Mike Partington, a heavy-haul driver for Scott-Woods Transport, explains that it takes to move a load that weighs 135,000 pounds (61,000 kg), is 21 feet wide (6.4 meters) and 15.5 feet (4.7 meters) high. He obtained his D licence in 1979 and returned to trucking in 1993, and has since hauling oversized loads. He estimates he has driven about 1.5 million miles across all the states in the mainland U.S. and all Canadian provinces moving oversized loads, with two of the most impressive moves being hauling fuel containers and a 40-km move in Quebec. Hauling oversized loads requires specialized equipment, such as a Kenworth T800 with two transmissions, an 18-speed and a 4-speed crawler. Modular trailers with a 10-foot-wide bed can be pinned together to increase length, and perimeter flat deck can be opened to increase width to 20 feet (6 meters).
Moving specialized loads is a team effort, and project managers order route surveys to be carried out keeping the dimensions and weight of the load in mind. Partington must drive carefully and keep an eye out for tree limbs, guardrails, traffic lights and low wires. Partington has had challenging loads and challenges at work, such as finding parking at night for a vehicle that can be up to 180 feet long. He also has difficulty with roundabouts and having to fuel up his truck. Despite these challenges, Partington plans to keep trucking for a little longer, aiming to retire when he turns 65 next year. He plans to spend more time with his wife of 42 years, finish up his old farmhouse and work on cabinets.
