Does anyone know of the best places to get quotes from to ship a bus from Victorville, CA (NE of L.A.) to Ft. Worth, TX?
The dimensions of he rig are 34' 3" Long X 8' Wide (plus mirrors?) X 10' Tall. It's a 1963 Flxible Starliner. Here's a pic of my rig:
(https://img.skitch.com/20110313-cimj6txauk6ur6ae23787nm8pr.jpg)
I know that it needs to be transported via a drop bed trailer, but I've only found a few resources for getting quotes and am wondering if there are good web sites or brokers that people have had success working with.
Any advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
You should be able to get any trucking company that runs "drop deck" trailers to bring it back to DFW for a reasonable price for you.
Might try Uship.com ! I used it an found a guy to bring me one of my Setra's from Idaho to TN for $3000.
Good luck!
;D BK ;D
Might try posting it on Uship.com . No cost to register and quite often truckers that are deadheading
look there for loads. I have never moved anything that size, but have moved truck cabs, etc that way.
HTH....Tim ;) ;)
I guess BK was posting at the same time.......
Since the bus is low and short, it should fit on a low boy trailer without over width or over height problems. You should be able to move it around $2.00/mile. Good Luck, TomC
Quote from: TomC on March 13, 2011, 09:44:39 AM
Since the bus is low and short, it should fit on a low boy trailer without over width or over height problems. You should be able to move it around $2.00/mile. Good Luck, TomC
Sounds like trucking is more reasonable than wrecker service? Maybe its the difference between "emergency" vs not being in a big all fire hurry.
Try http://www.greatwesttruckcenter.com/#25929 (http://www.greatwesttruckcenter.com/#25929)
There is a guy in Mesa with a Landall that does hauling I forgot his name but if you contact Boomer on this board he has the number he hauled a GM from AZ for Mark at a good price and without your's in the running mode it will take a little help loading a Landall type is going to be your best bet
good luck
For long distances a truck is almost always going to be less money if your bus will fit on a trailer. A tow truck will generally have to make a trip home empty. Truckers often go all over the country and they can often find another load so they aren't heading back home empty. With a truck you won't have to pull your drive shaft or axles and you won't have to worry about tires on your bus.
I had to have my trailer with no axles towed in Elko, NV. Flatbed was $135 an hour and the Lowboy was $160 an hour. I didn't ask about a heavy duty wrecker. I was going to have the trailer hauled on the Lowboy, but it was booked for the day by the time I called them back. The flatbed worked, but it was more work to get it loaded. Obviously, a flatbed would not work for a bus.
Quote from: artvonne
Sounds like trucking is more reasonable than wrecker service? Maybe its the difference between "emergency" vs not being in a big all fire hurry.
Wrecker are a specialized piece of equipment that may or may not get used on a daily basis. (kinda like a bus)
Where as trucks are made to roll, roll, roll down the highway day after day.
And also much like a bus liability insurance is a bitch too!
;D BK ;
If there's a way to get it onto a drop deck trailer, that would be cheapest.
Ramp to reach the deck someplace at/near where it is now?
Otherwise, the equipment haulers with the landoll style trailers with a winch, which will cost a little more, specialized equipment again.
Yes, use the load boards, and be patient, you should get lots of hits in that corridor.
Give your potential transporter a chance to put together another load to build a round trip. They will settle for a cheaper rate, if the transporter knows there is money both ways.
If you want the best price, you should be naming your price, and see if they'll take it, and be prepared to negotiate a little. Call me a mean $%^%! , I'd be starting down at $1987.50 gross for the trip and then see what you get for a counter offer. A ruthless, and godless, $%^$# would offer $1325 to start.... do your own math and quote gross numbers for the trip, don't talk miles per, that's their job, don't be helping their profit-loss or truck stop bragging calculations, confirm insurance coverage with their provider. A fax or e-mail to forward the documents is normal.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Just curious, Victorville is about 100 miles from me..... does the bus run? Can it be driven to Texas?
That is a gorgeous coach! It belongs in the Great State of Texas! ;D
Safe travels!
I tried Uship.com and only got one response which was a canned one about how people should spend more $$ for quality shipping and he didn't even quote an amount. I responded saying that the only reason I was on the site was to find out how much $$ it would cost. He came back with $3180 as a quote that expired on the 11th. I was hoping for more like $2500.
happycamperbr: The bus does not run. I wish I could drive it to TX, but that's not possible.
Don't be discouraged by the rhetoric. That's a negotiating tactic.
Although he's right, there's a lot of crappy paying freight out there.
He's up at $2.40 a mile, not so outrageous. What kind of trailer was involved?
Keep going, every interaction gives you an idea of where the market is.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
For what it is going to cost you to ship it can you get it runnable?
Quote from: buswarrior on March 13, 2011, 03:11:38 PM
If you want the best price, you should be naming your price. A ruthless, and godless, $%^$# would offer $1325 to start.... happy coaching!
buswarrior
This is the best advice. If you calculate thier fuel cost, plus some additional for labor, for someone out there its going to be much better than running empty. Its like fishing, if you have the time.
The guy has a problem no one wants to follow behind another shop if he found someone that will, pay the hauling to Texas I am in AZ and not about to offer lol
good luck
Ben I PM'ed the contact info for Coeby Brown Trucking. Virgil from Pedco has a son who used to have a real low trailer and haul buses, you might try calling Pedco in LA to get his number. Also, Combined Transport out of Central Point, OR has a fleet of RGN trailers and has given me attractive rates in the past. Hope this helps.
Ben, what a mess. I assume you followed up on the leads folks gave you for shops in the CA area to work on your bus. As I recall, the mounting work is done. I can't believe you could not find a good shop to finish the job.
Jim
OK first off if the bus is in Victorville I can assure you that loading it shouldn't be a problem.
Many many dump trucks and heavy equipment running around that area. Wouldn't take much to build a ramp to back a drop deck too.
Worst case scenario hire a Landoll to come to the bus and load it onto the drop deck.
Then if no ramp available @ destination do the same.
Don't give up on Uship you'll get more replies! Many trucks are on there way to CA right now for Mon AM deliveries. About the middle toward the end of the week the drivers will start getting restless and be willing to haul just about anything to get headed home! (I've been there done that!)
And I suspect you'll find someone to haul it for you for $2000-$2700 like you want.
And as Clifford and others say a Landoll is the best way but also more expensive too!
I would also check around and see if there is a local company in the area your bringing it too that will give you a reasonable rate. They like to have "guaranteed" back hauls!
;D BK ;D
This might be a stupid question but here goes. What will it take to get it rolling and be able to drive it to Texas?
Ben, I now see why you want to get the bus to TX per your thread below:
http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=18921.0 (http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=18921.0)
Sounds like a great shop!
Clifford mentioned a member of Eagle's International that is in the trucking business and has a trailer that might work. I talked to William yesterday and he is running pretty heavy in terms of work load right now. I do have his number if you need it. Call me at 303 four seven eight 3501.
Jim
Ellen at Gold Star Transport quoted me $2600 and should be able to pick it up in less than a week.
Quote from: Pixelhead on March 14, 2011, 08:06:33 PM
Ellen at Gold Star Transport quoted me $2600 and should be able to pick it up in less than a week.
See now we're talking just be sure everyone is on the same page on how it's going to be loaded/unloaded and who pays for it and all should be good!
;D BK ;D