Oversized goods that don’t fit conventional shipping containers are considered out-of-gauge (OOG) cargo. When cargo exceeds standard shipping sizes, road transport and logistics are important.
Road transport is the transportation of goods from place to place using available road networks. While there can be challenges in planning road transport for out-of-gauge cargo, understanding those challenges and the process involved in minimizing obstacles can help.
Challenges With Out-Of-Gauge Cargo
From road transport types to equipment needs, several challenges are involved with shipping oversized cargo. Understanding those challenges and how to work through them will go a long way toward keeping your projects on time and budget.
Locating the Right Equipment
When working with out-of-gauge cargo, it isn’t quite so simple as hiring road transportation services to move goods from place to place. Large loads must be transferred using specialized equipment, containers, and modes of transport.
That means flatbed, open-top containers, flat racks and platforms, and sites that can handle large shipments and larger-than-usual shipping containers. It also means vehicles that can manage containers with oversized dimensions.
Not every trucking company will handle out-of-gauge cargo, an added challenge that is best remedied by finding a logistics company to work with and arrange the service for you.
Filing Paperwork in Detail
When working with out-of-gauge cargo, it is essential to provide accurate dimensions of cargo and containers being used. Inaccurate paperwork filed with a receiving shipment site can make a difference in whether your load is even accepted at that site. Mistakes like this can cost money and time in the long run and potentially lead to delays on the customer side.
This includes how heavy the container is filled, as the shipment’s road transport will likely involve truck weigh stations. Inaccuracies in weight at a weigh station can lead to penalties and fines, on top of additional shipping delays.
Understanding Local Regulations
Regulations on oversized cargo can vary state by state. Depending on where your freight is coming from and where it’s going, it’s crucial to understand local rules and regulations around out-of-gauge shipments. Ignoring this piece can lead to costly fines, delays, and lost slots, hurting your bottom line.
A logistics company will be able to identify any potential challenges with local regulations and help you make sure that you’re meeting any additional requirements. It’s a relatively simple way to keep your shipping on track and on budget.
Securing Shipments Effectively
The most critical piece of shipping out-of-gauge cargo is making sure that those shipments arrive where they need to safely and securely. That means securing cargo in a way that isn’t about cost savings, so it comes in one piece. Securing oversized freight often requires specialized equipment, but you should not try to cut corners here. Damaged cargo often requires a second shipment, and that burden lands on your company.
Shippers with expertise in loading and unloading out-of-gauge cargo will understand how to keep goods from shifting inside containers, space goods within those containers, and bracing those goods to keep them from arriving damaged.
An experienced logistics provider can work with you to make sure goods are safe and secure upon arrival. They can also help you identify creative ways to save costs depending on what’s inside your containers.
Staying on Budget
A shipping budget can quickly get out of hand if you’re unprepared for additional costs. Locating the right equipment, filling out the appropriate paperwork, even finding road transport workers to get specialized containers from place to place all cost money.
Staying on budget is an easier task if working with a logistics company that can help you plan as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. That means starting the planning process as soon as you’re able. Last-minute decisions changes are often costly, and pre-planning is all the more critical in peak seasons.
A logistics company will not only understand how to work around the volatility in the industry. It may even help you save money by coming up with creative ways for your shipment to get from point A to point B safely and securely. You may find that portions of out-of-gauge cargo can fit inside standard containers, saving you money.
Work With a Logistics Company
Working with out-of-gauge cargo is complicated enough. A logistics company with expertise in moving heavy machinery and oversized loads can help you every step of the way. From filing your paperwork to providing appropriate equipment for your shipment, we’ll be there for you.
All of these challenges listed are best met with working with a logistics company. The experts at HLOG know that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to working with out-of-gauge cargo and transporting oversized goods on the road. Avoid costly delays. Contact HLOG to help you with your road transport of out-of-gauge cargo today.