Rates and regulations current as of 29 September 2026. Permit rules change by state and by route, so confirm specifics for your move before it ships.
An excavator sold at an auction in Iowa has to be on a job site in Texas in ten days, and the buyer has never had to work out how to ship heavy equipment before. They call a few trucking numbers, get a price that sounds fine, and book it. Three days later the carrier calls back: the machine is too tall for the trailer, the permits were never pulled, and the next available lowboy is a week out.
Almost all of that is avoidable. Knowing how to ship heavy equipment comes down to four decisions made in the right order: the exact size and weight of the machine, the trailer that keeps it legal, the permits the route requires, and a carrier who has moved this kind of load before. This guide walks through each one.
Quick Answer: How Do You Ship Heavy Equipment?
To ship heavy equipment, measure its exact length, width, height and weight, then match it to a flatbed, step deck or RGN trailer that keeps the load within legal limits. If it still exceeds 8 feet 6 inches wide, state height limits, or 80,000 pounds gross, the carrier needs oversize permits for every state on the route, and sometimes escort vehicles.
Step 1: Measure and Weigh the Machine First
Every other decision depends on four numbers: length, width, height and weight. Get them wrong and the price is wrong too.
Measure it the way it will ride. Fold the boom, lower the bucket or blade, and measure attachments as they will sit on the deck. Measure at the widest point, which is often the tracks, mirrors or cab steps rather than the body. What matters for the move is the machine's height plus the height of the trailer deck under it.
Use the real weight, not the brochure weight. Spec sheets list an operating weight for a standard setup. A heavier counterweight, a bigger bucket or a hydraulic hammer can add thousands of pounds. If you have a scale ticket, use it.
Send photos and the model number. The fastest, most accurate quotes come from shippers who send the make, model and year, photos of the machine as it will ship, and notes on access at both sites. A muddy lot with a tight turn is something the carrier should know before arrival, not after.
Flatbed vs Step Deck vs RGN: Choosing the Right Trailer
The trailer decides how much height and weight you have before the load becomes oversize. The lower the deck, the taller the machine can be. According to ATS's guide to legal freight limits, typical figures are:
| Trailer | Deck height (approx.) | Legal freight height (approx.) | Typical freight weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flatbed | 5 ft | about 8 ft 6 in | 46,000 to 50,000 lbs |
| Step deck | 3 ft 4 in | about 10 ft 2 in | 44,000 lbs |
| RGN / double drop | about 2 ft | about 11 ft 6 in | 38,000 lbs |
These are working averages. Deck heights vary by trailer, and the legal height ceiling varies by state.
Flatbed
A standard flatbed suits compact equipment: skid steers, mini excavators, forklifts and small tractors. Because a machine cannot drive onto a five-foot deck, it needs a dock, ramp, crane or forklift at each end.
Step deck
A step deck has a lower main deck behind a short upper deck. The extra clearance fits taller machines such as mid-size loaders, backhoes and tractors with cabs, and many step decks carry ramps for drive-on loading.
RGN and lowboy
A removable gooseneck (RGN) trailer detaches at the front so the deck drops to the ground and becomes its own ramp. Its low deck lets large excavators, dozers and wheel loaders stay under height limits, and multi-axle versions spread the weight of the heaviest machines.
How to transport an excavator
Mini excavators usually fit a flatbed or step deck. Mid-size and full-size excavators typically ride on an RGN with the boom lowered and the bucket set on the deck. Very large excavators may need the bucket, counterweight or stick removed and shipped on a second truck to stay within weight limits. For everyday freight, see our comparison of dry van, flatbed and reefer trailers.
Legal Limits and Oversize Load Permits
Once the machine is on a trailer, the question is whether the combined load is legal as it sits. If not, it moves under oversize or overweight permits.
The federal baseline
Width: on the National Network of highways, states may not set a width limit of more or less than 102 inches (8 feet 6 inches), under 23 CFR 658.15, though they may grant permits for wider loads.
Weight: on the Interstate system, gross vehicle weight is capped at 80,000 pounds, with 20,000 pounds on a single axle and 34,000 on a tandem, under 23 CFR 658.17. That total includes the truck and trailer, so a heavy multi-axle rig can push a 45,000-pound machine into overweight territory.
Height: there is no federal limit. The Federal Highway Administration notes that state height standards range from 13.6 feet to 14.6 feet.
Permits are issued state by state
There is no national oversize permit. Each state on the route issues its own, with its own escort triggers, travel-time restrictions and fees, so an Illinois to Texas move can need four or five. ATS notes that for loads up to roughly 10 feet wide or about 10,000 pounds over legal weight, a basic permit commonly runs around $100 to $300 per state. Superloads beyond that can need route surveys and engineering reviews. Wider loads may also need pilot cars, many states limit night and weekend travel, and the permitted route avoids low or weight-restricted bridges, so it is not always the shortest.
A real example: Illinois
The Illinois Department of Transportation issues oversize and overweight permits through its online ITAP permit system. IDOT also makes a point many shippers miss: its permits only cover roads IDOT controls. If the pickup or delivery site sits on a county, township or city road, the move needs separate permission from that local authority. A job site two miles off the interstate can hold up an otherwise permitted load.
Securing Heavy Equipment: What the Federal Rule Requires
The FMCSA rule for heavy machinery, 49 CFR 393.130, covers equipment on wheels or tracks, such as loaders, bulldozers, tractors and power shovels, weighing 10,000 pounds or more. Accessories such as hydraulic shovels must be completely lowered and secured, articulated machines must be restrained so they cannot bend at the joint, and the machine must be held against movement in every direction with at least four tiedowns placed close to the front and rear.
Securement is the carrier's job, but you can help. Secure loose items in the cab, latch doors and windows, and tell the carrier in advance if the machine does not run, since that needs a winch, crane or forklift. At delivery, inspect the machine before the driver leaves and note any damage on the receipt. Our guides to freight claims and freight insurance explain your options if something goes wrong.
Heavy Equipment Shipping Cost: What Drives the Price
There is no honest single number for the cost to ship heavy equipment, because two moves of the same distance can differ by thousands of dollars. Here is where the market sits and what moves the price.
Where the market is today
DAT Freight & Analytics reported that for the week ending 18 September 2026, flatbed spot rates paid to carriers averaged $2.60 per mile, excluding fuel, up 29.2% from a year earlier. Its flatbed load-to-truck ratio hit 40.47 that week, the tightest of any trailer type, meaning far more flatbed loads than available trucks.
That $2.60 is for standard, legal-size flatbed freight. Heavy haul on step decks, RGNs and multi-axle trailers, with permits and escorts, costs more per mile because those trailers are scarcer and each load takes more planning. In a market this tight, shippers who book late pay the most, and sometimes cannot get a specialized trailer at all.
Moving a machine in the next few weeks? Request a heavy haul quote now and our team will price your exact load and trailer within 30 minutes, before the market moves again.
What moves your heavy equipment hauling cost per mile
Distance and lane: longer moves cost more in total but often less per mile, and lanes where trucks easily find a return load price lower. Trailer type: flatbed costs least, then step deck, RGN and multi-axle. Dimensions and weight: crossing oversize thresholds adds permits, and larger loads add escorts and route surveys. Loading: drive-on machines are simplest; non-running machines, crane lifts or disassembly add cost. Fuel: billed through the fuel surcharge. Timing: short notice costs more, flexible dates cost less. For the bigger picture, see why freight rates are rising in 2026.
Carrier Direct or Freight Broker for Heavy Haul?
You can call heavy haul trucking companies one by one, and for a single local move that sometimes works. But one carrier has a fixed number of trailers, and if their RGN is booked the week you need it, you start over. A broker with a wide network can find the right trailer on your dates, confirm the carrier's authority and insurance are active, and coordinate permits, escorts and routing, so you deal with one company and one price. Not every broker handles heavy haul well, so ask whether they arrange permits themselves and how they vet specialized carriers. Our comparison of freight brokers and asset carriers goes deeper.
Why Shippers Use The American Truck for Heavy Haul
Our oversized and heavy haul service exists for exactly this kind of move: machinery, structural steel and equipment that will not fit in a dry van.
The right trailer, matched to your numbers. We book flatbed, step deck, double drop, RGN/lowboy and multi-axle equipment based on your machine's dimensions and weight, not on whatever truck is free.
Permits, routing and escorts handled end to end. We arrange state permits, approved routing, and pilot-car or police escorts where required. You never deal with five state permit offices.
A large, vetted carrier network. We work with more than 1,000 vetted carriers across all 48 states, the depth that finds a specialized trailer when flatbed loads far outnumber trucks.
Verified credentials. The American Truck Inc. is a licensed freight broker (MC 1631835, USDOT 4221571) with a BMC-84 bond on file, which you can confirm on FMCSA's SAFER system.
Fast answers, Midwest roots. Our pricing team responds to quote requests within 30 minutes, 24/7, with a zero-obligation rate. We are based in Lincolnshire, Illinois, in the Chicago area, and move freight across all 48 states.
Ready to move a machine? Get your heavy haul quote here. It is free, with no obligation.
Your Heavy Equipment Shipping Checklist
Have these ready and your quote will be faster and more accurate:
1. Make, model and year of each machine.
2. Transport dimensions (length, width, height) at the widest and highest points.
3. Actual weight, including attachments.
4. Whether it runs and can be driven on and off.
5. Pickup and delivery addresses, with notes on access and loading equipment.
6. Earliest pickup date and latest acceptable delivery date.
7. Photos of the machine as it will ship.
On our freight quote form, enter the origin and destination cities, estimated weight and pickup date, then put the machine details and dimensions in the Additional Details box.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to ship heavy equipment?
It depends on distance, trailer type, dimensions, permits, escorts and timing. As a reference, DAT reported flatbed spot rates averaging $2.60 per mile excluding fuel in mid-September 2026, and heavy haul with permits costs more. The only reliable figure is a quote built on your machine and route.
Do I need a permit to ship heavy equipment?
Only if the loaded truck exceeds legal limits: generally wider than 8 feet 6 inches, taller than the state's height limit (13.6 to 14.6 feet), or heavier than 80,000 pounds gross or the axle limits. If it does, each state on the route needs its own permit.
What is the safest way to transport heavy equipment?
On a trailer matched to its weight and height, secured with at least four tiedowns as FMCSA requires for machines over 10,000 pounds, with attachments lowered and articulation locked, on a permitted route when the load is oversize, and with a carrier experienced in heavy haul.
How far in advance should I book a heavy haul?
As early as you can. Legal-size loads can often move within days, but permitted moves need time for routing and approvals, and specialized trailers are scarce right now.
The Bottom Line
Shipping heavy equipment is straightforward when it is done in order: exact dimensions and weight first, then the trailer that keeps the load legal, then permits for every state and local road on the route, with securement done to the federal rule. Book early, because right now there are far more open-deck loads than trucks.
If you want one team to handle the trailer, permits, escorts and carrier, request a heavy haul quote from The American Truck. Send your machine's dimensions and locations, and our pricing team will respond within 30 minutes, any time of day. Prefer to talk it through? Call us at (630) 884-1125.
The American Truck Inc., 9 Wellington CT, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. MC 1631835, USDOT 4221571.
