Tipping Delivery Driver

[markvt]

Hi Charlie,
You better plan on going to ETI factory for picking up your trailer the shipping cost for my Escape 19 trailer to home residence is about $1800.00 USD For me this was still more cost efficient then taking two weeks off and driving to ETI.
Mark

[gbaglo]

For a little perspective, if you look at the invoice for your brand new Ford or Chevy, it includes a delivery charge ( $1,500 or so? ). Nothing is free.

[reetired]

A gratituty of any type is always a nice gesture. The amount given is at the discretion of the individual.

We tipped the transport service who shipped our vehicles across the US and the driver who made our POD delivery.

[padlin]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Escape is only a 6 hour drive for us to pick up at the factory; logistics of our East Coast trip and timing make the Goshen Indiana pickup favorable if they'll be hauling trailers there free (or really cheap) when they make their pickups there.

I was quoted $2500 to get the trailer to Goshen, this was on a full load.

[Vicki A.]

Originally Posted by padlin

I was quoted $2500 to get the trailer to Goshen, this was on a full load.

I think at approx $ 1.00/ mile is a very good deal, is it not?

[cpaharley2008]

Just remember gas/diesel is higher now than it was 2 years ago and is expected to go higher. These trucks get like 8 mpg so $8 for 8 miles less $4.50 for fuel is not much left over.

[J Mac]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

For a little perspective, if you look at the invoice for your brand new Ford or Chevy, it includes a delivery charge ( $1,500 or so? ). Nothing is free.

Should we tip this delivery too.

Your right gbaglo. There's shipping and handling on most 'on line' purchases. It's a great way to create hidden profits.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Vicki A.

I think at approx $ 1.00/ mile is a very good deal, is it not?

Yes, USD$1 per loaded mile looks like a very good deal to me. Market rates here more commonly run around C$1 per loaded kilometre, and I paid that several years ago to move a larger trailer; while a Canadian dollar is only US$0.91, a kilometre is only 5/8 mile.

[markvt]

Vicki,
The $2500 dollar quote your got for delivery to Goshen is in Canadian dollars and not USD after you do the conversion it will be a lot less.

[Greggo]

I paid $1500 for a solo bumper pull from BC to 300 miles south of San Francisco. I started costing it out and factoring in at least a week, hotels, gas and food (plus the fatigue factor). $1500 was a bargain. I estimated about twice that if I did it. I even had a nice surprise when I opened the trailer door: a check for $300 for us which reflected a refund based on the rate of exchange!

It was more fun for me to spend that same week washing and getting acquainted with my new treasure in my own driveway than eating bugs on the highway!

Greg

[Rossue]

"I'll eat a bug"- Cal Worthington. AAA tow guy in Morro Bay quoted $2/mi. to fetch a car in Oregon that had been in an accident. AAA Co. actually paid the body shop up there to tow it down at no cost to us.

[J Mac]

4600 miles round trip
once round trip fuel, round trip per-diem, round trip wages are added up
3 trailers $7500
$2600.00 in fuel
9 or 10 days per diem @$60
9 or 10 days wages @ $30.00 per hour
there's only about 2 grand left over!!!

[gbaglo]

Not just fuel. What about purchase of the truck and trailer and maintenance?

[Rossue]

You forgot insurance too: Worker's Comp for that kind of work probably isn't cheap. Insurance for the tow vehicle and freight as well. I doubt there's much left over.

[gbaglo]

And interest on the loan for equipment.

[J Mac]

Divide that 2 grand into truck payments, insurance and all other added costs like you guys mentioned and we should all tip the driver.

[escape artist]

Hi: All...Better be careful, or Dave might just hang up his hooks. You've gone and used up all his profits!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Patandlinda]

We picked up our 19 last Nov the 14 th . Have a daughter on Whidby Island stayed 3 days . Took 3 days to get home using our new trailer . Stayed 1 night in Washington , 1 night in Oregon and 1 night in Sacramento then went the rest of the way to home in Ventura County . Our costs including 1 night at the Hilton in Medford , Oregon on the way up, food and gas was total about 1500.00 there and back . Got to get familiar with our new trailer including pulling her up mountains and in the rain . Have had a tent trailer 2 campers and a small motor home . Never pulled a trailer before so it was a good trial run to get familiar . We are very glad we did it and it was a lot cheaper for us .

[Patandlinda]

I forgot to mention our tow vehicle is a 1992 Ford XLT with a 5.8 engine . We have a cover for bed . We got about 15 mi going up to Canada . Gas gets cheaper when you leave California and we drive 55mi per hour . We got a little over 11 pulling trailer with our V8.

[Jim Bennett]

First there was cow tipping, now delivery driver tipping?

Seriously people, you need to get out and do more camping to get your fun in.