More information about heavy-haul equipment
In some ways, heavy-haul equipment is similar to a flatbed trailer hauling an oversize load. But that is just about where the similarities end. Heavy-haul trailers are designed specifically to haul items like large construction equipment and energy-generating windmill blades. Several types of specialized trailer equipment are used to carry these heavy loads, or “super loads,” as they are often called. A description a few trailer types intended for heavy hauling include:
• Step-deck: a two-level trailer designed for hauling tall loads.
• Removable Goosenecks: flatbed trailers with removable necks normally connecting the trailer and truck. When detached, the front end lower to the ground and served as a built-in ramp allowing self-powered cargo (i.e., vehicles and equipment) to drive onto the deck.
• Double-drop or “Lowboys” : Lowboys are designed to carry the tallest loads allowable in most states.
• Stretch/Extendable Trailers: These trailers, also known as “telescopic,” are designed with a sliding feature allowing the length of the trailer to be adjusted. Typical cargo hauled by telescopic trailers includes lumber, rebar, trusses, steel beams, telephone poles, etc.
• Other trailers: Examples of additional and less commonly seen heavy-haul trailers include: Nine-axle tractor combination with transformer deck; “Blade” trailers; 13-axels tractor trailer combination trailers; and “Schnabel” trailers.
Heavy-haul trucking requires expensive equipment, and most carriers have few, if any, of the specialized trailers in their fleets. Because heavy-haul cargo is not something many customers require on a regular basis, unless the company’s demand is high enough, most heavy-haul drivers are hired by carriers specializing in using heavy-haul equipment.
The name “heavy-haul” implies strength, and strength and durability are important traits for heavy-haul drivers. The weight of a typical heavy-haul load makes steering more difficult than a typical load such as a dry van. Making wide turns to prevent trailers from hitting obstacles on the shoulders of roads often require multiple starting, stopping, backing up, and similar maneuvers best suited for manual transmissions.
Drivers of heavy-haul equipment must, like all drivers, be on the lookout for potential safety issues. A heavy-haul driver must be aware of barriers in a wider path than a normal driver. The long trailers require attention to longer distances in sideview barriers as well as wider areas, especially when turning corners.
A very important characteristic of a heavy-haul driver is to be a team player. Heavy-haul drivers may be the only person in the truck, but a full team of route-planners, employees loading and securing cargo, pilot-vehicle drivers, and sometimes state or public highway authorities, including law enforcement, all must work together to ensure a safely-delivered load.
While endorsement for heavy-haul drivers are the same for any driver pulling a particular type of cargo, a firm planning a heavy-haul route must coordinate with state or local authorities, often gaining a permit based on special requirements of the route being driven (such as weight limitations on bridges, height limitations of overpasses, traffic patterns, etc).
In heavy-haul driving, the number of miles is not as important as the difficult of the route and time involved in completing delivery. Heavy loads are most often driven at slow speeds. While a dry van driver may cover the planned route in 24 hours of drive time, a heavy-haul driver may need up to double the amount of time.
Heavy-haul drivers are often the most skilled and experienced drivers in the trucking industry and are paid a premium for their rare skills. If working for a specialized heavy-haul carrier, these drivers may be paid an hourly wage or salary that is often well-above other drivers; in fact, heavy-haul drivers are among the highest paid truck drivers.
Job search faqs
Jobs.TheTrucker.com is one of the leading sources of long haul truck driving job listings, and its primary objective is to connect professional truck drivers with jobs. Jobs.TheTrucker.com’s job search functionality is designed to be simple and easy to use, and allows truck drivers to search for jobs by state, by driver type, by hauling type and by carrier.
Once you apply for a job, we match your qualifications to the appropriate job listings and send your application to the trucking companies immediately.
Jobs.TheTrucker.com’s job search functionality is designed to be simple and easy to use, and allows job seekers to search for truck driver jobs by state, by driver type, by hauling type and by carrier. When searching for truck driving jobs, you may set the search criteria to be as specific or general as you want to find the job that is best for you.
Jobs.TheTrucker.com adds and updates job listings immediately as new truck driving job listings are received from carriers hiring truck drivers. So it is best to visit Jobs.TheTrucker.com regularly for updated job listings when in the market for a new truck driving job.
No! Drivers may access truck driver job listings, truck driving job resources as well as submit job applications on Jobs.TheTrucker.com free of charge using their phone, desktop or any other device.
Yes! We encourage you to apply for all jobs that you have an interest and that match your qualifications. Applying for multiple jobs increases your chances of finding the best job for you.
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Jobs.TheTrucker.com processes job applications immediately and automatically sends driver applications to the carrier once we confirm your qualifications meet the job requirements.
Carriers' response time may vary based on the urgency of their hiring needs, the number applications the carrier receives and the resources dedicated to processing applications. Applicants will increase their chances of being contacted by carriers by applying to all jobs that meet their qualifications.
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Carrier may or may not respond to all applications depending on their hiring policies, procedures and driver needs. And, it is possible that a carrier will not respond to applicants if their experience does not match the hiring requirements. Applicants will increase their chances of being contacted by carriers by applying to all jobs that meet their qualifications.
To apply for all jobs that meet your qualifications, Click Here.
Along with all truck driving job listings, Jobs.TheTrucker.com provides information about all carriers offering jobs in the carrier’s information page. Each carrier’s information page is accessible from the each individual job listing or from the Carrier List.
A commercial driver's license (CDL) is a driver's license required to operate large, heavy, or hazardous material vehicles in the US. The “class” of CDL a truck driver needs depends on the type of commercial motor vehicle operated. A truck driver may hold a CDL in one of three classes: Class A, Class B, and Class C.
For a detailed explanation of the different classes of CDLs, visit Truck Driving Job Resources.
Driver Type refers to the employment arrangement a driver operates. The most common truck driver arrangements include:
- Company Driver: Drivers employed by a specific carrier with its own fleet of trucks. “Companies” can be carriers that contract to transport other individuals' or companies' freight, or companies that carry their own freight.
- Lease-Purchase: Drivers hired by carriers where the truck is leased to the individual driver.
- Owner Operator (OO): Drivers who own the truck and operate as an independent business (also referred to as an "independent contractor").
- Team Driver: Drivers operating with a partner who shares driving duties.
For a detailed explanation of Driver Types, visit Truck Driving Job Resources.
Hauling Type (or trailer type, or equipment type) refers to the type of cargo being hauled. Different types of cargo materials require different types of trailers, and each type of trailer requires unique driver experience.
For a detailed explanation of Hauling Types, visit Truck Driving Job Resources.
Endorsements are required certifications for CDL holders hauling various types of equipment and freight. The most common endorsements for long haul truck drivers include:
- Doubles/Triples: required for drivers hauling double or triple trailers.
- HazMat: required for transporting hazardous materials.
- Tanker: required for operating a vehicles designed with a permanent or temporary tank attached.
For a detailed explanation of the different types of endorsements, visit Truck Driving Job Resources.
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