If you are a small company, a farm, or in construction, it may be tempting to do the heavy haul trucking yourself. However, transporting oversized or overweight equipment involves more than placing it on a flatbed trailer and sending it on its way. It requires expertise in a number of areas such as state regulations on load sizes and weights, safely loading and unloading equipment, trailer load distribution, and driving expertise.
What may seem like a money-saving do-it-yourself heavy haul could end up a costly operation in terms of money, time, and safety. Because of its complexity, there’s a long learning curve that you must undergo before you can transport heavy equipment as reliably, safely, and economically as a professional. The following are just three of the many considerations that go into heavy haul trucking:
Weight and Load Limits
The legal weight limit for a tractor-trailer is 40 tons. Heavier loads will require permits. In addition, there is a max load limit per axle. Loading the trailer requires great care so that you properly distribute the load and not exceed any of the axle load limits.
Permits
Knowing which permits to get requires understanding the regulations governing oversized or very heavy load transport. These regulations are complicated and vary from state to state. An interstate transport will require that all of the regulations for each state you cross are satisfied. Any compliance mistake or obtaining the wrong permit can result in fines. Some states have as many as twenty-five different types of permits.
Heavy Haul Driving Experience
Not every truck driver can safely drive a heavy load, and it’s not a good idea to have an inexperienced driver learn the ropes with your cargo. To safely deliver your shipment intact, you need skilled and highly experienced drivers. This is especially true with over sized cargo where the potential for damaging property and road infrastructure is high. Pilot car drivers are often needed to ride with the transport truck to act as guides.
Get your heavy haul delivered safely, on time, and economically with Great Western Transportation. Contact us today for more information.
