What is heavy haul shipping, and what differentiates it from normal shipping? Before learning the differences between normal commodities and heavy haul commodities, it is important to understand the market niche that heavy haul companies fill in the global shipping industry. Every aspect of the industry is oriented towards fulfilling that niche, from the logistical overhead and project management to the specially tailored trailers. So, let’s first take a look at why overweight shipping has been distinguished from other shipping. Afterward, we will briefly cover the forms of technology unique to heavy haul, then discuss divisible and non-divisible loads – an essential distinction in shipping terms.
What is Heavy Haul? Overweight Cargo and Shipping Overview
Heavy haul shipping is one term for a very basic concept. Roads are designed to handle specific amounts of weight. If a road is exposed to excessive weight over a period of time, it will become unstable and require maintenance sooner. To avoid this outcome, the weight of shipping trailers is regulated by the government. However, there are many heavy haul commodities that do not, or cannot, abide by this regulation. For these situations, the government allows states to issue permits giving trucks and trailers with overweight loads temporary access to highways, bridges, and other infrastructure. Overweight shipping requires specialized skill sets from logistics providers, often called heavy haul companies. These companies use technology, heavy haul trailers, and extensive legal expertise to deliver overweight cargo where it needs to go as safely as possible.
Differentiating Heavy Haul Trailers
Because there is such a wide variety of healthy haul commodities in demand, heavy haul trailers have taken many shapes and forms to accomplish their shipping. There are far more types of trailers than we can address here. The most versatile form of trailer is the flatbed. As its name would suggest, it is a flat platform elevated above a set of wheels. The most important considerations with flatbed trailers are their size and weight restrictions. While they don’t have walls or a canopy, the dimensions of their freight are still limited by highway overpass infrastructure and regulations. Most people are also familiar with the box truck, which has solid walls and a roof over its trailer. However, for cargo that is taller than either of these options can accommodate, RGN trailers have a dropped well in the middle that buys precious vertical space for its freight.
Specialized Technology for Heavy Haul
There are even more complex forms of trailers that have detachable parts for uniquely shaped cargo. However, this is not where the unique technological solutions for overweight shipping begin and end. Heavy haul companies make use of innovative loading and rigging techniques to secure freight and reduce the risk of accidents. Often, heavy haul commodities require the use of forklifts or cranes to load and unload cargo. Shipping workers must also fight an invisible battle with load distribution. If a load is unevenly distributed, it could risk crashing into the surroundings. Load spreaders and dunnage help to avoid this outcome. Workers also use specialized tools such as hydraulic jacks and winches to fine-tune the positioning of commodities. Lastly, while this may not seem like a technological advancement per se, the use of escort vehicles is essential in some heavy haul operations to guide the trailer to its destination.
Divisible Loads
Shipping commodities can be split into two legal categories. The first category is “divisible loads.” A divisible load is defined by the Department of Transportation as any load that takes less than 8 hours to break down into its constituent parts and unload from a vehicle. This includes commodities shipped in crates, boxes, or on pallets which are packaged for the express reason of saving time at transport hubs. Exceptions are made for cargo such as vehicles, which must stay assembled at their current weight or they would be inoperable. Heavy haul commodities in a divisible load are not as common since overweight hauling permits are hard to obtain, and vary from state to state and region to region. It is much harder to gain approval to use heavy-load trailers when the state can simply tell you to take two trips.
Non-Divisible Loads
As mentioned above, perhaps the most common of the heavy haul commodities are vehicles, construction equipment, and other operable machinery. The military makes frequent use of overweight freight trailers to transport vehicles between bases. Emergency services vehicles also count as non-divisible loads when they must be transported instead of towed to a location. Other common non-divisible loads are pieces of larger structures. Overweight shipping companies will often employ flatbed trailers to transport components of wind turbines, airplane wings, and ship parts as cheaply and directly as possible. You may also see transformers, large-scale electrical equipment, and industrial manufacturing equipment driven with heavy haul trailers on the highway. Keep in mind that the Department of Transportation has framed overweight shipping as the exception to the rule of weight limits. Despite its evident convenience and lessened environmental impact, keeping heavy hauling on a permit basis allows them to regulate its safety.
The Role of Heavy Haul Companies
Regardless of how advanced shipping technology will become in coming years, some cargo will always be too large and complex to break down into divisible loads. For this reason, heavy haul companies will always hold a critical niche in the global supply chain. These companies understand their specialized nature and have experience working both with clients and the authorities to carry non-divisible cargo with respect to all permits, regulations, and laws. Heavy haul specialists are also innovators in the field of shipping, finding new solutions to ship formerly divisible loads in fewer trips using overweight trailers. After all, what is heavy haul shipping if not a solution to a problem? If that problem also includes vehicular greenhouse gas emissions and rising shipping costs, then this ingenuity is surely welcome.
Your Solution for Heavy Haul Commodities
At Heavy Weight Transport, we specialize in heavy-weight shipping and drayage through innovative, technologically-minded, and environmentally friendly methods. Our priority is to address our customers’ concerns and goals with every freight shipment we move. No matter the heavy haul commodities at play, we have a solution for you at a reasonable cost. Our company is committed to sharing knowledge about the shipping industry to raise customer expectations for what they deserve from their business partners. You can find more information on subjects like drayage, warehousing, and supply chain management on the Heavy Weight Transportation Blog. If you would like to work with us and our heavy haul trailers, you can get in contact and request a quote. Overweight shipping is heavy work that requires specialized attention. Reach out today and let’s get moving!
