Time Sensitive and Specialized Transportation

You hear the buzzwords often in this industry: time sensitive shipments, specialized transportation or critical handling. But what do they actually mean? More importantly what do they mean for the customer?

Specialty or critical handling is reserved for motion-sensitive and fragile freight that usually involves a security element due to the high-value nature of the cargo. A carrier offering critical handling services will ensure the safety and security of the cargo through each stage of the transportation. Pre-trip planning is crucial to the success of any specialty transport operation, this includes:

• Mapping out an appropriate route that avoids zones with a high security risk
• Monitoring weather patterns
• Proper tie-down and load securement procedures documented and photographed

Another crucial element is monitoring of the entire trip via GPS, including the average speed of the vehicle and where it is being stored for required driver rest periods.

Time sensitive shipments are a common occurrence in the aerospace industry, especially for airline AOG (aircraft-on-ground) events. When an airline has a grounded aircraft it means that other planes have to be re-routed to pick up passengers, passengers have to wait and it is a costly burden on a complex airline flight scheduling system. In these situations IMT will offer a non-stop service to deliver the necessary components for making the aircraft air-worthy again.

In some cases, IMT has been required to detour around certain states that do not allow oversized loads on the road during the night. In the case of a non-stop delivery we would rely heavily on our office staff to pick a route that ensures the wheels never stop moving until the shipment has safely reached its destination.

Secure transport simply means being able to consistently deliver high-value components while maintaining the safety and security of the shipment at all times. Jet engines, helicopters, weapons systems are just some examples of high-value shipments that require special clearances and procedures.  For example, when transporting an aircraft worth millions, it is always best to use fully-enclosed trailers that not only protect the load from road debris, but also offers security and peace-of-mind to the owner.