Superload Truck Arrives in Hennepin After 22-day Journey

Image courtesy of the Putnam County Record

On Nov. 11, a very large truck and its’ entourage of several vehicles pulled out of Oklahoma City, Okla. and set off on a 22-day quest to deliver an emergency transformer to Ameren Services in Hennepin. On the afternoon of Wednesday, Dec. 2, area drivers may have seen this massive load as it ventured west on Route18, north on Route 89 and then taking another wide turn onto Route 71 toward its final stretch through Hennepin.

Delivery was made possible by Houston based Logistics Group International, a company specializing in over-dimensional loads. At a length of 233 feet, the truck required steering from the rear by a second driver in order to safely navigate corners. The total width was 15 feet, 6 inches and the total height was 17 feet, 6 inches. Its’ rolling weight was a massive 452,000 pounds.

The journey required much coordination between the many police departments, states and local governments as the truck slowly wound its’ way north at speeds up to 25 to 30 mph, but it often moved much slower. Unable to clear most underpasses, the truck often had to leave the main road to bypass them and then slowly re-enter traffic on the other side. Oftentimes this required local assistance to provide clearance beneath traffic lights and power lines. The truck was also required to make pre-determined stops and be off the road 30 minutes before dark, as it wasn’t authorized to travel at night.

Source: Putnam County Record