When you have large loads or several multiple loads, the importance of planning six months or even a year out can’t be overstated. It takes time to coordinate with states to make sure you’re compliant. Company representatives and DOT officials walk you through best practices to show how planning ahead can increase overall safety and save you headaches and fines. Speakers: Mihir Patel, VP, Logisticus Project Group Rob Simon, VP Heavy Haul & Specialized, Bennett Motor Express Justin Underwood, Assistant Director, Tennessee Dept. of Transportation

1. When Time is Your Friend: The
Importance of Planning Ahead with
States on Large & Complicated Loads
Mihir Patel Rob Simon Justin Underwood

2. When Time is Your Friend
Justin Underwood
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Rob Simon
Bennett Motor Express
Mihir Patel
Logisticus Group

3. • Is there such a thing as too early?
• It can definitely be too late!
• What information is needed?
• General Project Information i.e... Proposed dates, schematics, pictures,
routes, back up vehicles for break downs, Contractor doing the work, driver
information
• Full Transparency – We can’t help if we don’t know and the more we know
the better we can help.
State Perspective

4. • Where to Start?
• Who – What – When – Why – Where
• General Information Session is Best at First Visit
• Who is the Main Customer
• Project Background
• Number of OD and Super Loads
• Information to Gain
• Historical Projects in the Area (routes)
• Lessons Learned from Past Projects (what not to do)
• Transload Locations in the Area
• Local Perspective on Project
Industry Perspective

5. • General Project Information
• Painting the Full Picture Helps
• Impact to the State, County, and Local Level
• Logisticus and Bennet Motor Express have seen a 75% improved success
rate for large projects in terms of schedules and transport delays
Industry Perspective

6. • Projects with large benefits of pre planning with DOT:
• Repetitive Moves (Wind Farms, Thermal Plants, etc.)
• Extreme Super Loads
• Projects where road modifications are completed for site access
Industry Perspective
• State Level
• Knowledge for permit department is
paramount and key
• County Level
• Most of the time background
information on what you are trying to
accomplish will get you 75% of the
way
• City Level
• Typically, no additional requirements;
however, courtesy goes along way

7. Industry Perspective
3 to 4 Months Prior
- Carrier Applies for Permit
- State goes through Process (Bridge,
District, 3rd Party and Construction)
1 to 2 Months Prior
- Permit Department provides
feedback
Additional Requirements and Sign-
offs add time to schedule and delays
permit
Challenges:
• Customer Award Date
• Project Schedule Changes
• Component Dimensions Changes
Typical Process
1 Year Prior
- Carrier meets with State/Counties on Project
to educated them of Plan
- Create milestone tracker with process steps
6 Months Prior
- Revisit to ensure all parties are marching to
previous plan
- Once plan is set in motion, all additional
requirements should be uncovered and time
to mitigate
3 to 4 Months Prior
- Carrier Applies for Permit
- State goes through process (Bridge, District,
3rd Party and Construction)
1 to 2 Months Prior
- Permit Department provides feedback
Suggested
Process
Positives:
• Upstream Risk Mitigation Ability
• Less Last Minute Cost and Permit Requirements
• Less Permit Lead Time
• Ability to React to Changing Requirements

8. Case Study – GA
Falcon’s Stadium
• 4,000 Loads from 22 Origins to Project Site
• Bennett worked with GADOT and City of Atlanta to develop an
envelope size and annual permit to avoid individual single trip
• Saved time and allowed for flexibility on delivered components
• Coordination with City Police, Civilian Escorts and Bucket Trucks
• 25% of the shipments required pilot cars, bucket trucks, police and
extra equipment to insure Safety is Priority One
• 6 month’s preparation with DOT Entities prior to Project Start
• Working with City of Atlanta and GA DOT was crucial for
Project Success

9. Case Study – New York Generator Project
• Customer had to move four of the largest steam
turbine and gas turbine components made out of their
facility
• Dimensions:
• Length = 45ft, Width = 25ft, Height = 25ft,
Weight = 405,000lbs
• Logisticus put a Highway Road Modification Plan
together in less than 6 weeks
• Included several state highway closures, road
modifications and removal of gantry signs
• Coordination with State Police and NYS Canal Authority
• Coordination with over nine independent
power/telephone/cable line owners for outages and
wire lifts
• Working with New York State and Local DOT was crucial
for Project Success

10. Case Study – PA Wind
Project
• Customer had to replace a single 3mw wind turbine for
project site in Pennsylvania
• Consisted of 7 Super Loads
• Logisticus worked with DOT Districts 11 and 12 along with
city and county DOTs to perform all eight road modifications
• Coordination with State Police on escorts and timing
• Pre-planning was crucial on this project to ensure all
components were delivered the same day from over 1,500
miles away.
• Working with the state on the local level and state level was
crucial for Project Success

11. Case Study – TN Generator Transport
• Customer was moving a Electric Generator from Knoxville, TN to St Paul, VA
• Megaload Dimensions:
• Length = 235ft, Width = 23ft, Height = 17ft
• Weight = 1,400,000lbs
• Travelling 176 miles
• Travel time: 19 days
• Travel speed: 10 miles an hour
• 8 months prior to transport initial contact was made with the State DOT
• Coordination with multiple local/state police and the structures division
• Coordination with multiple power/ telephone/ cable line utilities
• This load had to take measurements of the bridges before and after movement to measure the actual
damage caused. Sonar was used in several places to ensure the ground would hold as the movement
traversed through the state.
• Working with the state on the local level and state level was crucial for Project Success with the advance
notice of 8 months.

12. Case Study – Unsuccessful Project
• Customer was attempting to transport a Load Bed Assembly from
Mississippi to Athens, Tennessee
• Dimensions:
• Length = 126ft, Width = 20ft, Height = 15’11ft
• Weight = 493,000lbs
• 3 expired permits, 2 situations of movement not being able to
maneuver turns, 1 break down
• Travel Distance 326 miles
• Customer contacted state only once arriving at border to initial
permit process, no Pre Planning.
• Transport was waiting on the Alabama State Line and had to wait on
TDOT to gather information and process the application
• Processing started December 19th movement started January 6th
ended middle of February
• This Project would have benefited from Pre Planning with the DOT in
advance of the Transport Load arriving at the State Line.