18-WHEELER GETS STUCK UNDER LOCAL BRIDGE

  

truck stuck 1Officials with TxDOT and the Burlington Northern Rail Road are inspecting the Gay Hill Railroad bridge on FM390 after an 18-wheeler became stuck under the bridge early Friday morning.

truck stuck 2According to Sheriff Otto Hanak, the driver of the truck, identified as 39-year old Jose Chivas of Irving, stated he was attempting to deliver products to Sealy Mattress in Brenham when he became stuck. 

According to Hanak, this particular railroad overpass is clearly marked at a height of 9 feet, 10 inches and Chivas’ trailer exceeded 12 feer.

DPS Trooper William Kettler issued Chivas a citation for Over Height. 

The bridge was inspected and analyzed for safety by members of the Texas Department of Transportation and BNSF Railroad. 

The results of the inspection are not yet available. 

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13 Comments

  1. Giving him a citation for over height sounds a little observe to me!! I am sure he was lost and there is no place to turn around. What was he supposed to do, no not drive under it but if we can rebuild 36 why can’t we do something about making this bridge taller?? What is the problem with him using a GPS?? How was he supposed to find his way without one!! How many trucks get stuck under there in a year?? As for on his phone there is not good cell signal in Gay Hill so blame it on something else!! My uncle, grandpa, and brother are truck drivers or have been truck drivers and yes they work long hours and drive miles lots of miles. No I don’t want Mexican trucking companies over here to haul OUR stuff!

  2. I work with a large company in this area that employees over 70 Professional CDL Drivers who safely operate our company owned fleet of tractor trailers. Our drivers typically earn in excess of $70K annually, with some making it into the low six figures. None of them work 70-80 hours per week as this violates DOT rules. Driver turnover is high and we are facing a driver shortage in coming years, those are all facts. It is obvious some people who posted here do not really understand the industry, but truckers are like every other profession, there are some really great ones and some who are less so. I am normally a very conservative person who does not like government interference, but I have to say that all the rules and regulations on the trucking industry have worked to make the public safer and the trucking industry a better place to work.

  3. The underpass in Gay Hill is a Landmark! This one lane, bricked underpass adds to the charm that makes the county a quaint and desirable place to live and visit. I live in Gay Hill and see large trucks either hitting or backing up creating dangerous situations, because they fail to READ the numerous height warning signs. GPS systems, I understand, give FM 390 as a alternative truck by-pass around Brenham. Hello??? A year or so ago, a tandem ammunitions truck got stuck at the underpass on its way to Kileen going to Ft. Hood. Why is a truck on its way to Ft. Hood be using FM 390 as a route? Why is a truck on its way to Sealy Mattress, travelling west on FM 390?
    I hope there is one hellava fine for not being able to read and heed!

  4. Obviously the driver was NOT looking at all??? Had to have been on the phone to go under PLUS he trusted his GPS OOPS!!! We have all gotten in a slight pickle with a GPS BUT this was inexcusable???

  5. If he was going to Sealy Mattress why was he on FM 390? Completely stupid one for not knowing how tall his trailer is and two for not knowing his route.

    1. They are pretty stupid and getting worse. You have to be to be a truck driver. How many people will work 70 to 80 hours a week for 20 to 30 thousand a year. The average age of a trucker now is 52, because the young guys coming into it don’t last when they see what is involved and how hard it is to make that check. So the good, old drivers have quit because of all the government regs and the new ones aren’t too bright or they would find work elsewhere. The driver turnaround at many companies is 100% per year. That means they are replacing all their drivers every year. It is bad and it will get worse. The governments answer is to regulate it more, which will only execaberate the problem as trucking is already over regulated, and will cause more experienced, good drivers to quit and keep more and more young drivers from entering the field. In a few more years, there will be such a driver shortage, that the US DOT will allow Mexican trucks and Mexican trucking companies in to haul the freight. If you think it is bad now, wait till then. This is from one of the “stupid” ones. 35 plus on the road and still there, if I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t be a trucker..

      1. The good truck drivers out there are like teachers. .. They don’t do it for the money; they just love the job. Most people don’t realize how important this job actually is. We should all be thanking our drivers for their service but instead everyone blames them for traffic problems, etc. This is a tough job and a hard life. I don’t understand why the public and the government has to make it even harder. Most drivers are competent, caring and could do something else but choose this profession. Many are (or would be if they had the time) good men and women that do this to support a family. ..a family that lives without them most of the time. But they are also people and make mistakes. Unfortunately even a little mistake is big when you drive a big truck! This guy prob got lost and couldn’t find a place big enough to turn around. Been there. ..

      2. To many of these guys are coming into the trucking industry. As far as pay go’s yeah when a guy starts out with no experience he makes between 20 to 30 k a year but can make a lot more with time and hard work. I make well over that and I’m not an owner operator. Plain and simple it takes a special kind of person to drive. I don’t understand how a freight hauler gets stuck under bridges and such because their trailer never gets an taller. It’s always the same hight. I’ll never understand stupid.

        1. The freight industry is in dire need of qualified drivers since most of their experienced drivers have moved on to the oilfield. Drivers are like anything else you get what you pay for. I myself drive a truck hauling crude oil and I see the type of drivers other companies are hiring . Some of them I guarantee could not spell cat if you gave them the c and the t.

      3. There is already a shortage. Around Houston drivers are making 60k plus with sign on bonuses. Not sure where your numbers come from.

    2. Stupid? Really? Granted, the area is clearly marked and he should not have blindly been following a GPS. He was no more stupid than the multitude of idiots that continually made illegal u-turns thus causing the demolition of a perfectly good roadway. It’s easy to call people names but until YOU have gotten up at 3 a.m. and driven somewhere you’ve never been before- you really don’t have a clue what you’re talking about!!

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