On average, the most expensive mode of freight transportation (per spend) is heavy hauling. It’s sane to think that most heavy-duty carriers would offer their customers discount based on their shipping volume. After all, carriers that specialize in other modes of transportation often offer discounted prices to carriers that carry a higher weight. Unfortunately, for heavy carriers, the situation is the opposite. These carriers are not only responsible for loading and unloading of goods. In fact, heavy duty haulers generally have to use specialized equipment and follow very specific procedures. Therefore, customers often pay for all the extra work on a typical heavy haul.
However, this doesn’t imply that you can’t save on your next heavy-duty haul. Let’s take a look at the most basic but effective ways to do this
Team up with an all-inclusive heavy haul carrier
Use an end-to-end heavy duty trucking network provider as it takes care of the whole process. Basically, the aim is to find someone (third party freight forwarder or logistics company) who can assist in loading and unloading of heavy goods. The problem with is that while this is a great concept in theory, most carriers charge more for this service. To be honest, this is also the reason for most of the costs.
Usually this gives the shipper only a few options. They can hire workers to carry out loading and unloading, pay additional fees to carriers to use their own equipment, or invest in tools to do so in-house. The latter is not feasible for most small and medium-sized businesses. Other options are less expensive, but still require a lot of capital. However, by cooperating with a holistic services-providing transportation company, you can save a lot of money. Why should you hire two contractors and a carrier when you can work with 3PL, which has the resources available to handle all the technical issues?
Master permits and freight handling regulations
The more you know about the regulations, permits and special handling documents required for heavy goods, the better you will be prepared to determine whether you have obtained a good deal. It is important to find a heavy transporter who is compliant and understands all necessary transport permits. These include all local, state, and federal standards. If they are certified in a specific area, or their goods require them to be certified, please ask to see the certification.
It is also important that you understand these standards yourself. Hazardous materials, temperature control (these usually also require refrigerated trucks), and other special requirements may require special tracking procedures, but special permits are almost always required. It is important to work with people who can meet these requirements and know how to properly maintain these standards. This seems very simple, right? Well, you will be surprised that how shippers often encounter problems.
Proactive is all you need to be
Many heavy-duty equipment is too large for standard haulers. In most cases, these shipments must be planned to ensure that the correct procedures are in place for the safe delivery of these items. Yes, heavy duty transport takes time to set up and complete.
Due to the level of detail in these products, it is always wise to think ahead.
Is the load ready to move?
If not, when will it be ready?
Does your customer have someone to unload the merchandise?
If not, would you handle this issue?
These are valid questions to ask yourself before proceeding.
Also, for any heavy load, make sure you know the size, weight, and proportion of the load for a better estimate. Speaking of estimates, first shop around. Before making a final decision, get estimates from several different heavy-duty haulers. Also, when calculating a heavy load, do not always assume that the cheapest transaction is the most valuable. Sometimes, to make sure you don’t lose money for a long time, it pays to spend a little more money.