Heavy haul and lifting under one roof
Southern Transport is a family-owned company in heavy haul transportation and crane services. Federal carrier records place Southern Transport LLC in Gladewater, in East Texas, with yards in East and West Texas. Trade show listings describe it as a group of sister companies, including Southern Lifting and Hoisting (crane rental and heavy hauling, listed in Kilgore), Southern Freight Lines and Southern Logistics, with additional yards in Oklahoma City and in Gonzales, Louisiana. Its certification body, PJR, reports that the company holds ISO 9001 quality and ISO 45001 occupational health and safety certifications.
Where hauling and lifting overlap
A heavy haul and crane outfit does a kind of work that general contractors rarely see from start to finish. The load arrives on a lowboy or multi-axle trailer, a crane has to be positioned to take it off, and the piece often has to be set on a foundation or turned for the next leg of its trip. A few points where training pays off:
- Taking the load off the trailer. The operator must know the actual weight, including cribbing and any attached hardware, and where the center of gravity sits on an irregular piece.
- Tandem picks. Long or heavy items sometimes go up on two cranes. Each operator's share of the load changes as the piece moves, and the lift director's signals have to be clear to both cabs.
- Crane setup in yards and laydown areas. Compacted gravel and fill can hide soft spots. Outrigger pads and mats spread the load, and the operator has to know how much they need.
- Rigging for transport. The same rigging knowledge used for a lift applies to tie-down points and lifting lugs that are rated for specific directions of pull.
Courses that suit a heavy lift and transport group
Operators of hydraulic cranes
Rental cranes in a fleet like this are often all-terrain and truck-mounted telescopic machines. The NCCCO telescopic designations cover them, and our fixed/swing cab courses prepare for both the written and practical exams. New hires usually need the 120-hour course; operators with years of seat time can usually take the 40-hour course.
Crawler operators for heavy lifts
Large lifts frequently use lattice boom crawlers. The 40-hour lattice course prepares operators for the NCCCO lattice boom crawler exams on our own crawler, in the yard where the practical exam is given.
Riggers, oilers and lift crew
The 28-hour Rigger/Signal Person Certification Level I course prepares people for NCCCO Rigger Level I and Signalperson. It is a good fit for drivers and hands who rig and signal when the trailer arrives.
Traveling in from East Texas
Seagoville sits just off I-20 on the southeast side of Dallas, so crews from the Gladewater, Longview and Kilgore area come west on I-20 most of the way. That is too far for many people to drive both ways each day of a long course. The Premium Plus Mobile Crane Operations Fixed/Swing Cab Course and the Premium Mobile Crane Operations Lattice Course offer optional room and board for students who travel. Every class is held at 304 Tunnell St; we do not run training at company yards.
Setting up group training
To book several employees, go to company classes or call (214) 763-0513. Tell us who is coming, what they run or rig, and whether housing is needed. We will put together a plan and dates that keep enough operators and drivers in the field. For questions before you commit, write to us through contact us.
If some of your people already hold NCCCO cards that are close to expiring, mention it; recertification candidates often need less classroom time than first-time operators.