Food Truck Shipping

At booking, provide your food truck’s total length, width (including any external protrusions such as side service windows in the open position or external equipment), total height (measured from the ground to the highest point including rooftop exhaust hoods, HVAC units, or generator housings), and the vehicle’s GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating). These four specifications determine the carrier type, permit requirements, and route planning for the transport.

If your food truck has rooftop equipment that can be removed for transport – detachable exhaust stack extensions, removable antenna mounts, or collapsible rooftop structures – note this at booking. Reducing the transport height by even a few inches can avoid permit requirements in certain states and simplify route planning. Your SAC coordinator will advise whether removal is worth the effort based on the specific route and dimensions involved.

Remove all food products, perishables, cooking oils, condiments, and consumable supplies from the food truck before transport. Carriers are not responsible for food items left inside the unit, and perishables that spoil during a multi-day transport can create significant odor and sanitation issues that are difficult to remediate. Cooking oils in open containers can spill during transit and create both a mess and a fire hazard.

For units with refrigeration equipment, empty and clean the refrigerator and freezer compartments before pickup and leave the doors propped slightly open if the unit will be transported without power. A sealed, empty refrigerator on a multi-day transport without power will develop mold and odor quickly. Running refrigeration units on generator power during transport is generally not advisable unless specifically coordinated with the carrier in advance.

Everything inside your food truck that is not permanently bolted down should be secured before transport. Pots, pans, utensils, small appliances, condiment dispensers, cash drawers, POS equipment, and any other loose items on shelves or countertops will shift during transit and can cause damage to cabinetry, appliances, and each other. Pack loose items into secured cabinets, close and latch all cabinet doors, and use non-slip padding under any items remaining on open shelves.

For food trucks with generator slide-out trays, propane tanks in exterior compartments, or removable equipment racks, confirm all of these components are fully retracted, locked, or secured in their transport positions before the carrier arrives. Generator slide-outs left partially extended can catch wind at highway speed and cause structural damage to the unit’s exterior. A five-minute walk-through of every compartment before pickup is the most effective way to prevent in-transit interior damage.

Before transport pickup, turn off all propane tanks at the valve and confirm all gas appliance valves are closed. Do not rely on appliance shutoffs alone – turn the propane off at the tank itself. For food trucks with natural gas connections at a permanent location, disconnect the external connection and cap the inlet fitting before the unit is moved.

Propane tanks must be in legal transport condition – secured in their mounting brackets, valve caps on, and tanks within their certified service life. For units with multiple propane tanks, check each one individually. A propane system with a slow leak that goes undetected during a multi-day cross-country transport is a serious fire hazard. Turning off and verifying every gas connection before pickup is a non-negotiable safety step for food truck transport.

If your food truck is being transported via driveaway (driven by a carrier driver rather than loaded on a flatbed), confirm the vehicle is in full operating mechanical condition before pickup. Check the engine oil, coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and power steering fluid. Confirm all tires are properly inflated and within legal tread depth. Verify that brake lights, turn signals, running lights, and the horn are all functional.

For flatbed transport, the food truck only needs to be driveable enough to be driven onto the carrier trailer at pickup and off at delivery – it does not need to be in road-trip condition. However, a vehicle that cannot be started or cannot be driven under its own power at pickup is considered non-operable and requires specialized loading equipment. Notify your SAC coordinator at booking if the vehicle has any known mechanical issues that affect operability.

The most common cause of bridge clearance issues during food truck transport is an inaccurate height measurement at booking. Before you call SAC, measure the total height of your food truck from the ground to the highest point – including exhaust hood extensions, rooftop generator housings, HVAC units, and any other rooftop equipment. Use a tape measure and measure with the vehicle on level ground.

Standard bridge clearance on interstate highways is 14 feet 6 inches, but state routes and local roads on some transport routes can have clearances as low as 12 to 13 feet. A food truck with a true height of 13 feet 8 inches quoted as 13 feet flat creates a routing problem that the carrier discovers mid-route rather than at dispatch. Accurate height measurement at booking allows proper route planning before anything moves, which is the only way to prevent clearance issues entirely.

Flatbed carriers are commercial vehicles with trailer configurations that require adequate access for maneuvering. Before your pickup date, confirm that the location where your food truck is parked can be accessed by a flatbed trailer for loading. The access road should be able to accommodate a vehicle combination approximately 70 feet long and 8.5 feet wide, with sufficient turning radius and no low overhead obstructions at the entry point.

For food trucks parked in tight urban locations, commercial parking garages with low ceilings, or lots with limited entry width, coordinate an alternative staging location with your SAC coordinator in advance. A nearby open parking lot or a wide street with unrestricted access is typically all that is needed. The same access assessment applies to the delivery location. Confirming access at both ends before dispatch eliminates the most common cause of pickup and delivery delays for oversized commercial vehicle transport.