Many shipping providers don't like to discuss the unfortunate reality of heavy equipment shipping (and any kind of cargo shipping).
Sometimes things go wrong.
Maybe the driver arrived at the wrong time to deliver the goods. Or abominably, an accident happened.
There are many things that can go wrong during heavy equipment shipping.
And...well...that's another unfortunate fact. When these things happen, there is usually nothing you can do.
Of course, depending on what goes wrong, there are usually things you can do to mitigate the damage. But the overarching theme here is that once you've picked a transport provider -- especially if you've picked the wrong one, it's often too late to "fix" anything once something goes wrong.
Prevention is the best way to solve problems during the transportation of heavy equipment.
Just like your health, prevention is always the best cure for heavy equipment shipping problems.
But how do you prevent something from happening in transit? We recommend performing two (2) main tasks to prevent problems when transporting heavy equipment or other cargo:
1. Choose the right heavy equipment shipping provider.
It's worth repeating, and you'll hear us talk about it a lot on the TJ chinafreight shipping blog: choosing the right partner for your heavy equipment and other freight needs is critical. A trusted partner will ensure that all the little details and loose ends are covered to prevent many of the most common problems when shipping goods. and by accident
When something goes wrong, they'll step up and take care of things so your stress is minimized. The difference between working with a trusted shipping provider versus someone who operates at night or isn’t customer and relationship centric is staggering. There are plenty of opportunities to notice these differences, none more so than a problem.
2. Do your due diligence before shipping your heavy cargo.
While a reputable shipping provider will ensure that s/he has all the details needed to transport your heavy equipment and other cargo safely and efficiently, you can prepare and have some details in place when you are ready to ship. In these cases, the smallest details may be the most important, including:
All the details are up front. When shipping heavy equipment and other goods, there is not a lot of information! Even adding more information back and forth can significantly delay permits and strain relationships with the driver hauling your cargo.
- Exact pickup location and delivery location, including contact phone number and contact name
- Business hours for pickup and pickup
- Any special request
- Accurate dimensional weight and number of pieces shipped
- The value of the goods being shipped
- A photo of your device
- Customs documents (if applicable)
