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HTS Logistics
Construction Equipment Transport and Hauling

Construction Equipment Transport and Hauling

Loaders, graders, articulated trucks and compact track loaders: shipping sizes, permit triggers and jobsite delivery

Quick answer

How do you transport heavy machinery?

Measure each machine as it will ship, choose the trailer by height and weight, permit every state on the route, and deliver inside the permit's travel hours. Every wheel loader and articulated truck in our data is over 8 ft 6 in wide (a Cat 966 is 10 ft 7 in at the bucket), so they need oversize permits; a Cat 299D3 compact track loader does not.

Updated October 2026 by the HTS Logistics broker team (FMCSA MC# 1178470).

HTS Logistics books jobsite-to-jobsite moves, dealer deliveries and rental pickups as part of our heavy equipment transport service, including machines rented through Cat Rental. We are a licensed broker (MC# 1178470) and do not haul: we book carriers with active authority and at least $1 million auto liability, $1 million general liability and $100,000 cargo insurance, then order the permits and escorts.

Excavators, dozers and cranes have their own pages: excavator transport, bulldozer transport and crane transport. This page covers 13 graders, loaders, articulated haul trucks and track loaders from Cat, Komatsu, Deere, Volvo and Bobcat.

GET A CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT QUOTE CALL (631) 683-8275

Which construction machines need a permit?

Manufacturer transport figures for 13 machines, checked against the 8 ft 6 in legal width, 13 ft 6 in legal height and 80,000 lb gross. Loaded heights estimate each machine on the 2 ft deck of an RGN (removable gooseneck) trailer or lowboy, and the weight check uses our estimate of 35,000 to 45,000 lb for an empty 5-axle tractor and RGN. For a machine not listed, enter its size in the oversize load checker.

Construction machines: transport size, weight and permit check on a 5-axle tractor and RGN
MachineL x W x H as hauledOperating weightLoaded on a 2 ft deck (est.)Width permitHeight permitWeightWidest point
Caterpillar 140motor grader33 ft 9 in x 8 ft 4 in x 11 ft 4 in41,947 lb13 ft 4 inlegal heightNoNoDepends on the rigRear tires (lever steer, no AWD); 12 ft moldboard angled inside them
Caterpillar 160motor grader33 ft 9 in x 8 ft 9 in x 11 ft 4 in43,768 lb13 ft 4 inlegal heightYesNoDepends on the rigFront tires (no AWD); 14 ft moldboard angled inside them
Caterpillar 950wheel loader27 ft 3 in x 9 ft 7 in x 11 ft 4 in42,461 lb13 ft 4 inlegal heightYesNoDepends on the rigBucket; tires 9 ft 3 in
Caterpillar 966wheel loader29 ft 0 in x 10 ft 7 in x 11 ft 9 in51,124 lb13 ft 9 inover 13 ft 6 inYesYesOverweightBucket; tires 9 ft 11 in
Caterpillar 980wheel loader31 ft 9 in x 11 ft 4 in x 12 ft 7 in66,877 lb14 ft 7 inover 14 ft 6 inYesYesOverweightBucket; tires 10 ft 8 in
Caterpillar 992wheel loader50 ft 10 in x 15 ft 10 in x 18 ft 3 in233,430 lb20 ft 3 inover 14 ft 6 inYesYesOverweightBucket; tires 14 ft 9 in
Komatsu WA380-8wheel loader27 ft 3 in x 9 ft 6 in x 11 ft 1 in40,686 lb13 ft 1 inlegal heightYesNoDepends on the rigBucket; tires 9 ft 1 in
Komatsu WA500-8wheel loader32 ft 8 in x 11 ft 2 in x 12 ft 5 in78,619 lb14 ft 5 in14 ft or moreYesYesOverweightBucket; tires 10 ft 6 in
John Deere 744 P-Tierwheel loader29 ft 7 in x 10 ft 9 in x 11 ft 9 in54,920 lb13 ft 9 inover 13 ft 6 inYesYesOverweightBucket; tires 10 ft 1 in
Caterpillar 745articulated truck37 ft 6 in x 12 ft 6 in x 12 ft 4 in72,995 lb14 ft 4 in14 ft or moreYesYesOverweightCat's overall width; Cat does not say what sets it
Volvo A40articulated truck36 ft 11 in x 11 ft 2 in x 11 ft 11 in69,225 lb13 ft 11 inover 13 ft 6 inYesYesOverweightRear tires; mirrors drawn wider but not dimensioned
Caterpillar 299D3compact track loader12 ft 11 in x 6 ft 8 in x 7 ft 0 in11,464 lb9 ft 0 inlegal heightNoNoLegalBucket; 6 ft 4 in over the tracks
Bobcat T770compact track loader11 ft 10 in x 6 ft 8 in x 6 ft 9 in10,515 lb8 ft 9 inlegal heightNoNoLegalBucket; 6 ft 6 in over the tracks

Width permit = wider than 8 ft 6 in (102 in). Height permit = over 13 ft 6 in loaded; of the states in this table, California and Texas allow 14 ft. Heights are to the top of the ROPS or cab as each manufacturer measures them, without beacons. Each machine is listed under Sources with the document its figures came from.

Weights are operating weights, with fuel and an operator, because the North American spec sheets for these models publish no shipping weight. Axle loads and Bridge Formula limits are not modeled here; check a rig's axle spacing with the Bridge Formula calculator, and see how permits and escorts show up in a price in our heavy equipment transport cost guide.

Motor graders: the drive option sets the width

Without all-wheel drive, a Cat 140 measures 99.7 in over the tires with lever steering and 101.7 in with joystick steering, both under the 102 in limit; AWD front tires make it 105 in (8 ft 9 in). The Cat 160 is 105 in at the front tires in its non-AWD spec. Cat prints the 160's front-tire widths with the AWD and non-AWD labels the reverse of the 140's, possibly a transcription error, but either way its widest published figure is over the limit.

The moldboard is longer than the grader is wide (12 ft standard on the 140, 14 ft on the 160, with 14 ft and 16 ft options), so it must be angled inside the tires for transport. Cat publishes no transport blade position and says nothing about removing the moldboard or ripper, so we confirm the blade sits inside the tire width before treating a 140 as a legal-width load.

Both graders stand 11 ft 4 in to the top of the cab, about 13 ft 4 in on a 2 ft deck and legal in every state we track. Typically equipped they weigh 41,947 lb (140) and 43,768 lb (160), in the band where the rig decides; a base 140 without push block or ripper is 37,490 lb. From push plate to ripper both are 33 ft 9 in long.

Wheel loaders: why taking the bucket off rarely avoids a permit

On every loader in the table the bucket is the widest point, but the tires alone are over 8 ft 6 in, from 9 ft 1 in on a Komatsu WA380-8 to 14 ft 9 in on a Cat 992. New York issues no permit for a load that can be reduced to legal size or weight (NYSDOT PERM 30); a loader cannot be made legal width, so it ships on a width permit with the bucket on or off.

Buckets come off to save weight. Komatsu's WA500-8 general-purpose bucket weighs 7,077 lb, and taking it off also narrows the machine from 11 ft 2 in to its 10 ft 6 in tires; its additional counterweight is another 1,984 lb in Komatsu's weight-change table. Deere's 4.0 m3 bucket for the 744 P-Tier weighs 5,165 lb.

Watch the beacon. Cat measures loader height to the top of the ROPS and lists the warning beacon separately: a Cat 950 is 11 ft 4 in at the ROPS and 12 ft 3 in at the beacon, so on a 2 ft deck the beacon alone takes it from legal height to about 14 ft 3 in, past New York's 14 ft line for a height-pole escort. A Cat 980's beacon is about 13 ft 6 in with the machine on the ground.

The Cat 992 is a different job: 15 ft 10 in wide at the bucket, 18 ft 3 in to the ROPS and 233,430 lb assembled, with a 23,961 lb bucket. Cat's spec sheet, brochure and key-features document contain no shipping or disassembly guidance, so a breakdown plan has to come from a Cat dealer. Assembled, it is over 16 ft high on any deck and over 200,000 lb before the truck is counted, a superload in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Ohio and Georgia; see superload thresholds by state.

Articulated trucks: 12 ft 6 in versus 11 ft 2 in

The Cat 745 and Volvo A40 are the same size class (rated payloads of 41 t and 39,000 kg), but they fall on opposite sides of the escort lines. Cat's overall width for the 745 is 12 ft 6 in (3,801 mm), over the 12 ft line where New York, Connecticut and Florida add an escort. Cat does not say what sets that width; the body is 11 ft 3 in and the fenders 11 ft 1 in, so we measure the truck being shipped.

On the New York State Thruway the 745 sits within half an inch of the 12 ft 6 in maximum for the mainline and the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, and a load 12 ft 1 in to 12 ft 6 in wide needs a rear certified escort and daylight-only travel there (TAP-623). The A40 measures 11 ft 2 in over the tires (11 ft 4 in at the widest value in Volvo's table) and clears every 12 ft escort line, though Volvo draws its mirrors wider than the tires without dimensioning them.

Heights split the same way. The 745's 12 ft 4 in transport height becomes about 14 ft 4 in on a 2 ft deck, past New York's 14 ft line for a height-pole escort, while the A40, 11 ft 11 in to the cab top, rides at about 13 ft 11 in: over 13 ft 6 in, under 14 ft.

Empty, the 745 weighs 72,995 lb with 42,285 lb on its front axle, and the A40 69,225 lb with 37,611 lb on the front. On a 5-axle rig weighing 35,000 to 45,000 lb (our estimate) either one grosses about 104,000 to 118,000 lb. In Illinois that is over the 100,000 lb practical maximum for 5 axles, which makes the move a superload needing pavement and bridge analysis; a 6-axle combination raises the line to 120,000 lb (92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.604). More on IDOT's limits is in our Illinois oversize permit rules.

Both trucks articulate, as do wheel loaders, and federal securement rules require an articulated machine to be restrained so it cannot articulate in transit (49 CFR 393.130(b)(2)).

Compact track loaders and multi-machine moves

A Cat 299D3 (6 ft 8 in wide at the bucket, 7 ft 0 in high, 11,464 lb) and a Bobcat T770 (6 ft 8 in, 6 ft 9 in, 10,515 lb) are legal on width, height and weight on any trailer in the states we track. Both are over 10,000 lb, so the federal heavy-machinery securement rule applies (at least four tiedowns, front and rear), and Cat builds six tie-down points into the 299D3.

Two 299D3s take 25 ft 10 in of deck with buckets on and weigh 22,928 lb together, so they share a legal load. Putting a compact loader on the same trailer as a machine that needs a permit is different: states issue oversize and overweight permits for nondivisible loads (23 CFR 658.17(h)), and a second machine makes the load divisible. Florida, for one, allows overweight multi-loading only when removed attachments (two at most) ride along, when the gross is 100,000 lb or less with no more than two over-length items, or under a divisible-load permit (F.A.C. 14-26.012(10)). We check each state on the route before a second machine goes on a permitted trailer.

Example (an illustration, not a quote): a contractor moving a Cat 950, a Cat 140 and two Cat 299D3s across New York needs three trucks. The 950 rides on a width permit at 9 ft 7 in, plus a height-pole escort if its beacon stays up; the 140 can run at legal width if its moldboard sits inside the 8 ft 4 in tires, though at 41,947 lb its gross depends on the rig; the two 299D3s share a legal load.

Jobsite delivery: what to settle before the truck arrives

  1. The entrance. Low decks ride close to the road: loaded ground clearance is 4 in on a Trail King TKHD-S and 6 in on a Talbert 55SA or Fontaine Workhorse 55LCC, so a steep curb cut, a crowned dirt entrance or a soft shoulder can ground the trailer. Send photos of the gate.
  2. The clock. New York keeps loads 14 ft or wider (or 14 ft high, or 90 ft long) out of Business Districts 7 to 9 AM and 4 to 6 PM, and Ohio keeps loads over 12 ft wide out of 22 metro counties, including the Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati areas, 6:30 to 9:00 AM and 4:30 to 6:00 PM on weekdays.
  3. Local permits. New York City issues its own $35 permit for each leg, in and out, with 48 hours' lead time; Suffolk County adds a trip permit for loads over 12 ft wide or 80 ft long on county roads; Cook County, Illinois keeps loads over 12 ft wide, 13 ft 6 in high or 120,000 lb off its expressways except on four corridors. Our New York oversize permit rules and Long Island heavy equipment transport pages have the local detail.
  4. Unloading. Tell us who will drive the machine off and where it should be set. A machine that does not run needs a winch or a crane, which changes the trailer and the quote.

Construction equipment transport questions

How much does it cost to transport construction equipment?

Rate per mile times miles, plus fuel, permits, escorts and special crossings, so each machine's size class sets most of the price. A Bobcat T770 rides as a legal load; a Cat 745 needs width, height and overweight permits, plus escorts in states with a 12 ft width line. The cost guide breaks out per-mile benchmarks and permit fees, each with a date.

How do you transport a wheel loader?

On an RGN or lowboy, with a width permit: every loader in our data is over 8 ft 6 in at the tires. Take the bucket off only if weight requires it, fold or remove the beacon to save height, restrain the frame so it cannot articulate, and secure it with at least four tiedowns. Mid-size loaders such as the Cat 966 and Deere 744 P-Tier weigh over 50,000 lb, so they move overweight.

Does a motor grader need an oversize permit?

It depends on the drive. A Cat 140 without all-wheel drive is under 102 in over the tires and can travel at legal width if its moldboard is angled inside them; AWD versions are 105 in wide and need a width permit, and Cat's widest published figure for the 160 is also 105 in. Both stand about 13 ft 4 in on a 2 ft deck, legal height, and weigh 37,490 to 45,839 lb, so the rig decides the weight.

Can two machines go on one trailer?

Legal-size machines can, within the 80,000 lb gross and axle limits: two Cat 299D3 track loaders weigh 22,928 lb together. Adding a machine to a load that already needs an oversize or overweight permit is limited, because permits cover nondivisible loads; Florida, for example, allows it on an overweight permit only in narrow cases. We check each state's rule before planning a shared load.

Can you deliver to a jobsite in New York City?

Yes, with city permits on top of the state's. NYC DOT requires a Daily Over Dimensional permit for each leg of the trip, $35 each with 48 hours' lead time, for anything over 13 ft 6 in high, 8 ft wide or 80,000 lb, among other limits. Every escort in the city must be a NYS Certified Escort, and commercial vehicles are barred from parkways.

Are you a construction equipment shipping company?

We are a licensed property broker, not a motor carrier: FMCSA MC# 1178470, USDOT 3535360, broker authority since February 2021, with a $75,000 BMC-84 surety bond on file and a team with heavy-haul experience since 2011. We book the carrier, order the permits and escorts, and track the load; the carrier hauls under its own authority and insurance.

Do you move rented equipment?

Yes. We move machines rented through Cat Rental, along with equipment contractors own or buy at Ritchie Bros. and IronPlanet auctions. Send the rental contract's pickup and delivery addresses, the machine model and the dates it has to be on site.

Sources

Facts on this page were checked in October 2026 against the sources below. Rules and rates change; we confirm current requirements on every move.

  1. Caterpillar 140 (140 Motor Grader Technical Specifications, AEXQ4601-00 (09-2026))
  2. Caterpillar 160 (160 Motor Grader Technical Specifications, AEXQ4599-00 (07-2026))
  3. Caterpillar 950 (950 (14C) Wheel Loader Technical Specifications, AEXQ4425-00 (11-2025))
  4. Caterpillar 966 (966 (14C) Wheel Loader Technical Specifications, AEXQ4419-00 (11-2025))
  5. Caterpillar 980 (980 (14C) Wheel Loader Technical Specifications, AEXQ4428-00 (11-2025))
  6. Caterpillar 992 (992 Wheel Loader Technical Specifications, AEXQ2899-05 (05-2026))
  7. Komatsu WA380-8 (Komatsu WA380-8 brochure AESS882-0326-V6 (Komatsu America, ©2026))
  8. Komatsu WA500-8 (Komatsu WA500-8 brochure AESS891-0326-V6 (Komatsu America, ©2026))
  9. John Deere 744 P-Tier (John Deere 744 P-Tier Wheel Loader brochure MW744PAU (24-09))
  10. Caterpillar 745 (745 Articulated Truck Technical Specifications, AEXQ3096-03 (06-2025))
  11. Volvo A40 (Volvo A40 product guide, Ref. No 20064352_D / English-22 / 2025.01)
  12. Caterpillar 299D3 (299D3 Compact Track Loader brochure/spec sheet, AEHQ8203-02 (01-2021))
  13. Bobcat T770 (2026 Bobcat Full-Line Equipment Specifications B-1000 (08/26))
  14. Trail King TKHD-S (Trail King TKHD-S one-pager (2026): 14 in loaded deck height with 4 in ground clearance)
  15. Talbert 55SA (Talbert 55SA product page: 20 in loaded deck height, 6 in loaded road clearance)
  16. Fontaine Workhorse 55LCC (Fontaine Specialized spec page: 18 in deck height with 6 in ground clearance)
  17. eCFR: 23 CFR 658.5 and 658.17(h), nondivisible loads and permits
  18. eCFR: 49 CFR 393.130, securement of heavy vehicles, equipment and machinery (text as of Oct 1, 2026)
  19. NYSDOT PERM 30: Information Concerning Special Hauling Permits (09/26)
  20. NYS Certified Escort Manual 2025
  21. NYS Thruway TAP-623 Special Hauling Permit Program Guidelines
  22. NYC DOT: Permits for Over Dimensional Vehicles
  23. Suffolk County: Hauling and Oversized Vehicle Permit
  24. 92 Ill. Adm. Code 554.604, practical maximum weights
  25. IDOT OPER 993 Special Vehicle Movement Permit Provisions
  26. ODOT Limitations and Provisions of a Special Hauling Permit (OS-1A)
  27. F.A.C. 14-26.012, movement conditions and restrictions
  28. CTDOT oversize/overweight permit FAQ

Get a construction equipment transport quote

Send the machine list with makes, models and attachments, the pickup and jobsite addresses, gate or access notes, and the date the machines have to be on site. We plan the loads, trailers and permits for the whole move.

  • FMCSA-licensed property broker, MC# 1178470
  • Permits, escorts and route surveys arranged for each move
  • Carriers checked for authority, insurance and safety record
  • Commercial shippers, dealers, contractors and auction buyers

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