How to get a LTL trucking qoute

I remember seeing a show where small time truckers or guys with trailers would bid on delivery jobs. Is there like an Uber of trucking?

I've used FedEx Freight in the past but I'm looking to ship a laser cutting machine from TX to MI. And I've BEEN to truck depots. Those guys are BRUTAL loading and unloading trucks. I'd like the machine to actually work when it arrives and i know that wouldnt be the case if I used some big company that'd pass my load through 15 depots along the way. And at 60 I don't have enough days left to burn off 4 of them driving back and forth to TX

Here is one we have used in the past: www.uship.com There are more. If you can be flexible, sometimes you can get a real deal. Just be careful. It can be the wild, wild west.

Wild west? Thats not comforting

My main concern, not going with a big name co, is THEFT.

One time I had equip delivered and they put a wall up in the truck just for my equipment. Not a deicated truck but dedicated space. I'm sure a dedicated truck from TX would be expensive. The seller qouted a "tarped Hot Shot". I Googled that and its a goosneck trailer AND A TARP. Hmmm. I reached out to see if the machine is gonna be crated.

Now broker tells me the equiment is at Morgan, PA 15064 (Pittsburg area). Not TX. Thats a day trip from MI. At 60 I can spare one day

I've had real good luck with Old Dominion. On the other hand, YRC? Run Forest, run.

We use a broker called Worldwide Express.

It's saved us quite a bit in shipping this year.

Depending on what you need

i probably can get you a quote and a real truck to move it ,


LTL's can be bit tough , what is origin and destination zip codes

Is there a forklift or way to load and unload it at both locations ?

is there a specific timeline of when you need it done ?

Is it in a crate , does it need a tarp to cover it ?

Do you have size Length , width, height , weight ?


do you need a air ride trailer , ?



is machine USED or new ?


is there a decalred value ?




if you want a quote, let me know I have been in transportation for 35 years





but, now I am on the customer side, much less stress than being on the trucking side .. whew

SUPER.

Now the broker tells me its in the Fort Worth area. Said he gave me the wrong zip. Origin zip is 75126. Destination 48089.

Forklift on both ends so no liftgate required.

Timline - no panic. Pickup within a week (I'll verify). Deliver within a week after pickup.

I don't think it's gonna be crated. Maybe strapped to a pallet. I'll have to verify. Told them at min on a pallet, wrapped with carboard and plastic wrap.

Air ride not req'd

Used laser cutting equipment

Approx 48"W x 36"D (but say 48" if on a pallet) and about 42" tall Approx 350lbs

Used. $12,000 declared.

Are there any special terminology to say DONT BEAT THIS UP LIKE A STACK OF TIRES I know when I buy rolls of custom made dense fiberglass insulation I have it shipped on a dedicated truck. Else the depot workers jump off the roof on it and there are 2 boot prints that cut 1/2 way thru a $700 roll of material. And this was on a 75 roll shipment with 1/3 damaged. Must be great fun destroying another mans property. Again, I learned the hard way its MUCH CHEAPER to spend more on a dedicated truck so they never see a depot.

Thanks again! This deal is 90% certain. Still waiting on a video to confirm functionality and pictures of the way it is palletized and wrapped.

that's pretty small, should be pretty easy to get done I'd think .. ?

Yes there is an uber trucking app, channel "justTrucking" on youtube uses it and does quite well, has a really nice W900, an escadale, a hellcat, a big house etc

Funny you should mention Uber. They recently bought out the transportation logistics company I retired from in 2016 after 26 years. It's now called Uber Freight.

Fastenal has a shipping service that might work for you. Store to store only as near as I can tell tho.

https://www.fastenal.com/fast/blue-lane-freight

Kevin

I've always used Freightquote.com anything from motors to Funny car bodies. Pretty straight forward, fill out the online information sheet, chooses the carrier, and pay.

I had the opposite experience with Old Dominion, they wanted to charge me $927.00 for a 1965 fiberglass rear bumper packed in one box and rear decklid for the same car shipping from Sled City to my shop here in Bend. I was suppose to get a call from the trucking company about the prices on the parts from Sled City, that didn't happen
Fed Ex Ground charged me $130.00 for a fiberglass front bumper delivered from VFN for a 1966 Dodge Dart which is a little bigger than the 1965 rear bumper is and a little further east and further away than Sled City is
I'm waiting on the call from Old Dominion now due to me stopping payment on that check

The guy seems to be focused on making YT videos and a living from that.

Wow, that sucks. But comparing my experiences, I wouldn't go with YRC if it were half the cost. No one on the corporate number knows anything, terminal is open one hour in the morning starting at 7:00 (and I'm 75 miles sway), the terminal doesn't know anything.....total frustration.