Equipment Hauling Brokers

What is the Equipment Hauling Brokers?

If you are looking to ship your heavy equipment, machinery, or vehicles, it’s about time you get familiar with equipment hauling brokers.

Having your equipment hauled is not as simple as renting a trailer and hitching it to the back of a truck.

We wish it was that easy, but it’s not…

For heavy equipment, you need to use a professional service.

For the best service possible, especially for equipment owners on a budget, it may make financial sense to contact a broker to help you ship your equipment quickly and efficiently.

Here’s the deal…

Heavy equipment hauling brokers and logistics professionals are familiar with the industry, they know the different methods of shipping heavy equipment, and their expertise will save you from making costly mistakes.

It is almost always better to hire a broker to help you carry out oversize load and complex equipment shipments.

You Need a Freight Broker

When searching for an equipment hauling broker, you will really need to search for a freight broker that specializes in equipment hauling. Freight brokerage is the general field of the industry, and equipment hauling is a type of freight that these brokers handle. Freight hauling logistics agents that specialize in heavy equipment know exactly the companies that have the size of trucks, trailers, and permits required for shipping your heavy loads.

If you contact a freight brokerage services company, and they do not specialize in hauling equipment of different sizes and dimensions, consider shopping for rates with companies that do specialize.

Your equipment and items are far too valuable and you don’t want to risk them getting damaged because you hired a shipping company that isn’t familiar with your specific type of equipment.

Before we go any further into the benefits of using a broker, let’s address one simple question.

What is a Broker?

A broker, whether they work on Wall Street or in the freight shipping industry, is a middleman or liaison between an individual (you, the client) and a service (freight shipping companies). Freight brokers will direct you, and put you in contact with freight shipping companies in their portfolio that can ship your heavy equipment.

Using a trusted broker who has an extensive carrier network and affiliations in different states can be one of the most important decisions you make when shipping your heavy equipment, especially since hiring a broker will affect every other decision regarding shipping that you make, as they are the middlemen/the intermediary between you and the carrier that will be shipping your equipment. Such a network may even transcend national boundaries as you may want to ship equipment to other countries like Canada, Mexico, or other North American countries, and you need a logistics agent with a network there as well.

If you choose a bad broker, and that bad broker chooses a bad carrier, it is less likely that you will be able to ship your equipment without some sort of issue popping up.

It should seem pretty obvious…

That shipping your equipment with a quality broker is the only way. If you are working with a tight budget, take the time to research your broker and make sure that their reputation is solid. There are a variety of brokers out there, the bad ones are more than the good ones, so do your due diligence to get the right one.

A few extra dollars upfront could save you tens of thousands of dollars in legal headaches, repairs, and other unforeseen costs.

The Benefits of Using Equipment Hauling Brokers

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that using a broker will more than likely result in a smooth heavy equipment shipping experience.

Think about it like this…

The benefits of using a broker are similar to using a lawyer in a court case.

Sure, you could research the law and present yourself in court, but your odds of success improve dramatically by using a lawyer.

Lawyers are so valuable, and so expensive, because their extensive knowledge of the law and legal practice can be the difference between winning and losing in court. The same is true for equipment hauling brokers (although brokers are affordable, unlike lawyers).

DO NOT make this mistake

You could use the first hauling company that sends you a quote, but this is usually a bad move. There are so many factors that you are probably unfamiliar with when it comes to shipping heavy equipment. Things like:

• Average prices
• Regulations
• The U.S. government
• And so much more

Equipment hauling brokers have an extensive knowledge of the industry and can help you make the best decisions possible regarding the equipment you need hauled. Hiring an equipment hauling broker, even if it is more expensive, will dramatically increase your odds of success.

Like lawyers, brokers are worth their weight in gold.

What Do Equipment Hauling Brokers Do?

Are you starting to see the value in heavy equipment brokers?

We aren’t preaching about them for no reason.

We’ve mentioned it before, but choosing the best broker possible will result in the highest chance for success regarding the hauling of your equipment.

Now, let’s talk about what they do:

• Brokers Manage Paperwork: There is a ton of paperwork that needs to be obtained and files in the freight industry. Contracts, bills of sales, receipts, transaction records, carrier qualifications, and more must all be filed and managed. You don’t want to be responsible for handling this stuff. Unless you are extremely familiar with everything about shipping documentation, denied party lists, screen software, the U.S. Customs process, and every detail about general trade regulations. My guess is that you aren’t – and that’s okay. This is the reason why you are looking at equipment hauling brokers.
• Brokers Connect with Shippers: In this business, you are the shipper. One of the main tasks the broker needs to do is to examine your shipping requirements and concerns, and then take the necessary steps to connect you with carriers that can fulfill your requirements. This may sound easy, but so does cooking, and not everyone can walk around as great as Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay, right? Brokering is a tough, yet rewarding, job that relies so much on one’s ability to network well, as well as obtain and retain clients. You are paying a quality broker for access to their high-quality network. They set you up with quality shipping companies and handle the entire process for you. The only thing you need to worry about is putting your heavy equipment to work when it arrives at your destination
• Brokers Connect with Carriers: Without a carrier, you will not be able to have your equipment hauled. Brokers connect you with carriers they know will fulfill your job requirements. If a broker does not currently have a carrier that you need, he or she will find one as it is their job to find transport solutions. As noted above, the inverse is also true.
• Brokers Set Service Rates: Most brokers are independent, but some might work for brokerage firms. Since they act as the middleman and do not actually take possession of your equipment at any time during the brokerage transaction, you will find that some brokers are independent and work from home. While a brokerage firm may have lower rates, as well as a more extensive network of carriers, a remote independent broker will be able to personalize the experience more, even if his or her rates are slightly higher.

When in Doubt, Who Should I Hire?

If you are new to freight shipping, yet you still need to have your equipment hauled, the simplest option is to find a freight carrier that specializes in shipping heavy equipment. It is far easier to have a carrier that specializes in shipping equipment larger in relative size to your own, than it is to find the opposite.

Look for brokers that offer a personalized experience. If a broker or brokerage company is too “corporate,” consider whether you really are receiving great value for their rates. Your shipping needs are unique, and you need to ensure that your equipment is hauled correctly the first time.

Remember these simple rules:

• The best brokers will be able to connect you with carriers that are certified, experienced, knowledgeable, and within your budget range
• The best shipments will be protected and secured, routed and escorted well with escort vehicles and pilot cars, and your equipment will be in the same state upon arrival as it was when loaded onto the freight car, rail car, or ship
• You are paying an equipment hauling broker for access to their network and to handle the entire process from sourcing to dispatch and delivery

One more thing…

Look for brokers that maintain an existing list of clients. Request the contact information for those clients, and then start contacting previous clients of the broker.

Ask these previous clients what they liked about the broker, what they did not like, and what could be improved upon. By asking these three questions, you will know whether a specific broker is right for you.

No matter what happens, a broker should make the shipping process easy for you.

Relevant Statistics

• The equipment hauling industry sees an annual revenue of over $32 billion.
• More than 75% of companies in the construction sector rely on equipment hauling brokers.
• On average, equipment hauling brokers handle over 200,000 shipments per year.
• Over 90% of equipment hauling brokers provide specialized services for oversize or overweight loads.
• The top 5 equipment hauling brokers hold a combined market share of 65% in the industry.

General Facts

• Equipment hauling brokers are intermediaries that connect businesses or individuals in need of transportation services with carriers who specialize in hauling equipment.
• These brokers facilitate the logistics and coordination involved in transporting heavy machinery, vehicles, or other large equipment from one location to another.
• Equipment hauling brokers typically have a wide network of carrier contacts, allowing them to find the most suitable transport solutions for their clients' unique needs.
• They handle tasks such as negotiating rates, arranging permits, and ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
• By utilizing the services of equipment hauling brokers, clients can save time and effort by outsourcing the complexities of arranging equipment transportation to experienced professionals.

Here’s an even better option…

If you are looking for equipment hauling brokers to haul your heavy equipment, we have good news.

A-1 Auto Transport is a full-service firm that offers shipping services and brokerage. As one of the top leaders in the heavy equipment shipping industry, we've been helping individuals and companies ship their heavy equipment for many years without hassles.

Give us a phone call today to receive a free quote, we’d be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have.