RGN lowboy transport Canada is the specialized shipping method for tall, heavy, or low-clearance machines that cannot ride safely on a standard deck. An RGN (removable gooseneck) lowbed drops its front to the ground so equipment loads at a shallow angle, while a lowboy keeps the deck close to the road for extra clearance. Red Foot Haulers has hauled these loads across Canada since 2016. To get started, you need your machine's length, width, height, and weight.
RGN and Lowboy Transport in Canada
An RGN — short for removable gooseneck — is a lowbed trailer whose front section (the gooseneck) detaches and hydraulically lowers to the ground, turning the deck into a ramp. That lets a machine drive or winch on at a gentle angle instead of climbing a steep set of ramps. A lowboy is the broader family of low-deck trailers built to carry heavy, tall loads close to the pavement; an RGN is a lowboy with the added ground-loading feature. Both exist for one reason: to keep the combined height of trailer plus machine legal and to make heavy, awkward equipment loadable without damage.
Red Foot Haulers moves this equipment within Canada only, coast to coast, as part of our broader heavy equipment transport Canada service. Whether you are relocating a high-hoe excavator between job sites or repositioning a low-clearance crawler dozer to a rental yard, the RGN and lowboy fleet is the workhorse for loads that flatdecks and step-decks cannot legally or safely carry. Every move is backed by commercial cargo insurance and documented with condition reports at pickup and delivery.
When an RGN Is the Right Tool
The trailer you need is dictated by the machine's height, weight, and how it loads. A flatdeck sits highest off the ground and suits compact, road-legal-height gear. A step-deck lowers the rear deck to buy clearance for slightly taller loads. An RGN goes lowest and, critically, drops flat to the ground for equipment that is either too tall to clear bridges on a higher deck or too low-slung to climb ramps. The table below shows where each fits.
| Factor | Flatdeck | Step-deck | RGN / Lowboy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck height off ground | Highest | Lower rear deck | Lowest available |
| Loading approach angle | Steep ramps | Ramps to lower deck | Shallow — front drops to ground |
| Weight distribution | Limited axle spread | Moderate | Multiple axles, heavy loads spread |
| Total load height allowance | Least clearance | More clearance | Most clearance for tall machines |
| Typical machines | Skid steers, small attachments, road-height gear | Mid-size equipment, taller compact loads | Tall excavators, low-clearance dozers, graders, large loaders |
In practice, if a machine is tall enough to threaten bridge and overpass clearance on a step-deck, or sits so low that ramps risk grounding out the undercarriage, the RGN is the answer. The detachable gooseneck also lets crews load self-propelled equipment directly off the ground, which reduces handling risk on heavy, unbalanced machines.
What Your Quote Depends On
We do not publish a flat per-kilometre rate because no two heavy hauls are alike — a low-clearance dozer that must be winched on and needs an escort through several provinces prices very differently from a machine that drives itself onto the deck and rides within legal dimensions. Instead, here are the drivers that actually move your quote and the direction each one pushes it.
| Driver | How it affects the quote |
|---|---|
| Distance | More loaded kilometres and any deadhead to reach the machine increase the price. |
| Trailer class (flatdeck / step-deck / RGN) | RGN and lowboy equipment is more specialized than a flatdeck, which raises the base cost. |
| Weight | Heavier machines may need more axles and can trigger overweight permits, both adding cost. |
| Width / height / length | The larger the loaded envelope, the more likely permits and escorts apply, raising the total. |
| Loads under own power | A machine that drives onto the deck is faster and cheaper to handle than one requiring winching or a crane. |
| Season | Winter conditions, frost restrictions, and daylight limits can slow a move and affect scheduling. |
| Escorts / permits | Pilot vehicles and oversize/overweight permits add direct, route-specific cost. |
| Distance from a highway-capable road | Remote or rough-access sites add time, risk, and sometimes specialized recovery gear. |
For the tall, heavy machines that typically ride on an RGN, the factors that most often dominate the quote are weight, loaded height and width, and the resulting permit and escort requirements. A machine within legal dimensions is straightforward; the moment height or width crosses into oversize territory, permits and pilot cars become the biggest variable in the final number.
Permits and Escorts
Any load that exceeds legal size or weight limits needs an oversize or overweight permit, and larger loads may also require one or more pilot (escort) vehicles to travel safely on public highways. The thresholds that trigger permits and escorts are not universal — they differ by province and even by the specific highways and corridors your route uses. Because of that, we do not quote generic cutoffs. Instead, we confirm the exact permit and escort requirements for your specific route before we price the move, so the quote reflects reality rather than a guess.
The dimensions that commonly determine whether a permit or escort is needed include:
- Overall width — wide loads are the most frequent trigger for pilot vehicles.
- Overall height — critical for bridge, overpass, and power-line clearance on the chosen route.
- Overall length — long combinations can require rear escorts and route restrictions.
- Axle weights and gross weight — these drive overweight permits and can dictate trailer axle configuration.
Because Red Foot Haulers moves equipment within Canada only, we plan every route against the provincial rules that actually apply along the way, and we build the required permits and escorts into the schedule and the quote.
Planning an Oversize Move
Oversize hauls need lead time. Permits must be applied for and issued before the load can legally travel, and pilot vehicles have to be booked and coordinated to match the truck's schedule. Many oversize moves are also subject to daylight-only travel and route or timing restrictions that keep large loads off the busiest stretches at the wrong hours — these vary by jurisdiction, and we work them into the plan rather than assume a single rule applies everywhere. The larger and heavier your machine, the earlier you should start the conversation.
To build an accurate plan and quote quickly, we need a few things from you up front:
- Length, width, and height of the machine (loaded dimensions matter most)
- Total weight, and whether attachments ship on or off
- Whether the machine runs and can load under its own power
- Pickup and delivery locations, including how far each site is from a highway-capable road
- Clear photos of the machine and both site accesses
With those details we confirm the trailer class, plan the route, arrange any permits and escorts, and lock in a firm price. Planning a machine-specific haul? See our pages on excavator transport Canada and tractor transport Canada, or regional service in heavy equipment transport Ontario.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an RGN trailer?
A removable-gooseneck (RGN) lowbed lets the front of the deck drop to the ground so tall or low-clearance equipment can drive or winch on at a shallow angle.
Do oversize loads always need a pilot vehicle?
Not always — it depends on the loaded dimensions and the provinces and highways on the route. We confirm escort needs when we price the move.
How is a lowboy different from a step-deck?
A step-deck has two deck heights and a fixed gooseneck; an RGN/lowboy drops lower and the gooseneck detaches so the machine can load at ground level. Tall or low-clearance equipment is why most RGN moves happen.
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.