The transport of large vehicles including motor coaches, trucks, campers and even construction equipment is many times more difficult when compared to standard vehicle transport because of the special equipment and permits these vehicles require for proper handling. In some cases, unique shipping companies that cater to greatly disproportioned vehicles in terms of size and weight do offer to professionally manage these vehicles.
Like some of our competitors at Shipping Cars, we also specialize in offering shipment services for oversized vehicles and ensure effective as well as secure transport of large vehicles. Alongside the other entries in our blog, here we will outline some of the methods alongside a few considerations of the professional shipping services for large vehicles as well as the advantages these services provide.
What Oversized Vehicle Shipping Entails
Oversized vehicle shipping refers to the movement of all vehicles that exceed the customary size and weight limitations. Most of these vehicles surpass the legal limits of size and weight, and therefore requires special permits, equipment, safety measures, and legal transportation. Some examples of such vehicles include:
– Buses and large vans
– Recreational Vehicles (RVs) and motorhomes
– Heavy duty trucks and trailers
– Construction or mining equipment
– Specialized vehicles such as fire trucks and cranes
Every oversized vehicle entails a certain degree of experience and level of planning, making it vital to select a shipping service that offers the required expertise.
Ways To Ship Oversized Vehicles
When it comes to shipping vehicles, there are ways to approach vehicles according to their size, weight, and destination. Let’s explore some of the more accepted methods for shipping oversized vehicles:
1. Flatbed Trucks
These trucks can serve a range of oversized vehicle shipping such as RVs, construction equipment, and heavy duty trucks. In addition, flatbed trucks are one of the most effective and convenient means of shipping oversized vehicles.
Advantages of Flatbed Shipping:
– Diverse Applications: Flatbed shipping can facilitate the movement of large equipment such as motorhomes and industrial tools.
– Simple Accessibility: Pickup and drop-off of vehicles with flatbed trucks is simpler and less time consuming because it clean and tidy accessibility to locations.
– Less Conventional Restrictions: Flatbed transport is less restrictive than container shipping with regards to weight and size parameters.
Disadvantages of Flatbed Shipping:
– Element Exposure: Vehicles are vulnerable to harsh weather and other road conditions without the protective cover of containing shipping.
– Limited Vehicle Quota: The quantity of oversized vehicles that flatbed trucks can utilize at one time is extremely limited.
2. Enclosed Trailer Shipping
This shipping technique is one of the best methods for customers looking for absolute protection as it shields the vehicle from extreme weather, road debris, and even impacts. It provides safety for the vehicle while in transit by using a special trailer called enclosed trailers.
Advantages of hurting a vehicle
– Increased Weather Resistance: Air crafted enclosed trailer guards fragile oversized vehicles from merging external threats as it completely masks weather outside enabling frosty conditions inside.
-Reduced Risk of Commercial Vehicle Damage: With respect to a vehicle’s scratches, dents, or other transport-related damages, enclosed transport greatly reduces these risk as opposed to open transport methods.
Disadvantages of Enclosed Trailer Shipping:
-Increased Cost: Flatbed enclosed transport has more costs than enclosed shipping due to increased service expenses and certain measures taken for additional protection.
-Limited Capacity: There may be a cap on the number of oversized vehicles enclosed trailers are able to hold at one time.
3. Customized Lowboy Trailers
Lowboy Trailers are specifically designed to transport vehicles of super heavy and oversize nature because they have an incredibly flat profile. Moreover, these are specifically used to transport industrial machines and construction equipment which would otherwise be impossible to load on a standard flatbed.
Advantages of Lowboy Trailers:
-Maximum Load Capacity: For the transportation of large trucks, machines and construction vehicles, lowboy trailers are most suitable as they can carry an oversized amount of weight.
-Reduced Height: Improved height allows for striking overhead obstacles during transport which is advantageous to tall vehicles.
Disadvantages of Lowboy Trailers
– Specialized Tools: Some shipping companies may not possess lowboy trailers. This method may require particular vendors that specialize in such equipment.
– Increased Cost of Transportation: The cost of shipping with lowboy trailers is more expensive than other methods of shipping because of the specificity of their uses.
4. Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) Shipping
In addition to containers, buses, trucks, and larger trailers can also be shipped through RoRo. This system enables bus boarding as the vehicle can drive directly onto the boat and secure itself for the voyage. It serves as the primary method for shipping vehicles that can’t be containerized.
Advantages of RoRo Shipping
– Time Savings During Loading and Unloading: The coined RoRo term ensures that any vehicles using it do not have to wait, thereby making time-efficient travel faster during rush hours.
– Lower Costs: For oversized vehicles, RoRo tends to be cheaper than container shipping.
Disadvantages of RoRo Shipping
– Weather Exposure During Transportation: It is not ideal to transport valuable and fragile cars using RoRo as they are highly exposed to external elements.
– Port-to-Port Service: Most RoRo shipping falls under port-to-port service, which indicates that transportation will need to be arranged at both the delivery and pick-up ports.
Factors to Bear in Mind When Shipping Oversized Vehicles
Putting oneself in the shoes of a prospective shipper of an oversized vehicle surplus, several factors need to be placed into consideration in order to streamline actions towards achieving order.
- Vehicle Dimensions and Mass
Vehicle dimensions and mass serve as critical indicators when determining the approach to shipping. For instance, oversized and heavy vehicles like RVs and construction equipment will almost certainly necessitate the use of lowbed and specialized trailers as well as super high clearance flatbed trailers.
- Required Protection Level
The more valuable vehicles will require greater attention to detail during transport such as enclosed trailer shipping compared to standard oversized vehicles which can be transported using flatbed or open deck RoRo shipping.
- Financial Factors
In the context of transporting oversized vehicles, profit margins have proven to be very tight. As stated, RoRo and flatbed provide great value with straightforward pricing, but the comfort and security of enclosed transport make the additional expense reasonable.
- Coverage Area
The transport coverage area may influence what shipping method you decide to select. Areas may have certain restrictions policies that determine what method of transport can be utilized. Always check with the specialized transport company to confirm whether or not they service your region.
Why go with Shipping Cars for Meeting Your Oversized Vehicle Shipping Requirements?
For Shipping Cars, meeting the transport needs for buses, RVs, and construction vehicles is a business we gladly undertake. We design our processes and procedures around ensuring that fundamental safety standards are adhered to when the vehicle is being transported to the specified location. For this purpose, below are some advantages we have in meeting your oversized vehicle shipping purposes.
– Know-How or Expertise: Our Company has a division consisting of specially trained people with know-how on the intricacies of transportation of oversize vehicles from different perspectives including safe, timely, and efficient shipping.
– Specialized Transport Facilities: We use transport flatbed trucks, lowboy trailers, and even enclosed vehicles that have specialized facilities for protecting the vehicle being transported during transport.
– Meeting Deadlines: We plan the schedule to ensure that your oversized vehicle consistently arrives on time at the specified location.
– Price Comparison: When it comes to shipping oversized vehicles, our prices are arguably the lowest in the market. Moreover, we have clear estimates with no hidden charges.
Final Thoughts
Through Shipping Cars corporately, you can rest assured that the more complicated aspects of internationally shipping an oversized vehicle is taken care of. We specialize in, and quickly get the job done with, the necessary tools and skills to perform flatbed shipping, RoRo, and transport your oversized vehicles on lowboy trailers.