Heavy Haul Trucking Services - Heavy Haul Transportation

The transportation of extremely heavy, oversized, and oddly-shaped freight is not a simple task, even for the most experienced freight hauling services. Heavy haulage is a special form of haul transportation that makes moving heavy loads that exceed standard size and weight possible.

If you’re involved in heavy haul logistics, it’s mandatory to understand when you need to use heavy haul trailers and hire experienced heavy haulers.

However, it’s not that simple, though.

Heavy hauling trucking involves a lot of planning, special equipment, and exceptionally trained personnel to verify that the heavy haul transportation meets safety and regulatory requirements.

In this guide, we’ll explain how a heavy hauling company manages every step, from choosing lowboy trailers to providing heavy haul services, ensuring the heavy haul loads arrive on time.

Heavy Haul Trucking Services

What Is Heavy Haulage

To explain heavy haulage as concisely as possible, we should label it a “specialized mode of transportation” that handles heavy loads and oversized shipments.

The heavy haulage transportation mode often involves the deployment of heavy haul trucks, heavy haul trailers, and a professional team trained for moving extremely heavy items. This transportation mode, or “heavy hauling trucking”, not only manages the weight but also the regulatory angles.

So, this ultimately means that heavy haul shipments comply with the regulatory side, all safety standards, and the equipment provides all the needed safety features.

At last, the team of experts ensures the freight arrives without any delays!

How Heavy Haul Trucking Works

Heavy haul trucking does not only require special equipment, but trained personnel who know how to handle freight of all sizes and shapes.

For example, the heavy haul trucks often come with heavy haul trailers such as lowboy trailers and mandatorily a step deck for oversize heavy haul cargo.

Some standout features for heavy-hauling trucking include multiple axles for excellent weight distribution, reinforced frames, and many other advanced safety features to avoid any hazards.

Expert Team of Heavy Haulers

For a company to load, transport, and unload extremely heavy items, a team of heavy haulers is necessary, also known as “heavy haul freight carriers”. These expert haulers design the entire plan for loading and unloading and carefully assess the entire route, considering bridge limits, tunnels, and road conditions along the way.

Some sensitive operations often deploy escort vehicles and owner-operators to provide help and assistance in navigating the road challenges.

Heavy Loads Transportation Process

As we’ve already learned, the process of transporting heavy haul loads requires a structured and clear plan before loading the freight.

In the steps below, we’re going to unwrap the entire process and how it goes:

Step 1: Finding a Company

The first step is, of course, finding a reputable and proven freight shipping company that can transport the heavy haul load. The best way to discover such a company is by using a free freight calculator that can find, compare, and share the best quotes available.

Whether in chat, email, or on the phone, you’ll need to share details about the size, weight, and type of heavy haul, so the heavy hauling company can recommend a heavy haul trailer for you.

Step 2: Planning the Route

Once your order has been processed, the team of experts will carefully plan the route, map all the bridges, roads, and potential obstacles.

This guarantees that your oversized cargo will be transported smoothly!

Step 3: Preparing the Load

The heavy haul trucking team will arrive on time at the destination of your oversized freight and load the cargo onto a step deck or lowboy trailer (based on specific occasion).

Then, they will carefully secure everything from top to bottom to ensure ultimate hauling safety.

Step 4: Freight Transportation

The most important step, of course, is the actual transit. The heavy haul trucks are equipped with many safety features, and the heavy haul carriers are trained to respond in any situation.

Note: If needed, your freight might be accompanied by an escort vehicle as a safety precaution.

Step 6: Unloading Destination

When the heavy-hauling truck arrives at the destination, again based on the exact type of cargo, the expert team might use cranes or ramps for unloading.

That’s it. That’s how easy it is!

Heavy Haul Trailers for Heavy Haulage

Sometimes, the heavy hauling company might provide you with the opportunity to choose the type of transportation method for your cargo. Hence, knowing the types of trailers available will not only allow you to make a thoughtful decision but might also save some hard-earned money.

Heavy Haul Trailers for Heavy Haulage

Here are the most commonly used trailers for heavy haulage:

  • Lowboy Trailers: The lowboy trailers are perhaps the most frequently used trailer for heavy load trucking, ideal for extremely heavy freight.
  • Step Deck Trailers: The step deck trailers, also known as drop deck, allow loading freight with odd dimensions like cargo that exceeds the height limitations.
  • Expandable Trailers: The expandable trailers are unique due to their ability to adjust in length and align with the oversize heavy haul freight as needed.
  • Flatbed Trailers: The flatbed trailers are extremely versatile heavy haul trailers that are mainly used when the oversized cargo can’t fit in an enclosed trailer.
  • Specialized Trailers: These trailers are custom-made, designed for heavy transport needs with unique requirements, dedicated to a specific company/firm.

Top 10 Heavy Haul Trucking Companies in 2025

These top 10 heavy haul companies in 2025 specialize in moving extremely heavy and oversized cargo safely and efficiently.

Company

Headquarters

Fleet Size & Equipment

Bennett Motor Express

McDonough, GA

1,877 tractors, 1,466 specialized multi-axle trailers

Landstar Transportation Logistics

Jacksonville, FL

9,180 tractors, 2,727 specialized multi-axle trailers

Keen Transport

New Carlisle, OH

Offers drop-deck/step-deck trailers, I-beam decks, lowboy trailers, multi-axle combinations (up to 13 axles)

Mercer Transportation

Louisville, KY

Offers a variety of specialized trailers, including lowboys, RGNs, and flatbeds

Maxim Crane Works

Bridgeville, PA

448 tractors, 1,836 specialized multi-axle trailers

Combined Transport

Central Point, OR

Offers specialized trailers for heavy haul loads

HWH Transport

Tampa, FL

93 tractors, 423 specialized multi-axle trailers

TFI International

Montreal, Canada

Operates a diverse fleet across North America

TMC Transportation

Des Moines, IA

Specializes in flatbed and heavy haul trucking services

Daily Express Inc.

Oak Ridge, TN

Offers specialized equipment for heavy haul transportation

Common Heavy Haul Trucking Services

Heavy haulage companies typically offer a wide range of specialized services to handle heavy freight, so here is what most common services include:

Service

Description

Lowboy Trailer Transport

Moving heavy-duty machinery or construction equipment using heavy haul lowboy trailers for stability and height clearance.

Step Deck / Drop Deck Transport

Transporting oversized cargo that exceeds standard height limits using step deck trailers.

Extendable & Multi-Axle Trailers

Hauling oversize loads that require adjustable trailer lengths or extra axles for weight distribution.

Escort & Pilot Vehicle Services

Ensuring safe navigation of oversize heavy haul cargo through roads with safety features and guidance.

Heavy Load Permitting

Managing permits for heavy haul transportation across States, ensuring compliance with regulations.

Loading & Unloading Services

Using cranes, forklifts, or ramps to safely load and unload heavy haul loads onto trailers.

Route Planning & Logistics

Comprehensive planning of routes for heavy transport services, considering bridges, roads, and traffic restrictions.

Owner-Operator Support

Leveraging experienced owner-operators for specialized heavy hauling trucking assignments.

Heavy Haul Shipping Across the Country Made Easy with FreightRun

If you’re about to transport heavy haul loads across the country or even nationwide, you need the right support to discover haulers that can get the job done.

We strongly recommend using the FreightRun Quote Calculator to instantly discover, compare, and estimate costs for your heavy hauler trucking.

Finding heavy haul load brokers doesn’t have to be challenging – visit FreightRun.com for fast and reliable heavy shipping companies today!