Shipping Oversized & Heavy Items
Published by Chris Townsend
When you think of shipping something, whether it’s a small box of items, or something larger like a piece of furniture, you probably don’t give too much consideration as to how to go about it. Many items can be shipped through the postal service (USPS), FedEx, or UPS, though there are some exceptions. When you need to ship an item that’s particularly large or heavy, these options are most likely not available, which begs the question, “How do you ship oversized and heavy items?” The simple answer is that you hire a moving company or freight carrier, but before we get to that, let’s define what qualifies and oversized and heavy when shipping.
What Are the Limits of Standard Shipping Services?
When you ship an item using standard mail or other delivery services, there are limits as to the size and weight. For example, the USPS will only allow you to ship items up to 70 pounds and FedEx will ship items up to 150 pounds. Similarly, they have size restrictions that may prevent you from using them if you’re shipping a particularly large item. These are the circumstances in which it makes sense to enlist the help of a professional freight carrier or moving company since bigger items often fall into the category of “freight.”
Three Movers is one of the most experience moving companies in the industry, providing a variety of services from home moving to freight transport. The bottom line is, if you need something transported, we’re ready and able to help! If you have any questions about the services we provide, or would like a FREE price quote, call us today at (888) 204-0036! No payment or obligation is required—just tell us what you need hauled and where it’s going and we’ll get right back to you with a FREE affordable cost estimate!
What Is A Freight Carrier?
Put simply, a freight carrier is a business that specializes in hauling and transporting cargo from one place to another. There are different categories of freight carriers that are most typically broken up into freight forwarders, couriers, and brokers. There are subcategories within each of these, but they all provide some level of service within the industry of freight transport. Many moving companies also provide services along these lines since they are effectively carriers insofar as it applies to furniture and personal belongings of their customers.
What Specialization Does a Freight Carrier Provide?
You may be asking yourself how a freight carrier differs from standard forms of shipping, which is a valid question. Essentially, freight carriers have more capability of transporting heavy and oversized items. This can take on many different forms depending on the situation, but most often means that they have the necessary trucks, equipment, and experience to handle oversized and heavier loads. Beyond just the necessary equipment to do these types of job, freight carriers also have the proper permitting to haul large and heavy items, which may be required by law in many instances. Likewise, they also carry the type of insurance to cover such items, which often require a greater level of coverage since the cargo tends to be more valuable.