What is the Equipment Hauling Brokers?
If you are looking to ship your heavy equipment or vehicles, it’s about time you get familiar with equipment hauling brokers.
Having your equipment hauled is not as simple as renting a trailer and hitching it to the back of a truck.
We wish it was that easy, but it’s not…
For heavy equipment, you need to use a professional service.
For the best service possible, especially for equipment owners on a budget, it may make financial sense to contact a broker to help you ship your equipment quickly and efficiently.
Here’s the deal…
Heavy equipment hauling brokers are familiar with the industry, they know the different methods of shipping heavy equipment, and their expertise will save you from making costly mistakes.
It is almost always better to hire a broker to help you carry out complex equipment shipments.
You Need a Freight Broker
When searching for an equipment hauling broker, you will really need to search for a freight broker that specializes in equipment hauling. Freight brokerage is the general field of the industry, and equipment hauling is a type of freight which these brokers handle.
If you contact a freight brokerage company, and they do not specialize in hauling equipment, consider shopping for rates with companies that do specialize.
Your equipment is far too valuable and you don’t want to risk it getting damaged because you hired a shipping company that isn’t familiar with your specific type of equipment.
Before we go any further into the benefits of using a broker, let’s address one simple question.
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What is a Broker?
A broker, whether they work on Wall Street or in the freight shipping industry, is a middleman or liaison between an individual (you, the client) and a service (freight shipping companies). Freight brokers will direct you, and put you in contact with freight shipping companies that can ship your heavy equipment.
Using a trusted broker who has an extensive carrier network can be one of the most important decisions you make when shipping your heavy equipment, especially since hiring a broker will affect every other decision regarding shipping that you make, as they are the middlemen/the intermediary between you and the carrier that will be shipping your equipment.
If you choose a bad broker, and that bad broker chooses a bad carrier, it is less likely that you will be able to ship your equipment without some sort of issue popping up.
It should seem pretty obvious…
That shipping your equipment with a quality broker is the only way. If you are working with a tight budget, take the time to research your broker and make sure that their reputation is solid.
A few extra dollars upfront could save you tens of thousands of dollars in legal headaches, repairs, and other unforeseen costs.
The Benefits of Using Equipment Hauling Brokers
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that using a broker will more than likely result in a smooth heavy equipment shipping experience.
Think about it like this…
The benefits of using a broker are similar to using a lawyer in a court case.
Sure, you could research the law and present yourself in court, but your odds of success improve dramatically by using a lawyer.
Lawyers are so valuable, and so expensive, because their extensive knowledge of the law and legal practice can be the difference between winning and losing in court. The same is true for equipment hauling brokers (although brokers are affordable, unlike lawyers).
DO NOT make this mistake
You could use the first hauling company that sends you a quote, but this is usually a bad move. There are so many factors that you are probably unfamiliar with when it comes to shipping heavy equipment. Things like:
- Average prices
- The U.S. government
- And so much more
Equipment hauling brokers have an extensive knowledge of the industry and can help you make the best decisions possible regarding the equipment you need hauled. Hiring an equipment hauling broker, even if it is more expensive, will dramatically increase your odds of success.
Like lawyers, brokers are worth their weight in gold.
We’ve mentioned it before, but choosing the best broker possible will result in the highest chance for success regarding the hauling of your equipment.
Now, let’s talk about what they do:
- Brokers Manage Paperwork: There is a ton of paperwork that needs to be obtained and files in the freight industry. Contracts, bills of sales, receipts, transaction records, carrier qualifications and more must all be filed and managed. You don’t want to be responsible for handling this stuff. Unless you are extremely familiar with shipping documentation, denied party lists, screen software, the U.S. Customs process, and general trade regulations. My guess is that you aren’t – and that’s okay. This is the reason why you are looking at equipment hauling brokers.
- Brokers Connect with Shippers: In this business, you are the shipper. One of the main tasks the broker needs to do is to examine your shipping requirements, and then connect you with carriers that can fulfill your requirements. This may sound easy, but so does cooking and not everyone can walk around as great as Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay, right? Brokering is a tough, yet rewarding, job that relies so much on one’s ability to network well, as well as obtain and retain clients. You are paying a quality broker for access to their high-quality network. They set you up with quality shipping companies and handle the entire process for you. The only thing you need to worry about is putting your heavy equipment to work when it arrives at your destination
- Brokers Connect with Carriers: Without a carrier, you will not be able to have your equipment hauled. Brokers connect you with carriers they know will fulfill your job requirements. If a broker does not currently have a carrier that you need, he or she will find one. As noted above, the inverse is also true.
- Brokers Set Service Rates: Most brokers are independent, but some might work for brokerage firms. Since they act as the middleman and do not actually take possession of your equipment at any time during the brokerage transaction, you will find that some brokers are independent and work from home. While a brokerage firm may have lower rates, as well as a more extensive network of carriers, a remote independent broker will be able to personalize the experience more, even if his or her rates are slightly higher.
When in Doubt, Who Should I Hire?
If you are new to freight shipping, yet you still need to have your equipment hauled, the simplest option is to find a freight carrier that specializes in shipping heavy equipment. It is far easier to have a carrier that specializes in shipping equipment larger in relative size to your own, than it is to find the opposite.
Look for brokers that offer a personalized experience. If a broker or brokerage company is too “corporate,” consider whether you really are receiving great value for their rates. Your shipping needs are unique, and you need to ensure that your equipment is hauled correctly the first time.
Remember these simple rules:
- The best brokers will be able to connect you with carriers that are certified, experienced, knowledgeable, and within your budget range
- The best shipments will be protected and secured, routed and escorted well, and your equipment will be in the same state upon arrival as it was when loaded onto the freight car, rail car, or ship
- You are paying an equipment hauling broker for access to their network and to handle the entire process
One more thing…
Look for brokers that maintain an existing list of clients. Request the contact information for those clients, and then start contacting previous clients of the broker.
Ask these previous clients what they liked about the broker, what they did not like, and what could be improved upon. By asking these three questions, you will know whether a specific broker is right for you.
No matter what happens, a broker should make the shipping process easy for you.
Here’s an even better option…