Heavy haulage using low loaders in Portsmouth is dedicated to the movement of huge pieces of equipment that either cannot use the public roads or is classified as machinery. Example of these two loads would be earth moving equipment such as bucket excavators or bulldozers; machinery could range from mining equipment to printing presses, anything far too large to transport with conventional equipment.
Equipment that is so large or uses unacceptable treads cannot travel independently on the road network, and yet I must get from one point to the other, in the case of construction equipment it is usually from one job to the next or back to the yard for service. In the case of large pieces of machinery, they may be so wide and so high that special precautions must be taken. Oversize loads often need permits and the permit with specify a route to travel which cannot be deviated from. The operators of low loaders in Portsmouth have to have special skills to drive and to accompany what often can be a complete convoy. It is not uncommon for these shipments to require accompaniment by police vehicles, utility crews and company outriders to warn other drivers of the impending oversize load.
Loads of this nature is usually carried on flat bed trailers or low loaders. The equipment can be driven onto the bed via a ramp, in the case of low loaders in Portsmouth; there are designs where the trailer can be unattached from the gooseneck, allowing the equipment to drive straight on from the front of the trailer. Regardless of how the equipment gets onto the bed of the trailer, it must be perfectly balanced to prevent problems during transport where the load may shift. Not only must the load be position properly, it must be anchored to prevent any movement whatsoever. If the load be hauled is delicate equipment, it will usually be totally encased in protective plastic.
The drivers and accompanying crew of low loaders in Portsmouth require special training before they are allowed to take this equipment onto the open road. Wide loads and long loads often mean awkward weight distribution and these trailers sit very low to the ground, giving minimum road clearance. Low loaders can even having difficulties traversing hump back bridges as they may ground out. It takes time and training for drivers of these vehicles to know the dangers and risks and to avoid them. Turning the corner with a long or wide load can demand that special precautions be taken, not only with the vehicle, but perhaps even infrastructure such as utility poles may have to be relocated.
Haulage firms that offer low loaders in Portsmouth usually charge based on the complexity of the move and the distance involved.
