Light freight shipping options?

[pontiac428]

I have been looking for a hydraulic power pack to run a press brake and a bender that I plan to build from scratch. I need something around 2kw and 2000 psi. I found a really nice Rexroth that meets my needs for about $500, but the seller came back with a shipping quote equal to the price. WTF? These units are about 100-150 lbs crated, and this one is 24" long, 24" tall, and 14" wide.

This year I bought a 30 gal 200 psi air receiver that was bigger, and an air dryer that was much larger. Both came via UPS pallet service, no lift gate, no problem- for $150 each. I also have had numerous FedEx freight lift gate residential drop offs that didn't cost that much, either (UPS drivers are smarter than FedEx drivers, for the record).

The seller said if I can get a quote, he'll ship that way. They are an equipment dealer that probably does flat bed freight as standard, and this is a small item for them. I understand that. I just can't seem to find a good rate, even FedEx quoted $1k, so I must not be accessing the same service that has been delivering bulky things to me all along.

Does anyone know a better way to ship a light quarter pallet skid from TX to WA?

 

[rwm]

Fastenal used to be pretty cheap. Are they still doing it?

 

[Aukai]

There are online shippers for quotes. Do you see any trucking companies near you on the road?

 

[pontiac428]

Fastenal used to be pretty cheap. Are they still doing it?

Fastenal locks the doors when they see anyone heading for the storefront. They might, but I'll pass- I don't want to give them any business.

 

[pontiac428]

There are online shippers for quotes. Do you see any trucking companies near you on the road?

There is an Allied moving company branch nearby, but living on a peninsula isn't conducive to logistics. I am 20 miles by car from Tacoma's large industrial areas, though, and I would be willing to pick up there if it were an option.

 

[RJSakowski]

In case you're wondering why the shipping costs have skyrocketed. My wife mentioned this to me so I had to look it up for myself. From the UPS website. https://about.ups.com/us/en/our-company/great-employer.html

 

[wayback machine]

Fastenal locks the doors when they see anyone heading for the storefront. They might, but I'll pass- I don't want to give them any business.

I've shipped a couple machines on pallets with them - You don't go in the door to do it.
Everything is arranged on-line ahead of time, and you make an "appointment" to bring it to their loading dock.
I've gone in the store only to sign off the receipt of shipping - No issues at all, and last I knew they were still cheap.
OTOH, freight shipping will likely go up across the board, with the death of Yellow Freight ......

 

[pontiac428]

I have put in a freight quote request with Fastenal. I'll report back!

@RJSakowski, what's wrong with paying your employees a living salary with benefits? We pay for that one way or the other, I don't really buy the idea that being socially responsible for your workforce is the root cause. The sensitive issue is profits, not retention incentives.

 

[piper184]

I just had ~250# of stuff shipped on a pallet from 800 miles away. Store to store, loading docks on both ends, short pallet.
$230 merchandise, $350 shipping. FedEx LTL ground.
Seems ridiculously high priced to me. UPS couldn't touch that price, even if it was broken up into several pieces that weighed under 70#. I couldn't go fetch the order for that $350 so swallowed hard and paid the fair.

On the other hand this spring I drove 3000 miles round trip to fetch a milling machine. My travel costs were pretty darned close to shipping quotes and I had the advantage of getting to see the machine before I bought it. Also, It was in my hands and not some forklift driving hop head who knows he won't get fired for breaking stuff.

Those numbers for UPS drivers is probably the total cost to UPS, not what the driver takes home. But the buck gets passed on, it always does.

 

[RJSakowski]

Those numbers for UPS drivers is probably the total cost to UPS, not what the driver takes home. But the buck gets passed on, it always does.

I expect they are. In the small company that we operated, we figured that annual salary was half of what the total cost to the company of the compensation package was. Compensation includes such niceties as FICA contributions, health insurance, vacation, holiday pay, sick leave, job training, 401K and other pension contributions.