It’s quite common to see farm equipment traveling on public roads in rural communities, especially during harvesting months like summer and spring.
However, farm equipment cannot travel long distances, so most owners find transporting farm machinery a daunting task.
If you want to know how to transport farm equipment conveniently, follow our tips below.
How Long Does It Take To Transport?
Based on most shipping companies, it’ll take one to three business days for short-distance deliveries.
Alternatively, shipping farm equipment may take a few more days for longer distances for obvious reasons.
While professional shipping services promise faster shipment time frames, It’s hard to give an exact shipment time frame for transporting farm equipment unless the final destination and trailer transport vehicle has already been decided.
In Conclusion
Transporting farm equipment tractor needs careful planning to execute the hauling safely. Planning allows you to score cheaper options for your equipment’s transportation and shipping needs.
We also suggest preparing your farm equipment, checking its attachments and implements, and securing permits if necessary before shipping farm equipment.
The farm equipment type should also be considered. Shipping four-wheel drive tractors could be more expensive than compact utility tractors, depending on the equipment transport company service package.
To transport your farm equipment hassle-free, go with A-1 Auto Transport. Our experienced transport specialists can handle all types of industrial equipment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The average cost to transport farm equipment ranges from around $1.75 to $5 per mile. A shipping company may charge as low as $1.75 per mile for short-distance deliveries, while $5 per mile is charged for long distances.
Some other factors can influence the hauling service price, like the tractors’ load, weight, height, point of destination, and transport tractor.
Farmers need to follow the guidelines for transporting farm materials because the efficiency and timely delivery of the goods are at stake.
They must have a properly managed transport option to deliver their harvested crops and farm resources as quickly as possible.
Plan Out the Details
All farm equipment owners must plan every detail to properly and safely haul/transport farm machinery.
First, you must determine how much you are willing to pay for the transportation.
Generally, the overall shipping price determines whether you would want to hire professional shipping businesses or not.
Next, you need to determine what trailer truck would be used as the transport vehicle. Flatbed and lowboy tractors are generally used for loading and transporting agricultural equipment.
If the total weight of the farming equipment is not more than 48,000 lbs, with 40’ to 50’ in length, up to 9’ high, and up to 8.66’ wide, a lowboy hauler should be used.
Lastly, you need to prepare your equipment. Always include pictures of your farming equipment in your plan so that you’ll have evidence in case it gets damaged from any accident during transport.
Find A Professional Transport Company
Another tip we recommend when hauling/transporting farming equipment is to find a professional transport company.
It’s easy to find shipping companies now because they have legit websites you can easily find on the internet.
To save time, you can also get a free shipping estimate from some shipping companies to determine whether your allotted money for the farm equipment transport is enough.
You can easily get the best rates and services in the comfort of your home.
Professional transport businesses also provide skilled drivers and knowledgeable staff for high-quality services. Their job is to provide a safe hauling service.
Most hauling services also offer insurance and door-to-door delivery when you avail of their farm equipment transport service packages.
Some hauling businesses will also take care of necessary licenses if your heavy equipment is oversized, so the farm equipment transport would be as smooth as possible.
Secure Permits
Another tip we recommend is securing permits before transporting farm equipment.
Some states require specific licenses and paperwork before the haul, especially if the load/equipment is oversized.
The rules and regulations of transporting farm equipment/tractor vary from state to state, so we always recommend working with your local Department of Transportation (DOT) [1] offices. You can also contact the DOT office where the farm tractor will be shipped.
Consider Attachments & Implements
The next things you must consider when shipping farming equipment are the attachments and implements.
Some farm equipment/tractors can be shipped separately, so you need to check with your transport equipment company.
You might be required to take out integral parts, components, or vulnerable pieces, like tires, and ship/haul them separately.
We recommend arranging another delivery to haul/ship them prior to the main body, so you won’t be paying additional costs for the trailer to stay onsite until the attachments arrive.
Additional service or time may cost you more because of the additional job.
The farm equipment’s height, weight, and width also determine the trailer that must be used to ship it, so always check for the equipment’s clearance before the haul.
If the agricultural machinery is too wide, you can remove the wheels and tires prior to the tractor shipment. You can either ship them separately or hire another trailer to load them onto.
You can also remove the equipment’s booms so it won’t be too long and could fit into the trailer truck.
Removing some parts from the chassis will also help solve any overweight designation. Shipping tractors with lighter loads is always cheaper than wide-load heavy machinery.
Prepare Your Farm Equipment
Did you know that properly preparing any farm equipment helps every farm owner find the best but cheapest trailer possible to ship farming machinery?
By determining the attachments and implements of the equipment, you’ll know whether it’s best to ship the farm equipment/tractor separately or not. You will also know the best trailer to transport farm machinery safely.
It’s also recommended to wash your farm equipment and take out all your personal belongings and all the parts that need to be delivered separately prior to the shipment.
Flatbed trailers [2] are usually the cheapest farm equipment transport vehicles, but a lowboy trailer or a low-loader can also be used to ship a farm tractor/vehicle.
Agricultural Equipment Usually Shipped
Most agricultural equipment usually shipped across different states are: