Oversize transport in Romania
We organise the transport of machinery, industrial equipment and structures that exceed the legal weights or dimensions: from a tracked excavator to transformers and wind turbine components that need modular trailers. We take care of the route, the special transport permit (AST), the escort and the insurance.
- 30 minutes to a quote, for most requests
- 24/7 support for transports in progress
- CMR included on every transport; all-risk on request
- All of the EU plus the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Turkey, Serbia, Moldova and Ukraine
Completed transports
Excavators, tanks, wind turbine blades, yachts, railcars and combines: a few of the oversize transports we have organised.
What we move most often
Every type of load has a different challenge: for machinery it is the height, for structures the length, for transformers the axle load. Choose your category to see what equipment we use and what information we need from you.
Construction machinery
Excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, cranes, drilling rigs
Typical challenge: Height on the deck and width of the tracks
Agricultural machinery
Combines, large tractors, wide seed drills and cultivators, self-propelled sprayers
Typical challenge: Width, even with the header removed
Transformers and wind turbine components
Transformers, generators, turbines, blades, tower sections, nacelles
Typical challenge: Axle load, bridges on the route, the transport engineering study
Steel structures and precast elements
Bridge girders, hall trusses and columns, precast concrete elements
Typical challenge: Length over 16.50 m and rear overhang
Modular homes and containers
Residential and office modules, containers, technical cabins, precast swimming pools
Typical challenge: Width over 3.20 m and access for unloading
Industrial machinery
CNC machining centres, presses, injection moulding machines, production lines
Typical challenge: Concentrated weight and shock protection
Tanks, silos and columns
Storage tanks, silos, columns, heat exchangers
Typical challenge: The diameter, which is both width and height
Railcars, locomotives and trams
New and used railcars, locomotives, trams, bogies
Typical challenge: Length and loading by crane or winch
Boats and vessels
Yachts, motor launches, work boats, pontoons
Typical challenge: Hull width and height on the trailer
What we prepare before the cargo leaves
Oversize transport is not just a bigger truck. Here is what goes into organising it, from the first request to unloading.
Route survey
We check clearances under bridges, underpasses and cables, turning radii, weight restrictions and roadworks. For heavy transports, the transport engineering study is prepared with licensed engineers.
Special transport permit
We prepare the documents for CNAIR (the Romanian national road administration) for national roads and motorways, and for the administrators of the county and local roads on the route.
Escort and Traffic Police
We assign licensed escort vehicles and coordinate the police patrol when the width, length, height or weight requires it.
The right equipment
Flatbed, semi-lowbed, lowbed, extendable or modular trailer: we choose based on dimensions, axle load and route, from our network of partner carriers.
Insurance
CMR insurance is included on every transport. For high-value equipment we can add all-risk insurance on request.
A single coordinator
You have a dedicated coordinator from loading to unloading, GPS tracking and updates throughout the transport.
How an oversize transport works
You send us the details
Length, width, height, weight, loading and unloading places and the preferred date. A photo or the data sheet helps a lot.
You get the quote
With the proposed equipment, the estimated route, the cost of permits and escort, and a realistic timeline.
We prepare the route
Route survey, special permit, escort and, if needed, booking the crane for loading and unloading.
The transport
The truck travels in the time windows approved by the permit, and you get updates along the way.
Delivery
We unload at the agreed point and close the transport with the signed documents.
Which trailer fits your cargo
We do not own trucks, and that is an advantage: for each transport we choose from our partner network the trailer that suits the cargo, not the one that happens to be free in the yard.
| Type | Axles | Indicative payload | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard flatbed | 3 | up to ~24 t | Long or wide but low loads: structures, precast elements, containers |
| Semi-lowbed | 3 | up to ~45 t | Wheeled and tracked machines of medium height, tractors, loaders |
| Lowbed | 3 | up to ~40 t | Excavators, bulldozers and other tall machines |
| Well-deck lowbed (gondola) | 4 | up to ~60 t | Very tall equipment, where every centimetre of height counts |
| Extendable trailer | 4 | up to ~50 t | Beams, poles, piles, wind turbine blades |
| Hydraulic modular trailer | 6 axle lines | up to ~80 t in this configuration | Heavy loads; axle lines are added according to weight |
| SPMT (self-propelled) | modular | depending on configuration | Very heavy moves over short distances: port, factory, site |
Indicative values for the usual configurations in our partner network. The actual payload depends on the configuration, the tractor unit and the axle loads approved in the AST permit.
When does a transport become oversize
In Romania, the maximum weights and dimensions for travelling on public roads are set by Government Ordinance (OG) no. 43/1997 on the road regime. If the transport exceeds any of the limits below, you need a special transport permit (AST).
| Parameter | Limit without AST | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 2.55 m | 2.60 m for refrigerated vehicles with an insulated body |
| Height | 4.00 m | measured from the ground, with the load on the vehicle |
| Length, tractor unit + semi-trailer | 16.50 m | articulated vehicle, load included |
| Length, truck + trailer | 18.75 m | road train |
| Length, rigid vehicle | 12.00 m | without trailer |
| Gross weight, 5 or 6 axles | 40 t | 38 t on gravel roads |
Source: OG no. 43/1997 on the road regime, annex no. 2 (values for rehabilitated roads). On non-rehabilitated, upgraded or gravel roads, some permitted weights are lower.
When an escort is required
| If the transport has at least one of these values | Escort required |
|---|---|
| Width over 3.20 m, up to and including 4.50 m; length over 25 m, up to and including 30 m; height over 4.50 m | One licensed escort vehicle, in front of the transport |
| Width over 4.50 m or length over 30 m | Two escort vehicles: one in front, one behind |
| Width over 5 m, length over 40 m, height over 5 m or gross weight over 80 t | In addition, a Traffic Police patrol |
Source: the Norms on authorising and running vehicles with excess weights and/or dimensions, approved by Joint Order MT/MDRAP/MAI no. 1236/6509/126/2018. The exact number of escort vehicles is the one stated in the AST permit.
Oversize, abnormal, heavy or oversized
All these terms describe loads that exceed the legal limits. The difference is what exactly they exceed, and that changes the equipment, the permits and the escort.
Abnormal load transportYellow sign, AST permit, escort and police
Heavy haulageTens and hundreds of tonnes, modular trailers
Oversized cargo transportWide, tall or long loads
Lowbed transportExcavators, bulldozers, cranes
Project cargoProjects with many pieces: road, sea, river
International transportPermits in 18 European countries
Oversize transport in Romania and in Europe
We organise oversize transports between any two points in Romania and on international routes with 18 European countries. For each country we have gathered who issues the permits, the escort rules and the usual route.
- GermanyVEMAGS, BF3/BF4 escort, machinery from dealers and auctions
- Italytrasporto eccezionale, ANAS and the regions, production lines
- Francethree categories of convoi exceptionnel, prefecture permit
- SpainDGT and regional authorities, route through France
- Austriapermit from the state government, transit to the west
- HungaryMagyar Közút, entry via Nădlac II and Borș II
- Polandseven permit categories, pilot vehicle from 3.2 m width
- Czech Republicspecial road use permit, transit to DE and PL
- NetherlandsRDW exemption, auction machinery, port of Rotterdam
- Belgiumregional permits via WebTEUV, port of Antwerp
- Switzerlandcanton of entry, 40 t limit, customs
- United Kingdom (England)STGO, ESDAL and VR1, ferry crossing, customs
- BulgariaRoad Infrastructure Agency, Giurgiu and Calafat bridges
- Greecethrough Bulgaria via Kulata, ports of Thessaloniki and Piraeus
- TurkeyKGM road document, A.TR certificate, customs
- SerbiaPutevi Srbije, Moravița and the Iron Gates, customs
- UkraineSiret and Halmeu, customs and NCTS transit
- Republic of MoldovaANTA permit, Albița and Giurgiulești, customs
Many projects pass through a few well-known gateways. The right crossing point is chosen according to the route approved in the permits, not just by distance.
- the port of Constanța and the RO-RO terminal at Agigea, for equipment arriving by sea;
- Nădlac II (A1) and Borș II (A3), for entries from Hungary and Western Europe;
- Giurgiu–Ruse and Calafat–Vidin, towards Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey;
- Siret and Albița, towards Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
Frequently asked questions about oversize transport
What does oversize transport mean?
It is the transport of a load which, together with the vehicle, exceeds the gross weight, the axle loads or the maximum dimensions permitted on public roads. In Romania, the usual limits are 2.55 m width, 4 m height, 16.50 m length for a tractor unit with semi-trailer and 40 t gross weight. Such a transport may only travel with a special permit and under the conditions set by the road administrator.
Who issues the permit for oversize transport?
The administrator of each road on the route: CNAIR for national roads and motorways, county councils for county roads and local authorities for municipal roads and streets. We prepare the applications and follow up the approval for the whole route.
How long does it take to get the permit?
It depends on the transport. For a machine that only exceeds the width, the permit is usually obtained quickly. Heavy transports, which need a transport engineering study, bridge checks or moving cables along the route, take longer. That is why it is best to write to us as soon as you have the dimensions.
How much does oversize transport cost?
There is no price per kilometre that applies to every load. The cost depends on the equipment, the distance, the permit fees, the number of escort vehicles and the permitted time windows. Send us the dimensions and weight and you will get a complete quote. You can find details on the page about the cost of oversize transport.
Do you also do oversize transport in other European countries?
Yes. We organise oversize transports between Romania and 18 European countries, including Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Turkey, with the permits from every country on the route. See international oversize transport.
What is the difference between oversize, abnormal and heavy transport?
Oversize and abnormal mean the same thing: a load that exceeds the permitted weights or dimensions. “Heavy” transport refers to transports where the main issue is weight, while “oversized” refers to those that exceed the width, height or length.
Do you have your own trucks?
No. We are a freight forwarder: we work with a network of partner carriers and choose the right trailer for each load. You have a single point of contact, a dedicated coordinator and a single quote for the whole transport.
Can you travel at weekends?
As a rule, OG no. 43/1997 prohibits oversize transports on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays between 06:00 and 22:00. The road administrator can approve exceptions, and many large transports travel at night anyway, in the time windows set by the permit.
Have an oversize load?
Tell us what we are moving, from where and to where. We send you a tailored quote, for most requests in under 30 minutes during office hours.
- Phone+40 31 631 8931
- Emailcontact@transport-agabaritic.net
- Office hoursMonday–Friday, 09:00–17:30 (Romanian time)