Every day we see companies rolling the dice with transportation providers who don’t know heavy haul the way we do. Maybe a combination of truck and railroad flatbeds is all they need for some of their large shipping needs. But sometimes a big load won’t fit on the flatbed. Sometimes it’s too heavy for the company trucks.
That’s when they need a partner who specializes in over-dimensional or overweight loads (commonly referred to as a “heavy haul” and “wide load” shipping). Cutting corners to save money might lead a company to go with a provider who doesn’t have this specialized expertise. And sometimes it works out. But when it doesn’t, the result can be disastrous.
Heavy equipment hauling calls for a combination of the right experience and the right equipment. It means having the right trailers to transport over-dimensional or overweight equipment safely. It also means having the hard-earned knowledge it takes to secure and deliver the load the right way – on time and on-budget.
So why do so many companies rely on someone other than a heavy-haul service to handle their shipping? Sometimes they may not understand that heavy haul trucking is not the same as legal flatbed hauling.
“Over-dimensional” means the shipment exceeds the legal dimensions, which vary by state. For example, a load wider than 8’6” will require an over-dimensional permit, and the legal load height for most states is 13’6” (higher in western states). The standard legal weight limit is 80,000 lbs. gross.
To be considered over-dimensional, the load being hauled must also be “non-reducible,” meaning it can’t be split up to reduce the overall dimensions. If you’re hauling electrical transformers or giant vessels for a petrochemical facility and those pieces can’t be broken down into smaller units, you’ve got a non-reducible load on your hands.
Even if they have the trucks and trailers for loads of this size, you shouldn’t let just anyone handle your heavy haul trucking job. Hire an expert who knows how to choose the right trailer for a given load.
For example, does your load call for a double-drop or an RGN? Do you need a flatbed or a specialized trailer?
A professional heavy haul provider knows that every oversize and overweight job is different and comes with special considerations. He understands the laws and restrictions of each parish, county, city and town where the load will travel. He also knows what permits and escorts are required since (just like load restrictions), permitting requirements and their cost vary among government entities.
H. Brown, Inc. delivers professional quotes, equipment and drivers who can pick up and deliver your load safely and within budget. We work with the states and municipalities to obtain the necessary permits and escorts to allow for legal travel.
We work closely with you to understand the requirements of your shipment. We’ll help you with the trans-state permitting process, and we’ll help design a comprehensive plan to help complete your move as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The H. Brown Inc. heavy haul fleet includes trailers and configurations for all specialized loads. Our equipment includes various flats, double drops, drop decks and stretch decks. We also own cranes with lifting capacities of 10 tons through 450 tons and rigging equipment including hydraulic jacks and rollers. If it’s too big for conventional heavy trucks and lowboys, we have dollies and extra axles to move your loads.
The equipment we have available to you:
- 300-Ton Lowboy
- 200-Ton Dual-lane Transporter with up to 63’ of deck
- 150-Ton Dual-lane Transporter with 28’ of deck
- 85-Ton Double Gooseneck Lowboy with up to 71’ of deck
- 26 axle lines of Platform Trailers with drop deck
- 8 Holland Hydraulic Dollies
H. Brown Inc. invites anyone wanting information about professional and safe oversize and heavy haul trucking, including equipment, permits, escorts, loading, to contact us today.