The ALL Family of Companies is investing in the future of heavy haul by training more of its truck drivers on the use of its recently acquired Faymonville HighwayMAX trailers.
An all-day training session was held near ALL's Cleveland, Ohio, headquarters, bringing together about a dozen drivers from branches across Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana and Illinois.
The HighwayMAX is a nine-axle extendable highway trailer equipped with hydraulically steered pendle-axles and capable of a legal payload of up to 170,000 lbs. (249,000-lb technical payload). The trailer offers adjustable axle spacing — up to 22.5 ft. between each three-axle group — and each axle independently steers up to 60 degrees, providing exceptional maneuverability in tight spaces. All axles also are liftable.
To lead the training, ALL brought in Shannon Richardson, Faymonville's United States representative from Hale Trailer in Voorhees, N.J. The day began with a deep dive into the Faymonville Analytical Loading Capacity Organizer, or "Falco" — onboard software that allows operators to simulate different load scenarios before execution. The software is similar in approach to ALL's 3-D lift planning tool for cranes, enabling teams to design, plot and virtually test load plans in advance.
The second half of the day focused on practical, hands-on training with one of the trailers. Drivers were introduced to several key differences from traditional heavy-haul equipment. For example, because the trailer's axles steer in coordination with the truck, drivers no longer need to swing into the right lane to make a wide left turn. "You can make the turn from the left lane. — just like a car," said Hill.
Attendees also learned how to align the axles, reduce fuel costs by running only the middle three axles when empty and operate the trailer's hydraulic deck-lowering system. "The deck can lower itself to 24 inches, then raise back up to a roadable height of 41 inches," Hill said.
Faymonville, a European manufacturer known for its blend of industrial craftsmanship and advanced technology, continues to gain traction in the United States — opening a new manufacturing plant in Arkansas last year.
The ALL Family of Companies operates its own trucking division, giving it added flexibility in transporting cranes across its 33 branches. Drivers who completed the training will complete their first transports under the guidance of veteran drivers Todd Bennett (Cleveland branch) and Dana Chamblin (Nitro, W.Va., branch), who have served as internal consultants on the Faymonville trailers since their acquisition.
ALL's commitment to equipment excellence is matched by its investment in people — cultivating a culture of learning and continuous improvement that ensures its employees have the knowledge and support to safely and successfully operate the industry's best tools.
For more information about ALL, visit https://www.allcrane.com/.
This story also appears on Truck and Trailer Guide.
