Heavy Haul Trucking & Oversize Loads

Oversize load on an Ecology flatbed truck

Ecology’s Heavy Haul Division

The heavy haul trucking industry moves loads too heavy or large to legally transport on conventional flatbed trailers. It provides an indispensable service to US and international business.

Not all heavy haul companies are created equal, and not every company can assure prompt and safe delivery of heavy haul goods.

Ecology offers comprehensive heavy haul services to all points west of the Mississippi River and sets itself apart with:

  • Reliable modern vehicles
  • Highly experienced drivers
  • Thorough knowledge of required procedures
  • Access to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach

Our heavy haul service is a premium, cost-effective solution for the safe delivery of your time-sensitive heavy and oversized loads.

What Is Heavy Haul Trucking?

A trucking load qualifies as heavy haul when it exceeds certain limits in weight, length, height, or width. Some of these limits vary from state to state, while others are universal or near-universal.

  • In every US state, trucking loads with a gross weight of more than 80,000 lbs fall under heavy haul guidelines.
  • In all states, trucks carrying loads more than 8 ft, 6 in wide also fall under these guidelines.
  • In California, heavy haul guidelines apply to all trucks with loads more than 14 ft high.
  • State guidelines for allowable length vary according to the number of axles on the truck hauling the load.

Examples of items that are frequently too heavy or too large to transport by other means include:

  • Cranes and other construction equipment
  • Mining equipment
  • Boilers
  • Oilfield equipment
  • Industrial farming equipment
  • Storage tanks
  • Windmill turbines, towers, and blades

Some heavy haul loads weigh hundreds of thousands of pounds.

We handle most bulk loads and freight as regular drayage, but ship them as heavy haul when they require special handling. Heavy haul trucking can also involve loads too large to fit on conventional trailers.

Heavy Haul Equipment

Trucking companies use serious gear when it comes to heavy haul and oversize loads.

The tractor unit is designed to handle heavy weight. Trailers include:

  • Flatbed Trailers: The classic choice for hauling anything that can be exposed to the elements. You’ll see them carrying things like construction equipment and materials or even vehicles.
  • Stepdeck or Dropdeck Trailers: The go-to for cargo that’s a bit taller. The drop in their deck gives you extra height space.
  • Double-Drop Trailers: These are the extreme version of stepdeck trailers. They have a well in the center that provides even more vertical space.
  • Removable Gooseneck Trailers (RGN): The neck detaches, allowing the trailer to drop to the ground to be driven onto. These are meant for exceptionally large and heavy items like bulldozers, tractors, or industrial equipment.
  • Extendable Trailers: These are the MVPs of extra-long loads, the stretch limos of the trailer world. Designed to haul items like pipes, logs, or windmill propellers, they can extend to incredible lengths while keeping the cargo stable and secure.
  • Multi-Axle Trailers: Multi-axle trailers can have just two axles, or up to a whopping nineteen axles. These trailers transport super heavy or oversized loads that other trailers can’t handle. They’re the baddest boys on the trailer block.

 

A crane lifts a large wind turbine.

Heavy Haul Permitting & Escorting: We Handle It All!

Heavy haul loads need special permits from government agencies.

In Los Angeles and other municipal jurisdictions, permits are issued at the city, county, and state levels. And if you’re traveling through multiple counties or states, you’ll need the right permits for each jurisdiction.

Not only that, but some heavy haul loads require escort or pilot vehicles. These vehicles play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and protection of the load, preventing damage to equipment, and making others aware of the presence of oversized or overweight trucks.

The rules and costs for using pilot and escort vehicles may differ depending on the jurisdictions your load passes through.

Don’t worry about the hassle and paperwork. We’ll take care of all your heavy haul permitting and escorting needs. Just leave it to us!

Critical Support for Your Overweight & Oversize Loads

Transporting overweight and oversized loads requires extensive planning and skillful execution. It’s especially challenging if your route passes through multiple jurisdictions or involves tightly controlled facilities like commercial ports.

Here again, we’ve got you covered. When you transport with us, we take care of everything from the permits and licenses to providing escort vehicles. Your freight will arrive safely and on time.

We also work with freight brokers, so you can trust us to handle your valuable cargo at the point of offloading or shipping. Plus, our company is fully bonded and insured, ensuring you’re protected from any financial risks.

A large semi truck pulling a heavy haul trailer.

Our Trucking Fleet

The heavy haul fleet includes many vehicles capable of moving everything from a single flatbed trailer to extended 13-axle trailers.

  • Our trucks are Kenworth models made in 2009 or later
  • All meet current California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards for emissions output
  • We own all trucks we use
  • We service all vehicles at our dedicated facilities

This allows us to operate the most reliable fleet of trucks west of the Mississippi. GPS tracking lets you follow our trucks in real time and check the progress of your delivery.

Each Ecology heavy haul truck meets the standards to operate inside a commercial port. We can pick up your oversized/overweight loads at the Port of Los Angeles or Long Beach and transport them directly to your desired destination.

We can also drive your heavy haul loads directly into the port for convenient offloading. We’ll work with your preferred primary hauling service to coordinate load transportation within the port.

Loading an Ecology truck at the port

Our Heavy Haul Trailers

Ecology Auto Parts maintains a large fleet of heavy haul trailers, including 9-axle steerable models, 7-axle double-drop models, and models with non-steerable axles.

Ecology’s largest 13-axle trailers can accommodate loads as heavy as 200,000 lbs. Regardless of the freight, we have the right size and type of trailer to do the job safely and reliably.

Transporting a large container

Our Heavy Haul Drivers

Each Ecology heavy haul driver has at least 15 years of experience transporting oversized and overweight loads.

Experience is crucial; not every truck driver can handle heavy loads.

Ecology hires only the best and most experienced drivers who can anticipate problems and safely maneuver in real-world conditions. This boosts the odds that your valuable parts and equipment will reach their destination on time and undamaged.

Ecology drivers also hold a federally issued TWIC (transportation worker identification credential) card, which grants access to secure areas in commercial port facilities.

Trust the Experts at Ecology

Heavy haul trucking is a job for professionals. The experts at Ecology have the training, experience, and know-how to assess your overweight and oversized loads, determine the best transport option for each situation, and ensure your equipment and materials arrive as you expect.

Whether you need long-distance transport or drayage in and out of port, we’ll take care of the arrangements and keep your stress to a minimum.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.