shipping a trailer cross country?

[Ljdt04]

Due to a job transfer we need our trailer shipped from Washington state to Houston. Any leads to find someone to do this for us? what would you expect it to cost?

I found the website uship where people/companies bid on jobs like this. what do I need to know before hiring someone like this? whose insurance covers the move, mine or theirs? Do they sleep in my trailer during the drive? what are the risks?

thanks for any help
Laurie

[Grawe]

We are Jayco owners and I have part-timed with UShip for 6 years (while still active duty). It's a great service but BE CAREFUL! I specialized in RVs for the last 3 years and have picked up numerous failed deliveries at truck stops and rest areas when the drivers just abandoned the load. Usually because they damaged them and figured it wasn't worth hauling the rest of the way. Even the ones who brag they are insured do not want to file a claim. Read reviews and ask lots of questions that expose their experience or in experience. You will get ridiculousy low bids but realize the cost of diesel and business. If it's too low, you can imagine how much they care about your RV. Don't use a big name hauler, they contract drivers and neither of them owe you anything. Find a personal driver, who you can call and receive daily location updates. Again, good service, don't always go with the cheapest bid and do you personal research in the reviews. Good luck!

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[gilgrc]

Originally Posted by Grawe

We are Jayco owners and I have part-timed with UShip for 6 years (while still active duty). It's a great service but BE CAREFUL! I specialized in RVs for the last 3 years and have picked up numerous failed deliveries at truck stops and rest areas when the drivers just abandoned the load. Usually because they damaged them and figured it wasn't worth hauling the rest of the way. Even the ones who brag they are insured do not want to file a claim. Read reviews and ask lots of questions that expose their experience or in experience. You will get ridiculousy low bids but realize the cost of diesel and business. If it's too low, you can imagine how much they care about your RV. Don't use a big name hauler, they contract drivers and neither of them owe you anything. Find a personal driver, who you can call and receive daily location updates. Again, good service, don't always go with the cheapest bid and do you personal research in the reviews. Good luck!

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Grawe


I'd like to learn more about this. I'll need a transportation service to take my TT from Iowa to California. Any tips as to how to pick the best personal driver. Would you recommend someone? What would a good rate per mile?

[Sundancer330]

After watching the TV show that featured Ushippers a few years back I would be careful. As others said do your homework, ask lots of questions. On the show only one driver was a pro, he drove a semi with a flatbed and moved about anything and seemed to care about his clients. One drove an old church bus and was always breaking down and late, giving lots of refunds for damage.

[ifallsguy]

You might consider contacting Jayco or Camping World and see if one of their transport drivers might be interested. These are folks who are required to be registered with US DOT, have insurance, pass a background check, driving record check and, from what I've seen, for the most part, very responsible (they don't keep those jobs with complaints). These folks drive cross country hauling everything from tent trailers to land yachts.

They also are looking for backhauls; a paying cargo, rather then deadheading.

You might find one of their drivers who might be heading out your way with a load and possibly driving home to Texas and would appreciate and respect a paying load.

There are other transport companies that move other units so look around.

[tcanthonyii]

Why not do it yourself and call it an adventure? No way would I trust anyone hauling my stuff.

Might be worth selling and buying a different trailer down south.

[redenbacher]

Great idea. I live about an hour away from the heart of the RV industry and see these folks all the time heading down the road with new units. After talking to a few of them, I found out they only get paid for the delivery, not the return trip. I'm sure there are many companies out there who could help. Horizon is one company I see lots of billboards for. Good luck!

[Ljdt04]

update from original poster -

We ended up using UShip.com to get bids and went with a bid that was not the lowest but reasonable. She was excellent! Kept in contact the whole way and delivered the trailer in excellent condition.

[CA-Texas]

So glad your trailer move was successful!

Something we were told .. and this is regarding motor homes, is that they're not loaded and hauled on semis for transport from the factory - there are actual drivers who drive the motor home but are not "allowed" to sleep in them. We thought that was an interesting concept.

[redh1hes]

We are in a similar situation and looking to ship our Jayco Hummingbird from FL to CA soon. Might you be able to share which company you found via Uship?

[Jerry713]

I know someone who lives in Houston area that is a transport hauler for several RV manufactures. Let me know if you’re interested and I can get you his contact info.