Specialist Road Transport FAQs

Generally not. Abnormal loads usually move in daylight on weekdays. Provinces publish embargo dates for weekends, public holidays and peak holiday periods, and permits for very wide loads can add further time restrictions. This is a common reason abnormal loads take longer than people expect.

The permit is issued for a route that can physically carry the load. Bridges with mass limits, low bridges, overhead signs and cables, and narrow or tight sections often rule out the direct road. The load has to use the permitted route, even if it adds distance.

Send us the dimensions, mass and release status of the cargo. Heavy and tall loads leaving Durban port have limited usable exit routes because of bridge clearances and road restrictions. We assess which route can be permitted and plan the movement from the terminal to site.

Permits are valid for a set period. If the movement is delayed past that period, for example because the site is not ready or the cargo is released late, the permit may need to be renewed or reapplied for. That can add time and cost, so tell us about delays as soon as you know.

The permit only covers the dimensions and mass it was issued for. A larger load can be stopped by traffic officers, and it may need a new permit, a different route or a different trailer. Measure the load in its transport position, including packaging, brackets and skids.

Moving an abnormal load without a valid permit, or outside its conditions, is an offence. The vehicle can be fined and stopped until the situation is resolved. It is one of the main risks of using a carrier that does not handle permits properly.

Not for a standard container on a suitable trailer within legal mass. A container becomes an abnormal load if it is overweight, or if the cargo inside or on a flat rack sticks out beyond the legal width or height. Give us the container type, gross mass and any overhang.

The transporter applies for and carries the permit, and must keep to its conditions. The shipper is responsible for giving accurate dimensions and mass. Most permit problems on the road come from load details that were wrong from the start.

Depending on the permit, the vehicle may need abnormal load warning boards front and rear, flags on the widest points, amber flashing lights, marker lamps and speed restriction boards. Each permit lists what is required, and we fit the vehicle accordingly.

Yes. Transformers and large generators are often heavy enough to need multi-axle trailers, permits and crane coordination at both ends, so we usually plan them as project cargo. Send the transport drawing or the mass and dimensions.

Give us both sites, the machine list and the dates each machine must be working. We check the public road section for permits and the on-mine section for site rules. Then we sequence the moves so machines are not idle waiting for transport.

The make and model, operating mass, length, width and height in transport position, and the attachments fitted. Also the collection and delivery addresses, the target dates, and photos of the access at both sites if it is tight.

Tell us about the access road, gate width, turning space and ground conditions, and send photos if you can. A loaded lowbed needs firm ground and room to turn. If the site cannot take it, we agree an offloading point nearby before the movement.

Machines are chained at their rated tie-down points, not around hydraulic lines, cylinders or painted panels, and edge protection is used where needed. Tell us about sensitive components so they can be protected.

For machines within legal limits, book as soon as dates are known so the right trailer is available. For machines that need a permit, allow extra time for the permit application, and longer again if a route survey is needed.

Yes. Send the machine list and the start date for each. We plan the order of delivery around what the site needs first and how much laydown space it has, rather than delivering everything at once.

Yes. You can book the return when you book the delivery and confirm the date later. Re-check the machine's dimensions before the return if attachments have been changed during the contract.

Yes. Give us the dealer or auction yard address, the collection contact and any yard collection rules. Confirm that the machine is paid for and released, because yards often will not load without a release note.

It depends on the vehicle's axles, tyres and registered mass, within the legal limits per axle, per axle group and for the whole combination. A vehicle can be overweight on one axle even if the total is legal, which is why weight distribution matters as much as total mass.

Overloading is an offence. An overloaded vehicle can be fined and is usually not allowed to continue until the excess has been offloaded at the weighbridge. The regulations also place duties on consignors and consignees not to overload, so accurate weights protect you as well as us.

The weight decides the vehicle, the number of axles, whether a permit is needed and how the load is positioned. An estimate that is too low can lead to an overloaded vehicle, a fine or a load stopped at a weighbridge.

A step-deck has a higher front section and a lower main deck. It suits machinery and equipment that is too tall for a flatbed but does not need a full lowbed.

A trailer with many axles that spreads very heavy loads over enough wheels to stay within axle mass limits, or to meet permit conditions for abnormal loads. It is used for transformers, heavy plant and large mining equipment.

Usually, if the combined mass and dimensions allow it. Attachments must be secured separately. If they push the load over a limit, we may move them on a second vehicle to avoid a permit.

Long loads are carried on flatbeds or extendable trailers, depending on their length. Loads longer than the legal limit need an abnormal load permit. Give us the length, mass and number of pieces.

For about 8 tonnes, a medium rigid truck may be enough if the cargo fits the deck. But size and how the cargo is loaded matter as much as the weight. Send the dimensions and packaging and we will recommend the right vehicle.

No. Defenlog provides the transport service with our own vehicle and driver, not trailer hire. Our heavy equipment service covers the vehicle, driver, permits and supervision of the movement.

In section 14 of the safety data sheet (SDS), under transport information. Common examples are UN1202 for diesel, UN1203 for petrol and UN1268 for petroleum distillates. If the SDS has no UN number for road transport, the product is usually not regulated as dangerous goods.

When it carries dangerous goods above the exempt quantities. Placards and orange panels show the hazard class and UN number. They are displayed as the dangerous goods standards require, and removed or covered when the vehicle is empty and clean.

A driver carrying dangerous goods above the exempt quantities needs a professional driving permit for dangerous goods (PrDP category D), which requires approved dangerous goods training. People often call this the hazchem certificate. Defenlog's dangerous goods drivers hold this permit.

Only if the classes are compatible and the quantities and packaging allow it. Food, for example, should not travel with toxic or corrosive products, and some hazard classes may not be loaded together. Send us the full cargo list.

Responsibility is shared under the regulations and depends on the cause, for example incorrect packaging or classification, or an incident on the road. Spill response, clean-up and environmental rehabilitation can be expensive, so correct documents, packaging and insurance matter before the load leaves.

The signed dangerous goods declaration, the transport emergency card for each product, and the safety data sheets. The vehicle also carries its own dangerous goods documentation. Missing paperwork is a common reason for a load being stopped.

Yes, subject to classification and compatibility. Send the product names, UN numbers, safety data sheets and quantities, plus the mine's delivery requirements. See Dangerous Goods Transport.

Unless agreed otherwise, the consignee is responsible for offloading and must provide a person trained to do it. Confirm who is responsible at both ends before the load leaves.

The SDS tells us how the product is classified and packed, what it can travel with, what placards and safety equipment are required, and how to respond in an emergency. All of these affect the vehicle, the driver and the price.

Yes. Recurring deliveries can be set up on an agreed schedule with standing authorisations, named contacts and fixed procedures, so each delivery doesn't start from scratch.

No. The regulations require supervision for the whole journey, and stops are planned at the required distances from buildings and public roads.

Security is planned for each movement, covering route, timing, stops, supervision and escort requirements, and agreed with the client before dispatch. Details are shared only with authorised people.

Only high-level information: the cargo category and division (for example 1.1D or 1.4S), the approximate quantity, the general areas and the timing. Do not send detailed routes or security information by website form or email. We arrange a secure follow-up. Start at support@defenlog.co.za.

Yes. Defence equipment, including heavy vehicles that may be abnormal loads, is moved under controlled planning, with security and handling requirements agreed for each movement.

If your contract requires vetted or security-cleared personnel, state it in your first enquiry. The requirement is confirmed before the movement is accepted.

Ammunition is Class 1 cargo and is handled under the same licensed, approval-based process as other explosives. Send the division, quantity and the authorisations held at origin and destination.

Timing is set by the permit, the client's site rules and the security plan for the movement. We plan the schedule around these at the outset, not on the day.

No. Client names, routes, schedules and images of sensitive consignments are never published.

The cargo type, mass, dimensions, collection and delivery addresses, target dates and loading method. For machinery, add the make and model and photos. For dangerous goods, add the UN number and safety data sheet.

Our team aims to respond within two hours on business days. Complex movements that need permit or route checks take longer to price fully, and we tell you when to expect the full quote. Contact support@defenlog.co.za.

Waiting beyond the agreed loading or offloading time can be charged, as set out in your quotation. For abnormal loads, a long wait can also push the movement outside the permit's travel window. Tell us early if a site will not be ready.

The usual causes are cargo heavier or larger than declared, a change of date that needs new permits, waiting time, or a change of address or route. Where we can, we tell you before an extra cost is incurred.

Give accurate dimensions and mass. Remove attachments if that avoids a permit. Be flexible on dates. Have operators and loading equipment ready at both ends, and book early so the right trailer is available.

Yes. Send the routes, volumes and frequency for your recurring movements and we will quote a contract arrangement instead of pricing each load separately.

Permits and approvals are arranged as part of the movement. Your quotation shows the permit and escort costs, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

Where a vehicle is dedicated to your load and returns empty, the cost of positioning is part of the rate. Flexible dates can sometimes allow a better rate. Ask when you request the quote.

Yes. The quote and invoice can be addressed to you as the booking party. Give us the consignee details needed for delivery planning.

Before dispatch we agree a named contact person and the update points, such as loaded, departed, key stages and arrival. If something changes, we contact you rather than waiting for you to chase.

Tell us when cargo is high-value or a known theft target. Routes, stops and timing are then planned with security in mind, and additional measures are agreed before dispatch. Tracker's 2025 data shows 57% of crime against business vehicles happens in Gauteng, and hijackings peak on weekday afternoons and evenings.

For general freight, we re-route where a safe alternative exists, or hold the vehicle in a safe place until the road reopens. Abnormal loads must stay on their permitted route, so they may have to wait. Either way, you are told about the delay and the plan.

Contact us with your booking reference. We confirm the vehicle's status and location and give you a recovery plan with a revised time. Every delivery is closed with a signed proof of delivery, so a delivery is either confirmed or it isn't.

We contact you straight away for instructions. You can choose to wait, deliver to another approved address or return the cargo. Each option may carry extra cost, and you decide before we act.

A signed proof of delivery for each consignment, sent to you after handover. If you need site-specific documents signed or stamped, tell us when you book.

The receiver should note the discrepancy on the proof of delivery before signing and contact us the same day. We check the loading records against the collection documents and agree the correction with you.

Email support@defenlog.co.za with the booking reference, the annotated proof of delivery, photos, the value of the loss and supporting invoices. Report the problem as soon as possible, because claims are subject to the time limits in the terms and conditions.

If conditions are unsafe, the vehicle stops in a safe place. We let you know and resume when it is safe. For abnormal loads, a closed or damaged route may need a permit amendment before the load can continue.

Our focus is road transport within South Africa. For project-based cross-border movements in the SADC region, we work through approved partners. Customs clearance and border documentation stay with you or your forwarder.

Yes. Send the mine's contractor safety file requirements, induction schedule and any vehicle specifications, such as flags, beacons or reverse alarms, with your enquiry. We prepare these before the delivery date so the vehicle isn't turned away at the gate.

We operate nationwide, coordinated from offices in Durban, Cape Town and Gauteng. That covers the main freight corridors, the mining regions of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and the Northern Cape, and the ports.

ISO 9001:2015, SQAS assessment, RTMS and B-BBEE Level 1. See Our Certifications.

It means that every R100 of qualifying spend with a Level 1 supplier counts as R135 on your preferential procurement scorecard. Level 1 is the highest contribution level.

RTMS (Road Transport Management System) is an industry self-regulation standard based on SANS 1395-1. It covers load control to prevent overloading, driver wellness and fatigue, vehicle maintenance and productivity. It shows the operator's systems have been checked against an industry standard.

SQAS is the Chemical and Allied Industries' Association's safety and quality assessment for logistics providers that serve the chemical industry. It is carried out by independent auditors and is often required by chemical companies before they appoint a transporter.

Yes. Send your supplier registration checklist or tender requirements to support@defenlog.co.za and we will return current copies of the documents you need.

Send the cargo details through the form below or by email. We review the requirement, ask any questions, and send a quote with the movement plan. Once you accept, we confirm the vehicle, permits, contacts and times.