Interested in learning how to ship a tractor? Maybe you need to ship one yourself, or perhaps you own a business that sells tractors online. Regardless, if you need to ship a tractor, it’s important to understand how it works, what it takes, and what you can expect.
Tractors are considered a type of automobile. As such, they are typically grouped in with other types of vehicles when it comes to transporting this. This puts them in the purview of auto transport, which is something we know a thing or two about. However, shipping a tractor is not the same as shipping a regular car. They are often larger, heavier, and more cumbersome. They are not always able to be driven onto a trailer, and many of them have attachments which require special methods to transport.
Nonetheless, the tractor is the backbone of agriculture, and if you need to ship one, you need to ship one. Read on to learn more about how to ship a tractor – how it works, what to expect, and how we here at American Auto Shipping can help you get it done.
How car transporters ship a tractor?
Tractors do not fit on a standard ten-car transport truck. It doesn’t matter the configuration of it; they won’t be able to fit on a standard truck. There are plenty of enclosed trucks out there that could handle smaller tractors. But regular transport trucks that have two decks of cars just can’t.
Therefore, most tractors are transported via flatbed truck. You’ve probably seen them on the road transporting heavy equipment. These are typically the go-to transportation methods for moving bigger freight such as a tractor.
This is how auto transporters move tractors for their customers. Flatbed trucks come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, from standard flatbeds to large step deck trailers with multiple levels. Which trailer is best for your tractor will depend on the type of tractor you’re shipping, attachments it has on it, how big it is, and more.
When you start searching for a company to ship your tractor, make sure to have the overall dimensions of it. Length, width, height, and weight are necessary to get you an accurate quote to ship your tractor. If you have attachments, such as a backhoe or a tiller, include those in the dimensions when you give them.
How much does it costs to ship a tractor?
How much it costs to ship a tractor depends a lot on the type of tractor you are shipping. It also depends very much on the size of the tractor. Bigger tractors, just like bigger vehicles, cost more to ship. They take up more space, reducing space for other potential vehicles on the truck. They are cumbersome, and extra care has to be taken to ensure they are transported safely. All of this increases the cost to ship a tractor.
Flatbed trucks, too, aren’t nearly as common as standard auto shipping trucks. Because of this, there are fewer of them on the road that are willing and able to ship a tractor. So, due to the basic laws of supply and demand, prices go up as demand goes up. There’s also the fact that flatbed haulers make the bulk of their money on one or two vehicles. Regular ten-car haulers can lower costs for the customer by hauling ten cars at a time. They still make plenty of profit, but they can charge less per vehicle to stay competitive.
Flatbed haulers don’t have that option; with only one or two vehicles on their truck, they have to charge more per vehicle to move them. If you’re shipping a tractor that takes up multiple spaces on a step deck trailer, that ends up costing more as well.
Ultimately, the cost to ship a tractor is what it is. There is only so much you can do to save money before you have to pay the cost to ship the tractor. This is why it’s important to be accurate in the measurements you take and to ensure you give all the right information to your shipper. The more info they have about the tractor, the better they can work to save you money and get it moved on time.
Tips to help you ship a tractor
We’ve already discussed getting the dimensions to your shipper. That’s tip number one, because without them, they probably won’t be able to move it. At least not quickly. But another big tip is to avoid moving attachments if you can help it. Many tractors can do a number of different things depending on the attachments on them, and are modular – meaning you can swap them as you see fit. Many others don’t have that feature, but if yours does, try to make your tractor as small as possible. This increases the number of carriers that are able to move it, and will make things easier for you in the long run.
Always be up front about the tractor and its attachments. Carriers have to know what they’re moving, and if you misrepresent your vehicle, it could cause problems and even result in a canceled shipment. That’s no fun for anyone.
Something else you can do is to be flexible in your timeframes. Moving a tractor takes time. Most of that time is spent finding the right carrier for your tractor. Carriers are constantly moving and never are in the same place for long. Sometimes, there are just no flatbed trucks in an area to even load a tractor, and we end up having to wait until someone is going that way.
Being flexible in your time tables and how long you allow your shipper to work to find you a carrier will go a long way to making your tractor transport experience better. And don’t be afraid to ask questions! If you are unsure about something, be sure to ask your representative. They’re there to help, after all.
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Contact American Auto Shipping to ship your tractor.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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