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Old 08-15-2016, 08:33 AM   #1
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Name: September
Trailer: Happier Camper
North Carolina
Posts: 44
Deliver Trailer from west coast

Hi All,

Does anyone have experience with having a trailer delivered from the west coast to the east coast? I am thinking about the HC-1 in the spring. If I drive out to get it and bring it back, it will use up all of my vacation for the year. Kind of defeats the purpose. I'm looking for companies to contact, prices, good/bad experiences, etc.

Thanks!

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Old 08-15-2016, 08:43 AM   #2
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Name: Charlie Y
Trailer: Escape 21 - Felicity
Oregon
Posts: 1,583
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toxdoc View Post
Hi All,

Does anyone have experience with having a trailer delivered from the west coast to the east coast? I am thinking about the HC-1 in the spring. If I drive out to get it and bring it back, it will use up all of my vacation for the year. Kind of defeats the purpose. I'm looking for companies to contact, prices, good/bad experiences, etc.

Thanks!

"Buying books would be a good thing if one could also buy the time to read them." - Arthur Schopenhauer
I've had good luck with U-Ship (a broker) for shipping trailers and tractors on flatbeds. Easier for a driver to mix/match loads as they cross country and no wear on the trailer. https://www.uship.com/
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Old 08-15-2016, 09:43 AM   #3
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Trailer: 1988 16 ft Scamp Deluxe
Posts: 25,697
You might even consider contacting Happier Camper. I'm pretty sure you're not the first person to ask this question and I bet they've worked out a good solution.
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Old 08-15-2016, 09:54 AM   #4
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Name: September
Trailer: Happier Camper
North Carolina
Posts: 44
Deliver trailer from west coast

I will check with happier camper when I visit next month. In the meantime, UShip gave broad estimates of $1287-$2680 from LA to NC in case anyone is interested.
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Old 08-15-2016, 10:07 AM   #5
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Name: Jane
Trailer: Bigfoot
Tennessee
Posts: 29
I had my trailer towed from Sacramento to east Tennessee by Uship. I was very happy with the service. I paid about $1400.
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Old 08-15-2016, 10:31 AM   #6
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Trailer: 1983 13 ft Scamp
Posts: 3,082
Registry
Check this out.
Hauling Ads - Yesterday's Tractor Co.
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Old 08-15-2016, 11:32 AM   #7
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Name: Tom
Trailer: Sprinter 'til I buy
Denver, CO
Posts: 944
I can't help but wonder about the drivers here...

This board is full of people who have not quite cracked open (purchased) their first egg, and plenty who have. I don't see myself driving this trailer from West to East, but it isn't hard to imagine that I could be interested & well qualified for something similar. I think manufacturers in the Elkhart area use retirees all the time for their deliveries. Forget about me, what are some of the questions to have for a driver?

Relevant experience - for example, CDL (Commercial License)
Clean print out of driving record.
Possible background check, or resume with institutional references.
Might the driver post a security deposit/bond or something similar?
Whose insurance would cover what? Mine, yours, or manufacturers?
Evidence of insurance, if applicable.
Pre-agreed upon way points or trip check points. Even if just a selfie pic at the entry to a state.
Tolls, fee, & expense reimbursement. Breakdowns, tires.
Tow vehicle?
Haul on flatbed, or tow on road?
Are they allowed to sleep in the new trailer? ...cook? ...shower? (I'd be ok if they slept in a sleeping bag, but I would not want the smell of fish fried in garlic, nor my grey & black tanks filled upon delivery).
I'd want to draw up an agreement listing authorized driver(s) and other terms. Sometimes you can find these on the internet. (Hint: RV rental agreements).
I hate to admit it, but there are a few trailers that I would almost pay to spend a couple days experiencing them.
Other suggested questions?
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Old 08-15-2016, 11:41 AM   #8
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Name: Kelly
Trailer: Trails West
Oregon
Posts: 3,047
College students and teachers cross the country in both directions in the fall and spring. Not all students are teen age, many are older working on advanced degrees. When school lets out for the summer would be an ideal time to pickup a delivery service of that type.
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Old 08-15-2016, 03:26 PM   #9
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Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,413
When I worked for a huge truck leasing company, our new trucks were delivered by casual drivers that worked for a delivery company. I thought about doing it after I retired but decided not to. One driver told me about another driver that was delivering a new motorhome a long distance. After several days, and he hadn't shown up at his destination, the company finally got him on the phone to find out where he was. Turns out he was using the motorhome for vacation on his way to the delivery point. I had a pickup truck shipped from Arizona to New York, on a car hauler tractor trailer rig, and that turned into an interesting experience.
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Old 08-15-2016, 03:49 PM   #10
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Name: To Infinity & Beyond!
Trailer: 1985 Uhaul VT-16 Vacationer, 1957 Avion R20 & 1977 Argosy 6.0 Minuet
Tennessee
Posts: 655
I ship cars and trucks I purchase all the time. Lot's of times from the west coast to Tennessee.

I use a LADY broker who previously drove trucks for living and have used her exclusively for over 10 years.

GOOD shippers are not the cheapest. Know you broker or direct shipping company.

LOT'S of long haul (cross county) transport driver's hauling cars and trucks are now from the Eastern Europe. This is where having a broker or a direct shipping company with whom you have confidence in really helps. Your broker deals with these folks everyday and has a much better knowledge of who to use and who to avoid. Who to avoid is the more important issue here.

USHIP is now full of mostly brokers who take your call/quote request and then list your shipment on Central Dispatch to get hooked up with a hauler and then send you a bid for your shipment. Usually money upfront and lot's of promises. Great if everything works out well. A lot of the smaller individual haulers on USHIP have found out they must specialize in small loads to compete and a trailer usually is not small and that means "Mo Money"!

Central Dispatch is the "Big Board" for the auto/truck transport industry matching car shippers with haulers. Central Dispatch is an industry only website of which you must be a member. Kinda like "Angies List" in that ALL the information for the trucking company, their insurance, performance etc is all cataloged along with what it trucker's are accepting to haul your vehicle from point A to B. Shippers who are members can post what they are willing to pay and receive calls from haulers and negotiate a deal. All reported through the website.

I have access as a member to use Central Dispatch and "I" still use a broker. The small amount of money she makes setting up my shipments and estimating the shipment cost is worth far more to me than to have to deal with Central Dispatch and the truckers. I'm not sure it really cost's me anything extra in the long run dealing with my broker!

Trailers can present a different challenge not only in equipment needed to haul em and also the fact that they do not move on their own. Just like trying to ship a "None Runner" (car or truck that does not run) it WILL cost you "Mo Money" and it IS harder to ship as most truckers look for the easy loads (running and driving) OR they want to get "Mo Money" for the hassle of a "None Runner".

The same holds true for trailers.

There are haulers who specialize in trailer transport. Just like the exclusive motorcycle transporters they are expensive due to unique needs of the their cargo. Trailers are bigger and harder to handle so that means "Mo Money"!

Just remember that sometimes the expense of transport from a far flung purchase location can turn that great deal into an average deal or even a nightmare. In the case of a trailer "I" would suggest IF you are not willing to go LOOK at the trailer yourself you should probably look a little closer to home for your trailer purchase.
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Old 08-15-2016, 04:10 PM   #11
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Name: Kelly
Trailer: Trails West
Oregon
Posts: 3,047
The military is another good place to look for a cross country driver arrangement.
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Old 08-15-2016, 09:15 PM   #12
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Name: September
Trailer: Happier Camper
North Carolina
Posts: 44
Quote:
Originally Posted by vintageracer View Post
I ship cars and trucks I purchase all the time. Lot's of times from the west coast to Tennessee.

I use a LADY broker who previously drove trucks for living and have used her exclusively for over 10 years.

GOOD shippers are not the cheapest. Know you broker or direct shipping company.

LOT'S of long haul (cross county) transport driver's hauling cars and trucks are now from the Eastern Europe. This is where having a broker or a direct shipping company with whom you have confidence in really helps. Your broker deals with these folks everyday and has a much better knowledge of who to use and who to avoid. Who to avoid is the more important issue here.

USHIP is now full of mostly brokers who take your call/quote request and then list your shipment on Central Dispatch to get hooked up with a hauler and then send you a bid for your shipment. Usually money upfront and lot's of promises. Great if everything works out well. A lot of the smaller individual haulers on USHIP have found out they must specialize in small loads to compete and a trailer usually is not small and that means "Mo Money"!

Central Dispatch is the "Big Board" for the auto/truck transport industry matching car shippers with haulers. Central Dispatch is an industry only website of which you must be a member. Kinda like "Angies List" in that ALL the information for the trucking company, their insurance, performance etc is all cataloged along with what it trucker's are accepting to haul your vehicle from point A to B. Shippers who are members can post what they are willing to pay and receive calls from haulers and negotiate a deal. All reported through the website.

I have access as a member to use Central Dispatch and "I" still use a broker. The small amount of money she makes setting up my shipments and estimating the shipment cost is worth far more to me than to have to deal with Central Dispatch and the truckers. I'm not sure it really cost's me anything extra in the long run dealing with my broker!

Trailers can present a different challenge not only in equipment needed to haul em and also the fact that they do not move on their own. Just like trying to ship a "None Runner" (car or truck that does not run) it WILL cost you "Mo Money" and it IS harder to ship as most truckers look for the easy loads (running and driving) OR they want to get "Mo Money" for the hassle of a "None Runner".

The same holds true for trailers.

There are haulers who specialize in trailer transport. Just like the exclusive motorcycle transporters they are expensive due to unique needs of the their cargo. Trailers are bigger and harder to handle so that means "Mo Money"!

Just remember that sometimes the expense of transport from a far flung purchase location can turn that great deal into an average deal or even a nightmare. In the case of a trailer "I" would suggest IF you are not willing to go LOOK at the trailer yourself you should probably look a little closer to home for your trailer purchase.
Thanks, Mike. Lots of good info here. I am going to see the trailer to make sure I want to buy, but it's a fairly new company in LA and there are no used ones out here yet. I'm willing to pay for shipping in exchange for using my vacation up in other ways. That being said, I want to make sure my cargo is protected during the trip. I got a preliminary quote from uship just to get a rough idea of the cost, but I need to learn about insurance, bonding, etc. before I hand over the check :-)
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Old 08-15-2016, 09:40 PM   #13
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Name: Charlie Y
Trailer: Escape 21 - Felicity
Oregon
Posts: 1,583
When I used UShip I never had to put down front money. Once the bid was accepted, the contract was valid. Almost every time I used them I wound up giving the driver a tip if they kept me informed as to progress, location, ETA, etc.
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Old 08-16-2016, 09:31 AM   #14
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Name: Steve
Trailer: Scamp 13
California
Posts: 1,890
I don't understand why you don't want to use your vacation picking up your trailer. I would have thought you bought your trailer to use up your vacation. You can spend your money seeing the country and enjoying your new trailer or you can spend your money so someone else can see the country. Tag team driving 3-4 days to cross the country to get the trailer. That leaves you 10 days to work your way back. Assuming you have 2 weeks to take off.
Good luck and enjoy your new trailer whatever you decide to do.
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Old 08-17-2016, 01:09 PM   #15
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Name: September
Trailer: Happier Camper
North Carolina
Posts: 44
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Originally Posted by stevebaz View Post
I don't understand why you don't want to use your vacation picking up your trailer. I would have thought you bought your trailer to use up your vacation. You can spend your money seeing the country and enjoying your new trailer or you can spend your money so someone else can see the country. Tag team driving 3-4 days to cross the country to get the trailer. That leaves you 10 days to work your way back. Assuming you have 2 weeks to take off.
Good luck and enjoy your new trailer whatever you decide to do.
I think if we were retired it would be a jolly fun Tim e, but not with 2 kids. There would be a rebellion around the TN border on the way out. Not to mention all the 3-day weekends and teacher workdays we couldn't cover throughout the year. 😜
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