Dealing with heavy and oversized loads is a huge aspect of the trucking industry, especially with transporting vehicles and machinery. Heavy equipment transportation requires proper planning, whether the machinery is hauled across state lines or just down the road. There are also specific things you need to do to stay compliant with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Common industries that haul heavy equipment are construction, industrial, oil and gas, military, agricultural and more. The cargo can include everything from backhoes and excavators to tanks and helicopters.
The FMCSA classifies cargo as a heavy load when it exceeds:
80,000 pounds of gross vehicle weight
20,000 pounds of single axle weight
34,000 pounds of tandem axle weight
If your company is hauling machinery, you're hauling hazardous materials and this needs to be listed on your MCS-150. These requirements don’t kick in the Hazardous Materials Regulations or require special endorsement on the Commercial Drivers License.
We have been apart of many audits where the investigating officers made an issue of compliance with the MCS-150 for failing to declare the Hazardous Materials associated with hauling heavy machinery.
Before you panic, know that there is an easy solution to this. All you need to do is update your MCS-150.
This requirement became mandatory January 2018 and was overlooked for a few years allowing for a transition period for motor carriers. However, now the FMCSA Compliance Investigators are taking a hard line and penalizing companies for getting this wrong and failing to have the correct insurance levels.
Transportation of Machinery and Vehicles with an internal combustion engine fall under these three UN Numbers:
UN3528, Engine, internal combustion, flammable liquid powered or Engine, fuel cell, flammable liquid powered or Machinery, internal combustion, flammable liquid powered or Machinery, fuel cell, flammable liquid powered, 3
UN3529, Engine, internal combustion, flammable gas powered or Engine, fuel cell, flammable gas powered or Machinery, internal combustion, flammable gas powered or Machinery, fuel cell, flammable gas powered, 2.1
UN3530, Engine, internal combustion or Machinery, internal combustion, 9
Section 24: Cargo Classifications
Check the appropriate fields, as follows:
Motor Vehicles
Machinery, Large Objects
Section 25: Hazardous Materials Carried or Shipped
You must select both Class 3 and Class 9 Carried in Non-Bulk.
Additionally, if your company transports these machines and vehicles in interstate commerce you will be required to meet the requirements of 49 CFR 387.7 and must have a proof of the required insurance through a signed copy of the MCS-90 for $1,000,000 on file at the motors carrier's office.
While it seems simple, updating your company's MCS-150 form can be a time consuming and sometimes difficult process. If you need help, reach out to Front Range Compliance Services and one of our staff would be happy to assist you.
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