Got the crane home last night about dark. What a whirlwind. Flew to Houston to kick the tires last Friday. Flew home Sunday afternoon. Went to the office and finalized the deal and worked on permits Monday. Left Tuesday afternoon about 3:00 PM for Houston in my pickup with another driver. Drove till midnight. Arrived Liebherr factory 8:30 AM Wednesday. Drove off the lot 10:30 AM. We didn't have a boom dolly for this crane as the previous owner was in Texas and they don't run dollys, at least on this crane. I was concerned with getting it home. $20-25K to have the crane hauled to me, not counting the four loads of counterweights jibs inserts etc etc. Figured I could drive it home much cheaper. Before I left for Houston on Tuesday we had permits for Texas, Mississippi, & Tennessee. Louisiana had been in the works since Monday morning. Everyone assured me I could permit Louisiana. So, when we left the plant at 10:30, we didn't have Lousiana permits. We were sitting at Beaumont Texas at 12:30, with no permits for La. My office girl had given up, saying it was impossible. I had her email me all of the documentation and contact info, and I started calling from my cell phone. Butter was dripping out of my mouth with the girl in the permit office. I was all but flirting with her. Finally got the permit and was informed at the end, you MUST have an escort and they MUST be permitted also. So, we hired an escort she recommended. Makes me wonder if they're in cahoots.
The entire process is ridiculous. I do understand that if we didn't have a process to drive heavy loads down the highway, we'd all be driving 1,000,000 pounds on a single axle with 1600 tires. But they all say, you guys are wrecking our bridges with these heavy loads. THAT's WHY we have this process. So, if I give you $500-$1,000 I can drive across your entire state and wreck every bridge I cross? It's all a chess game and we're just a player on the board.
It's a LONG a$$ way from Houston Tx to Kentucky at 50 MPH. Tuesday left Houston at 10:30. Went into Louisiana at 5:30 PM. Stopped at 7:30 PM just east of Lafayette because of the daylight/dark curfew. There is a curfew on these rigs in Baton Rouge also from 7-9:00 AM. We left at 5:30 yesterday morning to beat that curfew. Drove over 600 miles yesterday in 14 hours. Went across four scale houses and each let us pass with only a quick review of our papers. Have your paperwork right and weights right!!
I'm going to have to explain to my wife WHY I hired an escort service while in Louisiana. I hope she understands. I wonder if the escort helps to get past these DOT guys? The hired escort we used was from Lake Charles LA. We hired him to take us across LA. At the last weigh station in LA, I gave him $50 cash to help us through the first weight station in Mississippi. Mississippi also requires an escort. There are rules and regulations on WHO can be an escort...blah blah..We drove from south to north through all of Mississippi unescorted. Just before we left the state, Dropped two flashing lights on the pickup and the north weigh station let us pass.
This morning we drive the new crane to the job and start assembling all the pieces. We have a lift tomorrow that is 80-90% of the charts. Might as well break it in right. 45,000#, 145' boom 50' radius. We'll spend the day getting it assembled, set up and getting acclimated to the controls.
The entire process is ridiculous. I do understand that if we didn't have a process to drive heavy loads down the highway, we'd all be driving 1,000,000 pounds on a single axle with 1600 tires. But they all say, you guys are wrecking our bridges with these heavy loads. THAT's WHY we have this process. So, if I give you $500-$1,000 I can drive across your entire state and wreck every bridge I cross? It's all a chess game and we're just a player on the board.
It's a LONG a$$ way from Houston Tx to Kentucky at 50 MPH. Tuesday left Houston at 10:30. Went into Louisiana at 5:30 PM. Stopped at 7:30 PM just east of Lafayette because of the daylight/dark curfew. There is a curfew on these rigs in Baton Rouge also from 7-9:00 AM. We left at 5:30 yesterday morning to beat that curfew. Drove over 600 miles yesterday in 14 hours. Went across four scale houses and each let us pass with only a quick review of our papers. Have your paperwork right and weights right!!
I'm going to have to explain to my wife WHY I hired an escort service while in Louisiana. I hope she understands. I wonder if the escort helps to get past these DOT guys? The hired escort we used was from Lake Charles LA. We hired him to take us across LA. At the last weigh station in LA, I gave him $50 cash to help us through the first weight station in Mississippi. Mississippi also requires an escort. There are rules and regulations on WHO can be an escort...blah blah..We drove from south to north through all of Mississippi unescorted. Just before we left the state, Dropped two flashing lights on the pickup and the north weigh station let us pass.
This morning we drive the new crane to the job and start assembling all the pieces. We have a lift tomorrow that is 80-90% of the charts. Might as well break it in right. 45,000#, 145' boom 50' radius. We'll spend the day getting it assembled, set up and getting acclimated to the controls.
