Trailer Shipping Advice

[Oregonian]

I'm searching for a nice used 19 or 21 Escape or Bigfoot Trailer. It would be great to find one close to home, but I may end up buying further from home. Anyone with recent experience shipping a trailer by truck in the CONUS your experience and advice, both pros and cons, would be greatly appreciated! Jeff

[cpaharley2008]

Escape will quote you a price, I have had 2 Escapes delivered. It is less expensive if you have more than one delivery on the shipment. But being in Oregon you are not that far from ETI, why not pick it up in Washington, I believe they will deliver it free there, right across the border.

[tractors1]

I use Uship.com for shipping antique tractors I restore and have used them to ship trailers. I use a flatbed service instead of an on-the-road tow behind service so all liability is on the carrier. Had my last trailer shipped on a flatbed from Denver Colorado to Portland, Oregon area in the dead of winter (January) over the Rockies - took 3 days, cost $900 (not the lowest bid) and none of my time. Gas alone to go get it and bring it home would have been more than that cost.

[jamman]

Originally Posted by Oregonian

I'm searching for a nice used 19 or 21 Escape or Bigfoot Trailer. It would be great to find one close to home, but I may end up buying further from home. Anyone with recent experience shipping a trailer by truck in the CONUS your experience and advice, both pros and cons, would be greatly appreciated! Jeff

I assume you would want someone to pick up a used trailer and deliver it to you. The ETI delivery guy will typically be full leaving Chilliwack but MAY be empty returning - I think he sometimes (usually?) picks up supplies/items to take from Elkhart County, Indiana to return to ETI.

I would contact ETI and talk to their delivery guy - might be able to work out something.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Oregonian

I'm searching for a nice used 19 or 21 Escape or Bigfoot Trailer. It would be great to find one close to home, but I may end up buying further from home. Anyone with recent experience shipping a trailer by truck in the CONUS your experience and advice, both pros and cons, would be greatly appreciated! Jeff

Since you would never want to buy a used trailer sight unseen, if one becomes available in another state, why not just make a road trip of it? You could come back home with a little extra behind you.

[Oregonian]

Thanks all for the advice. Just to clarify I am looking at used trailers, not new. I would not purchase without inspecting the trailer first. Preferably I would tow it home myself, but shipping it is also an option as I might not have time for a lengthy road trip during the school year...

[Oregonian]

Originally Posted by tractors1

I use Uship.com for shipping antique tractors I restore and have used them to ship trailers. I use a flatbed service instead of an on-the-road tow behind service so all liability is on the carrier. Had my last trailer shipped on a flatbed from Denver Colorado to Portland, Oregon area in the dead of winter (January) over the Rockies - took 3 days, cost $900 (not the lowest bid) and none of my time. Gas alone to go get it and bring it home would have been more than that cost.

That would be ideal, with gas prices, my time and the mileage on my truck factored in shipping may be a viable option.

[Oregonian]

Originally Posted by jamman

I assume you would want someone to pick up a used trailer and deliver it to you. The ETI delivery guy will typically be full leaving Chilliwack but MAY be empty returning - I think he sometimes (usually?) picks up supplies/items to take from Elkhart County, Indiana to return to ETI.

I would contact ETI and talk to their delivery guy - might be able to work out something.

Depending on the location, that may be an option also!

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by tractors1

I use Uship.com for shipping antique tractors I restore and have used them to ship trailers. I use a flatbed service instead of an on-the-road tow behind service so all liability is on the carrier. Had my last trailer shipped on a flatbed from Denver Colorado to Portland, Oregon area in the dead of winter (January) over the Rockies - took 3 days, cost $900 (not the lowest bid) and none of my time. Gas alone to go get it and bring it home would have been more than that cost.

I had no idea about Uship. That sounds like a good value.

[tractors1]

Big problem with used trailers is they sell so fast. I was on a plane from Portland, Oregon to Denver the next day after I made contact with the seller to inspect/buy the trailer....had missed on 2 others already over an 18 month period. UShip then picked it up at their property, I met the delivery truck at a nearby shopping center with a big parking lot and picked up there. Delivery driver kept me appraised of progress by cell phone and I paid on delivery, not before.

[Brian B-P]

Flying out for the inspection and having the trailer shipped does seem like a rational solution to timing problems.

The higher the cost of fuel, the higher the shipping cost, so shipping is not a way to avoid fuel cost... but fuel and other personal vehicle operating costs should certainly be considered in the comparison. I had a large trailer hauled a couple of times (on its own wheels, not a flatdeck trailer) and when I looked at the pricing and the trucker's expenses, I concluded that it was only a very marginally profitable business - that's to the consumer's advantage.

uShip is essentially a web-based dispatching service. Much of the small shipment trucking business is done by owner-operators, so the customer and trucker need a way to find each other, and that's what dispatchers or brokers do. There are alternatives to uShip; I asked the RV dealership where we bought the trailer who they used, and they directed us to the one they use to move used units around and to bring new ones from the factories. That dispatching company just set us up - with a different owner-operator each time - and was paid a fee by the truckers.

To get the trailer towed on a flat-deck, rather than on its own wheels, the trucker needs the right equipment... especially if it is a fifth-wheel. I would be asking the candidate trucker about how he was going to handle the trailer. I would be concerned by anyone who would expect the seller to back the trailer onto the flat-deck with their own vehicle.

One advantage of going and getting a new trailer from the factory yourself is that you can get any issues (even just your own understanding of how to use it) right there. With a used trailer, I wouldn't want to count on a private seller assisting with anything, and so I would rather work out any issues at home, after somebody else transported it, not towing it on it's own wheels.

[Brian B-P]

A note about uShip...

The motley collection of "truckers" who move shipment around the U.S. in the television series Shipping Wars are dispatched by uShip; however, the details of the timed auction used in the show are not representative of how normal shipments work - it's a convenience for TV production. I wouldn't consider hiring a trucker that way, and I would be concerned if any of the cast I have seen on that show tried to move a trailer of mine.

[cpaharley2008]

You will find that a "nice used 19 or 21' Escape" will cost you maybe 80% -90% of the cost of a new one and it may not have everything you would like. Since the 21' just came out, there are few if any for sale used. The 19' has been around awhile and are available. Also due to their nature, Escapes inherently hold their value longer and will cost more initially new and used. For maybe another $5-6K price you can get a new one, the way you want vs used. and not deal with flying and shipping which may cost you half of that difference mentioned.

[fudge_brownie]

Escape uses a carrier called Let It Ride, based in BC. You might contact them about a back haul but I think a better choice will be UShip. Some caveats on UShip: Many of the bidders are not licensed, bonded nor insured. If you are comfortable with using these lower cost carriers you can save money. However, as Charlie points out, the lowest bid is not always the best bid.

You need to be diligent before shipping. Check your insurance coverage on a new purchase, ask for a bill of lading, inspect the carriers insurance papers, and ask for their Dept of Transportation license. Other considerations would be tow or flat bed, emergency contact information, tracking progress of driver plus others.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

Escape uses a carrier called Let It Ride, based in BC. You might contact them about a back haul but I think a better choice will be UShip. Some caveats on UShip: Many of the bidders are not licensed, bonded nor insured. If you are comfortable with using these lower cost carriers you can save money. However, as Charlie points out, the lowest bid is not always the best bid.

You need to be diligent before shipping. Check your insurance coverage on a new purchase, ask for a bill of lading, inspect the carriers insurance papers, and ask for their Dept of Transportation license. Other considerations would be tow or flat bed, emergency contact information, tracking progress of driver plus others.

Exactly right. Let the buyer beware still applies. Without references and licenses stated on UShip that I can check out I will not hire that driver. Many to choose from, be picky. Also take pictures of the trailer from every angle before you have it shipped.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

A note about uShip...

The motley collection of "truckers" who move shipment around the U.S. in the television series Shipping Wars are dispatched by uShip; however, the details of the timed auction used in the show are not representative of how normal shipments work - it's a convenience for TV production. I wouldn't consider hiring a trucker that way, and I would be concerned if any of the cast I have seen on that show tried to move a trailer of mine.

Ah! So that's the one the bidders on the show use. You're right, I would be cautious. I looked at the site and it appears they have a list of preferred carriers who do carry insurance/bonding. There is also a list of carrier reviews for whatever category you are shipping. I'd probably stick with one of those.

[Oregonian]

Some great information regarding the shipping option, thanks!