PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-670

PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly

ISSUE 670

SEPTEMBER 2008
PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-670 - Page 8 of 33
13
PS 670
SEP 08
You’ll fnd the answer in Para 10-1e oF ±M 55-30,
Army Motor Transport Units and Operations.
It says,
“The
driver
supervises the loading oF his vehicle and
ensures that his cargo is properly loaded and secured
against movement. He Further ensures that the load is
balanced and does not exceed the vehicle capacity as
noted on the data plate. He uses the vehicle tarpaulin
to protect the load From the weather and pilFerage.
Once the driver accepts the load From the shipper,
he alone is responsible For its saFe delivery! The
driver should not accept an unsafe load and must
resolve any dispute before moving.”
Nevertheless, when an accident happens, it gets
the attention oF everyone–all the way up the chain oF
the command.
Some time back, an M916A3 tractor was hauling a hydraulic excavator on an
M870A1 semitrailer. The excavator’s boom collided with a pedestrian overpass.
The collision backed up traFfc on the fve-lane interstate For 14 hours. About a
million bucks in damages was the fnal result!
The investigation report revealed the rig’s load height was almost 4 Feet over the
maximum allowable limit!
Listen up! The restriction
limit oF a load height is 13
Feet 5 inches For CONUS, and
13 Feet 1 inch For OCONUS.
The width oF the load in both
CONUS
and
OCONUS
is
restricted to 8 Feet. You’ll fnd
this inFo spelled out in the
Military SurFace Deployment
and
Distribution
Command
Transportation
Engineering
Agency’s
(SDDCTEA)
TEA
PAM 70-1,
Transportability for
Better Deployability.
Using an adjustable-length
measuring pole or a 25-ft
retractable measuring tape,
measure from the ground
straight up to the highest point
of the vehicle or load. This
measurement cannot exceed
13 feet 5 inches. If any part
of the vehicle or load exceeds
these limits, reconFgure the
load before movement. Or see
the Oversize Cargo section on
the next page.
Tractor Trucks/Semitrailers…
Transporting a Load
what exactly is the
driver of a tractor
and semitrailer rig
responsible for
when he heads out
for the day’s run?
operators…
make
sure you know the
distance from…
…or
this
could
happen!
Bridge height: 16 ft 9.5 inches
Max allowable height: 13.5 ft for movement
Soldier’s eye calculation
was off by 4 ft
make sure your
measurement
is from the
ground up!
So how
do
you measure
load height accurately?
Once the load is positioned
for transport and secured
to the trailer’s
platform, do
this…
…here…
…to here.
670.12-13.indd
1-2
7/25/08
2:48:29 PM
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