Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/23755
MEET THE FLEET Thinking Big In six years, Parish Leasing has carved out a niche transporting transformers and other oversize loads S uccessful businesses take advan- tage of opportunities. When manufacturer Howard Industries needed help transporting mam- moth electrical transformers and other power equipment, Eric Parish stepped right in. Parish’s family had been in the salvage and used auto parts business in Ellisville, Miss., and he knew they probably had trucks and trailers that could do the job. In six years, Parish Leasing’s fleet has grown to 23 heavy-duty tractors and a col- lection of deck trail- ers, specializing in heavy hauls. “I never dreamed we’d be in the heavy-haul busi- ness the way we are,” Parish says. The company hauls transform- ers, boilers and other power equipment to Category 5 hurricanes from Florida to Mississippi. “We do mostly heavy hauls, but we’ll haul most every- thing,” Parish says. “I NEVER DREAMED WE’D BE IN THE HEAVY-HAUL BUSINESS THE WAY WE ARE.” utilities in the United States and Canada. Parish rigs frequently run to the West Coast and return with California-grown onions or pista- chio nuts. This past summer, the company’s tractor-trailers hauled wind turbines weighing 160,000 pounds per load. The company also has transported concrete houses that can withstand Heavy haul often requires signif- icant planning. Parish and his crew have to arrange permits, research routes and oversee logistical con- cerns like particularly tight turns and short overpasses. Planning a haul can take from a few days to several weeks. “There are always variables that make it difficult,” he says, “particularly for loads that are real tall, like 18-foot-6- inch boilers that were going to the Univer- sity of Illinois.” — ERIC PARISH While the competi- tion is tough in heavy haul, few challengers step up to over-height loads like the Illinois boilers. Parish says his company has the equipment, such as step decks and removable goose- neck lowboys. “We have decks that ride 12 inches from the ground to the top of the deck,” he says. The power business appears to be booming. After working through 2009, which delivered less business than the year before, Parish says 2010 produced 50 percent more 76 TRUCKERS NEWS FEBRUARY 2011 Parish Leasing specs its trucks and spe- cialized trailers to spread the weight over 13 axles. business. Parish says the key to trans- porting heavy loads is running the proper equipment. Delivering the goods in heavy haul begins with a specialized truck spec’d for hard work. Parish depends on Western Star 4900 EX and SA models outfit- ted with Detroit DD15 engines with the most horsepower he can order. “You need engine horsepower, torque and rear-end ratios for pull- ing. I’ve found I can spec these trucks to the job I want to do,” he says. He adds that the most impor- tant heavy-haul factor is spec’ing the right axle spacing — both for the truck and trailer — followed by having the right rear-end ratios and suspensions. “They balance out real well,” he says. “I can get the weight where I need it. They pull my 13 axles real good. It might be overkill the way I spec them, but they do the job.” Parish took delivery of five 2010 models early last year. “The drivers like the roomy cabs and the com- fortable rides, even on long hauls,” Parish says. Truck mileage ranges from 3 mpg for the heaviest loads to 5.5 for over-the-road hauls, Parish says. Annual mileage varies from 75,000 to 120,000 miles per unit. Parish relies on 24 company drivers to transport the loads. Most of the drivers earn a percentage of the load revenue, Parish says. MAX KVIDERA COURTESY PARISH LEASING