Every call we receive from a customer is a challenge looking for a solution,” said Aaron Aber, vice president of Aber’s Towing & Crane Service. “Understanding their needs is what allows us to manage their heavy haul projects with the skill and experience our clients have come to expect.”
Based in Ashland, Ohio, specialized transport services from Aber’s Towing & Crane Service include intrastate and multi-state hauls across the Midwest for a wide range of items. Included are cranes and large pieces of construction equipment such as oversize dozers, excavators and crushing machines. The company’s biggest haul, at more than 150,000 pounds, was for an 1,150-ton capacity Manitowoc crawler crane.
The Aber’s heavy haul fleet includes 19 Kenworth, Peterbilt and Volvo tractors, over half of which are fitted with an extra lift axle. Heavy haul specs for the power units call for double frames, 605-HP Cummins engines, 18-speed Eaton Fuller transmissions, 46,000-pound capacity air ride rear suspensions and 20,000-pound capacity steer and lift axles. Michelin and Hankook supply the fleet’s 11R24.5 standard profile tires.
Bread and Butter Trailer
For trailers used by Aber’s, the company primarily operates Talbert Manufacturing models in 35- to 65-ton capacities. “Our bread-and-butter trailer is the Talbert 55CC in 8-foot 6-inch and 9-foot-wide versions,” Aber related. “It’s a four-axle unit that has three axles with a close-coupled pin-on fourth axle at the rear.”
The Talbert 55CC close-coupled lowbed trailer has a low 18-inch loaded deck height and six inches of ground clearance for navigating oversized loads under bridges and through tunnels without the need for rerouting. The 55CC has a standard 26-foot deck with a capacity rating for half the deck length, allowing operators to haul 55 tons in 13 feet, and a 108-inch swing radius for distributing weight from the drive axles to the steer axle of the tractor.
The 55CC features Talbert’s four-cylinder removable hydraulic gooseneck that maximizes lift capacity and load height when handling oversized equipment. The trailer’s main and side beams are manufactured with 12-inch-deep I-beams fabricated from high strength T1 steel with a minimum yield strength of 100,000 PSI. Other standard specs include two-inch Apitong flooring for strength under heavy loads, removable outriggers, a manual exhaust valve, recessed load-bearing bolsters and a 12-volt LED sealed light system.
The 55CC trailer also has six tie-down rings on each side of the deck and eight tie-down rings between the deck’s main beams. Two sections of expanded metal baskets are mounted under the center of the deck to store chain and other items.
Successfully Addressing Challenges
The heavy haul business is not without challenges, Aber noted. “We’re successfully addressing the costly need for drivers that is being felt across all types of transport operations with excellent benefits and top pay for our industry and location,” he said. “At the same time, like many trucking companies, increased insurance costs are a growing issue.
“We’ve experienced increases in premiums of as much as 50% while our safety performance hasn’t changed or has improved,” Aber continued. “Insurance carriers are concerned about exposure to risk so they’re passing on the cost while more tightly monitoring safety and driver records for violations.
“Our response has been to mitigate insurance cost increases by tightening up in-house safety programs and using technology to protect ourselves and our drivers,” Aber continued. “For example, we’ve installed forward-facing Samsara dash cameras and have worked with our drivers so they have a better understanding of how safe practices help deter cost increases. We’ve also increased deductibles.”
Another industry wide challenge for Aber’s is having state agencies issue correct permits and routes. “We work with permitting entities and conduct route surveys, hire bridge monitors, field or hire pilot cars and highway patrol escorts and adhere to curfews affecting heavy haul equipment,” Aber said. “Still, especially with multi-state, multi-day hauls, getting permits for oversize and overweight loads in different jurisdictions to match up can be difficult and very frustrating.”
Meeting Heavy Haul Needs
Despite the challenges, Aber is clear about what makes for a successful specialized transport haul. “Number one is having properly trained and well-motivated employees,” he said. “In addition, we field quality, safe and reliable equipment that is well maintained and supported by our in-house maintenance operation, dealers and manufacturers. We also keep a close eye on the fleet and driver performance with our Towbook management and telematics software.”
Founded in 1950 with a one-ton truck and a small crane, Aber’s Towing & Crane Service has grown considerably over the years to include its specialized transport operation, an expanded wrecker fleet to provide towing services and a maintenance and repair shop for all makes of trucks.
Aber’s also has a full-service crane rental operation with six cranes from 5- to 225-ton capacities and booms up to 270 feet. Their crane services, offered on an hourly, daily, weekly or long-term basis, are available with rigging, spreader beams and straps.
Now operated by a third generation of the Aber family, Aber’s Towing & Crane Service has been successful for the past 74 years because it remains dedicated to paying attention to the details. “No job is too small, large, short or long for our qualified team of professionals who bring their experience and know-how with them on every job,” Aber said. “It’s about accommodating every need, no matter the magnitude of the project.
“What really sets our services apart is our receptiveness to the unique needs of each client,” Aber continued. “By understanding that providing quality service stems from understanding the challenges a customer faces, and turning their challenges into solutions, we can take the burden off of them.”