People may need to transport heavy equipment or vehicles for many reasons. Thus, it is essential to be familiar with entities that provide this type of service. However, hauling heavy equipment is not that simple, and not all transport service providers are qualified enough to handle transporting them properly. Therefore, a professional auto transport company is required to complete this task.
The auto transport industry has different types of entities specialized in shipping operations. There are two kinds of companies: auto transport companies and auto transport brokers. But do auto shipping brokers transport heavy equipment? The short answer is definitely yes! And here comes the explanation below.
Before answering this question, it is vital to learn more about these terms and how they are different from one another.
What is an Auto Transport Company?
An auto transport company owns and provides open or enclosed trailers to transport heavy equipment and cars. It offers to pick up the vehicle from its current location and deliver it to a specific destination.
What is an Auto Transport Broker?
An auto transport broker has a comprehensive network of carriers and makes arrangements to transport customer vehicles; It accepts the client’s order, brokers it to a transport carrier performing the moving process, and supervises the whole work. Read more about Auto Transport Brokers.
The Difference Between the Transport Company and Transport Broker
Even though both entities are a part of the transport industry, there is a significant difference:
Auto transport companies own the trailers used in the shipment process. Therefore, the customer deals directly with the driver and all the shipping activity teams and gets updated with the details since the company runs the whole operation itself.
On the other hand, transport brokers are more like middlemen between people who want to transport heavy equipment or vehicles and the carriers that suit their needs, which means they don’t own the transportation tools. Instead, they rely on their extensive network of carriers; brokers make money as a commission to provide carriers with customers who request this type of service.
What are the Requirements to Transport Heavy Equipment?
It is challenging to haul heavy equipment; it must be loaded safely and secured correctly on the trailer board to protect it and decrease the chances of any accidents occurring. Therefore, there are many criteria to ensure the transportation process will run smoothly.
Good Planning
Clearly, the first step is to create a proper plan to minimize risks and ensure compliance with regulations. The plan must include the standards of choosing a convenient transport service, the shipping time, the arrival time, the predicted cost, and the preparation task list so the equipment owner can check them to make sure everything is ready.
Reliable Transport Service
Hiring a transport company can save a lot of time and effort; they actually can plan everything and advise about the proper method to ship the equipment.
The transport department must license a trustworthy company and have a noticeable tracking record to prove their experience. They have to provide insurance papers, a professional team, and shipping tools.
Suitable Transport Equipment
When choosing the right hauler to transport heavy equipment, the critical factor is to look for a trailer with the proper capacity to hold up the shipped cargo. If the equipment was extra-large, it is necessary to verify if the trailer height with the equipment onboard is convenient to pass under bridges safely.
Read more about Trailer Types for Heavy Equipment Transport.
Plan the Transportation Route
Obviously, the roads are not always accessible for heavy equipment transport; due to their weight and size, they require a trailer with great capacity and a semi-truck to move it. This type of trailer can’t be driven easily everywhere, they don’t fit on narrow roads, and they may not be able to pass under an overpass. Planning the transportation route is essential to ensure the shipped equipment won’t get stuck somewhere.
Legal Permits
When shipping an oversized cargo from one state to another, a permit is necessary to perform legally all over the country.
What do Auto Shipping Brokers Do?
After knowing the main things required to transport heavy equipment, it is time to learn more about the brokers and what they can do exactly.
Managing Paperwork
The transport industry is highly regulated; there is some paperwork to do before moving the cargo, significantly oversized shipments.
Find the Suitable Carrier
Brokers will arrange a carrier that matches every client’s requirement; they will save the time needed to search for a proper trailer among hundreds of choices, thanks to their profitable carrier companies.
Manage the Shipping Process
Once hiring an auto shipping broker, they will be the one to contact the carrier on their customer’s behalf. The brokers will also verify licenses and insurance coverage to ensure the transported equipment safety.
Conclusion
After comparing the requirements to transport heavy equipment with the services provided by auto shipping brokers, it is not hard to tell the answer to the previous question. Yes, brokers can ship heavy equipment, but they don’t own the trailers used in the moving process. Booking brokers service is an excellent choice to haul heavy machinery; they will help save people time by efficiently managing the whole transporting process. Tempus Logix is a vehicle transportation company offering all kinds of auto transport, including heavy-duty vehicles. With thousands of satisfied clients and years of practical experience, the company covers all transportation services across the United States.
