OVERSIZE AND HEAVY HAUL · 26 FT MINIMUM
Oversize load dispatch that counts permits, escorts and wear
Oversize and heavy haul pays more because almost everything about it is harder: permits, escorts, route surveys, travel-time restrictions and loads that push a truck to its limits. A rate that looks great can lose money once the permits and escorts are paid. Our oversize load dispatch puts all of that in front of you before you decide.
We dispatch heavy haul rigs, including lowboys and RGNs, with at least 26 ft of deck. Every load is your call, and the rate confirmation always comes to you.
02 · DISPATCH VS DIY
Heavy haul dispatch or doing it yourself
Many heavy haul operators dispatch themselves because the work is specialized and the relationships are personal. That works until the truck is busy and the next load has to be found while you are on a slow-moving permit route with an escort ahead.
The table compares the two honestly. A dispatcher does not pull your permits or drive your route; we take the searching, negotiating and calling, and make sure the costs that decide whether a load is worth it are on the table first.
| SELF-DISPATCHED | WITH US | |
|---|---|---|
| Finding loads | Calls and boards between runs | Desk works boards and brokers all day |
| Dimensions and weight | Collected yourself | Confirmed before the offer |
| Permits and escorts | You order and cost them | Costs and who pays settled in the rate talk |
| Reload | Found after delivery | Planned before delivery |
| Who decides | You | You, on every load |
| Cost | Your time | 5% of gross on hauled loads |
Heavy-spec maintenance that matters
Heavy haul puts more stress on every part of the truck than standard freight. Many heavy-spec trucks are built with stronger axles, transmissions and suspensions for that reason, and those components follow their own service intervals from the maker.
- Drivetrain. Transmission, driveline and differentials under heavy torque.
- Suspension. Springs, air bags, bushings and mounts carrying heavy loads.
- Brakes. Brake chambers, slack adjusters and linings stopping more weight.
- Tires. Load range and inflation matched to axle weights.
- Trailer. Deck, gooseneck, hydraulics on RGNs, and every axle's bearings and brakes.
Our guides to the truck axle and tag vs pusher axles explain how the extra axles that heavy haul relies on work and what they need.
Permits: what we do and what we don't
Each state on the route issues its own oversize and overweight permit, with its own limits, fees, travel hours and escort rules. We do not issue permits. They are ordered by the carrier or a permit service.
What we do: get the exact dimensions and weight from the broker, flag loads that will need permits and escorts, and settle who pays for them as part of the rate. When the offer reaches you, the cost picture is complete, so you can judge whether the load is worth it.
Lowboy dispatch and the freight we look for
- Construction equipment. Excavators, dozers and loaders between jobsites and dealers.
- Industrial machinery. Plant equipment, generators and transformers.
- Agricultural equipment. Combines and tractors, often in season.
- Structural pieces. Beams, tanks and fabricated sections.
Taller freight that does not need heavy haul capacity may suit a step deck; see our step deck dispatch page.
Routes, travel times and surveys
Oversize loads often travel only in daylight, on approved routes, and not on certain holidays or weekends depending on the state. Some loads need a route survey to check bridges, overhead clearances and turns. All of that stretches the trip. We count the real travel time in the trip math, not just the miles.
What every oversize offer includes
An oversize offer without full details is a trap. Before one reaches you, we get the machine or commodity, exact length, width, height and weight, the heaviest axle loading the broker expects, loading and unloading method, pickup and delivery windows, the states on the route, and the permit and escort arrangement. Then we put the rate against all of it.
You compare that to your trailer, your axles and your experience, and decide. If any detail is missing, we ask before we pitch.
How heavy haul rates work
Heavy haul rates are usually quoted per load rather than per mile, because so much of the cost is fixed: permits, escorts, loading time and slow travel. Two loads of the same distance can need very different rates once the permits and route restrictions are counted. We negotiate on the full picture, including layover when a permit or a site delays the move.
Your floor still applies. We convert the offer to a rate per mile and per day so you can compare it to your costs and to other work.
Keeping the heavy haul trailer ready
RGN goosenecks run on hydraulics that need regular checks for leaks, fluid level and cylinder condition. Every trailer axle has bearings, brakes and tires that carry heavy weight. Deck surfaces, ramps and outriggers need inspection too. Share the trailer's service schedule with the truck's, and we keep both on the calendar.
Multi-truck moves and home time
Some projects need two or three heavy haul trucks moving pieces together. A small fleet can cover them, and we coordinate the schedule and stagger shop days so the fleet is not down at once. Two or more trucks pay the 4% fleet rate while it lasts.
For home time, tell us your radius and the nights you want there. Heavy haul often runs regional, and we plan returns before you deliver.
What we ask on the first call
Heavy haul dispatch only works if we know the rig in detail. On the first call we ask for your trailer type, deck length and height, number of axles and their ratings, whether you have flip axles or a jeep and booster, your truck's configuration, the states you are set up to run, and how you handle permits today. With that, the first offer you see fits your equipment.
Oversize load dispatch fee
One heavy haul truck with authority older than six months pays 5% of gross on loads hauled. New MCs under six months pay 7%. Two or more trucks pay 4% while the fleet rate lasts. The percentage applies to what the broker actually pays for the load. No setup fee, no minimum, month-to-month with 30 days notice. Full rules on the dispatch fee page.
A heavy haul week on our desk
An EXAMPLE week for a single lowboy, not a real result. Monday we offer an excavator move between two jobsites in adjoining states, with the broker covering permits and one escort. The owner accepts and signs the rate confirmation. The load travels daylight only, so it takes two days.
Wednesday we have a return load lined up: a smaller machine that is legal without permits, so it can move the same day. Thursday the truck's brake inspection comes due and the day is already clear. The report shows two loads, the fees and the permit arrangement on each.
Securing heavy equipment
Heavy equipment securement has its own rules in 49 CFR 393, including requirements for the number and rating of tiedowns and for how attachments are lowered and secured. The driver secures the load and answers for it. We send the machine type, weight and dimensions with every offer so you can plan chains and binders before you arrive.
Heavy haul on a new authority
Heavy haul brokers are often cautious with new carriers because the loads are valuable and the mistakes are expensive. Insurance for heavy equipment can also be harder to get early. We start new MCs with brokers who accept them. Read dispatch for new authorities.
When the rig goes down with an oversize load
A breakdown with an oversize load is complicated by permits and escorts that may expire or need rescheduling. Get safe, then call the desk. We contact the broker, explain what happened and what the shop is saying, and work through the options. Outcomes depend on the broker, the load and the repair time, so we give you straight answers, not promises.
When we are not the right fit
If you have long-standing contractor relationships that keep your lowboy busy, you may not need us. If your deck is shorter than 26 ft, we cannot dispatch it. We are most useful when the phone and the searching are costing you loads while you are out on a slow permit route.
YOUR CALL
Every heavy haul load is your decision
Each offer arrives with the machine, dimensions, weight, route notes, permit and escort arrangement and rate. You say yes, counter or no. The broker sends the rate confirmation to you to sign.
EXAMPLE load offer
- 1. Offer
- 2. Your call
- 3. Rate con to you
- 4. Check calls
Dallas, TX to Atlanta, GA · 780 mi · $2.35/mi · pickup Tue 8:00
Questions carriers ask
Who pays for permits and escorts?
Does heavy haul wear trucks out faster?
Do you handle oversize permits?
Do you dispatch lowboys and RGNs?
Who pays for escorts?
Put your heavy haul rig to work
About 2 minutes. No setup fee. No contract. Every load is your call.