Relocating BACK North - Shipping Question

think I'm skipping on Brandon!

double check with the post office, as I recall seeing something about them no longer taking the rubbermaid type containers.

great call, I will!!

The Flemings quote sounds very good, and they're reliable so presumably the freight companies they hand off to are reliable as well. I don't think Parcel post for a move is worth the money saved.

DHL takes all manner of parcels and are relatively speedy and usually much cheaper than UPS/FEDEX against whom they compete. Given the time savings and their general reliability, you might consider them.

Ship boxes USPS, check tubs as extra luggage.

beachy. I just got an OK from the USPS for the Rubbermaid types using Parcel Post.

Sunny, i am checking with DHL now. I'm just trying to cut the $2000 quote to $1000 or less. If USPS comes in like that, I'll take the efforts to pack and ship through them. I'll post here about what I find with DHL, thanks for the tip.

STX, you are right, and I'm going to check some as extra luggage. (don't think they will take all 30 tubs though!)

Charlie

USPS is slow but affordable... but always pay the extra change for the delivery confirmation.... seems things don't go missing with that on them... we have moved several times via USPS and never had a problem.

Hi Charlie,

Have you decided what to do yet? One of our tenants told me he shipped 35 boxes with Tropical. Just take the boxes to them, they go on a pallett, get shrink-wrapped and it's $4.88 per cu. ft. Extra fees for customs, processing and something else. Couldn't remember what. His pallet was about 4x4x5, so with the fees included, just over $500.

Now that only got it to West Palm Beach. He had a trucker pick it up and take it to New Orleans for less than $150.

Juanita, that is a fantastic idea and never would have occured to me... do the boxes all have to be the same size?

I don't think so, Beth. Just have to be able to be stacked and stable on the pallet.

I have shipped multiple boxes to the mainland from STX with Tropical Shipping and they were very careful to arrange the different size boxes on the pallet to minimize the cubic footage. They will load it onto the pallet in front of you if you are present. Once the stuff got to Florida it was pretty cheap and easy to have it delivered to the final destination in West Palm Beach.

Just to add a little humor....my personal experience with several moving/shipping companies, here on STX:

1 - Never did send me a quote, but did add me to his religious email list. After I asked him to remove me from that list but still give me a quote, I never heard from him again. BTW, this is one that gets kudos on here all the time from people.

2 - Came to house to go over what I wanted to ship, promised me an email quote the next day. 5 days later I called, left message for a call back. She called and just gave me the price on the phone. I really wanted some kind of written break-down.

3 - No show...no call.

4 - Called a major shipping company and asked if it was legal to send alcohol on a pallet shipment. She said YES, and did not add anything to her answer. Well, I've lived here long enough to know to ask more questions.....Apparently it is legal, but they don't do it because it holds up the shipment, etc. etc., but she wasn't going to offer that. After all...all I asked was if it was legal. LOL

5 - Same shipping company. The lady who answered the phone and is the one who deals with customer questions all day long never heard of a lift van. When I explained to her it was the 4x8x8 plywood boxes that the moving companies ship in their containers, she said she didn't know anything about that.....she was in the office.

I find it amusing, too, that no matter which company I call, or what question I ask, it's like the person on the phone has never been asked that question before, even though this is what they DO. They fumble around for an answer, have to put you on hold and ask or just tell you they don't know.

You really have to work at it and take the bull by the horns, so to speak. They all advertise that they make it easy, take all the hassle out it, etc. NOT! Trying to get something sent off this island is about the most difficult task I've taken on, so far.