How to Get It Right When Measuring Equipment for Transport

In order to book the right transportation when moving heavy equipment and machinery across the country, you need to know exactly what size and weight it is. An estimation is not good enough because if you overestimate or underestimate any of the key figures, trouble may ensue. In today’s blog post, we are going to walk you through the process of measuring equipment for transport so you don’t make any mistakes. By the time you’re finished, you’ll know what to do the next time a large piece of equipment needs transporting to another location.

Your Guide to Accurately Measuring Equipment for Transport in Australia

Follow the steps in our guide to accurately measuring equipment for transport to ensure you always book an appropriate vehicle:

For the Majority of Cases

1. Confirm Make and Model – The first step is always to confirm the make and model of the equipment to be transported. Countless mistakes could have been avoided over the years if those responsible had taken the time to perform this step before doing anything else. If you start the process with the wrong equipment details, you will have no chance of ending up with accurate measurements for transportation.
2. Search for Specifications Online – The easiest way to obtain accurate figures for the dimensions and weight of a large piece of equipment or machinery is to find the relevant specifications online. You can do this by searching for the manufacturer’s website and navigating to the appropriate section. If you are unable to find the information you need on the manufacturer’s website when transporting light commercial vehicles and trucks, you may also consult RedBook Australia Commercial. Most of the time, you should be able to find the measurements you need without too much trouble, but if you cannot, please proceed directly to the next section, which contains instructions on what to do in such cases.
3. Visual Confirmation – Many omit this step, but as with the first step, it can help you to avoid basic errors. Requesting a photograph of the equipment can help you eliminate the possibility of mistaken identity when measuring and transporting heavy equipment and machinery across Australia. If, for example, you have in front of you a specifications sheet for a 10-tonne prime mover and the photograph you receive is a picture of a forklift truck, you will be able to rectify a potentially costly and embarrassing mistake before any damage is done.

Having obtained the required measurements, you can now start to make the necessary transportation arrangements.

For Cases Where Specifications Cannot Be Found Online

If, while trying to complete step 2 above, you discover that specifications are not available online, you will need to use the old-fashioned method. First, make sure you have a tape measure to hand that is long enough for the purpose. Next, contact your site weighbridge staff and let them know when you will be arriving with the vehicle or equipment to be measured. Having taken accurate length and height measurements with the tape measure and used the weighbridge to determine the weight, we recommend asking a colleague to repeat the process for confirmation purposes.

Why Is Accuracy So Important?

There are several reasons why we always obtain accurate measurements before transporting oversized loads on Australian highways and why you should too.

• Avoiding Penalties – There are sizeable financial penalties for contravening the regulations governing the transportation of heavy loads in Australia. This is the case whether or not you are aware that you are breaking the law. To avoid such penalties and any further legal complications, it is essential to obtain accurate figures for heavy equipment and machinery before arranging transportation.
• Avoiding Accidents – If you provide your transportation team with the wrong figures for the dimensions of the equipment to be moved, they should notice any subsequent issues when visually inspecting the load. However, if the weight is wrong, this error may not be immediately apparent, and any resulting excess weight could lead to serious consequences, such as a deterioration in the ride quality and the driver’s ability to control the vehicle and load.
• Unnecessary Expense – If your figures for the weight and dimensions are on the low side, you could end up booking a vehicle that is not capable of transporting the load in question. In such cases, the booking company is normally liable for two lots of transportation fees: one for the unsuitable vehicle that has to return to base empty and one for the new vehicle that must be booked.
• Unnecessary Delays at Remote Site – If you have to reorganise the transportation because of an error in the measurements, this could cause delays to the work being performed at the remote site, where the equipment is expected. Such delays can lead to a loss of goodwill and to more financial losses in some cases.

Get the measurements right the first time, and you will avoid a host of unpleasant possibilities. Of course, you still need to choose the right transportation company, but that’s where your job becomes much easier.

Let Reef Group Take the Strain Out of Heavy Machinery Transportation

If you want to make sure that your heavy and oversized loads always arrive onsite safely, contact Reef Group to discuss your needs. We have been providing specialised transport and freight services in Australia for more than two decades, and we always ensure that everything goes to plan.