FR8Star Is The Fast, Easy Way To Move Freight, Heavy Equipment & More

A lot of considerations go into heavy-haul transport. When you need to move a piece of heavy equipment, do you know how to prepare? Do you know what type of trailer you need and in what dimensions? Have you planned a route? Do you know what special considerations you’ll need to make regarding bridge clearances or pilot cars? Do you need any permits? Is it considered an oversized load? Will it cross jurisdictional lines and need to meet the requirements of multiple agencies?

Fortunately, you don’t have to stress about these things when you use FR8Star. FR8Star simplifies heavy-haul shipping. Just enter your load information and wait for vetted, experienced haulers from the FR8Star network to submit their all-inclusive bids. Then you select the bid that best meets your needs and finalize the details with the transport company.

What Is FR8Star?

Available in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., FR8Star is Sandhills Global’s online shipping resource for heavy-haul transport. It’s available as a standalone tool and it’s integrated into Sandhills’ online equipment marketplaces. Shippers have access to FR8Star’s vetted network of over 20,000 transport companies experienced in hauling everything from general freight to complex heavy-haul loads and even livestock.

These carriers are qualified to transport all types of oversized, overweight, and specialized loads to any distance and they have the trucks and trailers necessary to do so. Hot shot and drive away transport, container shipping, vehicle transport, equipment hauling, and more can all be booked through FR8Star. For loads requiring overseas shipping, FR8Star will help arrange secure passage with freight forwarders capable of moving loads through any port in the world.

How It Works

Shippers can start from a Sandhills site such as MachineryTrader.com or AuctionTime.com, where each asset’s for-sale listing includes a FR8Star Get Shipping Quotes button. When a user clicks the button, a shipping request form automatically fills in key details about the load, including dimensions and weight. The user then indicates whether they need the load hauled, towed, or driven away and enters the pickup and drop-off locations.

Shippers can also go to FR8Star.com to get fast, free shipping estimates. Click the Get Started button on the homepage to begin the process and then select over-the-road or overseas transport, indicate a load type (equipment, freight, livestock, etc.), and enter some basic details about the load.

The request is then sent to the FR8Star Load Board for transport companies to review and submit their comprehensive bids, which include any necessary fees for permits, escorts, and other considerations. Shippers often start receiving bids in under an hour and can compare ratings and reviews of carriers in addition to bids to make their decision. Carriers can also choose to offer Book It Now Rates to allow customers to book loads immediately. This option generally costs extra for the shipper but expedites the process for items needed quickly.

NEW: Exclusive FR8Star Group For Sandhills’ Dealers

Registered dealers who are a part of this group have access to a small, exclusive group of transport companies that have been handpicked for their exceptional service and can lock in a rate with one of the companies. This allows dealers, auction companies, rental companies, and finance companies to include the price of the freight into the final sale price. Dealers can bypass down payments and award a bid and pay later. As always, dealer contact information is kept confidential, and posting a load is free.

Visit FR8Star.com for more information.

A version of this article first appeared in Sandhills Magazine. You can find the current issue and back issues in the Sandhills Magazine Archive.