Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Heavy Haul in Philadelphia
Project, steel and over dimensional cargo to and from the Delaware River terminals, trucked under PennDOT permits with route surveys, height poles and pilot cars planned by our own team.
This page is general information only, not legal advice and not a permit. Rules change often and each state's permit and official rules are the final word. Always confirm limits, escorts, routes and travel times with the state permit office before moving a load. Reliable Transport LLC is not responsible for decisions made using this information.
Port heavy haul
From the river to the jobsite
Reliable Transport LLC runs heavy haul and superload moves across the USA and Canada from our home base in Dayton, Ohio. For a Philadelphia load, our in house team files the PennDOT permit and any local permit, plans the route and books the escorts, and files the route survey PennDOT asks for on tall loads.
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerAt the port
PhilaPort and the Tioga Marine Terminal
Terminal facts come from PhilaPort and the terminal operator, each confirmed by a second source.
Tioga Marine Terminal
PhilaPort's 116 acre Tioga Marine Terminal has 6 berths and handles steel, over dimensional, project and breakbulk cargo, including heavy lifts. (PhilaPort, Tioga Marine Terminal, Delaware River Stevedores, Tioga Marine Terminal)
Heavy lift crane
A mobile harbor crane rated for 114 short tons works heavy lifts at the terminal, which has direct truck and rail service. (PhilaPort, Tioga Marine Terminal, Delaware River Stevedores, Tioga Marine Terminal)
Sources: PhilaPort, Tioga Marine Terminal; Delaware River Stevedores, Tioga Marine Terminal.
Pennsylvania rules
Philadelphia oversize rules at a glance
The route survey and height rule first, then the Pennsylvania rules every Philadelphia load runs under.
Pennsylvania
Official sources linked| Where | Restriction |
|---|---|
| Height pole | A load over 14'6"H needs a lead pilot car with a height pole, 1,000' to 3,000' ahead, and the utilities on the route get at least 24 hours' notice. PennDOT also needs a route survey (form M 936ARS) with the permit application for any load over 14'6"H. (PennDOT APRAS FAQ, documents for the application, PennDOT form M 936ARS, route survey, 67 Pa. Code 179.10, general conditions, PennDOT form M 938, permit conditions) |
| Legal limits | Without a permit, a load in Pennsylvania can be up to 8'6"W and 13'6"H, at up to 80,000 lbs gross. (75 Pa.C.S. 4921, width, 75 Pa.C.S. 4922, height, 75 Pa.C.S. 4941, weight) |
| Width pilot car | A load over 13'W needs one pilot car: behind on roads with two or more lanes in your direction, in front on roads with one. (67 Pa. Code 179.10, general conditions, PennDOT pilot car cheat sheet) |
| Length pilot car | A load over 90'L, or more than 15' past the rear, needs one following pilot car. (67 Pa. Code 179.10, general conditions, PennDOT pilot car cheat sheet) |
| Police escorts | Buildings over 16'W need a State Police or local police escort. Super loads run with a certified escort vehicle or a State Police escort. (67 Pa. Code 179.10, general conditions, 75 Pa.C.S. 4962, permit conditions) |
| Travel hours | Permitted loads may move from sunrise to sunset every day of the week, except on holidays, in bad weather, in urbanized areas outside their hours and as the permit restricts. (75 Pa.C.S. 4962, permit conditions, PennDOT form M 938, permit conditions) |
| Holidays | No movement over the six holidays on PennDOT's yearly list, starting at 12 noon. (PennDOT 2026 holiday travel restrictions, 67 Pa. Code 179.10, general conditions) |
| Turnpike and local roads | The PennDOT permit is not valid on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and local roads need the local authority's permission. (67 Pa. Code 179.10, general conditions, PennDOT form M 938, permit conditions) |
Rules change often. We checked these on October 2, 2026 against the official sources linked in each row, and each one against a second source. Rules we could not confirm twice are left off this page. Our permitting team confirms the current rules for every move.
Our moves
Heavy loads we have moved
These moves ran on other routes. They show the size of loads our team permits, routes and escorts.
207,000 lb dryer drum
Louisville, KY - Richmond, VA in December 2025, at 300,000 lbs gross and 165'L x 13'6"W x 17'H loaded, with a crew of 15.
150,000 lb transformer
Pocatello, ID - Akron, OH in early 2024, at 240,000 lbs gross and 16'H loaded, with help from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
110,000 lb switchgear building
Houston, TX - Los Angeles, CA in 2025, at 250,000 lbs gross and 185'L x 17'W x 17'H loaded.
Moving something in Philadelphia?
Send the size and weight. We will tell you what the permit, route and escorts look like.
Request a quote →See every move on our Moves page.
Questions
Philadelphia heavy haul questions
When does a Pennsylvania load need a route survey?
Over 14'6"H. PennDOT needs a route survey on form M 936ARS with the permit application, and a lead pilot car runs a height pole.
What can the Tioga Marine Terminal handle?
Steel, over dimensional, project and breakbulk cargo, including heavy lifts, at a 116 acre terminal with 6 berths.
When does a Pennsylvania load need a pilot car?
Over 13'W, one pilot car; over 90'L, or more than 15' past the rear, one following pilot car.
Is a PennDOT permit valid on the Pennsylvania Turnpike?
No. The Turnpike and local roads need their own permission.
How heavy a load can you haul?
Our superload service handles loads up to 300,000 lbs, with permits, routing and escorts by our own team.
Hauling through other states? Use our permit map and route planner
Open the route plannerKeep planning
More for your Philadelphia move
Other port and city pages
Port heavy haul
Ready to move it?
Send the load dimensions, weight, pickup and delivery points. Our in house team prices the permits, route and escorts and gets back to you fast.
This page is general information only, not legal advice and not a permit. Rules change often and each state's permit and official rules are the final word. Always confirm limits, escorts, routes and travel times with the state permit office before moving a load. Reliable Transport LLC is not responsible for decisions made using this information.