When semi trucks travel past our car windows, most of us probably think we know what’s being hauled. We picture pallets of packaged food, carefully loaded furniture, stacks of building materials, and all sorts of other dry or refrigerated goods. But behind the walls of what looks like an everyday semi trailer, you might be surprised to find incredibly unique cargo instead.

Trucking is the most popular way to transport cargo because trucks offer the greatest versatility, convenience, and control when moving freight with special requirements. Temperature controlled trailers, reinforced tankers, and trailers designed for oversized loads allows shippers to deliver uncommon freight without having to completely overhaul the logistics systems. Keep reading to learn what makes freight uncommon, as well as some notable examples.

Understanding Uncommon Freight

What counts as “uncommon” freight is open to some interpretation. When earning a commercial driver’s license (CDL), drivers indicate the class of CDL they’re testing for because it determines the type of commercial motor vehicle they can legally operate. But to haul uncommon or unconventional freight, having a standard CDL often isn’t enough. To haul oversized loads, double- or triple-trailer setups, hazardous materials, and liquid freight, drivers must earn additional endorsements.

With this in mind, one way to define uncommon freight might be to say that if you’ve earned an endorsement, you’re probably going to haul something out of the ordinary. For example, transporting wind turbine blades or modular homes would require a driver to haul oversized loads as well as double or triple trailers, and both scenarios require endorsements.

In some cases, uncommon freight could be shipments that require extreme discretion from the drivers and some drivers never even find out what exactly they were hauling. (This thread has numerous examples of that!) But whether it’s unusually secretive or just plain unusual, truck drivers have to be ready for anything when it’s time to load up and head out.

Famous Example: The Big Idaho Potato Tour

One of the most famous examples of uncommon freight comes in the form of a massive potato. The Famous Idaho® Potato Tour began as a one-year promotional campaign in 2012 that featured a four-ton fake potato hauled on a flatbed trailer for a cross-country tour. Thirteen years later, the giant tuber is still touring the U.S. and impacting communities through its charitable initiatives.

The campaign originally started as a way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Idaho Potato Commission, but it quickly became apparent that people get genuinely excited about having their picture taken with a giant Idaho potato. (Considering the long-running popularity of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, maybe it’s not so surprising!) The tour promotes “the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association certified Idaho® potato and its mission to help small charities in towns and cities with its A Big Helping program.”

Logistically, there’s a lot involved when taking an enormous fiberglass potato on tour. In addition to securing a customized trailer, the route planning has to account for any infrastructure limitations and meeting oversized load requirements. Assembling the right team is also critical, and the Famous Idaho® Potato Tour’s three drivers each have over 30 years of driving experience, including one driver who spent 38 years driving double and triple-trailer loads.

Hauling Rockets to Their Launch Site

Delivering rocket components used to involve a complex series of transportation arrangements between land, sea, and air, but now, trucking is perhaps the most popular delivery method. Rocket designs are sleeker and lighter, and transporting them via highway is easier than ever. Plus, working with private carriers allows companies to handle special requirements (such as custom cradles and trailers) more easily than coordinating with several different entities.

Still, rockets can only be streamlined so much, and today’s engineers need to determine how to safely deliver freight exceeding 150 feet across the country. In the case of SpaceX rocket components, the parts must endure a 2,500-mile drive from California to Florida, often with a stop in Texas along the way. Design teams for the Falcon 9 rocket were told to keep the rocket diameter under 3.7 meters to ensure the components could pass under every bridge and overpass without issue, but that’s just one factor the team had to consider in the overall strategy.

For a successful delivery, logistics teams coordinate with local utility crews and law enforcement to ensure the rockets can travel through without obstruction. This might mean lifting power lines, removing street signs and traffic lights, and regulating traffic so that the slow-moving 44-wheeled trucks can reach their destination without delay. Although delivering this type of freight still requires a significant amount of pre-planning and coordination, truck transport ultimately offers greater control over the process.

Real Stories from the Road: Pride Driver Submissions

At Pride Transport, our drivers have seen it all and hauled just about everything. From life-saving aircraft to unexpected oddities, here’s a look at some of the most memorable hauls shared by our very own drivers:

• Jennifer E. once hauled a surprisingly lightweight load: a few live fish and a single pallet of Hostess snacks, just 38 pounds in total, from Massachusetts to Michigan.
• William E. racked up some serious miles with standout cargo. He transported a Life Flight helicopter (blades included) in a dry van from Provo to LAX, an 1854 square grand piano from Solvang, California to Thanksgiving Point, and even a Malibu ski boat from Modesto to Salt Lake City, all while driving for Pride.
• Abigail B. delivered a large boat to a job site in North Dakota because, in her words, "they sunk the other one."
• Dakota W. hauled missile insulation from California to Corinne, Utah using Pride’s insulated trailers. According to Dakota, even getting into the facility was an interesting process.
• Alaina W. kept things grounded with a load of rocks, traveling from Arizona to Denver.
• Brenda C. gave perhaps the most succinct submission with just three words: "A bomb." (Don’t worry, it was a secure and specialized transport.)
• Walter A. drove a full 53-foot trailer filled with formaldehyde, a reminder of the unique hazards and responsibilities our drivers expertly navigate.

Whether it's specialized equipment, unexpected cargo, or everyday freight, Pride drivers handle each job with professionalism and precision.

What It Takes To Haul Uncommon Freight

Plotting safe and efficient transport plans for any cargo requires attention to detail, but moving uncommon freight takes even more extensive planning. Experienced drivers and logistics teams are a critical part of making sure all safety and legal regulations are met throughout the journey. However, before anybody hits the road, the following factors should be addressed:

Specialized equipment: Depending on the cargo, you might need custom trailers for hauling in addition to specialized equipment for loading and unloading the freight.

Permits and regulations: Oversized/overweight loads require permits, and some may require pilot vehicles to accompany the truck on its route in addition to following other regulations not normally required for traditional freight.

Route planning: The route must account for the load’s dimensions (height, width, and weight), meaning you’ll have to consider things such as low overpasses, tight spots (particularly in city centers), and complicated highways on/off ramps.

Special requirements: Factors impacting uncommon cargo could range from temperature control to additional securement to animal welfare to extra security detail. Any of these could require extra stops, maintaining a below-average speed, or taking other safety measures.

In these situations, experience really does matter. Carriers like Pride Transport take on complex hauls with uncommon freight because they’ve successfully and safely handled these types of shipments over decades of service. If you’re interested in working for a carrier that companies trust, join the professionals at Pride Transport today.