Special transports – for loads that don't fit the standard

Special transport, abnormal load, heavy haulage: three terms, three cases

The German term Sonderfahrt is used in several fields – by driving schools for country-road, motorway and night lessons, and by heritage railways for special trains. In transport, a special transport is an order for which one vehicle drives for a single shipment only, outside a regular or groupage round. The reason is the load or the timing: a part without pallet dimensions, a device that must not be reloaded, a handover on a Sunday.

This is different from an abnormal load in the sense of road traffic law, also called oversize or heavy haulage. It starts where vehicle and load exceed the generally permitted limits. Under Section 22(2) of the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO), vehicle and load together may not be wider than 2.55 m or higher than 4 m; anyone who actually exceeds the permitted dimensions, axle loads or total masses needs a permit under Section 29(3) StVO. It is applied for through the online procedure VEMAGS, and the entire route is checked.

Transports that need a permit therefore need lead time. At Maxmove you book loads up to 3 t online in a 7.5 t truck; heavier, open or oversized loads can be requested as a special transport, and we clarify in advance whether and how they can be carried. The glossary entry special transport also explains the basics.

What kinds of special transport are there? Typical cases at a glance

Special transports can be grouped by why the shipment does not fit the regular process.

Size and shape: parts without pallet dimensions, over-length profiles and pipes, plant components with an awkward centre of gravity, machines that may only travel lying down or standing up.

Sensitivity: prototypes, measuring instruments, test rigs, exhibits, electronics with tilt or shock indicators – anything that is at risk with every transhipment.

Timing: handovers at night, at the weekend or at a fixed gate at a fixed time, for example during a trade fair build-up or in a production window.

Confidentiality: documents from an ongoing project or prototypes that nobody but the driver and the recipient should handle.

Quantity: a part load that is too big for a parcel network and too small for an articulated lorry.

The same principle applies in every case: one vehicle, one shipment, no stops in between. What differs is the preparation – from the right vehicle and the loading method to load securing according to VDI 2700. For pallets without special requirements, pallet transport is usually the better choice.

Shipping an engine or gearbox: fluids, pallet, dangerous goods

Engines, gearboxes and axles are among the most frequent special transports from workshops and repair businesses. They are heavy, have a high centre of gravity and tend to leak oil. Three points decide whether the transport runs smoothly.

First, the fluids. Drain oil and coolant and seal the openings. With fuel, it is about more than cleanliness: a combustion engine with fuel in the system is dangerous goods; special provision 363 of the ADR sets out the conditions under which it may be carried. If the tank has been emptied so that the engine cannot run for lack of fuel, and it contains no other dangerous goods such as a battery, it is not subject to the ADR. The consignor must check and classify this (Section 18 GGVSEB).

Second, the base. An engine should be bolted or strapped to a Euro pallet or a frame, with a drip tray or absorbent fleece underneath. This allows it to be loaded with a pallet truck or forklift and secured in the vehicle by blocking.

Third, loading at both ends. Nobody carries a lorry engine or a heavy gearbox into a van by hand. Check whether a forklift or pallet truck is available at the collection and delivery address, and enter weight and dimensions in the order.

Over-length parts: rules for loads projecting beyond the vehicle

Profiles, pipes, ladders or over-length components often do not fit into a closed van. For open vehicles, Section 22 StVO governs how far a load may project. To the rear, 1.50 m is allowed, or up to 3 m for a journey of up to 100 km. If the end of the load projects more than 1 m beyond the rear reflectors, it must be marked, for example with a light red flag of at least 30 × 30 cm, and with a red light if required. To the front, a load may not project beyond the vehicle up to a height of 2.50 m. Individual poles, horizontal panels and other poorly visible objects may not project sideways at all.

For planning, this means: measure the longest part and state it in your request, together with the weight per bundle or piece. In the 3.5 t box van with a load length of 4.2 to 4.3 m, many parts still travel enclosed and protected from the weather. For longer parts or loads that are lifted in from above by crane, request a special transport with an open vehicle. Long parts should rest along their full length and be secured against sliding in the direction of travel – otherwise they push forward under full braking.

Special transport at weekends or at night: what the law says

Many special transports take place outside normal hours, because production is idle, the exhibition halls are open for build-up or the city centre is clear. For planning, it is important to know which driving bans apply.

The Sunday and public holiday driving ban under Section 30(3) StVO applies from midnight to 10 pm to commercial goods transport with lorries over 7.5 t permissible total mass and to trailers behind lorries. In addition, the German holiday travel regulation (Ferienreiseverordnung) bars these vehicles from certain motorway sections during the day on Saturdays in July and August. Neither affects vans and 3.5 t box vans – a special transport on a Sunday is possible with these vehicles.

The real limits are set by the place and the people: is the factory gate staffed at night? Do the house rules or the landlord allow a delivery late in the evening? Who signs for acceptance on a public holiday, and who has the key to the hall?

Enter in the order who will be on site, how that person can be reached and at which gate the handover takes place. You see which time slots are available for your special transport when you send the request. On request, we agree recurring night or weekend drives, for example to trade fairs, with you in advance.

Sensitive equipment: marking and handover without transhipment

Prototypes, measuring equipment and test rigs rarely break on the road – they break during reloading. A special transport removes that step: the device stays on the same load floor from collection to handover. Even so, a little preparation makes the difference.

Mark the package with the handling symbols according to ISO 780 – ‘This way up’, ‘Fragile’, ‘Keep dry’, and for heavy crates also centre of gravity and lifting points. Every driver and forklift operator understands these symbols without explanation. Tilt and shock indicators on the crate show the recipient whether the device was tipped or set down hard.

State in the order whether the device must travel upright or lying down and whether it can be stacked. Electronics transported in winter should reach room temperature before being switched on so that no condensation forms – tell the recipient.

Document the condition with your own photos at collection; at handover, the digital proof of delivery records time, signature and photos. This makes it possible to trace at any time in what condition the device was handed over – important for loan equipment and prototypes that move between several partners.