The Suspense and Thrills! How Carnival Rides Are Freight Shipped To You!
Carnivals are some of the craziest and most fun events you can go to. From games to thrill rides to interesting culinary concoctions, they can create some of the most unique experiences and fondest memories in your life. Whether it be with friends, family, or even complete strangers, the carnival is undoubtedly a fantastic experience to enjoy! But how does a carnival come to town?
Some places are built to always have an amusement park, like Orlando or LA, but most travel all across the country to get to their next destination. That’s why today we will discuss how some of your favorite attractions get from one destination to another. From the various types of carnival equipment, to setting up and breaking down, to the different types of freight trailers that haul the equipment.
What is hauled to a carnival?
All sorts of equipment gets shipped to a carnival that can be broken down into four categories: attractions, games, eateries, and support.
Attractions are the most commonly associated with carnivals as they are the main reason for people attending. There are many different types of attractions that guests can choose to enjoy. Whether they are thrill rides like coasters, swings, or pendulum rides, to kiddie rides like carousels, tilt-a-whirls, and tiny train rides. Other attractions include indoor and novelty attractions, such as funhouses, haunted houses, mirror mazes, and bounce houses, all designed to explore and have fun!
Games are a staple of any carnival, without them it’s just not a carnival! Many games test people’s skills, and wallets, to the max. Whether it’s aiming games like ring toss, shooting galleries, and basketball, to skill and chance games like the high striker, duck pond, and guessing games. And of course you wouldn’t do it if there wasn’t a prize attached to it! Of course, participating in these games and attractions is bound to make a crowd hungry. That’s why a major part of a carnival is its eateries. These are staples of carnival foods, and sometimes they’re the only time you get to eat these kinds of food. Examples include items such as popcorn, cotton candy, lemonade, soda, deep-fried Oreos, hot dogs, burgers, funnel cake, fried ice cream, and many more!
Finally, the glue that holds the event all together is the support facilities. Without them, it would be impossible to manage the event and have it run smoothly. Some facilities are crucial, while others, although not required, enhance the carnival’s enjoyment and contribute to a better overall experience. These include items such as barriers, ticket booths, generators, restrooms, sound and lighting systems, signage, and transportation. All of these and other infrastructure are what help keep a carnival running smoothly for the entirety of the event.
But not all of this infrastructure and equipment arrives ready to go. No Ferris wheel or pendulum rides are transported fully intact on a truck all put together. So how does it arrive?
Freight shipping the carnival: How hauling gets done!
As mentioned earlier, these rides are not delivered already assembled. Instead, they arrive disassembled and compactly arranged on the truck. Many of these rides have their trailer attached to the ride so that putting them together and taking them apart can be easy and efficient, centralizing the process in one area.
Putting these attractions together takes days of effort from dozens to sometimes hundreds of individuals. With these rides being either partially or entirely broken down, they must rebuild them as instructed, ensuring that everything fits correctly and is properly assembled to meet safety regulations. The Dodge County Fairgrounds YouTube page features some great examples of how these rides are disassembled, as well as time-lapse videos of their setup and takedown. Equipment like forklifts, boom lifts, ladders, wrenches, and many more can be used for this process.
Companies may need their items shipped for various reasons, including repairs and events that require prompt delivery. Freight is one of the best ways to get it done safely, securely, and at a fast rate. Usually, for games, eateries, and support equipment, everything is already inside its own trailer and can be hauled by a smaller vehicle like a pickup truck. However, if these items need to go somewhere else and don’t have their own trailers, then utilizing PTL or FTL services can be highly beneficial.
The same is true for rides. Since they’re bigger and heavier, you will need a full semi truck cab with the right trailer or flatbed to transport them. The customers or companies will have the cab to drive these rides to different locations. However, there may be situations where getting your ride transported will require freight service. For that, there are multiple options:
Power Only Shipping is an excellent option if you only need a cab for transportation. As long as the wheels on the ride’s trailer can move, then it can be shipped through power only shipping. If the ride does not have wheels or they are damaged or unable to operate, there are still other options available for freight shipping a ride.
Flatbed shipping is ideal for extra-large items like carnival rides. They allow a ride to be transported without worrying about it fitting in a traditional truck container. Another option is step decks and Removable Gooseneck (RGNs). Unlike a flatbed that has only one set height, step decks have multiple set heights that allow for taller equipment to be shipped while staying in freight height limits. Both RGNs and step decks can include ramps to make loading carnival rides easier, eliminating the need for additional tools like cranes to load onto the trailer.
For overweight, oversized, or specialized freight that exceeds legal size and weight limits, heavy hauling shipping is the best option to take. Heavy haul shipping ensures that these oversized and overweight items are transported safely and securely. Due to the nature of this kind of shipping, permits and approvals will be required. Sometimes, escort cars may also be required, depending on the destination of these items.
Regardless of the chosen shipment method, the most important thing is that it is completed safely, securely, and, above all, on time. After all, when dealing with events like these that constantly travel, ensuring shipments follow a carnival’s tour schedule is important. If not, delays or even full cancellations can occur, resulting in lost revenue for businesses and missed opportunities for communities to enjoy.
So whether it’s the thrills of a pendulum ride, the curiosity of mirror mazes, or the fond memories created with friends, we can all thank the many workers who help bring the carnival to town!
