Cold Planer & Milling Machine Transport

Cold Planer & Milling Machine Hauling

Cold planers — also called asphalt milling machines, profilers, or road milling machines — are among the most frequently moved pieces of highway construction equipment. Paving contractors relocate them between projects across state lines on a regular basis, often on tight project schedules. R&RM LLC has been handling cold planer transport since 2011, serving paving contractors, asphalt recycling companies, and road construction firms across all 48 continental states.

Cold planers range from small parking lot machines to massive half-lane and full-lane highway units that are 14 to 16 feet wide in their widest configuration. Every machine over 8 ft 6 in wide requires oversize permits and pilot car coordination. Large Wirtgen and Roadtec highway planers frequently trigger superload or high-wide-load provisions in certain states, requiring advance notice and route engineering approval.

Cold Planer Brands We Transport

Wirtgen Cold Planers

Wirtgen is the dominant manufacturer in large cold planers. Their machines set the benchmark for half-lane and full-lane highway milling, and they represent a significant share of the equipment we transport each year. Common Wirtgen models transported by R&RM LLC include:

• Small Planers (up to 1.3m width): W 50, W 60, W 100, W 100 CF
• Mid-Size Planers (1.0–2.0m width): W 120, W 130, W 150, W 150 CF, W 200
• Half-Lane Machines (2.0m): W 200 Hi, W 210, W 220
• Full-Lane Machines (3.8m+): W 380, W 380 CR, W 400

Large Wirtgen full-lane machines — the W 380 and W 400 — are among the widest highway construction equipment transported on US roads. Dimensions in the transport configuration typically exceed 14 feet in width, placing them in the oversize category in every state and requiring two pilot cars on most routes.

Caterpillar Cold Planers

Caterpillar produces a full range of cold planers under the PM (Planer/Miller) designation. Cat machines are popular with contractors already running Cat fleets:

• Small & Compact: PM310, PM312, PM313
• Mid-Size: PM620, PM622, PM820
• Large Highway Planers: PM825, PM8000, PM200

Cat's larger highway models are comparable in size and weight to Wirtgen equivalents — typically 60,000 to 90,000 lbs operating weight and 10 to 14 feet wide in transport configuration.

Roadtec Cold Planers

Roadtec manufactures a strong line of US-built cold planers used extensively by highway contractors. Key models transported include:

• Compact: RX-400e, RX-500e
• Half-Lane: RX-600e, RX-700e
• Full-Lane: RX-900e

Roadtec planers are often a first choice for highway departments and large paving contractors in the Southeast and Midwest, corridors where R&RM LLC operates regularly.

Bomag Cold Planers

Bomag produces the BM series of cold planers from compact to highway scale. Models include:

• Compact: BM 1000/35, BM 1200/35
• Mid-Size: BM 2000/60, BM 2000/75
• Half-Lane: BM 2200/60, BM 2500/75

Volvo & Dynapac Cold Planers

Volvo's acquisition of Dynapac brought a full line of cold planers into the Volvo family. These machines are transported on the same trailer configurations as competing brands — RGN for drive-on loading on mid-size and larger machines, step deck or flatbed for compact units.

Other Manufacturers

R&RM LLC also transports cold planers from Terex Cedarapids, LeeBoy, SANY, Wirtgen Group brands, and specialty rental company configurations. If your machine is not listed above, contact us — we transport all brands and models.

Trailer Selection for Cold Planers

RGN Trailers

The majority of mid-size and large cold planers load most efficiently on a Removable Gooseneck (RGN) trailer. The gooseneck detaches, the deck angles down to ground level, and the cold planer drives on under its own power using its tracked undercarriage. RGN loading eliminates the need for external lifting equipment at pickup, which is important when planers are being loaded on active job sites. Most half-lane planers weigh 60,000 to 80,000 lbs — well within the capacity range of a standard 3-axle RGN trailer.

Step Deck Trailers

Compact cold planers — those in the 1.0m cutting width class weighing under 30,000 lbs — often move on step deck trailers. Step decks offer more flexibility for machines that are too tall for a standard flatbed but do not need the full deck-drop capability of an RGN.

Multi-Axle Configurations

Very large highway planers — full-lane Wirtgen and Cat models at 80,000 to 90,000+ lbs — may require a 5-axle or 7-axle RGN configuration to stay within per-axle weight limits. Multi-axle trailers spread the load weight over more contact points, allowing legally compliant transport of equipment that would exceed tandem axle limits on a standard 3-axle trailer.

Oversize Permit Requirements for Cold Planers

Cold planers are consistently among the widest highway construction equipment on the road. The permit requirements depend on the machine's transport dimensions:

• Width over 8 ft 6 in: Oversize permit required in every state the load traverses. Almost all cold planers above the compact class trigger this threshold.
• Width over 12–14 ft: Single pilot car (front) required in most states. Exact thresholds vary by state.
• Width over 14–16 ft: Two pilot cars required in most states — one in front, one behind.
• Width over 16 ft or weight over 150,000–200,000 lbs: Superload or special permit provisions apply in many states, requiring advance notice, engineering review, or law enforcement escort.

Our permit services team handles all state applications for each move. We are familiar with the corridors frequently used by paving contractors — the Interstate system, US highway routes, and state routes connecting project areas — and can identify routes that minimize permit complexity while meeting your delivery timeline.

Transport Dimensions: What to Expect

Typical transport dimensions for common cold planer categories:

• Compact planers (up to 1.0m): Approx. 9–11 ft wide, 10–12 ft tall on trailer, 30,000–45,000 lbs
• Mid-size planers (1.0–2.0m): Approx. 10–12 ft wide, 11–13 ft tall on trailer, 40,000–65,000 lbs
• Half-lane planers (2.0m): Approx. 12–14 ft wide, 12–14 ft tall on trailer, 55,000–80,000 lbs
• Full-lane planers (3.8m+): Approx. 14–16 ft wide, 13–15 ft tall on trailer, 75,000–95,000 lbs

For accurate permitting, provide the machine's actual transport-position width, height with drum assembly in lowest position, length with conveyor folded, and operating weight from the manufacturer's specifications. Our dispatch team can assist in identifying these dimensions from model documentation when needed.

Preparing a Cold Planer for Transport

Proper preparation at the pickup location helps ensure fast loading and accurate permit dimensions:

• Fold conveyor: The discharge conveyor must be folded to its transport position and secured. On most machines, this also reduces the load's overall height significantly.
• Lower drum: Confirm the milling drum assembly is in its lowest transport position. Some machines have an adjustable drum height that can reduce trailer height by 6 inches or more.
• Drain water tank: Water systems on cold planers can hold hundreds of gallons. Draining reduces weight and eliminates spillage risk on the trailer ramp.
• Fuel level: Fuel tanks should be at one-quarter or less for transport. Full tanks add unnecessary weight and affect axle distribution.
• Clean the drum: Caked asphalt on the drum increases weight and can affect tie-down points. A clean drum also makes it easier for the driver and pilot car crews to assess width and clearance.
• Secure loose components: Edge protectors, spray bars, scrapers, and side plates that are removable should be secured or stowed. Anything that increases width beyond the permitted dimension must come off.

Cold Planer Transport Applications

The typical reasons cold planers move by heavy haul:

• Between highway contracts: Paving contractors frequently move large cold planers between states as contracts conclude and new projects begin. Midwest and Southeast states see significant paving equipment migration each spring and fall.
• Equipment rental deliveries: National equipment rental companies move cold planers from regional depots to job sites and back. Fleet repositioning after slow-season returns is a major driver of cold planer transport demand.
• Auction and dealer sales: Used cold planers purchased at auction — Iron Planet, Ritchie Bros., Purple Wave — require transport from the auction lot to the buyer's location. We handle dealer-to-dealer and auction-to-site deliveries nationwide.
• Service center repairs: Large cold planers requiring major service — drum rebuilds, conveyor repairs, engine overhauls — are transported to and from authorized service centers, which are located in major paving markets like Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Chicago.
• Winter storage moves: Some contractors transport cold planers to protected storage facilities during the winter off-season, then retrieve them when the paving season resumes in spring.

Why R&RM LLC for Cold Planer Transport

R&RM LLC — based in Cumming, Georgia — has been hauling heavy highway construction equipment since 2011. Cold planers are a recurring part of our workload, particularly for construction equipment hauling in the Southeast and Midwest. We understand the permit requirements, the trailer configurations, and the job-site loading conditions that come with cold planer moves.

We serve all 48 continental states and handle permit applications in-house. When your project schedule requires a reliable pickup and a permit that moves as fast as the state DOT allows, call us at (404) 987-6225 or request a quote online.

Related Equipment We Transport

If you're moving paving equipment, you may also need transport for related machines:

• Paving equipment — asphalt pavers, material transfer vehicles, and highway pavers
• Compactors and road rollers — vibratory rollers and tandem asphalt compactors
• Motor graders — Cat, Komatsu, and John Deere graders used in road base preparation
• Aggregate and quarry equipment — crushing and screening plants that support paving operations

Get a Cold Planer Transport Quote

Provide the machine brand, model, transport-position dimensions (width, height, length), operating weight, pickup city/state, and delivery city/state for an accurate quote. We respond to quote requests promptly and can typically begin permit applications within one business day of move confirmation.