For heavy equipment transport Canada jobs, Red Foot Haulers moves excavators, loaders, tractors, skid steers and attachments door-to-door within Canada on flatdeck, step-deck or RGN trailers, matched to your machine's height and weight. We've hauled since 2016 with 700+ reviews, commercial cargo insurance and written condition reports. Send loaded dimensions and photos and we price your move from real specs — no invented flat rate.
Heavy Equipment Transport Across Canada
Red Foot Haulers provides door-to-door heavy equipment hauling within Canada, coast to coast, using the trailer class your machine's dimensions require. Standard flatdeck works for lower, lighter units; a step-deck buys height clearance; and an RGN (removable-gooseneck lowboy) drops the deck low for tall or low-ground-clearance machines. We move excavators, wheel and track loaders, agricultural and construction tractors, skid steers, and detached attachments such as buckets, blades, grapples and augers.
Everything we do is Canada-only. That focus means our routing, permit knowledge and trailer selection are built around Canadian highways, seasons and provincial rules rather than being spread thin across a border we don't cross. Since 2016 we've built more than 700 customer reviews on the back of a simple process: you tell us what the machine is, where it sits and where it needs to go; we confirm the right trailer and any permits; and we haul it under commercial cargo insurance with a condition report signed at pickup and delivery. If you're shipping a passenger vehicle instead of a machine, see our car shipping Canada service.
The rest of this page walks through the trailer options, what actually drives your quote, how permits and escorts work, the equipment types we specialize in, and how jobsite pickup and delivery is handled so nothing surprises you on moving day.
Trailer Types: Flatdeck, Step-Deck and RGN
Choosing the trailer is the first real decision, and it's driven almost entirely by the height of the loaded machine plus its weight and ground clearance. A machine that fits legally on a flatdeck is cheaper and faster to load than one that needs a lowboy RGN trailer, so the goal is always the lowest-clearance solution that still clears legal height. The table below lays out the trade-offs.
| Trailer | Approx. deck height | Typical use | When it's required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flatdeck | Highest deck (roughly at frame/wheel height) | Skid steers, compact loaders, smaller tractors and mini excavators that are short enough to clear legal height sitting on a high deck | Default choice when total loaded height stays within legal limits and the machine can ramp on safely |
| Step-deck (drop deck) | Lower rear deck than flatdeck | Mid-size tractors, loaders and excavators that would be a few inches too tall on a flatdeck | When you need to shave height without going to a full lowboy — a common middle ground |
| RGN / lowboy | Lowest deck; gooseneck detaches so the machine drives on from the front | Tall excavators, large dozers, and heavy or low-ground-clearance machines | When step-deck height still won't clear, or the machine is too heavy/low to ramp onto a higher deck |
The honest trade-off: a lowboy RGN solves height and clearance problems but is a heavier, more specialized trailer that costs more to run and takes longer to load and detach. A flatdeck is the leanest option but only works when the numbers fit under legal height. Step-decks split the difference. We pick from your loaded dimensions rather than guessing, because being an inch over legal height mid-route is a far worse problem than booking the right trailer up front.
What Your Quote Depends On
There is no single national per-kilometre rate for heavy equipment, because two machines going the same distance can require completely different trailers, permits and crews. Instead of a fake flat number, here are the real drivers of your quote and which direction each one pushes the price.
| Driver | How it moves the quote |
|---|---|
| Distance | Longer hauls cost more in fuel, hours and driver time; remote endpoints add deadhead miles to get the trailer in and out |
| Trailer class (flatdeck / step-deck / RGN) | Flatdeck is leanest; step-deck sits higher; RGN/lowboy is the most specialized and expensive to run |
| Weight | Heavier machines may need more axles, push into overweight permit territory, and limit which trailers and routes are legal |
| Width / height / length | Oversize dimensions trigger permits and sometimes pilot vehicles; height often decides flatdeck vs step-deck vs RGN |
| Runs onto the deck under its own power | A running machine ramps on quickly; a non-runner needs winching or extra equipment, which adds time and cost |
| Season | Winter conditions, frost-law road restrictions and peak demand periods affect routing and availability |
| Escorts / permits | Oversize/overweight moves add permit fees and, when required, pilot-vehicle costs per province and route |
| Distance from a highway-capable road | Soft, tight or unpaved sites far from a highway-rated road add access time, risk and sometimes specialized handling |
For the equipment this page covers, the factors that usually dominate are height (which decides trailer class), weight (which decides axles and permits) and site access (which decides how much time and risk loading involves). Distance matters, but a tall or heavy machine that needs an RGN and permits will move the quote more than distance alone. That's why we price from your specs, not a generic band.
Permits and Escorts
Many heavy machines travel within legal dimensions and need no special permit. Once a load exceeds legal limits for width, height, length or axle weight, it becomes an oversize and/or overweight move that requires a provincial permit for each province it travels through, and sometimes one or more pilot (escort) vehicles to accompany it.
The critical point is that thresholds differ by province and by the specific highways used — the same machine can be legal on one corridor and permit-required on another. Because of that, we do not quote from a generic national chart. We confirm the exact permit and escort requirements against your loaded dimensions and the planned route before we give you a number, so the quote reflects what the move genuinely needs.
The dimensions that most commonly determine whether a permit or escort is needed are:
- Overall width — a wide machine or one loaded past the deck edges is a frequent trigger for oversize permits and pilot cars
- Height — total loaded height above the road decides trailer class and can require route planning around overpasses and lines
- Length — long machines, or machines with a long boom or attachment, can exceed legal combined length
- Axle weights and gross weight — heavy units may need permits, additional axles, or specific routing to stay within bridge and road limits
We handle the permit arrangement for moves that need it. Our job at quote time is to identify those requirements early so there are no mid-route surprises, and our insurance and condition-report process backs every haul.
Equipment We Move
We regularly transport the full range of construction and farm machinery. Whether a machine runs or not changes how it loads, so we always ask before quoting.
Excavators
From mini and midi excavators to large tracked units, excavator transport Canada often comes down to height. Taller excavators frequently need a step-deck or RGN to clear legal height, and boom position matters for length. We confirm the trailer from your machine's model and loaded dimensions.
Tractors
Agricultural and construction tractors vary widely in width and weight, which is why tractor transport Canada can run on anything from a flatdeck to a lowboy. Dual wheels, wide axles and cab height all factor into trailer choice and whether a permit applies.
Loaders and Skid Steers
Wheel loaders, track loaders and skid steers are common loads. Compact skid steers often ride comfortably on a flatdeck, while larger loaders may need a lower deck for height and weight reasons.
Attachments
Buckets, blades, forks, grapples, augers and other attachments can travel with the machine or as a separate load. Loose attachments must be secured properly, and we account for their weight and dimensions in the plan.
Running vs Non-Running Machines
A machine that runs and drives can ramp onto the deck under its own power, which is fast and straightforward. A non-runner needs to be winched or otherwise assisted onto the trailer — that takes more time and equipment, and it changes the trailer and loading plan. Tell us the machine's condition up front. For the specialized low-deck work behind many of these moves, see lowboy RGN trailer transport Canada.
Jobsite Pickup and Delivery
Most heavy equipment doesn't sit in a tidy parking lot — it's on a jobsite or a field, and access is often the trickiest part of the whole move. Before pickup we want to understand what the truck and trailer will actually face, because a long RGN needs room to manoeuvre, detach its gooseneck and load the machine safely.
The access issues we plan around include:
- Soft or unstable ground — mud, sand or freshly graded fill can bog down a loaded trailer; we may need a firmer staging point nearby
- Gates and tight entries — narrow gates, fences and sharp turns can limit trailer length and swing
- Overhead lines and obstructions — power lines, tree limbs and low structures matter for a machine's loaded height
- Spotters — on tight or blind sites, having someone to spot the driver in and out makes the difference between a smooth load and a damaged fence
The machine itself needs to be ready. It must be free of loose dirt, mud, rock and debris, because material falling off a load at highway speed is a genuine hazard and a legal problem — clean tracks and buckets before we arrive. If the machine runs, an operator driving it onto the deck is the cleanest way to load; if it doesn't, we plan winch loading in advance.
To make the quote accurate the first time, send us clear photos of the machine and the site, along with the loaded dimensions — overall width, height off the ground, length and weight. Those photos and numbers let us confirm the trailer, the permits and the access plan before we commit to a date, and they feed the written condition report we complete at pickup and delivery.
Ontario and Regional Coverage
Red Foot Haulers hauls coast to coast across Canada. Volume is naturally heavier in and out of major industrial and agricultural regions, and Ontario is one of our busiest — see heavy equipment transport Ontario for that regional detail. We don't publish fixed lane prices or claim depots we don't operate; instead, we quote each move on its own route, trailer and permit needs.
Wherever your machine is picked up and dropped, the same process applies: confirm dimensions, pick the right trailer, arrange any permits and escorts for the specific highways used, and haul under commercial cargo insurance with a condition report. Because we're Canada-only, we're not splitting attention across a border — every route we plan is a domestic one, which keeps our provincial permit knowledge sharp.
Other popular routes and equipment pages include excavator transport Canada, tractor transport Canada and lowboy RGN trailer transport Canada. If you need a car or light vehicle moved instead, our car shipping Canada service covers that separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What heavy equipment can you transport?
Excavators, loaders, tractors, skid steers, attachments and similar construction and farm equipment, within Canada, on the trailer class the dimensions require.
When do I need an RGN or lowboy?
When deck height or ramp geometry on a standard flatdeck will not clear the machine safely — common with taller excavators or low-ground-clearance units. We confirm from your dimensions and photos.
Do you arrange oversize permits?
Yes for moves that need them. Exact thresholds vary by province and route, so we confirm requirements against your loaded dimensions before quoting rather than guessing from a generic chart.
How much does heavy equipment shipping cost in Canada?
There is no single published per-km rate — the quote depends on distance, trailer class (flatdeck, step-deck or RGN), weight and dimensions, whether the machine runs onto the deck, season, and whether permits or escorts are required. We price from your specs rather than a flat national band.
Do you transport heavy equipment to or from the United States?
No. Red Foot Haulers moves equipment within Canada only. Cross-border hauls involve customs and different permitting we do not handle.