What Is Over Dimensional Transportation?

by | Feb 8, 2016 | Transportation and Logistics

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Over dimensional transportation is a popular term used in the freight industry. However, most people don’t have a clue what it means. Many confuse the words “over dimensional” with “heavy hauling.” A standard heavy hauling transportation job is one where the company will offer 10 or more axle configurations in order to support cargo that could weigh more than 100,000 lbs. Most companies that provide freight services don’t generally use fully custom trailers. Instead, they use jeeps and boosts in order to increase the size of the trailer and support the weight.

Every truck and trailer is allowed a maximum weight of 17,000 lbs. per axle on the road in order to remain legal. Now, a freight company can obviously go overweight if they apply for overweight permits. However, the maximum limit in most states is generally 20,000 lbs. on every axle.

On the other hand, over dimensional transportation refers to freight that exceeds the standard legal size criteria for every state. Over-dimensional freight services are generally offered by many large-scale freight companies that have to transport large-sized equipment from one place to another. It’s not easy to transport such excessive weight between different destinations, so these companies generally spend a great deal of money in reinforcing their trailers so as to carry the cargo without any troubles.

Costs

Needless to say, over dimensional transportation is considerably more costly compared to ordinary freight services. Specialized equipment is necessary for loading and unloading the freight. Apart from that, the company also has to spend a considerable amount of money in obtaining the overweight permits that are needed to maintain legality on the road.

Before shipment can commence, a pole car is often required to dry run the route in order to make sure that the route is clear. Furthermore, a highly experienced driving team is required to transport the weight from one place to another. When you first apply for over dimensional freight transportation, the company will ask you about the nature of the cargo to be transported. A number of factors are taken into consideration before the company signs the contract for transporting the cargo.

Other Things You Should Know

Most heavy hauling companies generally provide an extensive array of services. From shipping large loads in excess of 100,000 lbs. to coming up with unique transportation solutions, these companies generally provide advanced logistics solutions to customers. Some companies have to transport stock and heavy machinery from one place to another, which is why they often sign long-term contracts with these logistics companies. Certain companies also offer services that are limited by area, so if you want to ship to another state, you may have to contact a bigger firm. Visit here for more information.

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