Heavy Truck Transport in Dubai is big business given all of the logistical activities related to trade in the Middle East.
There are many transport companies that specialize in road freight forwarding in Dubai. However, before deciding on a heavy truck transport service in UAE, you must consider a number of factors. You have to find a company that will transport your goods safely and on time while providing other value-added services.
Different industries require different types of services when transporting goods. In this article, we will offer advice on what you need to know about heavy truck transport by land and explain how to choose the right truck transport company in Dubai & Rest of UAE.
What is Land Freight Transport?
It is nothing but transferring the shipment or freight from one location to another via land. While goods can be transferred from one place to another via air, sea, or railway tracks, land freight transfers goods through roads & highways from their origin to their destination. It containerized trucks to carry bulk shipments. You can also read more about the types of transport in our Complete Guide to Freight Forwarding Services in Dubai article.
What makes heavy truck transport so popular? A high quantity of freight is transported by land because trucks can make efficient deliveries throughout the day regardless of airport, rail, or port operating schedules. The cargo-carrying can also be easily tracked by freight forwarders using GPS navigation systems. In the case of short-distance goods delivery, truck transportation also minimizes expenses.
Heavy Truck Transport in Dubai & Rest of UAE
The UAE has one of the best road networks in the world that connect one emirate with another. So, the goods are transported by road in trucks that are heavily loaded with containers. These trucks transport goods in bulk while being fully loaded, so they must be driven carefully to ensure the goods’ safety. However, road transportation might often take a long time to complete, making it unsuitable for urgent shipments.
Many specifications must also be considered in these heavy trucks, such as drivers of heavy vehicles must always be aware of their vehicle’s length, width, height as well as weight of the load. The width of the vehicle with its load should be no more than 2.6 meters. Loading and unloading must also be done with care.
Many such things need to be considered when transporting goods by a heavy truck. All of these requirements are met by the truck transportation company in order to transport your shipment smoothly. So there is a lot that goes into the process. So, it is very important to select a truck transport company that is reliable and takes care of everything.
Things to consider before choosing a truck transport company in Dubai
Before choosing to tie up with a truck transportation company, many factors must be considered because shipping goods is a huge responsibility. Check for these factors:
1. Reliability
- Check to see if the company has positive customer feedback and a good market reputation.
- Check if the company is licensed and approved by the government.
2. Availability
- Check to see if they are available to handle the volume of shipments you plan to transfer. The fleet size will be important to check.
- Check the frequency of their transport services and consider whether they are offering optimal transit timings for your freight.
3. Experience & Knowledge
- Consider if the trucking company has experience in dealing with commodities similar to yours. For example, if you want to ship glass items, the trucking company should be equipped to do that.
- Loading and unloading should only be performed by those who have the necessary knowledge and experience. Check to see if the company’s employees are well-trained and well-equipped.
4. Well Equipped
- Heavy loads are dangerous so check if they have well-trained and experienced drivers.
- Check if the company has well-equipped trucks and carriers to carry heavy loads.
- Check if they provide warehousing facilities in case there is a delay in starting the journey.
- Check if the company provides GPS tracking system in order to track the movement of the cargo
5. Road Knowledge
- Different authorities regulate different roads in the UAE, so it is critical that the company has knowledge of this so that the supply chain is not affected and time and money are not wasted.
- The company should also be knowledgeable about all of the routes in the UAE, as well as the obstacles and challenges that each route may present. The routes in the UAE are complicated, so it is necessary to plan ahead of time to ensure that the supply chain is not disrupted and that the items arrive safely and on schedule.
- Check if the company is aware of all the existing laws and road regulations of the UAE.
6. Special Requirements
- If you want to ship items that are temperature sensitive like frozen foods or some medicines, the truck transport company has to have temperature control facilities.
- Check if the company offers the kind of trailers you need. Depending on your needs, a flatbed, box, temperature-controlled, low bed, or curtain-sided trailer may be required. If you want to transport perishables, you may also need special trailers that are refrigerated or thermally protected. Look for a company that provides that type of trailer.
- Ask about their container sizes and specifications and see if they are suitable for your needs.
- If you need door-to-door delivery, check with a company that offers that service.
7. Safety & Insurance
- Inquire about their loading and unloading procedures, as this is critical for the goods’ safety.
- Check to see if they conduct a risk assessment prior to loading and have risk management measures in place in the event of a mishap.
- Serious road accidents take place because of overloading heavy vehicles. Check if the company had any road accidents before while transporting goods.
- Check if they offer insurance coverage for the commodities you are shipping.
8. Pricing
- Check if they offer competitive pricing and customized services according to your needs.
- Pricing can also vary according to the size and kind of container so compare prices between different companies to get the best deal.
- Freight Forwarding companies are also able to offer lower prices due to freight consolidation where they transport your goods with someone else’s goods if the truck is not full.
9. Value Added Services
- Check if the forwarder has other value added services such as free time for offloading.
Your check list for a seamless road transport delivery in Dubai & Rest of UAE
- Once the goods/containers are delivered, ensure the transport company signs proof of delivery.
- Check if the delivery location needs any special road permit to be taken from RTA to avoid fines.
- Client should be informed in advance prior to the delivery of the goods for smooth supply chain.
- Ensure that the transport company mentions all the damages in the EIR report before pulling out the FCL container to avoid any unwanted expenses.
- Check if the transport company sends delivery report to the client for inventory purposes
Before making a decision, you must consider all of these aspects. Acquiring all this information is crucial before hiring a heavy truck transport company as it will have a direct impact on your business.
You can choose a truck company based in UAE that checks all the above parameters and is suitable for your needs.
We hope now you know how road freight forwarding in UAE works and what things you need to consider before choosing a heavy truck transport company for your business.
About Cargoline Heavy Truck Transport Services in Dubai
We at Cargoline offer trailers that are attached through an intricate dolly system. We can carry 2X40 ft and 2×20 ft on a single head and have trucks with reinforced chassis that can carry a single head weight of up to 60 metric tonnes. With our on-time and smooth delivery services, we also guarantee complete customer satisfaction.
Value Added Services: If your freight is to be offloaded in Dubai, we offer free offloading time up to 72hours without any additional charges.