Crane Rental Fleet Transport: Logistics Guide for Crane Companies

Types of Cranes and Their Transport Complexity

Not all cranes are created equal from a transport perspective. Understanding the complexity of each type helps crane companies plan their logistics:

• Truck-Mounted Cranes (Boom Trucks): These are the simplest to transport because they're self-propelled and can often be driven to job sites. The crane is mounted on a standard truck chassis. Transport complexity is similar to a heavy truck — primarily a weight and axle-load issue. Most boom trucks can be driven under their own power with appropriate permits.
• All-Terrain Cranes (AT Cranes): AT cranes are self-propelled on multiple axles and can be driven on public roads, but their weight (typically 100,000-400,000+ lbs) almost always requires overweight permits. The boom and counterweights are typically removed for transport, requiring separate trailers. A large AT crane move can involve 3-6 trailers.
• Rough-Terrain Cranes (RT Cranes): RT cranes are not licensed for highway travel and must be transported on a lowboy or RGN trailer. They're typically smaller than AT cranes (50,000-150,000 lbs) and can often be moved on a single trailer, though the boom may need to be removed.
• Crawler Cranes: Crawler cranes cannot travel on public roads under their own power and must be disassembled and transported on multiple trailers. A large crawler crane (300+ ton class) can require 10-20 trailers and weeks of planning.

Disassembly Planning for Multi-Piece Crane Moves

For AT cranes, RT cranes, and crawler cranes, disassembly is a critical part of the transport plan:

• Counterweights: Counterweights are typically the first components removed. They're heavy (often 10,000-50,000+ lbs each) and must be transported on separate flatbed or step-deck trailers. Counterweight stacks must be properly blocked and secured.
• Boom sections: The main boom and any jib sections are removed and transported on separate trailers. Boom sections can be 40-60 feet long and require careful blocking to prevent damage.
• Carrier (undercarriage): The crane carrier (the main body with the engine and cab) is transported on a multi-axle lowboy or RGN. For large AT cranes, the carrier alone can weigh 100,000+ lbs and require a superload permit.
• Crawler assemblies: For crawler cranes, the crawler assemblies (tracks) are removed and transported separately. Each crawler assembly can weigh 50,000-100,000+ lbs.

Permit Requirements for Crane Transport

Crane transport almost always involves oversize and/or overweight permits:

• Overweight permits: Required for any load exceeding 80,000 lbs GVW. AT crane carriers and large RT cranes routinely exceed this threshold.
• Oversize permits: Required for loads exceeding 8.5 ft wide, 13.5-14 ft tall (varies by state), or 53 ft long. Boom sections and counterweight stacks frequently exceed length limits.
• Superload permits: Required for loads exceeding 120,000 lbs GVW (or over 14 ft wide in most states). Large AT crane carriers and crawler crane components frequently require superload permits, which involve a formal route survey and engineering review.
• Pilot car requirements: Most states require one or two pilot cars for loads over 14 ft wide. Some states require pilot cars for loads over 13.5 ft tall or over 100 ft long.
• Travel restrictions: Oversize loads are typically restricted to daylight hours. Many states prohibit oversize movement on weekends and holidays. Some states restrict oversize movement during peak traffic hours in urban areas.

Multi-Trailer Coordination

Moving a large crane involves coordinating multiple trailers that may travel together as a convoy or separately:

• Convoy moves: All trailers travel together with a single permit package. This simplifies coordination but requires all trailers to travel at the same pace and stop together at weigh stations.
• Staged moves: Trailers travel separately, which allows more flexibility but requires separate permit packages for each trailer. This is common when the crane components have different dimension profiles requiring different trailer types.
• Reassembly coordination: Plan the delivery sequence so that components arrive at the job site in the order they'll be reassembled. The carrier should arrive before the boom sections and counterweights.

Cost Factors for Crane Fleet Transport

• Number of trailers: A large AT crane move involving 4-6 trailers can cost $15,000-$50,000+ for a cross-country move, including permits and pilot cars.
• Permit complexity: Superload permits requiring route surveys and engineering reviews add $2,000-$10,000 to the permit cost and 1-2 weeks to the timeline.
• Pilot car costs: Multiple pilot cars for wide or tall loads add $1.50-$2.50 per mile per car. A 1,000-mile move with two pilot cars adds $3,000-$5,000 to the total cost.
• Disassembly/reassembly labor: Crane disassembly and reassembly is typically handled by the crane company's own crew, but the transport company may need to coordinate timing with the crew's schedule.

Get a Quote for Your Crane Fleet Move

IronHaul Logistics has experience coordinating multi-trailer crane moves for rental companies and contractors nationwide. We handle permit procurement, pilot car coordination, and carrier scheduling for all crane types. Call (208) 495-2260, email [email protected], or use our online quote form to discuss your crane move requirements.