DOCK 01OVERSIZE
Oversize load dispatch that prices the permits and escorts before you say yes
On an oversize load, the linehaul is only part of the cost. Permits for every state, pilot cars, travel curfews and route checks can turn a good-looking rate into a loss. Oversize load dispatch with us means those costs are on the quote before the load reaches you.
OVERSIZE LOAD SHEET
DOCK 02WHAT GOES WRONG
Where heavy haul loads go wrong
- 01
Permits that are not ready
Each state issues its own permit. One late permit holds the whole trip, and the truck waits at the line.
- 02
Escort costs left off the rate
Pilot cars are paid per mile or per day. Leave them out of the quote and they come out of your pocket.
- 03
Travel curfews
States limit when oversize loads can move: daylight only, no weekends, no holidays, no rush hour in some cities. A trip planned without them runs a day long.
- 04
The route on the permit
The permit route is the route you drive. A bridge, a low wire or construction on that route is your problem unless it is checked first.
- 05
Brokers who rush it
An oversize load booked in a hurry, with dimensions off by a few inches, can mean the wrong permit and a stop at the scale.
DOCK 03PERMIT ROUTE
Heavy haul dispatch, state by state: an EXAMPLE permit route
Here is how one EXAMPLE oversize load looks when we quote it. Each state on the route has its own permit, its own escort rules and its own curfews. Every line goes on the quote.
| STATE | PERMIT | ESCORT | TRAVEL |
|---|---|---|---|
| TX | State permit for width, height and weight | Front escort at this width (EXAMPLE) | Daylight travel |
| OK | State permit, route set by the state | Front escort (EXAMPLE) | Daylight, no weekend city travel (EXAMPLE) |
| KS | State permit | Front and rear escort over a set height (EXAMPLE) | Daylight travel |
Escort thresholds, curfews and permit rules differ by state and change. The permit for your load is the rule you follow.
EXAMPLE OVERSIZE QUOTE
In this EXAMPLE the dispatch fee is figured on the linehaul only. How permit and escort reimbursements are billed is set in your written dispatch agreement.
DOCK 04WHAT WE DO
What we do on every oversize load
- Quote with every cost in it
- Linehaul, permits, pilot cars, extra days for curfews and any route survey, before you see the offer.
- Check your dimensions
- Width, height, length, overhang and axle weights against your trailer and the permit request, so the permit matches the load.
- Coordinate permits and escorts
- We line up who orders the permits and the pilot cars, and make sure the timing works across every state.
- Route surveys when needed
- On tall or wide loads, we arrange for the route to be checked before you commit.
- Vet the broker
- How they handle dimensions, permits and timing. A careless broker on a heavy haul load costs more than a missed load.
Step deck dispatch · Flatbed dispatch · Low clearance habits
Lowboy dispatch: what changes with a low deck
A lowboy exists for freight that is too tall or too heavy for anything else: excavators, dozers, cranes, transformers. Because the deck sits so low, a load that would be far over height on a flatbed can stay legal on height and only need a width or weight permit.
Weight is the other half. Lowboys add axles, with jeeps, boosters and extra trailer axles, to spread a heavy load across the road. Each setup changes the axle weights on the permit, so we quote loads against your exact configuration, not a generic lowboy.
Tell us whether you run a fixed gooseneck or a removable gooseneck (RGN), how many axles you can add, your deck length and the heaviest load you have hauled. That is what decides which loads we put in front of you.
What heavy haul carriers ask
"Permits take days."
Some do, and some states are faster than others. That is why the permit timing goes into the pickup date we agree to, not after it.
"Who pays for escorts?"
Pilot cars are a cost of the load. They belong in the rate the shipper or broker pays, and we put them on the quote so they are not left to you.
"You will route me under a low bridge."
The permit sets the route, and on tall loads we arrange a route check before you accept. You still watch every clearance; nobody else is in the cab.
Oversize terms in plain English
- Legal width
- 8.5 ft (102 inches) on the federal highway network. Wider is oversize and needs a permit.
- Legal height
- Set by each state, most between 13 ft 6 in and 14 ft.
- Overweight
- Over the legal axle or gross weights; needs an overweight permit.
- Pilot car / escort
- A vehicle that travels ahead of or behind the load to warn traffic and check clearances.
- Superload
- A load so large or heavy that states review it on its own, often with an engineering check.
- Lowboy / RGN
- Trailers with a very low deck. An RGN's front detaches so equipment can drive on.
SOURCE:eCFR, 23 CFR 658.15, OCT 2026;FHWA, Federal Size Regulations for CMVs, OCT 2026
DOCK 05FEE
Oversize dispatch fee
One heavy haul truck with 6+ months of authority pays 5% of gross. A new MC pays 7% for the first 6 months. 2 or more trucks pay 4% (limited-time rate). Only on loads you haul, no setup fee, month-to-month, cancel with 30 days notice.
Heavy haul questions
Q-01How much does heavy haul dispatch cost?
5% of gross for one truck with 6+ months of authority, 7% while the MC is under 6 months old, and 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Charged only on loads you haul. No setup fee, no minimum, month-to-month, cancel with 30 days notice. Your written agreement sets how permit and escort reimbursements are treated.
Q-02Do you arrange oversize permits?
We coordinate them. For each load we confirm who orders the permits, make sure every state on the route is covered, and build the permit timing into the pickup date. The permit costs go on the quote so they are paid by the load, not by you.
Q-03Do you dispatch lowboys and RGNs?
Yes. Lowboys and RGNs haul the tallest and heaviest equipment, so many of their loads are oversize or overweight. Tell us your trailer, deck height, axle setup and ratings on the call, and we only quote loads it can legally carry with the right permits.
Q-04Who pays for pilot cars?
The load should. Pilot cars are a cost of moving that freight, so we put them on the quote and into the rate the shipper or broker pays. If a broker will not cover them, you see that before you decide, and you can turn it down.
Q-05Can you book superloads?
Superloads need state review, often engineering checks and longer lead times, and sometimes specialized equipment. If your trailer and experience fit, we can work on them, with more planning time built in. We will tell you honestly when a load is beyond your setup.
Big load. Every cost on paper first.
About 2 minutes to apply. Tell us your trailer, axles and ratings.