Truck Driver with Class A license available

[wedeliver]

I will drive any rig you got or want to rent to Burning Man. I have endorsements T & N which means I can bring your double or triple trailers or your tanker truck. I have rented from jt mckinney in Los Angeles for example. I will do this for free, no charge for my time. I thought there might be a need.

[motskyroonmatick]

Right on Wedeliver!

[ygmir]

It'd be cool to get a big rig, have spaces for burners and run a route, to and from BRC, with pick up and drop off..........Say Seattle to BRC, and back..........

How much, would a good truck (mechanically good) cost, to do that?

[wedeliver]

Hi, thanks for the encouragement you two.

I called XXXXX trucks in Seatlle and was quoted $495 per week for single axle tractor .16 per mile and $625 per week for tandom axle sleeper at .15cents per mile. Maps says 655 miles from Seattle to Gerlach, with stops and all lets estimate 1000 miles each direction which is about $320 or so in mileage fees plus weekly rental two weeks sleeper means a total cost from just the tractor would be $1,570 max. I have not checked but I would not expect more then $500 total for a box trailer rental, 50' maybe even a refer. unit.

[trilobyte]

I know they've done trucks from points east with some success, you might want to try reaching out to the Seattle regional group. With enough interested people, that may be something to consider.

[moltensteelman]

I'm curious what it would cost for a tractor and lowboy trailer round trip from Salem Or to the playa. If it is reasonable I may consider this option for hauling the The Walking Beast.
It seems to keep gaining weight each year and limits what I can haul. I know that I'll be looking for a truck and driver next year as I'm planing on hauling more projects.

[mshaman]

I'm curious what it would cost for a tractor and lowboy trailer round trip from Salem Or to the playa. If it is reasonable I may consider this option for hauling the The Walking Beast.
It seems to keep gaining weight each year and limits what I can haul. I know that I'll be looking for a truck and driver next year as I'm planing on hauling more projects.

@moltensteelman, finding a lowboy for rent without a truck and driver has been a challenge for me in the past. Check around with small construction and crane companies that have intermittent work, try to find an old farmer who uses it during harvest to haul his tractors and lets it sit for the rest of the year. A step-deck is easier to locate and much cheaper, generally speaking.

For your dimensional calculations, here are some rules of thumb:
Stepdecks have a deck height anywhere from 34" to 42", typically 38"-40".
Flatbeds are usually 58"-60" high.
Lowboys vary widely depending on their design intent, but figure 18"-24" for the sake of discussion.

You can be 13'6" tall in most of the Pacific Northwest, IIRC, so that gives you the following approximate headrooms:
Flatbed: 8'6" max cargo height
Stepdeck: 10' max cargo height
Lowboy: 12' max cargo height

You can get an oversize load permit for any of these trailers, but they are sold on a state by state basis and require that you contact each state's oversize load division for arrangement and purchase. Thus, it is easier to just get the right trailer if you can. Loads over 15' tall typically require a pilot car (as do those over 14' wide on most interstates), which gets expensive quickly. When trucking a double-decker bus, this is a concern, but from the photo it appears your machine might fit on a stepdeck without going oversize.

If your machine is less than 8'6" tall, 8'6" wide, and about 40' long, a stepdeck is just the ticket.

[moltensteelman]

@mshaman, Thanks for the info, The machine is 10' 9" high x 8' 4" wide and 24 ' long. Oregon has a height law of 14' I have had it hauled on both step decks and low boys without needing over sized permits. I have a gooseneck trailer that I typically haul it to the burn on but it's getting really close to the weight limit and doesn't leave me the ability to haul anything else.

[EspressoDude]

If this becomes more likely, I have my latest project "God of Hellfire" a dual burner flame effect turret on a non highway trailer, about a 6ft cube Located in Vancouver WA. Something like this would save dissassembly, packing, and reassembly both directions. Weight guess about 500 -800 pounds. I should be able to get it to a loading dock in PDX if there is no ramp on the trailer. Could get it to Moltensteelman's shop in Salem for consolidation. Willing to share costs.

[Pippi]

Hey WeDeliver!

My Husband and I are long haulers and own our own semi truck. Do you know if we are volunteering our truck/drive time ect and not accepting payment if we still need our own Authority? We currently lease our truck to one company and run on their authority so I'm not sure how it works otherwise. Just curious if you knew anything about that part of it. We have all of our endorsements as well and would just need to rent a trailer.

It would be pretty cool to take a bunch of NW art projects down for only the cost of fuel and trailer rental!

[mshaman]

@mshaman, Thanks for the info, The machine is 10' 9" high x 8' 4" wide and 24 ' long. Oregon has a height law of 14' I have had it hauled on both step decks and low boys without needing over sized permits. I have a gooseneck trailer that I typically haul it to the burn on but it's getting really close to the weight limit and doesn't leave me the ability to haul anything else.

I've found that hauling smaller trailers behind the RV's in our camp leaves the pickups available for big trailers such as yours. Hopefully a camp-mate or other known burner can pull a box-trailer with the rest of the gear?

@Wedeliver, you are a saint for offering this service, by the way. I have to imagine that there will be 10 people who want to take you up on the offer by burn-time. If not, I know of 2 camps that could use help, so please PM me if you don't get a bevy of requests.

[mshaman]

Hey WeDeliver!

My Husband and I are long haulers and own our own semi truck. Do you know if we are volunteering our truck/drive time ect and not accepting payment if we still need our own Authority? We currently lease our truck to one company and run on their authority so I'm not sure how it works otherwise. Just curious if you knew anything about that part of it. We have all of our endorsements as well and would just need to rent a trailer.

It would be pretty cool to take a bunch of NW art projects down for only the cost of fuel and trailer rental!

I used to run under my own authority and deal with compliance a for my 5 trucks, but I don't claim to be an expert. The compliance burden was so painful that I got rid of all of them and started hiring it all out... too hard for me to keep up on.

MC & PUC authority is required if you haul anything that isn't yours for profit. The problem I've found is that as soon as you've stepped into the motor carrier game, the assumption is that every load is for profit and while you're telling the truth, it will be difficult to explain to the guy at the port that you don't need any authority (although technically, for this use, a semi-truck is an RV, Capt. Ron form Colorado pulls this card all the time, but gets a lot of hassle for it, and he has RV plates, lending some validity to the claim).

Can you get permission to use the authority of the company you're leased on to? it would make things easier than trying to explain how you have no authority on this one load and that it's somehow okay to the DOT officer.

Is there any way the port will know otherwise if you just STFU and run it as you would any other load, presenting all your usual paperwork? Is there anything that will void your insurance coverage by doing a gratis load for the burn?

I suspect the only way the port would know that you weren't running under your leased company's authority is if you tell them. Don't. I'm going on information from memory when I've been out of that business for 5 years, so I hope I'm not leading you astray. I really hope you can haul a load for the NW burners!

[Pippi]

Hey WeDeliver!

My Husband and I are long haulers and own our own semi truck. Do you know if we are volunteering our truck/drive time ect and not accepting payment if we still need our own Authority? We currently lease our truck to one company and run on their authority so I'm not sure how it works otherwise. Just curious if you knew anything about that part of it. We have all of our endorsements as well and would just need to rent a trailer.

It would be pretty cool to take a bunch of NW art projects down for only the cost of fuel and trailer rental!

I used to run under my own authority and deal with compliance a for my 5 trucks, but I don't claim to be an expert. The compliance burden was so painful that I got rid of all of them and started hiring it all out... too hard for me to keep up on.

MC & PUC authority is required if you haul anything that isn't yours for profit. The problem I've found is that as soon as you've stepped into the motor carrier game, the assumption is that every load is for profit and while you're telling the truth, it will be difficult to explain to the guy at the port that you don't need any authority (although technically, for this use, a semi-truck is an RV, Capt. Ron form Colorado pulls this card all the time, but gets a lot of hassle for it, and he has RV plates, lending some validity to the claim).

Can you get permission to use the authority of the company you're leased on to? it would make things easier than trying to explain how you have no authority on this one load and that it's somehow okay to the DOT officer.

Is there any way the port will know otherwise if you just STFU and run it as you would any other load, presenting all your usual paperwork? Is there anything that will void your insurance coverage by doing a gratis load for the burn?

I suspect the only way the port would know that you weren't running under your leased company's authority is if you tell them. Don't. I'm going on information from memory when I've been out of that business for 5 years, so I hope I'm not leading you astray. I really hope you can haul a load for the NW burners!

[Pippi]

Thanks for the info mshaman! I'm def going to check with the permitting/licensing director at our company to see what they suggest.

[wedeliver]

Apparently some folks who I was speaking with about hauling their camp to BRC have changed their plans and I am again available. I will drive for free.

I see there were some questions about "Authority". At this time I am under the assumption that not for hire, means no Authority necessary. Insurance will be issued by the rental company. I can call the rental company and see if this is correct. Also I do not have a ticket...

As we get closer and summer brings warmer weather I again want to offer Eagle's Nest RV Park as a staging area. 30acres with power and water. 165 miles from BRC.

[moltensteelman]

If this becomes more likely, I have my latest project "God of Hellfire" a dual burner flame effect turret on a non highway trailer, about a 6ft cube Located in Vancouver WA. Something like this would save dissassembly, packing, and reassembly both directions. Weight guess about 500 -800 pounds. I should be able to get it to a loading dock in PDX if there is no ramp on the trailer. Could get it to Moltensteelman's shop in Salem for consolidation. Willing to share costs.

I am all for consolidating freight, bringing the God of Hellfire to my shop would be no big deal I have a tilt bed trailer I could haul it on and we have forklifts to load it on the truck and next week we will have a loading dock as well. Not sure if this will be the year we use a truck for hauling,, but it is defenitaly in future plans. I'll let you know if it looks feasable.

Hey WeDeliver!

My Husband and I are long haulers and own our own semi truck. Do you know if we are volunteering our truck/drive time ect and not accepting payment if we still need our own Authority? We currently lease our truck to one company and run on their authority so I'm not sure how it works otherwise. Just curious if you knew anything about that part of it. We have all of our endorsements as well and would just need to rent a trailer.

It would be pretty cool to take a bunch of NW art projects down for only the cost of fuel and trailer rental!

Pippi, have you figured out if Authority is needed if you have a "not for hire" magnet on the truck ( I have door magnet material and a vinyl sticker cutter) If we only had to pay for fuel and the trailer rental this could be a feasible option and I could start looking into rental prices for a step deck or low boy trailer if you are willing to haul one. Also do you have your tickets?

Apparently some folks who I was speaking with about hauling their camp to BRC have changed their plans and I am again available. I will drive for free.

I see there were some questions about "Authority". At this time I am under the assumption that not for hire, means no Authority necessary. Insurance will be issued by the rental company. I can call the rental company and see if this is correct. Also I do not have a ticket...

As we get closer and summer brings warmer weather I again want to offer Eagle's Nest RV Park as a staging area. 30acres with power and water. 165 miles from BRC.

The offer is greatly appreciated, By staging area do you mean loading everything for transport there or just meeting up there for the final drive to the burn? Eagle's Nest RV Park looks like its only a few minute detour on our way to the burn. Unfortunately it's a little late for extra tickets but one never knows one could show up somewhere.

[wedeliver]

By Staging area I mean whatever someone needs. If someone is doing some planing and somehow this place fits into those plans we can make it work. We have all sorts of tools, welding, cutting, fabrication etc.. We are a bit remote, but on the road to ttitd....

If someone thinks they might want to use my driving services I would start a ticket search.