Many people choose to engage the services of a broker to arrange for a heavy hauler to transport their load, but it’s not absolutely necessary, depending on the heavy haul company. You can also go straight to a heavy haul company to arrange transportation of your load.

Ensuring your load arrives in a timely manner and in a safe condition is a paramount concern. While it is possible to arrange for a heavy hauler to transport your load, it can be easier to work through a broker if it’s the first time you’ve shipped. Some heavy haul companies will only take jobs arranged through a broker.

Heavy Hauler

Freight Broker

A broker essentially connects clients with heavy haulers. The broker arranges for the transport and tracking of your load by a commercial heavy haul company. Their task is to locate quality, reliable and qualified carriers to move a load. They negotiate with trucking companies on your behalf. The broker will also be responsible for obtaining the required permits and other types of paperwork.

You’ll pay a broker a specific amount. The difference between what you paid the broker and what the freight company charges will go to the broker. Part of a broker’s job is as a logistic provider to keep tabs on the load and track it throughout its journey.

Heavy Haul Company

You can also work directly with a heavy haul company that provides a one-stop resource that offers all the services of a broker. The heavy haul company has the equipment to haul the load and the advanced logistics technology to track it. The company will obtain needed permits and have extensive experience in the supply chain.

It’s important to understand that not all heavy haul trucking companies offer those services or have the capabilities that come with advanced technology. That’s especially important if you’re shipping to another country. When you hire a heavy haul company directly, be sure to obtain a full list of services it offers.

CONTACT US TODAY

Heavy haulers are required to transport items that are extremely heavy and that can include over hilly or mountainous terrain. Unlike passenger vehicles, tractor-trailer rigs don’t use regular gas. They require diesel fuel for a very good reason. Diesel gas has higher compressive resistance than regular fuel and releases more energy. The more energy that’s released, the greater the torque, which means more power to move the truck along.

Diesel Gas

Compression Rate

Car engines have spark plugs that ignites a mixture of fuel and air in the cylinder. Diesel engines rely on a high rate of compression. Diesel engines compress the air until it attains a high temperature so fuel ignites as soon as it’s injected into the cylinder.

Cost

While diesel fuel is typically more expensive than regular gas, it packs a bigger punch in terms of the energy it produces. That makes it more cost effective for heavy haulers that transport heavier loads.

Torque

The energy produced by diesel fuel is known as torque and is measured by the twisting force exerted on the engine. Torque is required for the force behind the engine. An engine may have a significant amount of horsepower, but without torque, it won’t have the power needed to get up to speed, maintain a steady speed, or pull a trailer and cargo.

Less Maintenance

Diesel engines are built to tougher specifications than gas engines. The engines are more reliable and require less maintenance than an ordinary gas engine.

Fuel Efficient

Diesel engines are actually more fuel efficient than the average passenger vehicle, relatively speaking. A fast car is rated in horsepower and is able to attain higher speeds in less time. Diesel engines are designed to produce enormous amounts of power to haul the heavy loads that heavy haulers are required to transport, while being able to maintain steady speeds.

CONTACT US TODAY

A super load is any equipment, machinery or item that exceeds a state’s standard limits. It includes items that can’t be broken down or dismantled in some way to be within compliance of a “normal” load. According to federal regulations, a super load is one that exceeds 16 ft. in height, 8.5 ft. in width, and 120 ft. in length. It includes loads of 120,000 lbs. and 150,000 lbs. on interstate highway systems.

Super Load Hauling

However, each state also has its own set of regulations. In Florida, a super load is one that exceeds 15 ft. in height and 14.6 on some two-lane roads. Loads over 14 ft. high and 8.6 ft. wide aren’t allowed on the Florida Turnpike. Heavy haul companies are cognizant of the rules and regulations across any state, enabling them to transport any load safely and efficiently wherever it is needed.

Logistics and Escorts

A top-rated heavy haul company has the advanced logistics to track loads and a variety of trailer types to accommodate loads of any type. They secure loads and break them down when necessary to remain compliant with all regulations.

The companies provide escort vehicles, signage and appropriate warning lights, and map out the best routes to ensure that loads arrived safely and efficiently. There can be limitations on the times of the day in which a heavy haul load can be transported for maximum safety.

Permits

Hauling ordinary cargo is difficult enough, but super loads present special considerations. There’s a mountain of permits that must be obtained to transport a super load within the state. When the load is going across multiple states, into another country, or being shipped overseas the amount of documentation escalates. A heavy haul company negotiates the myriad of regulations and permits required to ensure super loads are delivered on time and no financial penalties are leveled.

CONTACT US TODAY

The accommodations in sleeper cabs have improved significantly since Kenworth debuted the first one in 1933, though many contend that Freightliner was the first truck company to release a sleeper cab in 1953. Early models provided just enough room for a driver to lay down to sleep.

Sleeping berths first came into use during the 1920s and were primarily used for tandem driving. Known as coffins, they were a mere 18 to 24 inches wide and accessed by a separate door on the passenger side.

The man in the coffin had no way to communicate with his partner that was driving. The set up was extremely cramped, uncomfortable and dangerous. At one point coffin sleepers were slung under the belly of the trailer – a truly deadly positioning.

Sleeper Cab

Today’s sleeper cabs are far removed from those early attempts. The luxury to which drivers can treat themselves is only limited by the money they have to spend. For many drivers, a luxury sleeper cab actually makes more sense than purchasing a permanent home if they spend most of their time on the road. It can also be more cost effective.

For many heavy haul drivers, a basic sleep cabin is standard fare. It provides a comfortable space to sleep, some storage space, and there may be room for a compact refrigerator and microwave. The more time drivers spend on the road, the more likely they are to avail themselves of plusher sleeper cabs with multiple amenities.

Sleeper cabs are positioned directly behind the driving space. They provide much more room and comfort for restful slumber. Sleeper cabs are also available that are positioned farther back and resemble a box attached behind the cab. Look inside one of these “boxes” and people can find all the comforts of home.

Luxury sleeper cabs contain a sleeping space ranging from 38 by 80 inches to 42 by 85 inches, depending on the make and model of the truck. These sleeper cabs may have a built-in kitchenette, stove and refrigerator. The sleepers have internet access, TV and streaming services, stereos, and storage space. Some even feature showers and toilets.

CONTACT US TODAY

When the average person refers to international travel, they typically mean hopping on a plane and journeying overseas. For truckers, that can mean physically crossing out of the U.S. into Canada or Mexico. It also encompasses international machinery transport to a shipping port.

International Machinery Transport

A great deal of machinery is transported every year to other countries and owners rely on heavy haulers to get their equipment to its destination safely and on time. That freight can encompass anything from mining machinery and construction equipment to harvesters for the agricultural industry. It can also include aircraft engines, helicopters, wind generators, and oil rigs.

Prepping the Load

The first step in any heavy haul load is preparing the item to be transported. That means ensuring the item is clean and that all fluids have been removed from the equipment. Batteries and alarms must be disconnected, doors must be securely shut, and any loose parts or tools must be secured before international machinery transport.

Preparing the load for transport may also include partial disassembly for overland transport to the machinery’s destination or to fit in the allotted space aboard ship. In some instances, equipment being shipped via cargo ship may be exposed to the elements and sea water, requiring it to have a protective coating.

Routing

A direct route from A to B isn’t necessarily the most cost effective, nor will it ensure that the shipment arrives at its intended destination on time. Port fees and shipping departures vary by location. Professional heavy haulers are cognizant of the best routes and ports to accommodate their clients’ international machinery transport.

Documentation

Transporting machinery internationally requires a mountain of documentation to pass through customs or get the freight loaded onboard a ship. There will be multiple documents required and they tend, for the most part, to contain the same information. However, each document plays a different role in the chain of transport. Missing even a single document will result in delays, extra costs, and the potential of not arriving on time.

CONTACT US TODAY

Even individuals that are experienced shippers of heavy equipment and similar items may not fully understand when they need the services of heavy haul trucking. Simply put, heavy haul trucking moves large, heavy and bulky objects and materials. It can also come into play whenever machinery or other types of freight exceed regulated height, width, length or weight limits. If you don’t know what the limits are, you need heavy haul trucking.

Heavy haulers have the specialized trailers, experience and knowledge required to haul any type of freight across the nation or internationally. Heavy haulers transport a wide variety of items encompassing construction machinery, mining and military equipment, blades for wind turbines, and even parts for airplanes.

Heavy Haul Trucking

Heavy haul companies are cognizant of the specialized requirements needed based on the type of freight they’re hauling. That can include specific permits, banners and safety flags, flashing lights, and escort vehicles when applicable. It also requires careful mapping out of the route that will be taken to ensure the safety of the load and that drivers don’t encounter bridges and overpasses that won’t hold the weight or are too low to pass under.

Restrictions

In some instances, there may also be restrictions on the times of day that the heavy hauler can legally transport your load. There are additional restrictions if the heavy hauler is transporting a load during winter weather in the north. In some situations, a heavy haul load may also require a police escort.

The types of freight and cargo that heavy haulers transport are extremely expensive and you’ll want to know where your property is at every point in its journey. GPS tracking is a little-known service available with a heavy haul company. You’ll know the exact location of the cargo any time of the day or night. It will arrive safely and on time.

CONTACT US TODAY