Bulldozer comes off of trailer, kills 2

[hhydro]

Correct, this type of machine rides on a detachable gooseneck "double drop lowboy" loaded and rigged by a professional heavy equipment mover.

 

[cannuck]

When I bought my D5 I had to bring it home 650 kms. I have hauled so ridiculous size power transformers on a 50 ton beavertail where client provided tiedown equipment, but this was my own to haul and not exactly familiar with tiedown so I went to dealer and also the regulations. Based on that I bought the appropriate rigging and followed the rules to the letter – but with load analysis added. What I also did and continue to do is look at equipment tiedowns at pretty much every truckstop. My observation is that very few are even close to safely tied, even when technically legal. Even the official Caterpillar method is a bit shakey IMHO (track pads) but workable.

From what I have read so far, probably on a rollback. NO WAY a straight truck has roll stabilty adequate for such a high CofG load, but when I see these things the operators often just yank their load onto the deck with their winch, retract the deck and drive off.

 

[4570Man]

This tragedy happened near me so I'm familiar with the road and victim's the company though not the people personally. There are three routes into the valley which is a popular recreation area. None of the routes are easy with trucks, trailer, RVs, etc. This disaster of incompetence and negligence could have happened on any of the three routes.

First off, for this forum it wasn't a bulldozer. It was an old track loader like a Cat 955 or 977 which weighs 25 to 35 thousand pounds. They have a very different track grouser style than a dozer. Look closely at the photo and you'll see a loader bucket.

Such a high mass on a steel deck truck designed for hauling cars and pickups could have flipped the rollback tow truck on this steep winding canyon road even if it were secured with many chains and pocket stakes. One or two chains would have easily snapped with this heavy load high on an overloaded truck as it rocked back and forth around the curves.

This is a horrific tragedy.

I don’t think that’s as big as a 955 and they make tandem axel rollbacks. If that’s really a 955 then you’re right that it shouldn’t have been on a rollback to start with but if it was a smaller loader it would be fine on a tandem rollback. Also most bigger towing companies have semis and lowboys or landolls.

 

[roverman]

I'm always hesitant to recommend legislation, we need less laws and regulations, not more.

Deregulation has contributed to the responsible driver shortage. Low pay = low quality.
Then when there are laws some are written to protect the industry, like in GA. If something falls off a truck or trailer the trucking company isn't liable if it hits the road before it hits your vehicle.
Luckily in my case it was only a broken front indicator light.

 

[4570Man]

Then when there are laws some are written to protect the industry, like in GA. If something falls off a truck or trailer the trucking company isn't liable if it hits the road before it hits your vehicle.
Luckily in my case it was only a broken front indicator light.

That’s true for gravel falling off a dump truck. It’s probably not true for a loader.

 

[farmboy666]

That's terrible. The CEO was of Lifetime Products. They make plastic sheds and outdoor furniture. I bought one of their 8x16 sheds about 12 years ago and it's still in excellent shape.

Good to know that your shed is holding up well.

 

[NibbanaFarm]

I was driving on the freeway in NY. There was a tractor trailer with a dump body carrying stone in front of me with an untarped load. Stone was spilling out and one chipped my windshield. Almost immediately I saw a state police car parked in the medial strip. I pulled off the road, got out of my car and walked up to the state police car. He didn't even look at me but continued to chat on the phone with his wife for several minutes before acknowledging me. By this time the truck was miles down the highway.

 

[Rustyiron]

More likely a leaky tailgate or he neglected to look for "stuff" on the rear hitch, apron or flats on the tailgate before he started hit trip. Usually by the time a dump truck leaves the quarry and gets to the highway that stuff has shaken off. Even sand won't really blow out an un tarped load.
Never the less it's wrong.

 

[sunandsand]

Unsecured load . . . 30+ years ago I was riding a motorcycle on I-4 (when it was two lanes and MUCH less traffic than today) from Orlando to Daytona, and a refrigerator in the back of a pickup truck in front of me started swaying ominously.

Instant slow down and fall back to put some room between me and it, and the refrigerator fell over the side of the truck. Amazingly, it shattered like glass (!) and all the pieces slid off the sides of the road, leaving both lanes clear for me to continue through.

Someone was definitely looking out for me that day . . .

 

[MRTOES]

I never pretended to be bright but I have yet to ever see a roll back strong enough to carry even the smallest of bulldozers. Maybe its time to wire all trucks with wifi cameras that can be reviewed by insurers from time to time.

 

[4570Man]

I never pretended to be bright but I have yet to ever see a roll back strong enough to carry even the smallest of bulldozers. Maybe its time to wire all trucks with wifi cameras that can be reviewed by insurers from time to time.

They make some heavy duty rollbacks. One like this could easily carry a smaller size track loaders. I’d put my D3 dozer on a heavy spec single axel rollback.

 

[kwbobwi]

OMG what a horrible thing. Not much info on the website shown. It's not even clear if the bulldozer was on a trailer or on a truck.

On a flatbed tow truck
Heavy equipment needs extra securement which is why you hire transport with people who haul equipment
A wrecked car is one thing a dozer is another

 

[kenhar]

The issue is not a matter of is the truck heavy enough to carry the load {whatever it is} but metal on metal. Metal truck bed + metal tracks, the load will have a much greater tendency to slide than on a wood floor carrier. The load slides, the center of gravity overloads one side, that's when the load unloads itself. Lowboy equipment trailers have wood floors for a reason. Not because wood is cheaper than steel but to lessen the chance of a machine doing exactly what the machine in question did. Stupidity and carelessness are not an acceptable excuse.

 

[jjeff]

Rental agencies use tandem axle roll backs to deliver equipment In my area, I don't get close enough to observe how they secured it. Was very fortunate I was taught how to use chain and binders by older way more knowledgeable folks. So no utube for me anyway. Depending on weight it will determine size of chain and number of binders you need per dot regs. For me anyway, I always tried to run chain and binders on all 4 corners of heavier equipment, occasionally running a HD ratcheting strap on bucket or blade especially if it was 3 point or QA mounted. No matter what I was hauling I'd stop after a few miles and check chain and or straps regardless of weight. If they aren't loose, 99% of the time they won't get loose unless you're driving like a moron in my experiences. These are my experiences and what I've learned and been taught. I do not drive professionally as a career. Chain, ratcheting binders, and ratcheting straps are cheap if you somewhat know what your doing. Living with a traffic fatality you contributed to cuz you were in a hurry or had no clue what you were doing is not.

 

[RayIN]

I once was following a car-hauler semi on I 75 in Fl. I noticed the back car was shaking more than the others so changed lanes.
I was almost even with the trailer when that rear car came loose onto the highway.
I was far enough ahead I couldn't be involved, but have always wondered about the resulting wrecks.
I've never followed a car hauler since, I'll speed up and pass ASAP. If passing is not possible, like a 2-lane highway, I hang way back.

As to chaining down equipment; I was taught to run the chains in a X, both front and back.
When using boomers, wire-down the lever/handle after chain is tight. Re-check chains after several miles.
I remember once the equipment was heavier than the trailer, so I asked about chain size.
The reply was, "actually I'm chaining the trailer to the equipment, so chain size is determined by the lesser weight.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I have yet to see a log hauler checked. There are times the chains are so small you can barely see them and I wonder if they are not smaller than 5/16. I ain't stoppin to check. I stay as far away as possible from them and pucker up when meeting one, going out of my way to avoid roads they are on as much as possible.

out here they are using cables not chains