When starting a utility project, you have to transport everything to the work site—including the steel poles. They are relatively light poles, compared to the wood poles, but they are still large and difficult to transport. You risk personal injury and lose much precious time when you try to transport these utility poles yourself.
It is better to have a professional utility hauling company transport the steel poles for you so you can stay safe and focus on the utility project.
But what transportation company should you hire?
If you are looking for a utility hauling company that will offer you safe and reliable transportation, here are some qualities you should look for.
Experience with Hauling Steel Poles
Steel poles have become a more popular choice with utility companies recently as they are high quality and environmentally friendly. While some companies still use wood utility poles, many newer projects leverage eco-friendly steel poles. However, this does not guarantee that every transportation company has hauled steel poles before.
You should always confirm that your company has hauled steel poles of similar material and length as your utility poles. Additionally, you should see if the company has hauled pole shafts like yours as the length of the pole changes how they can be stacked and hauled.
A good place to check the company’s experience is by looking at how many years they have been operating. That should give you a general idea of how much experience they have. Of course, you should also see how many projects the company has completed. If an older company has done fewer projects than a younger company, the younger company may still be the better choice.
But ultimately, to get specific answers on their steel pole hauling experience, you will have to call and ask. The company should be happy to tell you what material they have hauled before, and you can determine if they have sufficient experience to be reliable for your transportation needs.
Asset-Based Hauling
Transportation companies are either asset-based haulers or brokerage haulers. Asset-based companies own their own trucks and equipment and hire their own employees. Brokerage haulers, on the other hand, connect customers to the people who will provide the hauling service.
For your utility hauling needs, asset-based companies are the best option. You can directly communicate with the people who will be transporting your utility poles instead of working through a middle man. Asset-based companies can also guarantee their hauling capacity since they control their own trucks and set their own schedules.
Finally, asset-based transportation companies will provide quality customer service because their business depends on it. They are the most reliable option for your steel pole transportation.
Self-Unloading
You might think all transportation companies would be self-unloading, but some do not provide that service. They will haul your steel poles and leave you to figure out how to get them off the truck.
Dealing with unloading steel utility poles is an unwarranted challenge. It often requires you to hire additional workers and rent large, expensive equipment. This can eat into your project budget and cost you time as well.
But you do not have time to waste coordinating the unloading of your steel poles. You should not have to rent expensive equipment to get the poles off the truck. It is much easier to find a company that includes unloading in their service.
Railcar Transloading
If your steel poles are coming in by train, railcar transloading is a service your steel pole transport company must have.
Transloading involves positioning trucks at railroads to unload railcars. These trucks have boom-equipped tractors attached to them so they can easily lift the steel poles out of the railcars and load them into the truck.
If the transport company you contract with does not offer this service, you will have to hire another company to lift the poles out of the rail cars and onto the trucks. This creates more things for you to coordinate during your utility project, and it is also more expensive. So, to be more cost-effective and save yourself the hassle, find a transport company with transloading services.
Quality Customer Service
Another aspect of a good transportation company is the quality of customer service they provide. You need to find a company that does not mind putting in extra time to provide you with everything you need.
To determine the quality of customer service a company provides, you can look at customer reviews. These will often reveal how the company treats its customers in many different scenarios.
You can also notice how the company answers your questions as begin to collaborate with them. Are they open and honest about their answers? Are they going out of their way to provide you with the information you need? Those are marks of a company that prioritizes customer service.
Commitment to Saftey
Finally, you should look for a transportation company that is committed to safety. Hauling can be dangerous, especially when it involves transporting large, steel poles. And you do not want a lawsuit on your hands if an injury were to occur.
The best transportation companies will ensure that all equipment is up-to-date with regular maintenance and service. They will also hire employees who prioritize the safety of everyone involved, and they will provide thorough safety training to all their employees.
Blackwood Resource’s Utility Pole Transport
Still looking for a transportation company that has all the qualifications? Blackwood Resource is here to offer safe and reliable transportation for your steel poles.
We have been partnering with the utility industry for over 5 years, bringing new utility poles to their work sites across the United States. As an asset-based company, we will work with you directly to provide the transportation service you need.
Our trucks are equipped with cranes and equipment for transloading from railcars and self-unloading. With this high-end specialty equipment, we work to keep our trucks in good condition and our employees safe.
And we proudly admit that your employees are our most valuable asset. We treat them like family so they can provide you with the high-quality customer service we are committed to.
Contact us today to learn more about our utility hauling services and how we can help with your next utility project. You can reach us at 812-676-8770 or jamie@blackwoodresources.com.
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