3 Ways to Reduce Heavy Haul Shipping Headaches

Moving freight that is large, overweight, or bulky usually comes with some rather large hurdles. One of the most difficult freight movement segments for shippers to navigate is the heavy haul industry.

Heavy haul shipping is the movement of unusually large loads that require special equipment and handling procedures. Due to its complexity, most shippers assume that saving money with these specialized shipments is nearly impossible. 

We beg to differ. 

The truth is, most large expenses of heavy haul shipping are preventable. Things like last-minute planning, not understanding the procedures, or simply not having a pool of qualified carriers on standby is where this problem begins to rear its ugly head.

But, there are a few things that you can do to minimize the headaches encountered with heavy haul shipping. As a matter of fact, we have put together what we believe are the best 3 things that any shipper can do to make their heavy haul shipping a bit more pleasurable.

So, without any further ado, let's dive in!

Be proactive

Most heavy haul shipments are set up by manufacturers of equipment that is too large for standard freight movement. In most cases, the movement of this freight is actually planned far in advance. This reason for this is that there is a lot of paperwork involved in the shipping of oversized loads. The extra time is needed to ensure that all of this paperwork and permits get properly written up and logged. 

If you wait until the last second to schedule heavy haul shipping, you will pay for it in the long run. Seriously, there is a lot of steps involved and it is not handled as a normal shipment. The more time spent trying to get everything lined up at the last minute is only going to cause stress, and a loss of time and money better spent elsewhere.

If you get a jump on it ahead of the time of shipping, this should not be a major issue.

It's also important for you to have a fairly good understanding of the dimensions of your heavy haul goods. Even a few inches or a couple of extra pounds can put you in an entirely different fright class, which means new paperwork and possible change of route or other changes that may delay the movement of your freight.

Work with a reputable carrier

The second way to save time, money and undue stress on heavy haul shipping is an easy one. Before proceeding to schedule any shipment, you need to verify that you are working with a carrier that can handle the entire process.

There are numerous tasks that they should be able to handle. Most of these tasks are just standard stuff you look would for in any other type of carrier.

For heavy haul shipping though, you need a carrier that can obtain and maintain all necessary permits required.

If you are new to heavy haul shipping, it makes sense to reach out to a 3PL that specializes in heavy haul shipping. They will provide you with all the details and walk you through the majority of the process. Additionally, they usually handle all permits, even if the load is transported internationally. 

All-inclusive heavy haul carriers

Working with a carrier that can assist with the loading and offloading of your heavy equipment is a huge plus!

Where many shippers pay the price is by setting up their heavy haul shipments ala carte. For example, they will hire one carrier to move the freight, a contractor to load it, and another contractor at the point of destination to offload. When you add up all the expenses, this methodology does not work in favor of the shipper.

Of course, we do not recommend taking an ala carte method that just nickels and dimes you to death. And while there are some all-inclusive carriers, they are few and far between, to say the least.

Save your money and invest in hiring a 3PL with the resources to complete every step of the process for you. 

Final Thoughts

Heavy haul shipping can be a complex process, but it really only consists of a few main concepts. These concepts are also fairly standard across more standard types of shipments, so they aren't as terrifying as most shippers believe.

And if after you have weighed all your options and still don't feel 100% confident in going it alone, there is always 3PL services.

Working with an experienced 3PL such as Redwood Logistics to handle your heavy haul shipping can take even more weight off your shoulders.

We understand the hurdles, objections, and problems that shippers experience when dealing with oversized shipments. We've been there, done that, and are ready to do it again!

Thanks to our recent acquisition by Redwood Logistics – our combined efforts offers us the flexibility to expand our services – which now includes heavy haul shipping solutions for multiple industries.