions, require an oversize permit and/or an overweight permit if GVW is over 80,000 lbs.
To haul heavy loads safely requires the appropriate weight capacity trailer, an experienced driver, the proper load securement, approved routes, the required pilot cars, all permits that are needed, full insurance coverage and strict adherence to regulations and safety precautions.
For all your heavy haul, oversize or wide load shipping needs in: Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Thornton, Arvada, Westminster, Pueblo, Centennial, Boulder and Highlands Ranch, contact Great Western Transportation. Plus, heavy haul trucking for all the Niobrara and Denver-Julesburg Basin locations.
Major Oil and Gas Fields in Colorado
- Grand Valley Field
- Mamm Creek Field
- Parachute Field
- Piceance Creek Field
- Raton Basin Gas Area
- Rulison Field
- San Juan Basin Gas Area
- Wattenberg Field
