How does one go about shipping something via freight?

[Bert McMahan]

I have a piece of equipment that I'd like to throw on eBay, and it'll need to be shipped via freight. It's about the size of a washing machine. It's a big rectangle that'll fit on a pallet.

I don't have any experience shipping this kind of thing. What's the best way to get pricing info for an eBay shipment? I'd need a company that can throw it on a pallet and truck it somewhere. Can UPS or FedEx do that kind of thing?

[Bill Dufour]

Fastenal will ship it store to store. I think it has to under one ton or so? You have to get it on a pallet to their store.
Bil lD.

[Lee Schierer]

Most LTL companies will ship freight. You will need to build your own pallet and I would suggest a complete box. to protect your piece from damage. Make sure your box is a couple of inches in each dimension larger than your piece being shipped. It is best to put the box together with screws so it can easily be opened on the other end. Attach your piece securely to the pallet as sometimes the laws of gravity fail in the back of the trucks. You will have to take it to the freight company or pay extra for lift gate service. The same is true for your buyer.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

You can get a place to crate it, but they are going to charge an arm and a leg. You need more than a pallet- it is best to make a crate that is stackable and that protects it from all sides.

Once crated, start searching for freight forwarders/LTL trucking companies in your area. LTL is "Less Than Load" which is your situation, i.e. Not filling the whole truck. Costs will vary widely by company because one may already be going your way and offer a better rate.

I am assuming you are shipping a machine that is heavy, but FYI they charge the higher of actual or dimensional weight. Dimensional weight is L x W x H divided by a factor which varies by company but in the express industry usually around 133. So a 48" x 42" x 36" crate would have a dimensional weight of 545 pounds by this factor. If your machine weighed 544 pounds or less, you would be charged for 545.

I shipped 1000 pounds of 4x8 plywood and 21' long lumber from Massachussets to New Jersey for around $200. I shipped it from there to St. Thomas by ocean for another $240.

[Curt Harms]

There is a shipping website - I wish I had bookmarked it, I didn't - that will find the cheapest way to ship your stuff. Tell them size weight origin and destination and they'll do the rest. Maybe someone here will be familiar with it.

[Ronald Blue]

I tried uShip.com and wasn't impressed about 4 months ago. I was able to get two pallets of lumber and log siding shipped from Pennsylvania to Illinois for $800 and change. Both were oversize. About 16' in length, 4' wide and and 3-4' tall. Online through YRW (Yellow Roadway) was the best price. You input the info and it will quote it to you. You will need to be able to either get it to a terminal or be able to load it on the truck. With uShip you put your item on there and await bids. Only had a couple bids and the best one was over double the amount. It took a week and a half for the shipment to get to me but all was good in the end.

[Marc Jeske]

I used Uship twice - A pair of speakers each the size of a clothes washer, then a Delta/ Rockwell 12/14.

Worked out great, no crating, they blanket wrapped in both cases.

Was cheaper than most other options, and very personal service.

If anyone has specific questions, I would be glad to help.

Marc

[Johnny Doughert]

I will start off by apologizing if this isn't the right location for this post. I tried to search for similar topics, but couldn't find anything for my specific questions and then I found this. Was about to ship slabs via freight but is it possible to ship now that there is a pandemic going on?

[Lee Schierer]

I will start off by apologizing if this isn't the right location for this post. I tried to search for similar topics, but couldn't find anything for my specific questions and then I found this. Was about to ship slabs via freight but is it possible to ship now that there is a pandemic going on?

There are trucks on the highway and our neighbor just had a freight delivery that arrived on Friday. Instead of just a pallet, I would suggest a full crate. Gravity sometimes fails in the back of a truck so it is best to attach your machine to the pallet and to protect it from other freight.

[Lisa Starr]

We recently shipped a large piece of furniture. The UPS Store has crating services and will then ship it via UPS Freight. It worked well and they did a great job with the the crating. Additionally, they communicated thruout the process.

[David Bassett]

... The UPS Store has crating services....

I don't know about the Freight option, but at least around here the UPS Stores are franchises, so the level of service is, ah, uneven. Shop around if you don't have one you are already happy with. (We drive passed one which "mediocre" overstates their service to one only a couple miles further which seems to offer everything cheerfully and promptly, at least sometimes for less.)

[Bill Dufour]

Look into the fedex freight box flat rate shipping depending on zone distance. I think they provide the pallet and a gaylord. Anywhere in the country weight limit is 1,200 pounds?
141$ to 306$. with 9 distance zones.
Bill D.

https://blog.freightcenter.com/ship-up-to-1200-pounds-in-this-new-freight-box

[Brian Elfert]

I'm not sure I would build a crate unless absolutely as that encourages the freight companies to stack another pallet on top. I had a painted bumper cover shipped to me in a large cardboard box via freight. The shipper made some cone type pieces out of cardboard to discourage anything being set on top.