Flatbeds: What You Need To Think About

  • If you need transport for something oversized, heavy or bulky, your best choice is to use a flatbed trailer.  Along with that decision comes a whole slew of worries.  There are many factors of trucking that need to be taken into consideration.  What kind of flatbed trailer will you need (there are several options) and how will you get your shipment loaded?  What about weather worries and securement?  Let Great Western Transportation show you how we can make shipments go from perplexing to peaceful.

Trailer Selection

A flatbed is a type of trailer, but did you know there are many different kinds of flatbeds?  Depending on what you need to haul, some flatbeds are better suited for a particular job more so than others.  RGNs, stretch trailers and step decks are just some of the types of flatbed trailers that we work with.  Let our transportation experts help you decide which flatbed trailer is perfect for your needs.

Loading

Flatbed trailers are perfect for loading and unloading as well.  Because the sides are open on flatbeds, they can be loaded on the sides or the back of the trailer and use of a loading dock isn’t necessary.  The fact that you can use forklifts or cranes to load a flatbed, along with the ability to place the cargo easily so that you can have a balanced load, make this a winning way to ship your freight.

Weather

Some shipments will be fine if exposed to the elements, but every case is not the same.  When you have a consultation with Great Western Transportation, we can help you decide what needs you have for the freight you are moving.  If your load needs protection, we will positively make sure that the right sized tarps and tie downs will be used, ensuring that it gets there safely.

Securement

Did you know that flatbed loads can shift while being transported?  If this happens, the weight can be distributed unevenly, causing a real danger.  Our large network of professionals will make sure that this is not another worry on your list.  Freight will be secured according to the Department of Transportation standards.  The specialists in our network will be checking the load and its securement at every checkpoint and stop along their route.

There are many factors that play into the shipping needs you have.  Ultimately, you want your cargo to get to its destination safely and securely.  Great Western Transportation can do that, making sure that we fulfill all of your logistics needs.  Please contact us with any questions or comments that you may have. We are always ready to help.

February 17, 2022 | | Category: Flatbed, Heavy Haul

Why Choose Our Flatbed Trucking Services

As a transportation service provider, our focus with flatbed trucking at Great Western Transportation is meeting the needs of our customers. Shipping demands are heavy and timely for our clients, and we must exceed them. This is why our flatbed trucking services fulfill most of what our customers need for shipping freight loads. Here are three reasons why you should choose our flatbed services.

Construction Equipment Heavy Hauling

When dealing with a construction site, equipment hauling is a huge task. Tractors, dozers, cranes, and machinery must be moved with extreme care. Transportation services at GWT ensure the process goes seamlessly. Our company procures services for heavy duty flatbed hauls involving construction equipment in work zones and high traffic areas.

Side Loading Capabilities with Flatbed Trucking

A major benefit of choosing flatbed trucking services is the side loading capability of these trailers. A flatbed trailer is completely open around all sides, unlike a dry van or refrigerated trailer. Also, while freight can be loaded from the side, Conestoga flatbed trailers have removable sides. This allows for easy loading along with complete enclosure of freight.

Securing Freight in All Weather Conditions

This brings up the next reason why you should choose our flatbed trucking services. Along with being able to load from the side, flatbed trailers can easily be covered with a tarp. A tarpaulin cover, better known as a tarp, is a waterproof blue sheet of heavy duty material. It is made to secure freight loads against weather, as well as damage and theft. Tarping and strapping loads is also required by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for most flatbed hauls.

Contact GTW for Flatbed LTL and Full Truckloads

Whether you need to transport flatbed LTL hauls or full truckloads, Great Western Transportation has your freight covered. Contact us for a quote on services today.

December 28, 2021 | | Category: Flatbed

Flatbed Trucking: What Should You Know

Flatbed trucking uses heavy trucks that are flat (meaning no roof or walls on its trailer) to transport heavy cargo. These trailers can have a weight carrying capacity of up to 48,000 pounds, equivalent to almost 21 tons.

How Does It Work?

The versatile nature of flatbed trucks allows them to carry various kinds of cargo, both tall and/or heavy, using minimal effort. Often, you will see them hauling construction equipment, long pipes, smaller vehicles such as offloading vehicles, etc. Other cargos that flatbed trucks can transport include; lumber, steel coils, machines, tow trucks, scrap metals, or mobile homes.

Key Factors

Despite its versatility, flatbed truck drivers need to consider a few factors to ensure that the cargo is safely transported to its destined location. Among the factors include:

  • Loading: The truck driver must ensure that the loads are well-balanced to maintain the trailer’s COG. This is to guarantee that the truck does not flip or topple over during freight.
  • Tarping: It ensures that the cargo is well protected from destructive elements such as rain or dust. Tarps can be heavy, and you may need a forklift to cover the shipment. You should anchor the tarp so that it’s securely fastened to the truck to prevent it from falling off.
  • Securing: It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that the load is steady throughout the trip. One can use thick steel chains or webbed nylon straps to secure the cargo.
  • Maneuvering: A flatbed driver needs a specific set of skills to maneuver through traffic, sharp bends, or bleak weather and still maintain the balance of the cargo.

Pros and Cons of Flatbed Trucking

Flatbed trucking, like any other service, carries with it advantages and disadvantages. Some of its positives include:

  • It offers long-term job security for flatbed truck drivers.
  • Less time wastage during loading and offloading as compared to dry van transportation.

Some of its disadvantages include:

  • Loosely secured items or cargo can endanger the driver, pedestrians, other vehicles, and even the load itself.
  • Strict regulations such as the DOT  leave very little room for other ideas.

Parting Shot

Here at Great Western Transportation, we deal with heavy loads and cargo transit. The team at the company has over 100 years of combined experience both in the fields of LTL Trucking and the Full Truckload industry. For just a fractional cost, we can transport any large variety of cargo and handle any of your shipping preferences. For more info or to get a free quote, you can contact us.

December 14, 2021 | | Category: Flatbed

5 Advantages of Using LTL Shipping for Your Business

Less than truckload (LTL) shipping is a cost-effective and efficient way to ship packages. It’s perfect for businesses that need their products delivered without the hassle of loading and unloading them from a truck. LTL shipments vary in size and weight, but they typically range from 500 to 10,000 pounds. You have many shipping options to choose from, but LTL shipping is becoming more popular for its variety of benefits.

Here are five advantages of using LTL shipping versus other freight shipping methods.

1. Less Hassle

Unlike traditional LTL shipments, full truckload (FTL) deliveries require a lot more time and attention to detail. For example, when you fill up a whole trailer with containers for an FTL delivery, you need to make sure everything is stacked in the same direction and that it fits in that one space. This can lead to a lot of hassle when it comes to loading and unloading containers from the trailer if they don’t fit. If you’re using LTL shipping instead, then you can load them any which way on the trailer since they’re only occupying one space each; this saves both time and money in labor.

2. Improves customer service

One of the biggest challenges for retailers today is delivering orders on time. As customers become increasingly accustomed to free and fast delivery, they expect a relatively quick turnaround from the company. LTL or less than truckload shipping is a quick and cost-effective way to meet these expectations. Unlike traditional freight carriers, LTL carriers are able to deliver smaller shipments that are picked up on demand. This is an ideal option for businesses that have irregular or unpredictable needs for shipments.

3. Reduces costs associated with handling large quantities of deliveries

With LTL freight shipping, the cost of each shipment is based on the weight of the shipment. This means that if your company is sending out a lot of packages at once, it will most likely save money by doing so.

LTL freight shipping allows companies to send their shipments over longer distances without incurring high costs or delays. Because most shipments are less than 150 miles from their destination, LTL freight shipping usually only takes one day to arrive which means there isn’t any wait time for customers and no need to store inventory at your facility until an order comes in.

4. Improves Inventory Management and Control

With LTL shipping, companies have the opportunity to benefit from cost savings, improved inventory management and control. Inventory can be stored in one location or consolidated into a central warehouse. This will help with ease of use and management of the stocks.

LTL shipping is an effective way to cut costs, reduce inventory levels, and improve customer service. It can also provide a more accurate picture of what products are in stock, where they are located, and how quickly products can be shipped.

Additionally, with less handling, there is a lower chance of products getting damaged along the way.

5. Reduced turnaround time

LTL shipping services provide a reduced turnaround time for freight transport. Unlike parcel delivery, these services are more cost-effective for companies that need to ship larger items, heavier loads, or a mix of both. The reduced turnaround time means that products can be delivered in a shorter amount of time and businesses can save on inventory costs.

Conclusion

LTL shipping is not just for large companies. It can be used by small and medium-sized companies too to save on both time and money. Most importantly, it will help your company reach its growth goals faster than other approaches because it will offer you a competitive edge in the market. For example, smaller orders can be delivered fast and efficiently without waiting for a whole container to get loaded.

Contact our team at Great Western Transportation for a free quote on LTL shipping prices and services!

November 2, 2021 | | Category: Flatbed, General, LTL

What are the Pros and Cons of Dry Freight Trucking?

What is Dry Freight Trucking?

Dry freight trucking is the act of transporting goods without any liquids. This can include items such as sand or other commodities that do not leak.

There are no federal regulations for dry freight truck drivers, so each state has its own set of regulations, which vary in both driving requirements and driving times.

The Pros of Dry Freight Trucking

Traditional trucking is not always the most efficient way of transporting goods. It takes a lot of time and energy to load and unload the trucks.

Dry freight trucking is an alternative that can reduce the amount of fuel used in traditional trucking. With dry freight, there are no large loads to unload or load onto the truck. This means that there is less time wasted on unloading and loading, which saves fuel.

The pros of dry freight trucking are as follows:

  • Trucks are specially equipped for carrying goods
  • It’s less expensive than other modes of transportation
  • Shipments are delivered fast
  • It’s an environmentally sound way to transport goods

The Cons of Dry Freight Trucking

The cons of dry freight trucking are that it is very dangerous for the driver and the cargo. There are a number of situations that can cause accidents, such as a sudden blowout, a flat tire, or running over an animal. Another problem is that there is no way to refrigerate products when they are being transported on a truck. This means that they will have to be delivered quickly or else they will spoil and be lost.

Another disadvantage of dry freight trucking is the carbon footprint created by the trucks and equipment necessary to keep them functioning smoothly.

Proven Ways to Reduce the Disadvantages of Dry Freight Trucking

Great Western Transportation is an industry leader in reducing the disadvantages of dry freight trucking. We can create logistical solutions for any shipment, no matter the size or destination. The team at Great Western Transportation is experienced in managing all types of commodities from agricultural products to building materials.

Contact us for a free quote!

When you need something hauled, call Great Western Transportation! We’re the trusted specialists for all your freight shipping and trucking needs. Give us a call and we’ll be glad to help!

October 22, 2021 | | Category: General, LTL

Heavy Haul Trucking: What You Should Know

Heavy haul trucking plays a vital role in the trucking and logistics sector. Heavy haulers streamline the delivery of large equipment and materials.

Heavy haul trucking drivers and fleet managers face different challenges depending on the size of freight and varying state and federal laws. It requires using a private appropriate commercial trailer for regular freight or oversize haulage.

Before you start, it’s vital to understand heavy haul transport, types of heavy haulers, laws, and restrictions that may affect your equipment and freight choices.

What is Heavy Haul Trucking?

Heavy transportation deals in cargo that is heavier or greater than standard loads. Heavy haul loads usually exceed the standard legal size set by the federal, local, or state governments. According to the U. S Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, a heavy haul has these specifications;

  • Height > 13.6 feet (states can set their own guidelines
  • Length > 48 to 53 feet
  • Width > 8.6 feet
  • Gross weight >80,000 lbs

The maximum size of heavy haul loads will depend on the type of trailer you are using, the state, and the number of axles.

Examples of cargo you can transport via a Heavy Haul Trucking

  • Timber
  • Boats
  • Mining machines
  • Cranes
  • Turbines
  • Excavators

Permits for Heavy Haul Trucking

Before travelling, heavy hauled cargo must get permits and documents. Regulations differ and may require different licenses, ranging from local, municipality-specific, or country-specific permits.

Most states provide oversized cargo licenses to travel within three to five days, depending on state rules. During the week, some states limit the travel hours on heavy haul cargo. Before transporting the load, familiarize yourself with state regulations to ensure that all permits are available.

Conclusion

It’s crucial to consider the service quality, speed, loading capacity when choosing heavy haul trucking logistics. Selecting transportation with more options is an excellent way to assure flawless transit of goods across the states and internationally.

Want to learn more? Contact Great  Western Transportation; they have experience of trucking solutions.

October 7, 2021 | | Category: Heavy Haul

Everything About Professional Heavy Haul Trucking Services

Heavy-haul tasks comprise everything that isn’t standard, such as big freight, wide loads, and heavy machinery. Heavy-hauling loads are frequently overweight and enormous, as the term implies. Overweight typically sized cargoes are also included in this category.

Transporting oversize and overweight items necessitates the use of competent, qualified, and particularly licensed personnel and companies such as the Great Western Transportation. The top-heavy haul trucking operators are familiar with the legal constraints of the highway networks in the United States and Canada. Heavy hauling drivers must be capable of driving trucks and trailers that move huge goods as well as coping with the specialized shipping industry’s extensive scheduling and licensing process.

What is a Heavy Load?

Heavy loads are weights that exceed the prescribed recommended limit on many of these roads. While values vary by state, anything wider than 8.6 ft, taller than 13.6 ft, length than 53 ft, or weighing over 80,000 lbs. gross mass is deemed a heavy load.

How Do I Transport My Heavy Cargo?

Transporting heavy cargo often necessitates the use of special trailers and trucks, which come in various types. Some resemble a standard tractor-trailer with a gooseneck that may be removed (RGN trailer). Others are available in numerous pieces, such as articulating trailers with motorized pusher wheels situated at the very back.

What Are the Requirements for Heavy Haul Trucking?

Heavy haul freight needs special paperwork and licenses, which are provided on a per-shipment premise before one can hit the road. Other limits may be in place as well. When obtaining licenses for your cargo, make sure to confirm with your heavy haul freight service provider first to confirm the state’s rules.

Work With Professionals

Heavy equipment shipping, whether it’s industrial machinery, building supplies, or any other goods that go beyond typical criteria for shipments, necessitates particular handling, route planning, and knowledge to make sure the transportation runs properly.

Great Western Transportation is your ultimate transportation services company across the United States and Canada. With us, you are assured that your cargo will arrive at its destination safely and securely. Please contact us today for your heavy trucking services or to learn more about our services.

September 21, 2021 | | Category: Heavy Haul

4 Benefits of Using Flatbed Trucking Services for your Next Big Project

For your next big project or time-sensitive shipment, you might want to consider flatbed trucking services. Flatbed trucks provide you with multi-directional loading options. You don’t have the limitations of loading up your cargo (or unloading it) at the front or back of the truck or a certain side. Basically, there are no boundary walls that will limit your ability to ship large cargo.

Benefits of Flatbed Trucking Services

Some benefits of using flatbed trucks are:

1. Large Load Capacity

A flatbed truck is designed to handle very large loads. They’re able to handle heavy weight that typically would be too  much for other vehicles and trailers. For instance, flatbed freight includes:

  • Building materials
  • Large equipment
  • Large machinery

Because you can fit a lot on flatbeds, it means you’ll make fewer trips to and from.

There’s greater dimensional flexibility as well, making flatbeds the safest and best choice for heavy or large loads.

They also handle oddly shaped loads well too. In some cases, the problem with cargo isn’t that it’s too heavy, but rather that you can’t fit it through the trailer door. For example, a few items you’d likely have problems with if you weren’t relying on a flatbed truck are:

  • Manufactured home
  • Crushed cars
  • Prefabricated parts

2. Versatility

Other trucking options, like hot shot drivers, can’t handle certain jobs because they’re not equipped properly. When you use flatbed trucks, however, you load up the freight from the tip, rear and sides. This versatility makes the process of loading and unloading simpler and doesn’t take as much time to do.

3. Reduced Number of Trips

With flatbeds, the increased storage space allows you to load up as much cargo as possible. This means less time you spend driving to and from locations for multiple hauling trips. When you reduce your driving time, it will result in more efficient delivery times, which is most trucking companies’ ultimate goal. Over time, it will lead to less fuel consumption and increased savings.

4. Convenience

Flatbed trucks are more convenient too. You move loads on a flatbed safely and carefully using a crane or winch, unlike with hot shot drivers, for instance, that use manual labor to load up their vans or trucks.

For your next big project, consider the ease and convenience of flatbed trucking services, like Great Western Transportation. We provide an array of trucking solutions, including flatbed trucks. Learn more about how you can transport your goods at a fraction of the cost by visiting our website.

August 30, 2021 | | Category: Flatbed