Heavy Equipment Transport
Hauling for tractors, skid steers, excavators, forklifts, and farm and construction machinery. Flatbed, step-deck, and lowboy carriers, insured, with no deposit.
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Moving Machines That Move the Earth
Alabama runs on heavy equipment. Tractors and balers work the farms. Skidders and loaders work the timber. Excavators, dozers, and skid steers work the building sites. When one of those machines has to travel farther than it can be driven, it goes on a truck.
Hauling equipment is a specialty of its own. The machine has to be matched to a trailer by height, weight, and how it will be loaded. A compact tractor rides easily on a flatbed. A taller machine needs a step-deck trailer with a lower platform. A large excavator or dozer needs a lowboy, whose deck sits inches off the road and whose front detaches so the machine can drive on.
Then there is the law. Federal rules set out how equipment must be chained down. Each state limits how wide, how tall, and how heavy a load may be without a permit. Beyond those limits, the carrier needs permits for every state on the route, and very large loads require escort vehicles and travel only at approved times.
Heartland Auto Transport is an FMCSA licensed broker. We arrange heavy equipment transport throughout Alabama and nationwide, using vetted, insured carriers that own the right trailers and know the regulations. There is no deposit, and the price we quote is the price you pay. Equipment is always quoted individually, so please call with the make, the model, and any attachments. If you do not have the dimensions, the model number is usually enough for us to look them up. We will also ask about the pickup and delivery sites, since access for a tractor-trailer is often the deciding factor in how a move is planned.
What You Get With Heavy Equipment Transport
The right trailer, the right securement, and the paperwork handled.
The correct trailer
Flatbed, step-deck, or lowboy, chosen for the height and weight of your machine.
Proper securement
Chains and binders at the manufacturer's tie-down points, to federal cargo standards.
Permits and routing
For oversize or overweight loads, the carrier obtains the permits and plans a legal route.
Insured hauling
We verify the carrier's insurance and its limits before booking.
Site-to-site service
Pickup and delivery at farms, job sites, dealers, auctions, and rental yards.
One point of contact
A dispatcher who coordinates with the people at both ends.
What Heavy Equipment Transport Costs
Equipment is priced individually. The main factors are the distance, the dimensions and weight of the machine, and the type of trailer it needs. A load that fits within legal limits on a flatbed costs the least.
Oversize and overweight loads cost more, because of permits, restricted travel times, and sometimes escort vehicles. Loading and unloading can affect the price too, if a machine does not run and a crane or a dock is needed. We include everything in one all-in figure.
| Trailer type | Typical loads | Price basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flatbed | Compact tractors, small skid steers, attachments | By distance | Deck about 5 ft high |
| Step-deck | Taller tractors, forklifts, mid-size loaders | By distance | Lower deck gives more height |
| Lowboy | Excavators, dozers, large loaders | Quoted | Drive-on loading from the front |
| Oversize or overweight | Wide, tall, or very heavy machines | Quoted | Permits, possible escorts |
Heavy equipment is quoted individually. Call with the make, model, attachments, and both locations.
How Heavy Equipment Transport Works
It starts with the specifications.
Call with the specifications
Give us the make and model, the dimensions, the operating weight, and any attachments.
We arrange the carrier
We assign a vetted carrier with the correct trailer and confirm any permits. No deposit is due.
Loading
The machine is driven or lifted onto the trailer, then chained and bound at approved points.
Delivery
At the destination, the machine is unloaded, you inspect it, sign the report, and pay.
Equipment We Haul
Agricultural, construction, and industrial.
Farm tractors and implements
Compact and utility tractors, row-crop tractors, balers, mowers, and planters.
Skid steers and compact loaders
Wheeled and tracked machines, with buckets, forks, and other attachments.
Excavators and dozers
Mini excavators to full-size machines, moved on step-deck and lowboy trailers.
Forklifts and industrial machines
Warehouse forklifts, telehandlers, scissor lifts, generators, and shop equipment.
Flatbed, Step-Deck, or Lowboy?
The height and weight of the machine decide the trailer.
| Flatbed | Step-deck | Lowboy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck height | About 5 feet | About 3 feet 6 inches on the lower deck | About 18 to 24 inches |
| Tallest legal load | About 8 feet 6 inches | About 10 feet | About 11 feet 6 inches or more |
| Loading | Ramps, dock, or crane | Ramps or dock | Driven on from the front |
| Typical machines | Compact tractors and attachments | Forklifts and mid-size tractors | Excavators, dozers, large loaders |
How to Prepare Equipment for Hauling
Good preparation shortens loading time and keeps the load legal. Here is what to do before the truck arrives.
Find the specifications. Look up the transport dimensions and the operating weight in the manual or on the manufacturer's website, and note the model number from the data plate. If the machine has attachments, a cab, or a canopy that changes the height, measure it as it will travel.
Decide on the attachments. A bucket, a blade, a set of forks, or a mower deck can be shipped attached, detached on the same trailer, or separately. Detaching a wide attachment can turn an oversize load into a legal one and save a considerable amount.
Clean the machine. Remove mud, crop residue, and debris from the tracks, tires, and undercarriage. Dirt falls off on the highway and can lead to a fine, and some states inspect incoming equipment for soil and plant material.
Secure everything that moves. Lower the boom, the bucket, and the blade, and rest them on the deck when loaded. Lock the swing and the articulation joint. Latch the doors, covers, and hoods. Remove loose tools, pins, and chains from the cab and the toolbox.
Check the basics. Make sure the machine starts and moves, that the brakes hold, and that there are no fluid leaks. If it does not run, tell us, because it will have to be winched or lifted aboard.
Prepare the site. A tractor-trailer needs firm, level ground and room to maneuver. Think about overhead power lines, soft fields, narrow gates, and low limbs. If the truck cannot reach the machine, plan to bring the machine to the road.
Have someone on site. A person who knows the machine should be there to drive it onto the trailer, or to show the driver the controls.
Photograph the machine, including the hour meter.
Heavy Equipment Transport Questions
How much does it cost to haul heavy equipment?
It depends on the distance, the size and weight of the machine, the trailer required, and whether permits are needed. Call with the make and model for one all-in price.
What information do you need for a quote?
The make and model, the length, width, and height as it will travel, the operating weight, any attachments, whether it runs, and the pickup and delivery locations.
What makes a load oversize?
In general, a load wider than 8 feet 6 inches, taller than about 13 feet 6 inches on the trailer, or heavier than the legal gross weight needs a permit. Limits vary somewhat by state.
Who gets the permits?
The carrier does. Permit costs are included in the price we quote you.
Can you move equipment that does not run?
Yes. It is winched, pushed, or lifted onto the trailer. Tell us in advance so the carrier brings the right equipment, and let us know what is available on site.
Do I need a loading dock or ramps?
Not usually. Many carriers have their own ramps, and a lowboy lets a machine drive on from ground level. Tell us about the site so we can plan.
Can attachments ship with the machine?
Yes. Buckets, forks, blades, and implements can travel attached or loaded separately on the same trailer, depending on width and height.
Can you pick up from an auction or a dealer?
Yes. Give us the lot number, the release paperwork, and the yard's loading hours. We coordinate with the staff there.
How far ahead should I book?
A few days to a week for a legal load. Two weeks or more for an oversize load, since permits and escorts take time to arrange.
Is my equipment insured during transport?
The carrier is insured, and we confirm its coverage and limits before booking. For a high-value machine, tell us what it is worth, and check whether your own equipment policy covers it in transit.
How long does it take?
A legal load covers roughly 400 to 500 miles a day. Oversize loads take longer, because they travel only during permitted hours and follow approved routes.
Do you haul farm equipment?
Yes. We move tractors, hay equipment, planters, and implements between farms, dealers, and auctions. Folding or removing wide implements beforehand often lowers the cost.
Is there a deposit?
No. You pay on delivery, and the price matches your quote.
Need Equipment Hauled?
Call with the make, model, and locations for an all-in quote from a dispatcher.