How To Make The Most Of Flatbed Services
There are plenty of reasons to contact a company and have them send out a flatbed. Regardless of your needs, you'll probably want to get the most bang for your buck. Follow these four tips to maximize the value of flatbed services.
Measure Twice and Haul Once
Among the biggest mistakes a customer can make is underestimating the dimensions of what they're hauling. If you're getting a flatbed to haul heavy equipment, vehicles, cargo, or components, you want to make sure you nail its dimensions down as closely as possible. This includes the item's height because you're going to have to worry about going under bridges, power lines, and other overhangs in most parts of the country.
Likewise, the dimensions have to be legal for how the hauler is configured. If you end up with an oversize load, that may require additional accommodations such as escort vehicles. You don't want to dump that sort of thing on the flatbed services provider without warning.
Book Early
Never assume you'll be able to get a flatbed on demand. Try to book your haul at least a couple of weeks in advance. This goes double if you're moving equipment at a high-demand time of year, such as the spring construction season.
Also, if you need to move lots of equipment, start looking for a company early. They may need time to line up the fleet to handle numerous loads. Similarly, you'll want to find out early if a company can tackle the job in case you need to look elsewhere.
Clear the Pick-up and Drop-off Locations
The flatbed driver is going to need room to maneuver. Even if the job calls for a single truck without a trailer, it's not easy to move heavy loads around in tight spaces. Make sure both the pick-up and drop-off locations are clear. Likewise, verify that the paths in and out of the site will be clear, too.
You should think about how loading and offloading will work, too. Make sure the hauler knows, for example, if there will be a dock or ramp at the location. This will give them time to plan to bring extra accessories for the job.
Communicate with Your Team
It's common to have flatbeds coming in and out of busy locations. You'll need to communicate expected arrival times with your team members. If there are any specific concerns, such as having volatile materials at the site, this will give them time to secure those items.