Moving heavy haul freight is no easy feat, and for various reasons you cannot trust just any carrier to move these kinds of goods. Mainly due to the specialized nature of the type of freight, it just would not end well. Heavy haul freight generally requires special permits, escorts, specialized trailers to haul the cargo and extra insurances as heavy haul tends to typically be of high value. Choosing the wrong freight partner could result in;

• Huge financial losses – Heavy haul freight usually consists of industrial machinery, construction vehicles and other expensive equipment. So, you can probably imagine when there are delays or damages, downtime, repairs or replacement equipment it can become extremely costly.
• Legal complications – Freight of this nature requires permits, route approval and compliance to different state and federal regulations. If a carrier fails at this, your shipments could be detained, fined or denied access to certain areas.
• Safety concerns – Moving heavy haul freight involves a ton of safety precautions because of the size and weight of these types of cargo. When proper securement, driving behaviors and routing are not performed to a good standard then it can become dangerous to other road users, and the crew moving the goods.

We and our customers consider us at PEI to be experts in this field. We understand exactly what it takes to move large, heavy, over sized, and over dimensional cargo. But, not every carrier has the same capacity, capabilities and knowledge to move these kinds of freight, and in this blog we will cover some common “red flags” to watch out for when vetting a transportation partner that would cost you as the shipper: time, money and your reputation if not avoided.

What Is A Red Flag? 🚩

The term “red flag” is a relatively new phrase used frequently in every day slang. It’s used when talking about something that draws attention to a problem, danger or irregularity. Never ignore a red flag.

🚩 Red Flag #1 Minimal Or No Experience With Your Type Of Freight

When finding a transportation partner for your heavy haul goods, you run the risk of hiring a generalist carrier for specialized loads. Even when you outright ask a carrier if they fulfil heavy haul, double check that you’re both on the same page as to what you deem as heavy haul. Some partners class freight that requires a three axle truck and trailer and can haul up to 60,000lbs in weight as heavy haul. Whereas, we’ve had freight that has weighed in excess of 200,000lbs and is more oversized and abnormal.

One way around this, would be to ask the transportation provider for examples of freight they have moved with similar dimensions, weight and routes to yours. If they have the relevant experience, then you’re onto a winner, if not, this could be a red flag.

🚩 Red Flag #2 No Permit And Escort Knowledge

Every state and sometimes even different county’s have their own unique oversized and overweight freight permit requirements. When your carrier is not compliant with each one, then it can result in your freight being detained, and you or your carrier facing hefty fines.

When you’re in the process of finding a suitable carrier to partner with, be sure to ask them to walk you through what permits and escort vehicles will be necessary for your load and for rough timelines. An expert will more than likely be able to recite these from memory, so if they stumble and cannot give you an answer, be wary it could be a red flag. Or, you could give them the benefit of the doubt with this one, hey maybe they’re a bit forgetful, but be sure to clock it and if there’s other red flags too and this one adds to a list of them then it’s a cause for concern.

🚩 Red Flag #3 Minimal Cargo Insurance

The majority of heavy haul freight shipments consist of high value pieces. Meaning, shippers will likely request fully comprehensive insurance coverage for peace of mind. Red flags to look out for with a carrier:

• Only offering a typical one-size-fits-all $100,000 cargo protection policy which might not be enough coverage for your freight should anything go wrong.
• Not being able to provide insurance broker’s name and details

When booking a carrier, be sure to ask if they offer an all-risk cargo insurance that covers the entire value of your freight from the moment it’s picked up and until it reaches its’ final destination or a project cargo policy. These insurances are much better suited towards these kinds of shipments.

🚩 Red Flag #4 Vague About DOT Compliance Or Safety Ratings

Any carrier that offers heavy haul services must legally have an up to date USDOT number. It is required by law that any company operating commercial motor vehicles must be registered with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). If a carrier avoids sharing this information, or does not have a DOT number, then this is a major red flag and we would recommend avoiding them entirely.

As well as obtaining a DOT number, carriers may also have a safety rating after an on-site investigation or audit by the Department of Transportation. These are thorough audits and look into areas of the carriers business including:

• Driver qualifications
• Hours of service
• Vehicle maintenance
• Drug and alcohol testing
• Accident records
• General safety procedures

From these audits these companies will be given one of the following ratings:

1. ☹️ Unsatisfactory

This is the worst rating that a carrier can get. An unsatisfactory rating means that there are significant safety issues and might even face their authority being revoked. The carrier will be required to cease operations within a determined period of time, usually around 45-60 days unless they can prove they have made corrective actions and gain approval from the FMCSA.

2. 😐 Conditional

A conditional rating means some violations have been found that could impact safety. Although, they’re not deemed severe enough to immediately stop operations, they do require correction. These businesses can continue operating, however this rating should flag them as higher risk to shippers.

3. 😊 Satisfactory

A satisfactory rating shows that a carriers operations are compliant and well-managed and they’re meeting the safety standards set out by the Department of Transportation.

But, don’t assume no rating is a bad thing

Although a safety rating of “unsatisfactory” or “conditional” is a red flag. It’s important to note that a carrier not having a safety rating altogether is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can actually be seen as a green flag. It’s not uncommon for smaller, and newer carriers to not have a safety rating, because these audits are usually only triggered by some kind of issue, whether that’s crash rates, a poor road side inspection, or a pattern of violations. So to not have a rating, might mean the FMCSA has seen no reason to inspect.

🚩 Red Flag #5 Poor Communication

Heavy hauling can become extremely chaotic pretty quickly. There’s a ton of moving parts involved when moving freight that’s heavy, obscurely shaped and large along with a throwing a ton of different parties in the mix; shippers, riggers, permit offices, escort vehicle teams, police escort teams, and receivers, etc. If you experience any of these behaviors from a carrier, then they’re big red flags:

• Delayed responses to emails or calls, sometimes these delays can span over a couple of days before they get back in touch.
• Conflicting information from different people at the company, for example sales might say one ETA, and dispatch might tell you something completely different.
• Last minute requests for documentation.
• No updates throughout the preparation process, like permit approvals, etc.
• No ownership or direct contact, constantly being passed between different departments can get messy. Having a key contact is important.
• Non-existent tracking, if you’re chasing updates and don’t have access to a tracking system.

🚩 Red Flag #6 No Contingency Planning

Moving heavy haul freight is rarely straight forward, and they don’t always go to plan. This is the reality for a lot of carriers, but when a plan isn’t going right, carriers are usually able to quickly turn things around and keep freight on track for a successful, minimal hiccup delivery when they have contingency plans in place.

Here are some red flag statements carriers with no back up plan might make:

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it”

“Our dispatcher will just reroute if we run into a low bridge”

“We don’t need escort vehicles on a Sunday, the roads are quieter”

“Cargo insurance? The shipper’s policy normally covers that”

“If DOT pulls us in, we’ll sort it at the scale house”

There’s an unlimited amount of crazy statements that carriers who make no contingency plans could come out with. Listen out for excuses and always ask what a carriers contingency is.

🚩 Red Flag #7 Unrealistically Low Bids

If you receive unrealistically low bids from a carrier, this screams red flag. There could be a number of reasons why a carrier is seemingly undercutting other carriers, including:

• Potential fraudulant activity – Fraudsters typically offer services at a much lower cost to win the business.
• Lack of experience or expertise – With little experience carriers might incorrectly price a job, they might not understand the full requirements or might underestimate permit fees, escorts, and fuel charges, etc.
• Tactical low bids – Some carriers have been known to strategically quote low to win the contract, once won they then later increase through change orders, and “extra services that they didn’t anticipate” 🙄

You need to be super careful if you decide to proceed with a carrier that’s quoting low and promising a lot, proceed with caution! If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

🚩 Red Flag #8 No Industry Association Involvement

Now this one is not a must have, but the best carriers are always looking for ways to improve their services, learn the best practices and keep up to date with industry trends to refine their own processes. Here’s a list of some associations that carriers can get involved with:

• American Trucking Association (ATA)
• Truckload Carriers Association (TCA)
• National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC)
• Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association (SC&RA)
• National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA)

Green Flags To Look For ✅

It’s not all doom and gloom and not all heavy haul carriers show red flags. There are a ton of super trustworthy, reliable carriers out there. Here’s a couple of green flags to look out for to give you peace of mind when shipping your heavy haul goods.

An extensive portfolio moving other heavy haul freight pieces, this is also a good time to check reviews and customer satisfaction ✅

Each shipper gets a personal named project manager that knows the ins and outs of their shipment ✅

Documented contingency plans ✅

No surprise prices, when quoting they give an all encompassing price ✅

Live GPS tracking portal access ✅

Proactive route study included in the initial quote ✅

These are just some pro’s to look for in a carrier, there’s obviously tons more but just be sure to do your research and thorough vetting when working with a new carrier.

Conclusion 💭

If you notice any of these red flags when vetting a carrier then it might be a good idea to find another to partner. These are all signs that they might not be able fulfil your freight needs. Don’t just pick a freight partner based on who offers the cheapest quote, heavy haul is high risk freight with high stakes so you need to work with the best fit possible. Spotting these red flags before shipping with a carrier, can save you thousands of $$$$ in reworking deliveries, extensive delays and damages.

If you need to find a heavy haul specialist that checks all of the “green flag” boxes, then look no further. We operate nationwide and have enough experience under our belts to help you with any unique needs you might have. We’d love to chat, get in touch using the link below or call us direct on: 📱Phone: 888-SHIP-911

 

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