Every time Tim Stone gets behind the wheel of his Foley Rental transport truck, he’s got some big driving shoes to fill.

“My dad was on the road for 45 years, and growing up, I went with him all summer every summer,” Tim says. “I was raised up in trucking. It’s in my blood. When I drive today, it’s like taking a little piece of my dad with me. It’s his legacy living on in me.”

Maybe that’s why Tim is such a stickler for safety: It’s a way of doing justice to his dad’s memory. Or maybe it’s because he wants to come home safe to his own family. Whatever the motivation, Tim’s been hauling goods — everything from aggregates to liquids to cattle — for 24 years now without an accident.

A million-and-a-half accident-free miles

Part of Tim’s secret to safe trucking lies in his passion for the job and his desire to do it with pride.

“Without truckers, there would be no infrastructure — no bridges, no highways, no goods in the stores,” he says. “Trucks are the backbone of this country, and so is heavy equipment.”

That’s what Tim’s been hauling for the past three years as a Foley Rental transport driver. He likes the variety, the people and the fact that he can sleep in his own bed every night.

“Every day is a new adventure or challenge, however you want to look at it,” Tim says. “One load might be a little-bitty bucket, and the next might be a 60,000-pound excavator that sticks off the trailer two feet on either side.”

Sometimes the biggest challenge isn’t what Tim’s hauling, but where he’s hauling it.

“We don’t just deliver to industrial parks,” he says. “I’ve been down roads that don’t look like they exist anymore. But having the ride-along experience with my dad, I saw how he handled tricky things like that and learned from him.”

Tim’s top tips for transporting heavy loads

The years with his dad, combined with his own two decades of experience, have taught Tim well. Here’s his safety advice for anyone hauling heavy loads:

1. Plan your route and check the weather ahead of time.

Truck-bridge collisions are common. They can damage the vehicle and the load, lead to fines and put lives at risk. That’s why Tim confirms his dimensions first, then plots his route accordingly. And he never relies solely on Google Maps for recommendations because it doesn’t take into account the width and height of his load.

Even on routes he travels frequently, Tim always tries to find the clearest visual possible of each road and bridge on Google Maps and zooms in to see the real-world situation.

“It may say 14 feet on the sign,” he says. “But if they’ve asphalted that surface a few times, you may not have that much clearance. Things change. Don’t assume — take the time to look.”

Tim also checks weather reports and pulls up highway department cameras to view road conditions before setting out. That way, he can allot additional time or take an alternate route in case of rain, snow, ice or fog.

2. Give your truck a onceover before setting off.

Once he’s confident in his route, Tim does a quick walkaround to ensure his truck is ready for the road. He checks tire pressure, confirms that headlights and brake lights are working and adjusts the mirrors.

“Especially if you’re getting in a truck you don’t drive all the time, make sure you can see all the way around you,” Tim says. “The mirrors aren’t on there just for looks. Use them.”

He also makes sure he has the right chains — and the proper amount of chains — for the weight he’s hauling.

3. Follow “The Smith System” while driving.

Tim’s a big believer in the Smith5Keys®, even encouraging his own kids to follow them when they first got behind the wheel of a car. The Smith5Keys are:

1) Aim High in Steering

2) Get the Big Picture

3) Keep Your Eyes Moving

4) Leave Yourself an Out

5) Make Sure They See You

The system’s designed to equip drivers with the knowledge and skills to create:

      • Space — so you can maneuver your vehicle away from conflict

      • Visibility — so you can detect danger and potential for conflict with another vehicle or fixed object early

      • Time — so you can react to volatile, complex driving environments

All are particularly important when transporting heavy equipment.

“When you’re hauling heavy, you’re not just going to step on the brakes and stop,” Tim says. “Sometimes it feels like you’re stepping on a sponge. The more space you give, the more awareness you have of your surroundings, the more reaction time you’re going to have.”

4. Know your limitations.

Fatigue and distraction can be deadly behind the wheel of any vehicle — even more so when you’re hauling a heavy load. That’s why Tim says it’s important to be honest with yourself about how you’re feeling and take a break when you need one.

“You’ve got to have respect for the vehicle,” he says. “It’s a huge piece of equipment that can kill you or somebody else.”

Whether it’s a lack of sleep, the stress of driving through rush hour traffic or the heat of the summer sun that wears him down, Tim will stop for a power nap until he’s refreshed, alert and ready to drive again.
“Fifteen or twenty minutes can do wonders,” he says.

5. Go with your gut.

Despite all the upfront planning and safe driving techniques, Tim’s still wound up in some tricky spots over the years. Should he haul that load over that particular bridge? Should he start down this road filled with S-curves knowing he won’t be able to back out if he runs into trouble?

In situations like these, Tim’s found it best to trust his instincts.

“’If in doubt, get out’ is usually my motto,” he says. “But sometimes you don’t have a choice. So then you need to take your time and assess your options.”

In some cases, you may have to call the authorities for help out of a tough situation.
“If that’s the worst thing that happens, that’s okay,” Tim says. “It’s better than putting lives, equipment and structures at risk.”

Big thanks to Tim for sharing his safety tips — and congratulations on an accident-free career behind the wheel!