Engine shipping services are subjected to rigid rules and regulations that many people might not consider. Motor transportation services have to package things carefully, and that's why you should turn to engine freight shipping services for any motor freight shipping.
This is a hazardous material situation, and most engine shipping goes through 3-PL providers who offer better motor shipping services than the USPS does. They have years of experience in engine transportation services and have a vast network of engine transport carriers to get your shipment where it needs to be without hassle.
Cowtown Express has significant expertise in providing motor freight shipping services. If you need to ship an engine, see how a freight specialist with us will ship an engine for you.
Preparing Your Engine Before Transportation
Engine shipping is hazardous because oil and fuel are highly flammable. Therefore, it's important to ensure all fluids, including coolant, water, oil, and fuel, are drained before shipping. More than that, oil is also a lubricant, so if it leaks, it can cause your engine to loosen from the restraints and result in engine damage and trailer damage charges.
Line the surface of wherever your engine is resting with an absorbent material before turning it upside down to drain fluids. It will soak any liquid and cushion your engine. We recommend letting your engine stand overnight to eliminate any residual fluid. The driver of your cargo may use a dipstick to check for oil, so ensure he has access to do so.
Packing Your Engine Before the Shipping
Engine shipping should be via a crate or pallet. Regardless of which packaging method you choose, it's critical not to take shortcuts with oversized freight shipping. Improper and flimsy packaging can damage your equipment, and the engine shipping company may refuse to load it onto their truck if the packaging doesn't adhere to industry standards.
Always check with your carrier, as some won't accept uncrated engines due to the high liability of potential damage during transit. Here's how to ship engines using pallets or crates:
Transporting Engine in a Pallet
- The right-sized pallet should leave 4-inches of space surrounding the engine when placed centrally.
- Screw 2×4s to the edges of the pallet so that it's elevated and doesn't rest directly on the oil pan.
- Use durable nylon or ratchet straps to secure the engine to the pallet.
- Cover the engine with a blanket or cardboard before shrink-wrapping.
- Ensure the fluid intakes are accessible.
Using Crates for Engine Shipping
- Bolt an engine stand to the bottom of the crate to ensure better stabilization during travel.
- Add foam protection around the engine to cushion it from turbulence and impact.
- Assemble the crate with nuts and bolts for easy opening, as the carrier will inspect if the fluids are drained.
Whether crated or palletized, engines should be laid flat, with a decent amount of surface contact with the pallet or bottom of the crate. Engines with a sump should be positioned with a car tire to help stabilize them.
Acceptable alternatives to ratchet straps are industrial-standard plastic straps or steel banding, provided there is a minimum of two bands in place, and all straps are protected where they touch the engine to prevent slipping. Generally, carriers consider crates the superior option over shipping engines on a pallet since they offer more safety. An engine boxed on all sides can't be knocked into and stays secure throughout transport.
Get to know more about Pallet Shipping Best Practices.
Get Your Engine Freight Shipping Quote Today!
Engine shipping services let you utilize our engine shipping services so your engine shipment gets to where it needs to be on time and without any issues. From truck engines to jet engines, we are in the business of creating custom solutions you can use. Get a motor transportation quote or engine freight quote to know what your engine shipping cost might be.
Choose a Freight for Engine Shipping: LCL or LTL
Two possible ways to ship an engine are LCL (less-than-container-load) or LTL (less-than-truckload). Which you select depends on the shipment's location, engine size, budget, and urgency. Both options entail your engine traveling in a container along with other shipments that aren't large enough to fill their own. LCL customarily refers to cargo that travels on ocean freight carriers, whereas LTL shipments are transported on trucks.
Full truckload prices are completely dependent on the current market, which fluctuates according to the season and time of day. Price factors include; shipment weight, shipping lanes, route, fuel cost, location, origin, destination, type of truck, and a carrier's general operating costs.
Less-than truckload prices are regulated by the NMFTA (National Motor Freight Traffic Association), which adopts a set of classifications, called freight class, to determine the cost of shipping cargo. Every LTL carrier service will establish a minimum shipping rate to ensure the job is worthwhile. Often, consolidating an engine shipment with other freight, rather than paying for an FTL (full truckload), is more cost-effective in the following ways:
- Eco-Friendly: LTL reduces the fuel and vehicles needed for shipment and ramps up environmental efforts. It saves your carrier time, and gas and allows them to be greener because they can determine optimal travel routes.
- Cheaper: You don't waste money on a half-filled delivery truck. With LTL shipping, you only pay for the space and density your engine occupies, which is especially helpful for smaller engines like car engines or a motorcycle engines.
- Greater flexibility: LTL shipping offers convenient delivery options like inside delivery, notification before delivery, residential pickup, freeze protection, or lift-gate services. This makes it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to meet their customers' needs.
- Tracking and visibility: LTL freight shipping services usually provide shipment tracking and complete visibility of a load's status.
FTL vs. LTL Shipping
We know that LTL is the better choice between LCL and LTL, but is there an even better option for freight shipments?
Full Truckload Shipping
FTL stands for "Full Truckload" and means paying for an entire shipment for engine delivery, whether or not your engine occupies the whole space in a semi-truck.
Advantages
- FTL shipping routes are direct, so delivery is faster, with fewer delays.
- Engines aren't transferred between trucks during transport. Less handling equates to less risk of damage and a greater chance of your engine being safely transported.
Disadvantages
- FTL shipping is more expensive and harmful to the environment because of the cost, fuel, and labor.
Less-Than-Truckload
LTL refers to less-than-truckload shipping and, unlike FTL, you only pay for the space your cargo occupies in a semi-truck.
Advantages
- The motor shipping cost is cheaper because your freight is corralled with others.
Disadvantages
- When goods are transferred between trucks, more handling can increase the risk of damage.
- Since LTL shipments combine different clients' cargo, they may take longer to reach their final destination due to many stops along the way.
While LTL offers the greatest cost savings, there is a higher risk of delivery delay and damage. As for safety and speed, FTL is a better option. However, it really comes down to how quickly you need your engine delivered and the size of your budget.
Moreover, there is a higher risk of potential damage and delivery delay. Because LTL does not go directly to the end customer, the actual delivery date may differ from the estimated delivery date. As for safety and speed, when you ship loads like jet engines, truck engines, or aircraft engines, it's best to go FTL.
Our Engine Freight Shipping Options
You need your engine freight quote to be as accurate as possible, the first time, which means you need to know what your options are. Knowing which one to choose means you can pick the right engine transportation quote for your unique wants and needs.
- Expedited Engine Shipping Services: When your shipment is time-sensitive or under a tight deadline, we can get it where you need it in the time you need it, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
- FTL Engine Transportation: Full truckloads are the backbone of many legs in the continental supply chain.
- Dry Van for Engine Trucking: When you need dependability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency, this is a great option to consider.
- Hot Shot Engine Transport Services: The tighter your deadline, the more you'll stress and worry no one can get your engine to a destination by a deadline. When every second counts, hot shot trucking is ready to roll.
- Sprinter Van Engine Shipping: Engines in need are often situations where expediency matters. Our sprinter vans are geared just for that.
- OTR Engine Transportation: Need something hauled long distances across the many miles of highway across the continent? We've got trucks and connections to make it happen.
Prepare All the Important Paperwork
Because engines are classified as hazmat or "dangerous goods," the paperwork is quite extensive but not necessarily challenging to complete. Most importantly, you'll need a bill of lading and a dangerous goods declaration form, which includes the following:
- The shipper's information
- The consignee's information
- The Hazard Classification Number
- The engine specification
- Packing and handling instructions
- The UN or ID number
- Authorization
- The Date
- Your Signature.
Added to this is a safety data sheet, which explains how dangerous your shipment is and how it should be handled in general and emergencies. Lastly, your shipment should contain hazard communication and handling labels such as "this way up" to alert others to the risk.
Remember, the carrier approves dangerous goods for carriage based on the information provided at the request. If the information isn't accurate, it creates issues for the shipper, as they may be forced to unpack or rework the entire container to reflect the goods approved.
How Long Does It Take to Ship an Engine?
Shipping an engine can take anywhere between one and 14 days, depending on whether it’s traveling by road, plane, or ship. An example of international engine transport is crossing the Pacific Ocean, which takes 12 hours by plane and roughly two weeks by container ship. If you’re shipping by truck, and the weather is bad, or the driver has to traverse challenging terrain, a trip that may take one day might end up taking several more.
However, distance and environmental factors aren’t the only factors when it comes to over the road truck transportation. There are also laws that prevent drivers from traveling at certain times of the day, and credible shippers will never prioritize driver safety above swift delivery times. Most truck drivers are limited to 11 hours of driving time per shift, with a mandatory 10 hours break. Therefore, a 24-hour trip will actually take three days.
When selecting an appropriate shipping mode for your engine, you’ll want to consider:
- Time: Seasonality, AKA peak season, will always affect shipping time.
- Urgency: The delivery date will impact whether you can afford a delay, if standard shipping times are appropriate, or if you need to expedite your engine.
- Budget: While airtime convenience is prized, it comes at a high price, which isn’t always conducive in the long term.
Engine Shipping Cost: What to Expect for Domestic and International Engine Transport
If you’re shipping out of the country, customs and destination fees will also apply. Warehousing fees at ports are also more expensive, as are cross-docking and warehousing. At Cowtown Express, we aim to provide competitive pricing determined by distance, weather, time of year, shipment size and weight, handling requirements, security, insurance, and fuel prices, to name a few.
The best way to determine engine shipping cost is by contacting a shipping companies or freight brokers for a free quote, though checking shipping rates or a rate table will also do the trick; truthfully, if you’re not a professional shipper, there are too many variables to attempt to estimate the cost of engine shipments yourself, and there’s really no need to when custom quotes from a freight specialist are an option.
Contact Us for Engine Shipping Services Right Away!
Shipping engines is a delicate process since they are often heavy and irregularly shaped. Turn to an engine shipping company that you can fully trust to take on the job for you. Our motor trucking company has more than three decades of experience as an engine trucking company. Count on us to be the motor shipping company you need. Get a free motor freight quote today!
