How to Transport Oversized Cargo: Weighing options for Heavy Freight

How do you know if you are transporting oversized goods?

First of all, does your shipment really qualify as over size or overweight?

If you know exactly the dimensions of the goods (including length, width, height, and weight), this should be an easy question to answer.

Below, we'll walk you through what you need to know to answer this question yourself, but large, experienced shipping providers can be powerful Allies here to help ensure your shipments get where they need to go as efficiently as possible.

Width

For all shipments in North America, the legal width limit is 8 feet 6 inches before an oversize permit is required.

Height

This limit varies by state and device type. East of the Mississippi River, the standard cargo height in transit must be less than 13 feet 6 inches (including the height of the trailer). States west of the Mississippi River have a slightly looser height limit of 14 feet.

Length

In most U.S. states and Canadian provinces, cargo can legally be hung up to 5 feet above the front or rear edge of any 48-foot trailer without being considered overlong. In addition to this, you also need a license.

Weight

Standard flatbed trailers can carry up to 48,000 pounds. Goods are considered overweight before. However, different trailer types have unique uses and have different legal weight limits.

Pro Tip: If you can provide accurate blueprints and/or specification sheets, they are a great way to help your provider ensure accurate quotes and equipment planning as well as smooth shipping.

How do I book an oversized or overweight shipment?

As with any shipping, you can choose to go through an asset-based carrier or a freight broker. While asset carriers have the equipment and expertise needed to perform heavy hauls, broker does have a lot to offer.

A good broker should have an experienced team dedicated to booking open deck cargo. They've seen it all, and even if you don't fully understand your requirements (specific equipment, licenses, escort requirements), they'll know.

And, since the dedicated device you may be looking for can be hard to find, it can be helpful to have an experienced broker cast a wide net on your behalf. They will be able to comb through thousands of carriers to find the best one for you.

What is a license? How do you get them?

If your shipment exceeds the volume or weight limit in any state it will pass through, you will need permission from each state's Department of Transportation to ship it there.

However, there is good news - the carrier is responsible for obtaining these licenses unless you indicate in advance that you are willing to provide them. This means you don't have to contact all of these agencies before shipping.

Before booking heavy loads, you should be aware of the following other important facts about the license:

Licenses cannot be issued for divisible goods. For example, if you have two 30,000 pound items, you can't load them onto the same trailer and get a license for 60,000 pound loads; You must ship them separately.

The cost of a license varies from state to state; Your carrier should be able to tell you what to expect for the entire shipment.

The license is non-refundable and valid only for a specified period of time. If the load is canceled, delayed, or exceeds the validity of the license, your carrier will need to reorder.

What equipment do you need to book for very large loads?

This will be directly affected by the size and weight of the load and the loading/unloading process.

If your load is not self-loading (such as an excavator or any type of steerable machinery), you may also need to book additional equipment, such as a forklift or crane, for loading and unloading (if not already available on site). If you are renting this equipment for a specific date and time, be sure to communicate this information to your transportation provider in advance so that they are aware and can help you avoid potential rescheduling costs.

Do you need an escort?

Depending on the size or weight of your cargo, you may need more than a permit - you may need one or more civilian escorts to accompany your truck on its journey. As with licenses, these are services that carriers will arrange, but it is best to have a general idea of what they are and when and why they are needed.

Tier 1

Only a permit is required, no escort required. All carriers with open deck capacity should be willing to move these loads.

Tier 2

A permit and a civilian escort. This escort will alert other drivers on the road to the presence of oversized load trucks and can scout forward for any roadworks, accidents, or other unexpected conditions that could disrupt the route.

Tier 3

Permits and multiple escorts, as well as bucket trucks (for moving power lines or other route obstructions), route surveys and/or bridge surveys may be required along the route. These are the most complex loads to coordinate because they have many moving parts and involve multiple entities. In U.S. states, they are often considered "super loads."

As your cargo moves up these tiers, its cost will increase, depending on the scarcity of equipment that can handle that cargo, the cost of the required permits, the cost of hiring an escort, and additional costs such as route surveys that may be required.

When you move from Tier 1 to Tier 3, your carrier market may also shrink because not all carriers have the necessary experience or resources to coordinate all the mobile parts. If your load is one of the more complex, be sure to start looking for offers with ample lead times in order to give yourself the best chance of locking in the right carrier for the job.

What's the best piece of advice to remember?

We've said this before, but we'll say it again - making sure the measurements are 100% accurate and clear from the start.

Doing so will ensure that your provider has all the information needed to arrange your relocation.

Failure to do so can jeopardize your shipping success and create some extremely expensive problems that need to be fixed.

If you have an oversized or heavy haul load and you know just what equipment you need to move it, we’ll be happy to source it for you.