There are many stresses that come with moving heavy, expensive equipment to a long-distance location, but with proper planning and execution, it can be done with minimal strain.

With this guide, you can receive the vital information needed to avoid possible conflicts that may result from improper moving protocol. If the appropriate procedure is not followed, issues such as human injury and damage to expensive equipment can easily occur.

The fundamental aspects of making this move seamless are found in both communication and planning with high-experience contractors.

We are here to lend a hand in helping ensure your machinery gets safely and efficiently.

Step 1: Have a Proper Plan

If you’ve ever moved from home to home, you’d know it is not a one-day unprepared task. Moving takes in-depth planning to assure flawless transportation of material; the same goes for heavy machinery and equipment.

When formulating a plan to move equipment, consider:

• If your machinery qualifies with oversized load criteria, identify and obtain any necessary permits by contacting the proper authorities such as your state Department of Transportation or Highway Administration. They can inform you about road restrictions or if you need escort vehicles.
• If you plan to travel through multiple states or territories for any portion of your trip, identify and ensure state laws are followed in all locations. You may consider consulting an expert, as this form of travel can be difficult and legal implications can arise.
• Set a location where materials will be loaded and unloaded. Keep in mind if the chosen location has enough space and proper areas for the job – this includes ground stability, condition, and terrain. For example, If you are moving a heavy machine and there is an unstable marsh, you may want to consider another viable alternative location.
• Weather can make or break a move – unstable conditions are not preferable for heavy equipment transfer. Rain, snow, icy conditions, or other natural weather conditions should be prepared beforehand and avoided as much as possible. Weather can often be unpredictable, so prepare for the unexpected.

Step 2: Find a Transporter

The most critical aspect of planning your move is finding the right transporter. A1 Auto Transport for example is one of the most reputed and nationally listed transporters with experience in the industry of moving heavy machinery. Always check if the company you are interested in provides long-distance services or if they solely transport within a local area.

When you find a prospective transporter, questions you can ask them to include:

• Are they prepared with the proper equipment for heavy machinery movement, such as trucks, trailers, ramps, and securing equipment? Can they obtain these materials if not previously obtained? If this prospective mover does not have these, find a different transporter.
• Is the transporter aware of the necessary procedures and guidelines for loading and carrying heavy gear? You want to make sure you have a knowledgeable transporter, so ensure they can answer this question thoroughly.
• Can the drivers operate the equipment you are moving and are they qualified to do so? If not, someone who can be at both loading and unloading locations.
• How much experience does the prospective transporter have in long-distance moves? You want someone with a history in long-distance moving since it requires more familiarity.

Step 3: Preparing for Loading

You now have a plan and transporter solidified, and it’s time to start move preparation. Getting equipment ready for the move can avoid damage or loss of items. When preparing the heavy machinery, keep in mind of:

• Dirt and debris should be cleared off of the machinery. You should remove anything that can fall off the equipment during the trip, since these pieces can shift, fall, and damage other vehicles or move the load while transport is in progress.
• Does the item being moved have rubber tires? If so, verify tire pressure since low pressure can cause the tie-downs to loosen during the trip. Some transporters may recommend certain treatment of tires prior to their arrival, so consult them with any questions or concerns.
• Are friction devices needed? They are ideal when the transport vehicle is being used and the area of attachment on the equipment is slick, such as metal on a metal flat. You should have these friction devices arranged before the arrival of the transporter to ensure smooth loading.
• Clear the area of loading so there are no obstacles in the way. Double-check the location for solid ground that is reachable by the trailer your machine will be loaded on. If the load cannot be reached, your entire planning could turn out to be a wasted effort.
• Check that all personal items are removed from machineries, such as any add-ons or lucky rabbit’s foot.

Step 4: Loading

Your contractor has arrived with the truck being used for transport, and it’s now time to load your equipment onboard. To ensure safety during the load, make sure to:

• Only operate equipment that you are qualified to operate. If you are unqualified to do so, hire an operator beforehand.
• Place the machinery beside the vehicle to avoid forward motion, unless there are significant weight restrictions or conditions.
• When fastening securement devices, be cautious of their placement over hydraulic hoses or cylinders. Damage to these parts can be expensive to properly clean up.
• The machine manufacturer’ selected connection points and securement recommendations to ensure a safe and strong connection of the machinery. If you are unsure of these locations, it may be ideal to hire a technician for the specific equipment to provide proper knowledge.
• Always use strong attachment points and avoid questionable ones, including for their strength or stability. If anyone has concerns or uncertainties about a specific point, it’s always smart to avoid its use. Having your equipment fall isn’t worth the risk.
• Whenever possible, use chains made for the appropriate weight to secure heavy machinery. It should be locked in to prevent snapping, which could potentially be deadly.
• Devices such as wedges and chocks should be individually secured and used to stop wheel roll.

Step 5: Communication

If you are not completing the haul yourself and have separate transporter:

• Stay in contact with your transporter for the whole duration of the trip. They are not responsible for your equipment, you are. Just because it leaves your initial possession doesn’t mean it isn’t your duty to guarantee its safety.
• Make sure the driver stays in contact and updates you as frequently as possible. If there are any updates in route, location, arrival status, or any issues that arise, you should be aware in order to inform the receiver.

For legal and insurance purposes, contact information and records of the company that provided the specific transporter should be maintained. They should be contacted in case a problem arises.

Final Thoughts

Confirm the heavy machinery has reached its destination location and that every task is completed before payment to the transporter should be made. The receiver should note and capture any damaged or lost items, so you can discuss issues with the carrier or provider.

Congratulations! You just completed a long-distance heavy equipment haul. This is a rare task, possibly once in a lifetime, and should be thought of as such. The time and preparation this move takes are vast, and successful distance moves require significant effort. Appropriate preparation is what makes this move run smoothly.

Remember, safety is interest! Don’t endanger the equipment and an individual’s safety by being unprepared.

How to Ensure Safety in the Transportation of Construction Equipment

Construction equipment transportation is not just a matter of equipment Transport Company. It has to do with equipment safety and operators’ safety also. If the equipment is broken during transportation or should something come off during transportation, it may also be harmful to the equipment operators affecting their ability to work in the future.

Even though the transport company may be required to provide safe equipment handling procedures, the operators need to cooperate with the Transport Company as well. As an operator, you should know the key points in the transportation process. Here are some important considerations to make to ensure safety in the transportation of construction equipment:

1. Choose the Right Vehicle
There are TWO kinds of vehicles to choose from, for the transportation of construction equipment. These are:

• Flatbed/Step deck trailer
• Lowboy trailer

Usually, when making a choice of transportation means, the height of the equipment should be put into consideration. Shorter equipment can be carried by the Flatbeds/step deck trailer, which has a higher platform off the ground whereas the lowboy trailer has a lower platform for the taller type of equipment.

However, the lowboy trailer transportation costs are higher than those of the Flatbed trailer.

The selection of either of the two types of trailers should be made from a well-informed point of view, particularly on the part of understanding the construction equipment to be transported and laws governing the same.

Therefore, your choice of the right trailer for your use and application should be based on the local laws and regulations in relation to the height of your equipment and the transporting trailers available. You should hire a technician or know more about different kinds of lowboy trailers.

2. Things to do Before Construction Equipment Transportation
If your equipment is big in height, width, length, or overweight, it is advisable to separate attachments to it, such as tires, bucket, and so on to ease transportation. If there is nothing you can do, get means for transporting oversize equipment. It will provide a safe means of transportation despite the high costs involved. Over and above that, here is what you will need to do to make the process swift and secure:

• Place the construction equipment against the structure of the vehicle to make sure it doesn’t move forward unless the distribution of the weight will not allow that.
• Securement devices should be placed in such a way that they will not damage such components as brakes or cylinders and so on.
• Edge protection must be applied to prevent damage happening to the tie-downs or the equipment
• Make an effort to use direct tie downs and that means you should be ready to use many of them than when using indirect ones
• Wedges, cradles, chocks or any other support against the wheels to stop rolling the wheels should be used.

Other important tips to consider include: disconnecting the battery; removing the latch on the doors and preventing electric lines and gas lines from being damaged.

3. Tips for Loading Equipment onto the Trailer
There are important considerations to make when Loading Equipment onto the Trailer. You are to:

• Ensure that your equipment is aligned at the center line of the trailers. This is good practice in order to prevent deviation from the center of gravity when turning.
• See to it that the equipment is in a reasonable position to ensure that there is adequate volume to put the boom or the bucket on.
• Drive the equipment on the low bed from the rear, not the front in the event that the transport company only provides the lowboy without a removable gooseneck. It isn’t easy because of the big difference in height. However, driving it slowly and ensuring precision are necessary things to do to ensure safe transportation. Use arm lifting equipment (for such equipment as the excavator) properly.

4. Tips for Making Tie Downs on the Construction Equipment
Once the construction equipment has been loaded on the trailer, it must be tied down to avoid fall overs and tippling during transportation. Here are the minimum requirements that you must observe for tie-downs:

• Make sure your trailer deck is clean and all your chains/tie down are unbroken.
• There are two common types of binders: Lever or ratchet binder, ratchet binders are safer, they have a greater mechanical advantage over the lever style.
• If the vehicle loaded on the trailer has wheels or crawler tracks, there should be at least four tie-downs to prevent it from moving side-by-side, backward, vertically or even forward.
• The total working load limits for all the tie-downs should be at least 50% of the total equipment weight. Additional tie-downs should be added if you are not sure of the equipment’s weight.
• Here is the manner in which tie-downs are to be attached either, 1) Close to the rear and the front part of the equipment, or 2) at the designated mounting points on the machinery.

It is important to adhere to the securement processes and recommendations in order to hold the load in position during transportation. This largely minimizes the chances of an accident taking place in an extreme maneuver.

Final Thoughts

There is a lot of groundwork and minimum requirements that must be met before wheels can be allowed to spin during the transportation of construction equipment. It all starts with making the right choice of the trailer to do the transportation. Once that has been done, details of the equipment to be transported such as weight, length, width, height and so on must be taken in order to help in making the necessary preparations for loading it onto the right trailer. Tie-downs must be securely made before the trailer can be allowed to spin on the road to transport the equipment to the desired destination.

Much of the heavy equipment out there is transported on the back of a flatbed truck — and if the operator of the heavy equipment is able to load the machinery, drive it where it needs to go, and unload it to do the job, then that operator, who can drive trucks, is worth a lot more to an employer.

ATS Offers Short-term Truck Driver Training

The Class-A CDL Truck Driving Program can be added to the heavy equipment operator training program a student is taking without disrupting the schedule by more than a month. That means in addition to getting trained to operate heavy equipment safely, you also can be trained to transport that equipment safely. There are strict guidelines to the transport of big machinery because it has to be securely strapped down to the trailer before taking it on the road. If it’s just sitting on the flatbed, it’s dangerous.

Because of that danger, there are regulations concerning securing cargo, including heavy equipment. Not just anybody can do it because not everyone knows how to stabilize and secure the load so it won’t shift when the truck goes around curves, for instance. And driving that truck is something not everyone can do safely. The Class-A CDL Truck Driving Program teaches all the procedures. It also allows students to ask questions and understand why those procedures are a good idea.

Insurance companies often require that the operators and drivers meet high standards of training or companies pay a penalty. That is one reason the boss likes ATS training. But having an employee who can both operate and transport the equipment has another benefit to the company: There doesn’t have to be an additional hire to drive the truck from one site to another. That’s a big reason for the higher wages you can get when you add the Class-A CDL Truck Driving Program to your heavy equipment classes.

Being a heavy equipment operator is one thing, knowing how to transport it is another thing – and it is often one thing that is never taught. Let’s face it, we don’t need to move our equipment that often, we leave it to the professionals.

Of course, if you ever get to own your own heavy equipment then you are going to find more cost effective to move it around yourself. The first tip to tying it down, read the manual. Heavy equipment will almost always have tie down points.

If you cannot find any tie down points then there is a second simple rule, all four corners, and each blade. For a bulldozer with a rear bucket, this would require six points tied down. For a front-end loader, five points.

When in doubt, contact the manufacturer or your local transport department, they are the ones who will issue the fine if you get it all wrong.

Of course, you could always ask your instructor while you are undertaking your training. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools provide comprehensive training on heavy equipment.