A Step-by-Step Guide to Moving Farm Machinery

If you are in the farming business in the UK, your farming applications will need proper haulage services.

The proper level of farm haulage needs proper verification of the vehicles like the limits of the weight the vehicle will carry and whether there is a need of any repair in it.

You also need to follow the rules and regulations for the haulage safety.

The goods that are needed to be carried in bulk need the transport of rail and those goods that are time-sensitive are needed to be carried by freight. In an agricultural haulage  goods are needed to be  carried from one  place  to another place  of  farming.

This article will work as a guide to have safe and reliable transportation of the farm products.

Let’s find first what are those agricultural machines that need a haulage service and what are the available heavy haulage options for them.

Agricultural Machines That Need Heavy Haulage 

Heavy haulage services are a very effective and efficient option for carrying the heavy and larger goods that are needed for farming. Different kinds of farming haulage machines give services with   flexible timing, cost-effectiveness, safety, and environmental benefits.

Harvesting equipment: Agricultural haulage operations are needed to carry the harvesting equipment like hand sickles, different kinds of axes, and harvesters of potatoes and sugarcane.

Planting equipment: Farmers in the UK also carry different kinds of planters, drills, sprayers, and spreaders.

Tillage equipment: The tillage equipment and machines work for breaking the soil with a depth of 20 to 90 cm. Machines like disks, moldboards, and subsoil ploughs come in the grade.  

Mowing equipment: The farm machinery transportation also carries different kinds of mowers. They are like riding mowers, zero-turn mowers, and those of pull-behind mowers.

Heavy Haulage Service Options For Farm Machines

Different kinds of companies of farm haulage  manage to have expert employees and the industry has given employment to nearly 1.86 million people in the UK. In the year 2023, the goods that were carried by heavy haulage  or heavy goods  vehicles were 9% of the total products in the UK.

Self-propelled transport: Agricultural haulage can manage to have self-propelled transport. They have machines that move without the support of external sources of energy.

Haulage for Specialised Goods: You can also find that some farm machinery transportation works to carry hazardous goods and goods that are sensitive to temperature. These kinds of vehicles work with complete care and regulatory compliance.

Steps To Move Farm Machinery

In modern farming and farm haulage, the machines work to reduce manual tasks significantly like the use of tractors and utility vehicles or UTVs. If you are working in agricultural operations you should know what are the steps to move the equipment and machines of farming.

Step 1: Work on an application for a licence

If you want to move the agricultural vehicle, you need to have the permits of category F. If you are carrying a vehicle with a weight of 3500 kg you need to fulfil the needs of a Certificate of Professional Competence or CPC.

Step 2: Proper loading and unloading

For having a smooth and proper operation of loading and unloading you need to cheque the location and place where the goods will be loaded or unloaded. The loads should be distributed well to make the vehicle stable.

Step 3: Check all tires and hitches

You  need to cheque the pressure and condition of the tire. The age  of the hitches should also be checked.

Step 4: Verify all the equipment and parts

All the parts and equipment should be verified for safe farm machinery transportation. For this, you need to cheque the leaks, the connections of the hose, and whether there are blockages or cracks in the belts. Verify whether the signals and lights are working well.

Step 5: Use lubricators

You can use a lubrication system for the vehicle you are using for agricultural haulage. The proper level of lubricators makes the engines move perfectly. They also protect the machines from any kind of damage.

If you are in the farming business in the UK, your farming applications will need proper haulage services.

The proper level of farm haulage needs proper verification of the vehicles like the limits of the weight the vehicle will carry and whether there is a need of any repair in it.

You also need to follow the rules and regulations for the haulage safety.

The goods that are needed to be carried in bulk need the transport of rail and those goods that are time-sensitive are needed to be carried by freight. In an agricultural haulage  goods are needed to be  carried from one  place  to another place  of  farming.

This article will work as a guide to have safe and reliable transportation of the farm products.

Let’s find first what are those agricultural machines that need a haulage service and what are the available heavy haulage options for them.

Agricultural Machines That Need Heavy Haulage 

Heavy haulage services are a very effective and efficient option for carrying the heavy and larger goods that are needed for farming. Different kinds of farming haulage machines give services with   flexible timing, cost-effectiveness, safety, and environmental benefits.

Harvesting equipment: Agricultural haulage operations are needed to carry the harvesting equipment like hand sickles, different kinds of axes, and harvesters of potatoes and sugarcane.

Planting equipment: Farmers in the UK also carry different kinds of planters, drills, sprayers, and spreaders.

Tillage equipment:  The tillage equipment and machines work for breaking the soil with a depth of 20 to 90 cm. Machines like disks, moldboards, and subsoil ploughs come in the grade.  

Mowing equipment: The farm machinery transportation also carries different kinds of mowers. They are like riding mowers, zero-turn mowers, and those of pull-behind mowers.

Heavy Haulage Service Options For Farm Machines

Different kinds of companies of farm haulage  manage to have expert employees and the industry has given employment to nearly 1.86 million people in the UK. In the year 2023, the goods that were carried by heavy haulage  or heavy goods  vehicles were 9% of the total products in the UK.

Self-propelled transport: Agricultural haulage can manage to have self-propelled transport. They have machines that move without the support of external sources of energy.

Haulage for Specialised Goods: You can also find that some farm machinery transportation works to carry hazardous goods and goods that are sensitive to temperature. These kinds of vehicles work with complete care and regulatory compliance.

Steps To Move Farm Machinery

In modern farming and farm haulage, the machines work to reduce manual tasks significantly like the use of tractors and utility vehicles or UTVs. If you are working in agricultural operations you should know what are the steps to move the equipment and machines of farming.

Step 1: Work on an application for a licence

If you want to move the agricultural vehicle, you need to have the permits of category F. If you are carrying a vehicle with a weight of 3500 kg you need to fulfil the needs of a Certificate of Professional Competence or CPC.

Step 2: Proper loading and unloading

For having a smooth and proper operation of loading and unloading you need to cheque the location and place where the goods will be loaded or unloaded. The loads should be distributed well to make the vehicle stable.

Step 3: Check all tires and hitches

You  need to cheque the pressure and condition of the tire. The age  of the hitches should also be checked.

Step 4: Verify all the equipment and parts

All the parts and equipment should be verified for safe farm machinery transportation. For this, you need to cheque the leaks, the connections of the hose, and whether there are blockages or cracks in the belts. Verify whether the signals and lights are working well.

Step 5: Use lubricators

You can use a lubrication system for the vehicle you are using for agricultural haulage. The proper level of lubricators makes the engines move perfectly. They also protect the machines from any kind of damage.

Step 6: Record  keeping

The record-keeping for the operations of farm haulage work for keeping track of the vehicle, use of the fuel, details of the loads, and the routes.

Step 7: Optimal planning of routes

The proper and optimal planning of the routes is the process of identifying the way by which the vehicle will reach the destination. This will also determine the speed of the truck.

Step 8: Arranging training for drivers 

The drivers who will handle the vehicle should be well-trained to manage any sudden risks and changes in the climate. They should be able to understand the modern digital technologies of route planning.

Step 9: Managing farm haulage in extreme weather

The drivers can use the tools for monitoring the routes as per the need of the weather. They can also use various screen houses and shade structures.  

Step 10: Maintaining  the warehousing 

The best kind of farm haulage should work on better inventory, packaging, and shipping of farm products.

Key Takeaways

  • Make the transporters of farm haulage to be aware of the farm equipment and their maintenance needs.
  • Install alarms or alerts to check for any repair, need for oil change, or leakages. 
  • Maintain the standards of FMCSA  or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Considerations  While Choosing The Correct Solution For Transportation

While selecting the correct volume and mode of transportation you need to cheque what is the kind of goods that you are transporting. You need to confirm the geographical location as well as the infrastructure of the place where the products will be delivered.

Cheque weight and size of the equipment: For having the best-of-a-kind farm machine transportation you need to cheque the weight and size of the machines that you have selected for delivery.  Farming machines like small utility tractors can weigh 1500 to 3000 pounds.

Distance of the targeted location: If you want to have the perfect volume of agricultural haulage you should make your considerations for the distance. The spacing should be nearly 250 miles for a long-distance trucking.

Budget and cost: Farm haulers also work to manage the transportation of farming goods as per their cost and budget. The UK government has managed to work on a budget of $3.5 billion for the various schemes related to farm haulage.

Time management: The process of agricultural haulage manages to work on a proper level of management of time. This is needed for increasing production, pest control, and the process of harvesting.

Concerns for the environment: In the UK the FARM or the Programme of Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management has invested nearly $379 million in reducing the pollution due to haulage. They have promoted the use of electric vehicles and turbines that are driven by water.

Safety considerations: The farmers are also working on the changes in the use of land and reducing erosion due to tillage as a measure of safety for farm haulage.

Knowing The  Rules For Farm Haulage

As a farmer of the agribusiness of the  UK, you should be able to  carry  the class A licence for having  3.5 tonnes to 7.5 tonnes of goods in your vehicle. On the other hand, if the vehicle is capable of carrying  the goods of more than 7.5 tonnes you should take the licence of class C.

Proper identification of the vehicle: You need to have appropriate identification of the vehicle for the agricultural haulage with the numbers of vehicle registration and identification.

Security of heavy equipment: The security of the machines inside the vehicle should be checked within a particular time frame of the haulage. You can take the help of chocks, telematics, and other devices for tracking.

Fulfil the interstate needs: The agricultural haulage operations need to work on connecting the important metropolitan areas and cities with their all centres of industries.  

Following the national and international transportation laws: The haulers of the farm machinery transportation should work based on the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 for trading inside the country border and Trading Act 2021 for international trading.

Insurance of farm equipment: The farm haulage UK should follow the policies of agricultural vehicle insurance, insurance of livestock, and insurance of accidents.

Best practices of communication: The agricultural haulage should follow the best practices of collaboration and communication. They should be able to actively listen and should have conversations with the transporters regularly. They should work on taking the current updates about the regulatory changes in the government rules.

Avoiding health risks and accidents: Farm haulage operations should take constant initiatives to avoid any kind of risks or accidents. Once a risk is identified the drivers should give clear information to the other operators. The drivers should follow the rules of OSHA or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

Wrapping Up

For a better process of the farm haulage operations you are doing, you need to cheque the vehicle and goods before and after the haulage.

The haulers should be able to face the current changes in weather and its effect on transportation.

The haulers need to face the different uncertainties that are created by the condition of yields,  the price of the crops, and the condition of the global market.

Also,  you should  follow the safety rules of the workplace and there should be a proper work-life balance for the employees.

Having regular inspections of the vehicle is also very important for safe haulage.

The record-keeping for the operations of farm haulage work for keeping track of the vehicle, use of the fuel, details of the loads, and the routes.

Step 7: Optimal planning of routes

The proper and optimal planning of the routes is the process of identifying the way by which the vehicle will reach the destination. This will also determine the speed of the truck.

Step 8: Arranging training for drivers 

The drivers who will handle the vehicle should be well-trained to manage any sudden risks and changes in the climate. They should be able to understand the modern digital technologies of route planning.

Step 9: Managing farm haulage in extreme weather

The drivers can use the tools for monitoring the routes as per the need of the weather. They can also use various screen houses and shade structures.  

Step 10: Maintaining  the warehousing 

The best kind of farm haulage should work on better inventory, packaging, and shipping of farm products.

Key Takeaways

  • Make the transporters of farm haulage to be aware of the farm equipment and their maintenance needs.
  • Install alarms or alerts to check for any repair, need for oil change, or leakages. 
  • Maintain the standards of FMCSA  or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Considerations  While Choosing The Correct Solution For Transportation

While selecting the correct volume and mode of transportation you need to cheque what is the kind of goods that you are transporting. You need to confirm the geographical location as well as the infrastructure of the place where the products will be delivered.

Cheque weight and size of the equipment: For having the best-of-a-kind farm machine transportation you need to cheque the weight and size of the machines that you have selected for delivery.  Farming machines like small utility tractors can weigh 1500 to 3000 pounds.

Distance of the targeted location: If you want to have the perfect volume of agricultural haulage you should make your considerations for the distance. The spacing should be nearly 250 miles for a long-distance trucking.

Budget and cost: Farm haulers also work to manage the transportation of farming goods as per their cost and budget. The UK government has managed to work on a budget of $3.5 billion for the various schemes related to farm haulage.

Time management: The process of agricultural haulage manages to work on a proper level of management of time. This is needed for increasing production, pest control, and the process of harvesting.

Concerns for the environment: In the UK the FARM or the Programme of Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management has invested nearly $379 million in reducing the pollution due to haulage. They have promoted the use of electric vehicles and turbines that are driven by water.

Safety considerations: The farmers are also working on the changes in the use of land and reducing erosion due to tillage as a measure of safety for farm haulage.

Knowing The  Rules For Farm Haulage

As a farmer of the agribusiness of the  UK, you should be able to  carry  the class A licence for having  3.5 tonnes to 7.5 tonnes of goods in your vehicle. On the other hand, if the vehicle is capable of carrying  the goods of more than 7.5 tonnes you should take the licence of class C.

Proper identification of the vehicle: You need to have appropriate identification of the vehicle for the agricultural haulage with the numbers of vehicle registration and identification.

Security of heavy equipment: The security of the machines inside the vehicle should be checked within a particular time frame of the haulage. You can take the help of chocks, telematics, and other devices for tracking.

Fulfil the interstate needs: The agricultural haulage operations need to work on connecting the important metropolitan areas and cities with their all centres of industries.  

Following the national and international transportation laws: The haulers of the farm machinery transportation should work based on the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 for trading inside the country border and Trading Act 2021 for international trading.

Insurance of farm equipment: The farm haulage UK should follow the policies of agricultural vehicle insurance, insurance of livestock, and insurance of accidents.

Best practices of communication: The agricultural haulage should follow the best practices of collaboration and communication. They should be able to actively listen and should have conversations with the transporters regularly. They should work on taking the current updates about the regulatory changes in the government rules.

Avoiding health risks and accidents: Farm haulage operations should take constant initiatives to avoid any kind of risks or accidents. Once a risk is identified the drivers should give clear information to the other operators. The drivers should follow the rules of OSHA or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

Wrapping Up

For a better process of the farm haulage operations you are doing, you need to cheque the vehicle and goods before and after the haulage.

The haulers should be able to face the current changes in weather and its effect on transportation.

The haulers need to face the different uncertainties that are created by the condition of yields,  the price of the crops, and the condition of the global market.

Also,  you should  follow the safety rules of the workplace and there should be a proper work-life balance for the employees.

Having regular inspections of the vehicle is also very important for safe haulage.