Heavy Equipment Transport

Equipment transport is a different job from car shipping, and pricing it like car shipping is how loads end up canceled at the roadside. A machine is priced on four numbers: length, width, height and weight. Those numbers decide the trailer, the route, the permits and whether an escort vehicle is required.

Get us those four figures and the make and model, and we can quote properly. Guess at them and the driver will discover the difference at the loading site, where fixing it is expensive.

Which trailer your machine needs

The deck height is what usually decides it, because the legal ceiling is 13 feet 6 inches in most states:

Flatbed. Up to roughly 48 feet and 48,000 lb, with about five feet of deck height. Suits skid steers, small tractors, attachments and mini excavators.
Step-deck. A dropped rear deck buys around 18 inches of height. The usual choice for backhoes and mid-size machines.
Lowboy. Deck height around 18 to 24 inches, carrying 40,000 to 80,000 lb. For tall, heavy machines.
RGN, removable gooseneck. The front detaches into a ramp so the machine drives on rather than being craned. The standard answer for large excavators and dozers.
Multi-axle stretch. For loads beyond standard weight limits, with axles added to spread the load legally.

Permits, escorts and routing

Anything over 8 feet 6 inches wide, 13 feet 6 inches tall, 53 feet long or 80,000 lb gross is oversize, and every state it crosses issues its own permit on its own timetable.

We handle the permit applications as part of the booking, not as an extra you chase.
Pilot or escort cars are required above certain dimensions, and the thresholds differ by state. Where they apply, they are quoted up front.
Oversize loads travel in daylight and are commonly restricted at weekends and on holidays, which lengthens transit.
Routing may avoid low bridges, weight-restricted crossings and city centers, so the mileage can exceed what a mapping app shows.

Preparing the machine

Loading day goes faster when this is already done:

Measure the machine as it will travel, with the boom and bucket in transport position. Manufacturer spec sheets are often for a different configuration.
Lower, retract and secure all attachments. Remove buckets and booms where they can ship separately and bring the load under a height threshold.
Drain or secure loose fluids, and check for leaks that will cost you at a weigh station.
Disconnect the battery on machines that will sit for several days.
Confirm loading access at both ends: a hard, level surface with room for a 75-foot combination to turn.

What drives the price

Equipment quotes move on more variables than cars, which is why a real number needs real dimensions:

Weight and dimensions, which set the trailer class and the permit tier.
Whether the machine drives on under its own power or needs a crane or winch.
Loading conditions at both ends, including surface, access and whether a ramp site is available.
The number of states crossed, since each one is a separate permit.
Escort requirements, and any seasonal frost laws restricting weight on the route.

Questions about heavy equipment transport

Does the machine have to run to be shipped?

No. A non-running machine is loaded by winch or crane instead of driving on, which needs a carrier equipped for it and adds to the cost. Tell us at quote stage so the right trailer is assigned the first time.

Who arranges the oversize permits?

We do, as part of the booking. Each state on the route issues its own, so lead time on a multi-state oversize move is usually several business days.

Can attachments ship with the machine?

Usually yes, and often they must come off to bring the load under a height or width limit. List every attachment on the quote request so the weight and dimensions are right from the start.

How is heavy equipment secured?

Chains and binders rated for the machine's weight, at four or more attachment points, with articulating parts locked in transport position. Federal cargo securement rules set the minimum, and reputable carriers exceed it.