Compact equipment
Skid steers, mini excavators, compact track loaders and small tractors.
- Usual trailer
- Flatbed or step deck
- Permits
- Usually not needed
Services · Equipment & machinery
Heavy Equipment Shipping & Machinery Transport
Excavators, dozers, loaders, cranes, tractors and combines, plus factory machinery moving from one plant to another. I match the machine to the right trailer, arrange the permits and escorts, and plan the loading at both ends.
- Construction & farm equipment
- Industrial machinery
- Permits & escorts arranged
Planning the move
Start with the machine’s size and weight
Every equipment move starts with the machine’s length, width, height and weight as it will travel: bucket, blade or boom lowered, attachments on or off. Those numbers decide the trailer, and whether the load needs permits. Measure the actual machine, including tracks, cab and mirrors, and take photos from every side.
The aim is to keep the load legal where possible, which keeps the move simpler and cheaper. When that isn’t possible, the move needs a permit from every state on the route, and sometimes escorts. Through the Landstar network I can book step decks, RGNs, lowboys and multi-axle trailers with experienced heavy-haul owner-operators. For the trailers in detail, see heavy haul trucking.
Trailers
Which trailer for which machine
A rough guide. The machine’s actual dimensions and weight decide.
Mid-size equipment
Backhoes, wheel loaders, mid-size excavators and telehandlers.
- Usual trailer
- Step deck, double drop or RGN
- Permits
- Depends on width and height
Large equipment
Large excavators, dozers, motor graders and crawler cranes.
- Usual trailer
- RGN or lowboy, often with extra axles
- Permits
- Often needed, sometimes escorts
Farm equipment
Tractors, combines, sprayers and headers, often wide enough to need permits.
- Usual trailer
- Step deck or RGN
- Tip
- Removing duals or headers can reduce the width
Industrial machinery
CNC machines, presses, generators and production equipment moving between plants.
- Usual trailer
- Flatbed, step deck or air-ride van
- Loading
- Riggers, forklift or crane
Very heavy machinery
Transformers, large generators and pressure vessels, too heavy for a standard lowboy.
- Usual trailer
- Multi-axle or Schnabel
- Planning
- Route surveys and engineering
Typical machines
Equipment and machinery I move
- Excavators
- Bulldozers
- Wheel loaders & backhoes
- Skid steers
- Cranes & aerial lifts
- Motor graders
- Tractors & combines
- Forklifts & telehandlers
- Generators & compressors
- CNC machines & presses
- Mining equipment
- Production line equipment
Step by step
How to ship heavy equipment
Measure and photograph
Length, width, height and weight as the machine will travel, with photos from all sides.
Trailer and permits
The right trailer for the machine, and permits and escorts for every state if it’s oversize.
Loading
Driven on over ramps or onto an RGN, or lifted by crane or forklift, then chained down to the securement rules.
Transport and delivery
Within the permitted routes and hours, with updates until the machine is off the trailer.
Request a quote
What I need for a quote
- Make, model and year
- Length, width, height and weight as it will travel
- Photos from all sides
- Does it run, and can it be driven on?
- Loading and unloading: ramps, crane or forklift
- Pickup and delivery addresses, with site access notes
- Attachments or parts shipping with it
- Ready date and delivery deadline
How much does it cost to ship an excavator?
It depends mostly on its size and weight, the distance, and whether it needs permits and escorts. A mini excavator on a step deck costs far less than a large excavator on a multi-axle lowboy. Send the make, model, dimensions and route for a quote.
Do I need a permit to ship a bulldozer?
Only if the loaded truck goes over the legal width, height, length or weight. Many small dozers fit legally on a step deck or RGN; larger ones need permits from each state on the route.
Can a mini excavator go on a flatbed?
Often, yes, as long as it stays under about 8′6″ tall on the deck. A step deck gives about 10 feet of legal height, which fits most compact machines.
How do I prepare equipment for shipping?
Remove or secure loose parts and attachments, lower and lock booms, buckets and blades, clean off mud and debris (especially for cross-border moves), and photograph the machine before loading. Have keys and any operating instructions ready at pickup.
How far ahead should I book?
As early as you can. Routine permitted loads often move within days; superloads with route surveys can take weeks to plan.
Can you move equipment to Canada or Mexico?
Yes, through the Landstar network, with the customs paperwork coordinated with your brokers. See shipping freight to Canada and shipping freight to Mexico.
Dimensions, limits and permit rules vary by state, route and machine. The figures on this page are typical; I confirm the requirements for every load.
More services
Other freight I move
Request a quote
Have a machine to move?
Send the make, model, dimensions, weight and a few photos, and I’ll come back with a trailer and a rate.