If you need an item shipped or moved that you think might be over the legal limit, you may need to look into a heavy haul trucking company that specializes in heavy equipment hauling. There are many things you will need to do before you can start the shipping process to ensure that you are following all of the laws of your state. Below is a short list of some of the things you will want to do if you believe you need to hire a heavy haul service.
Figure out the dimensions
Your first step towards hauling heavy products is to determine the dimensions of your product. While you will likely not be measuring your product yourself unless it is in your possession, you need to find a way to acquire these dimensions. The height and weight of your product will determine whether or not you need a heavy haul trucking company. On a truck, each axle can hold a specific amount of weight. The average eighteen wheeler has five axles, which is why it can support so much more weight than other vehicles. The average length of an eighteen wheeler is between 70 and 80 feet, which is why it can carry over-sized products as well.
Look up your state maximums
After getting the dimensions of your product(s), you will want to look up your state laws for heavy or over-sized products. Many states vary in the size and weight that they allow before you must hire heavy haul companies, so it’s best to look at the maximums for your specific state. If the product needs to travel through multiple states, you will want to look up the laws for each state to ensure that you will not be violating any laws during the transportation of your product. Some heavy haul trucking companies specialize in certain products, so do your research. If you are shipping furniture or other manufactured products, you will likely be able to go with any company as it accounts for 15% of all cargo.
Special permits
Once you determine the dimensions of your product and look up your state maximums, you’ll want to determine if you’ll need any special permits. Many times, the heavy hauling trucking company that you hire can take care of this for you. However, you may want to do the research yourself as well. The type of permit depends on the size and weight of the product and vary by state.
Extra precautions
Some heavy haul equipment requires escort vehicles such as pilot cars or police escorts. This is to warn the other drivers that there is an oversized load passing by and that they will need to take caution. Some products even require utility companies to remove power lines to allow the cargo to pass. This is rare, however, and will likely not be done for just any product.