As agricultural machinery is becoming more comprehensive and state-of-the-art, it requires state-of-the-art technology to transport it. Farm equipment hauling is a fine art when you are trying to get machinery from one location to the other. It's not just about delivering the machinery, but it's about the preparation that goes into the entire process.
Complying with regulatory bodies such as the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and the Federal Lands Highway is one aspect of farm equipment hauling. In addition, guaranteeing the machinery is delivered safely and on time with adequate route planning, as well as all of the legal requirements, results in a significant amount of preparation.
Transporting Farm Equipment
Transporting farm equipment is a key component and plays a major role in the agricultural industry. Ensuring that transporting farm equipment is delivered efficiently requires a significant amount of care throughout the entire process.
On a basic level, farm equipment hauling guarantees the day-to-day running of any farming business as machinery will be in place and available as needed. One type of farm may cover numerous methods of farming and the breakdown of equipment requires speedy replacement to ensure that part of the farming operation doesn’t suffer. The various kinds of farm equipment that you'd expect to see would be tractors and plows, as well as Combine Harvesters, and other components like slurry tankers, wrappers, and balers, as well as irrigation equipment.
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Equipment Needed to Transport Agricultural Machinery
Due to the size of an individual item of equipment transporting agricultural machinery demands sturdy equipment and this comes in the form of trailers. There are a wide variety of trailers out there, but the main transportation of agricultural machinery comprises of the following:
- Step Deck/Drop Deck Trailer: This has a “drop” in the deck down to give it an extra boost in height to transport bigger items of equipment. A legal step deck trailer length is 48', but can go up to 53'. The height is limited at 10' and the width is limited to 8.5' and can carry freight up to 48,000 lbs.
- Double Drop Deck Trailer: Similar to the Step Deck, but is used when the cargo is between 10 feet and 11.5 feet tall. These are graded to carry 45,000 lbs, so the load stays stable.
- Removable Gooseneck Trailer (RGN): One of the most commonly used trailers for oversized loads that cannot be transported on regular roads. An RGN trailer makes for any drivable piece of equipment, like a tractor, to ride up easily and can carry to 150,000 pounds of equipment.
- Flatbed Trailer: One of the most common ways to transport equipment, a flatbed is used for awkwardly shaped loads and can be loaded from any angle to make it easier for oversized loads and can carry a load of up to 48,000 pounds.
R+L Global Logistics works with the best flatbed carriers on the market today. See how we can help with your heavy haul trucking needs. Wondering about other equipment? Learn what a lowboy truck and trailer is used for.
Tips for Farm Equipment Hauling
When it comes to transporting farm machinery, it isn't always so straightforward. It can be a difficult task not to mention dangerous. But it all depends on the size of the equipment.
Smaller equipment is what most farmers transport, and are shipped out for service more than anything else. There are a wide variety of cost-efficient methods to do this, such as getting in contact with a transport company, like R+L Global Logistics, as they have access to various sized trucks.
Medium-sized farm equipment poses a unique challenge as they are usually too large to fit on an average trailer but are too small to be drawn on a tractor. Where possible, pairing the shipment with another item that uses a partial load can help, which can help save the transport company on fuel and driver costs.
When dealing with large equipment, naturally this is one of the biggest challenges for the ship and the person receiving the goods. The best approach is to be methodical. Choose specific details of a date that is convenient for pickup and delivery. Research a shipping company, as well as a reliable transporter to ensure they have experience in dealing with large equipment. If the machinery is too large the components may need breaking down, so it is essential to arrange to have it delivered at a suitable location.
When preparing the equipment for transportation, you need to make sure you complete the following tasks:
- Drain all the fluids from the machinery. During transportation, the equipment will be moved around a lot due to the road. From potholes to sudden turns, the diesel fuel and other fluids will move around, creating dangerous pressures that may cause a road and environmental hazard as well as destroy the machinery.
- Secure the machinery. As the equipment will be traveling at highway speeds, secure down or remove pieces that may break off during transportation, such as covers and windscreens.
- Remove excess components. If there are any personal belongings, these need removing, as well as objects on the equipment, such as blades.
Need to know how much does it cost to ship farm equipment? See how to get an estimate.
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Farm Equipment Hauling with R+L Global Logistics
Ensuring your agricultural machinery is delivered promptly makes a big difference in the farming industry. Many practices associated with farming are notoriously time-sensitive, from the harvesting of crops to spraying pesticides. Therefore, the equipment needs to provide an adequate foundation. When one item of machinery breaks down, the farm can suffer, which means that its business is severely impacted.
Whether a tool needs replacing to get back to work or a massive piece of equipment needs to be supplied, ensuring the right equipment is delivered promptly means that you can get back to doing what you need to do as a matter of urgency. Every farmer struggles with the peril of farm equipment trasnport.
As you can see, there is a wide variety of ways to do this, but it needs to be done carefully and securely. Farm equipment hauling is not a straightforward practice, but you can get in contact with us today or request a truckload freight quote to make machinery transport easy.
Need to book flatbed freight?
R+L Global Logistics has the equipment you need.
