I was driving a Ford E 250,for some owners.I was offered a 2770 pound load from western Pa,in the AM to the west subburbs of Chicago,DELIVER AT 0600,THE NEXT DAY.The distance is not far.I turned the load down.In my eyes I was looking out for the owners van,hauling such a load,being a SAFETY issue in my eyes...The weight capacity of the van.Now because the owners of an unmentioned expedite company,didn't want to place their van in the .70 rates,decided to run their 3/4 ton van,as a 1 ton van. Hmm.I did however,contact my fleet coordinator about this matter.And he contacted the owner.The owner is still having a cow over the fact,why I turned the load down.I wonder what DOT and the expedite company president would say about this ? If it was my van,I still wouldn't take it.Not that it would put much stress on the engine,would it? But the load had to sit all day,and overnight,putting stress on the rear axle.
Would you take this load ?
- Thread starter TeamBud8
- Start date
You need to know what the GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) of your van is. It should be listed on the driver's door or door frame. Once you have the GVWR, weigh the van with you and all your gear. Subtract the actual van weight from the GVWR and that is the maximum weight of the freight you can carry. I am not familar with Ford's weights. But I suspect 2700# would be pushing the limit of an E-250.
If you exceed the manufacturer's GVWR you are operating illegally and would be subject to fines. If you are invloved in an accident while operating over weight you are in deep doodoo. And I'm sure the owner will say you were told never to exceed the GVWR.
If you exceed the manufacturer's GVWR you are operating illegally and would be subject to fines. If you are invloved in an accident while operating over weight you are in deep doodoo. And I'm sure the owner will say you were told never to exceed the GVWR.
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
Team Bud would that have put you over by 270lbs? If thats all than you excuse me, screwed up. If it was 770 than I side with ya.
Whats a GVW for a 2500
Whats a GVW for a 3500 I truley do not know.
What would have been your full weight?
I will take a load at 400 over my gross knowing I will burn my fuel, thats not much an option for you, but 500 I will not. Also depends how and where the scales are as dodging them all day for a full day gets to wearing on both me and the truck.
Plus for those of you who are going to read me the riot act, I also have the argument of the APU it worked in NC she let me go. If not than give me the ticket gambled and lost.
Whats a GVW for a 2500
Whats a GVW for a 3500 I truley do not know.
What would have been your full weight?
I will take a load at 400 over my gross knowing I will burn my fuel, thats not much an option for you, but 500 I will not. Also depends how and where the scales are as dodging them all day for a full day gets to wearing on both me and the truck.
Plus for those of you who are going to read me the riot act, I also have the argument of the APU it worked in NC she let me go. If not than give me the ticket gambled and lost.
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
The only way I take a load that puts me over is if someone, besides me, pays for the overweight ticket(s). There's always a chance you'll get pulled over trying to dodge them, then you're in double trouble.
"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas
"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas
letzrockexpress
Veteran Expediter
To directly answer your question, yes I would have taken the load.
An e 250 is a 3/4 ton vehicle. Though the maximum weight you should carry is probably right around 2300 pounds, a little heavier load once in a while isn't likely to hurt anything. If you were talking 3000# plus,I might have to reconsider.
An e 250 is a 3/4 ton vehicle. Though the maximum weight you should carry is probably right around 2300 pounds, a little heavier load once in a while isn't likely to hurt anything. If you were talking 3000# plus,I might have to reconsider.
These figures say the load would have been o.k. .http://www.meadowlandford.com/2005-ford-eseries-van-specs.htm
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
Well that answers my question.
ROOKIE MISTAKE Live Learn and forget those earnings. So how was that but chewing during the wait?
ROOKIE MISTAKE Live Learn and forget those earnings. So how was that but chewing during the wait?
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Nope wouldn't take it.
Ok the E250 may have a gvw of 8600 lbs but first thing is that the base weight (which usually means no accessories, the smallest engine and normally no A/C) for an extended 250 is 5366 lbs. then adding accessories on (A/C, radio and such to that which can add up to 300 more lbs - now we are talking 5600 or so lbs. Then add the person equipment, the load securement stuff and what ever else, you may top out at 5800 lbs - leaving you with 2800 lbs which is too close for me. I am not even talking about a larger engine or a diesel which will add more than 400 lbs more onto the base weight.
Just for an example, my GMC curbs out somewhere around 5600 lbs stripped. When I added everything onto the truck, I added almost 2000 lbs. Mind you it is a 6.5 Diesel and has dual batteries and all the other fun stuff to go with it.
Nope wouldn't take that load.
Ok the E250 may have a gvw of 8600 lbs but first thing is that the base weight (which usually means no accessories, the smallest engine and normally no A/C) for an extended 250 is 5366 lbs. then adding accessories on (A/C, radio and such to that which can add up to 300 more lbs - now we are talking 5600 or so lbs. Then add the person equipment, the load securement stuff and what ever else, you may top out at 5800 lbs - leaving you with 2800 lbs which is too close for me. I am not even talking about a larger engine or a diesel which will add more than 400 lbs more onto the base weight.
Just for an example, my GMC curbs out somewhere around 5600 lbs stripped. When I added everything onto the truck, I added almost 2000 lbs. Mind you it is a 6.5 Diesel and has dual batteries and all the other fun stuff to go with it.
Nope wouldn't take that load.
In my opinion. you should NEVER take a load that exceeds the maximum weight required by the lease agreement an owner signs with a carrier. Also you should never carry more weight than the GVWR allows for the safe operation of the van. The GVWR minus the curb weight is not your expedite cargo capacity. As Greg mentioned, there are other considerations. Additionally, consider all the weight you have added to the van, Wood floors, E-track and other securement devices, your sleeping bed and or gear, clothes and other personal stuff, qualcomm, cooler, case of beverages, etc, all add to the curb weight.
I suggest you invest a few dollars, fill the tank with fuel, add all the stuff you usually carry on the road, including yourself and go to a scale and get a ticket to assure yourself the safe and legal cargo capacity.
As a foot note, will your owner's insurance carrier cover your losses if you are involved in an accident while operating illegally? Will your owner charge you for a broken axle for operating his vehicle while overweight? Will he pay the fine for an overweight ticket?
I suggest you invest a few dollars, fill the tank with fuel, add all the stuff you usually carry on the road, including yourself and go to a scale and get a ticket to assure yourself the safe and legal cargo capacity.
As a foot note, will your owner's insurance carrier cover your losses if you are involved in an accident while operating illegally? Will your owner charge you for a broken axle for operating his vehicle while overweight? Will he pay the fine for an overweight ticket?
YUP! That load probably had a good fuel surcharge and it would have taken you to a great place for the next load. A tad heavy for a 3/4, but this is expedite and sometimes you have to give a bit. Sometimes dispatch will offer a bit higher rate for the extra weight so don't be afraid to ask before you accept the load. Have fun!
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Terry said; "As a foot note, will your owner's insurance carrier cover your losses if you are involved in an accident while operating illegally? Will your owner charge you for a broken axle for operating his vehicle while overweight? Will he pay the fine for an overweight ticket?"
Don't forget the other two things, will the owner pay you for miles already driven because the delay if anything happens? and, Will the owner pay for the truck to take the load off the van because the DOT officer said "no way are you going to move anywhere -it has to come off the van"?
What seems to be a little over weight could be a lot over weight with a van and effect it's performance enough to make it a dangerous vehicle. Don't forget something else the driveline is designed to take a limited amount of pressure, meaning that the bearings and races are speced for X amount of pounds per square inch and by overloading the axle, you may exceed to the point of not breaking an axle but burning out the bearings in the axle.
In addition to this, the shippers estimated weights are not accurate almost all the time, if they don't have a scale, you need to question it and watch them carefully because they don't care what happens to you or your van. For example I had one pallet that the shipper claimed it was 2000lbs and just made my van sink too much and that was with the forklift holding some of the weight. when I insisted on it being weighed with me watching, the forklift driver got p*ssed off and told me to take it anyway and I told him to get his boss. Well he relented and he stuck it on the scale. It was 3800lbs and I told them no way because it was 1300lbs over my limit. The guy who put the load together (different person) took half of it off the pallet and I took the rest at 2400lbs. I got paid well for the load, really nice FSC but who cares if I ended up with broken springs or axle or a shorter bearing life because someone needed to get 3800lbs shipped.
Don't forget the other two things, will the owner pay you for miles already driven because the delay if anything happens? and, Will the owner pay for the truck to take the load off the van because the DOT officer said "no way are you going to move anywhere -it has to come off the van"?
What seems to be a little over weight could be a lot over weight with a van and effect it's performance enough to make it a dangerous vehicle. Don't forget something else the driveline is designed to take a limited amount of pressure, meaning that the bearings and races are speced for X amount of pounds per square inch and by overloading the axle, you may exceed to the point of not breaking an axle but burning out the bearings in the axle.
In addition to this, the shippers estimated weights are not accurate almost all the time, if they don't have a scale, you need to question it and watch them carefully because they don't care what happens to you or your van. For example I had one pallet that the shipper claimed it was 2000lbs and just made my van sink too much and that was with the forklift holding some of the weight. when I insisted on it being weighed with me watching, the forklift driver got p*ssed off and told me to take it anyway and I told him to get his boss. Well he relented and he stuck it on the scale. It was 3800lbs and I told them no way because it was 1300lbs over my limit. The guy who put the load together (different person) took half of it off the pallet and I took the rest at 2400lbs. I got paid well for the load, really nice FSC but who cares if I ended up with broken springs or axle or a shorter bearing life because someone needed to get 3800lbs shipped.
Greg, thanks for sharing your story. I have wondered how we would handle a load that weighed a lot more than what we were told when we agreed to take it. So far we have been okay with weight but I'm sure our day will come when a shipper adds more than we can handle.
India Hamner
[font color="purple"] FEDEX [/font][font color="blue"]Custom Critical[/font]
D Unit
The reason so many people know the solution is that they created the problem!
India Hamner
[font color="purple"] FEDEX [/font][font color="blue"]Custom Critical[/font]
D Unit
The reason so many people know the solution is that they created the problem!
Right on Greg and nice job displaying your colors. The Purple Promise lives on.
Quite often, C, D, and E sized trucks have the excess capacity to safely and legally handle a few hundred pounds over their carrier's advertised tariffs. Standard cargo vans seldom have reserve capacity. When Roberts Express developed the alphabetic truck size designations, A, B, C, D, and E truck capacities were 500#, 2000#, 5000#, 13,000# and 30,000?# respectively. Most of the larger carriers continue these weight designations to this day, except cargo vans.
As shippers, drivers and carriers alike realized that van drivers generally operated 'under the radar' of the DOT and scale masters, they were increasingly offered weights greater than the advertised tariffs. Eventually, Tri-State raised the designated van weight to 2500# because so many drivers would take that much, even if overweight. Three years ago [font color="purple"]FEDEX[/font] [font color="blue"]Custom Critical[/font] followed suit and raised van requirements to 2500#. Now I'm told that Tri-State has changed their B load to a maximum of 3000#.
We drivers have created this burden on ourselves by agreeing to unsafe cargo capacities. I'm surprized the C trucks haven't loudly objected. As the van weights increased, the C truck weight window was decreased to 2500#-5000#; they have less cargo opportunity and more B money.
Drive safe and legal, load safe and legal.
Quite often, C, D, and E sized trucks have the excess capacity to safely and legally handle a few hundred pounds over their carrier's advertised tariffs. Standard cargo vans seldom have reserve capacity. When Roberts Express developed the alphabetic truck size designations, A, B, C, D, and E truck capacities were 500#, 2000#, 5000#, 13,000# and 30,000?# respectively. Most of the larger carriers continue these weight designations to this day, except cargo vans.
As shippers, drivers and carriers alike realized that van drivers generally operated 'under the radar' of the DOT and scale masters, they were increasingly offered weights greater than the advertised tariffs. Eventually, Tri-State raised the designated van weight to 2500# because so many drivers would take that much, even if overweight. Three years ago [font color="purple"]FEDEX[/font] [font color="blue"]Custom Critical[/font] followed suit and raised van requirements to 2500#. Now I'm told that Tri-State has changed their B load to a maximum of 3000#.
We drivers have created this burden on ourselves by agreeing to unsafe cargo capacities. I'm surprized the C trucks haven't loudly objected. As the van weights increased, the C truck weight window was decreased to 2500#-5000#; they have less cargo opportunity and more B money.
Drive safe and legal, load safe and legal.
I declined a load a few days ago, because it was 3400 lbs, which is 900 over my limit. When I called Safety to make sure I wasn't charged with a refusal for a load that shouldn't have been offered, they said my capacity was listed as 4100 lbs. In a cargo van?! Apparently, they had simply deducted the empty weight of the van from 10,000 lbs. Like Clint Eatwood says: you've got to know your limits...
Another piece of the weight equation that cargo van owners overlook but the DOT doesn't is tire rating and axle rating. Everyone seems to be concerned with the gross weight and not the axle or tire ratings. This generally isn't an issue but it came into play for me once.
I got pulled over in Wisconsin for having flammable placards on my van. The state trooper wanted to know why I had the placards. I showed him my B.O.L. I think I had about 2600# of flammable paint on.
He was confused and escourted me about 5 miles to an open weigh station. He turned me over to the scale master and left. She weighed me the following is direct from the hard copy she gave me to keep..
3840 front axle
5600 rear axle
9440 gross
tire weight rating 3042#
The manufacturer's GVWR for this van was 9600# So I was close on the gross and had 240# to spare on the rear tires. This was my old van and I don't know what the axle rating was but the rating on my new van is 4300# front axle and 6084 rear axle. Notice the combined axle ratings exceed the GVWR.
Besides the free weigh and having my tires read I also got a free vehicle inspection. In the end I got a fix it ticket for a burned out license plate lamp.
The point of this ramble is know your GVWR, axle ratings, tire ratings and the actual weight of you, your gear and van. Because you never know when you may be weighed. And if you are ever involved in a serious accident all of these items will be scrutinized.
I got pulled over in Wisconsin for having flammable placards on my van. The state trooper wanted to know why I had the placards. I showed him my B.O.L. I think I had about 2600# of flammable paint on.
He was confused and escourted me about 5 miles to an open weigh station. He turned me over to the scale master and left. She weighed me the following is direct from the hard copy she gave me to keep..
3840 front axle
5600 rear axle
9440 gross
tire weight rating 3042#
The manufacturer's GVWR for this van was 9600# So I was close on the gross and had 240# to spare on the rear tires. This was my old van and I don't know what the axle rating was but the rating on my new van is 4300# front axle and 6084 rear axle. Notice the combined axle ratings exceed the GVWR.
Besides the free weigh and having my tires read I also got a free vehicle inspection. In the end I got a fix it ticket for a burned out license plate lamp.
The point of this ramble is know your GVWR, axle ratings, tire ratings and the actual weight of you, your gear and van. Because you never know when you may be weighed. And if you are ever involved in a serious accident all of these items will be scrutinized.