Shipping a Trailer

[monkey44]

We tried to find a company to ship our toy-trailer to Florida from Boston ... and drive the other one.

Couldn't find a company - all the haulers have a seven feet or so height restriction.

So, when you all don't drive it yourself, how do you get a trailer down and back from the south / north / south again.

Been trying to find a trucker that didn't want an arm and both legs along with my wallet to truck it down there ... trailer's only fourteen feet end to end including the tongue, but it's sits high, about 7'11" at the tip ... wanted $2100 ... that seems awfully rich when a car usually goes around $700 - $800 ...

Whats with that???

[malibuguybc]

I did what Pawatt suggested. After finding an interesting, affordable RV park in Ft. Mohave, Arizona,close to casinos, shopping and water and desert sports I bought a park model for winter months and use my 5'er at home in the summer. Works for me!!

[CKNSLS]

On heavy/high items the cost of shipping does not make it feasible to move them. You could always sell it and buy another at the other end.

[tatest]

There are at least a dozen RV transport businesses operating in northern Indiana, some small operators, some bigger companies that serve as their agents. It is quite likely that one of these operators would bring his truck to your location, and haul your trailer to its destination, for a price.

If you don't want to call every RV hauler in the book, uship.com can serve as your agent.

Chances are pretty good that the cost is going to be close to the figure you've already been quoted.

This is why snowbirders who don't haul or drive their own RVs to a winter destination usually leave them at the winter location, either on site or in storage locally.

I think the problem is that the cost of moving whatever it is, is greater than the value to you of having the stuff with you.

One option would be to do what non-RVing snowbirds (the great majority of snowbirds) do: keep whatever you need or want at each end of the trip, at that end of the trip. Most of the Michigan - Florida snowbirds I know move only a suitcase full of clothes back and forth, and maybe ship a few boxes from time to time. Just what the airline lets them carry, or for those that drive, what fits in the car.

The cousin who hauls his fiver back and forth, leaves his Florida boat in Florida and his Michigan boat in Michigan, rather than trying to move one boat back and forth.

Considering the cost of shipping big toys, it doesn't take many trips before having duplicate toys is the more reasonable option.

[Community Alumni]

W4RLR wrote:

monkey44 wrote:

But what we asked: What do Snowbirds do when shipping trailers south, or north?

Most of the snowbirds I know of keep their trailers south, putting them in storage, again down south, at the end of the season.

That's typically what we see too. There are those like ourselves who will drive our coach back and forth along with others who tow their trailers but of all the folks that we know who spend the winters south, none have their rv's moved for them. It's just not something that I have ever seen done as a matter of course.

Most of the rv dealers use drivers who tow vehicles for factory deliveries, you might want to contact an rv dealer. Many of these deliver drivers sit idle through winter periods.

[W4RLR]

monkey44 wrote:

But what we asked: What do Snowbirds do when shipping trailers south, or north?

Most of the snowbirds I know of keep their trailers south, putting them in storage, again down south, at the end of the season.

[W4RLR]

A good rule of thumb is the COSTS, not including profits for the transport company, is a bit over $1.25/mile. Anything above that is the profit to the transport company. Anything LESS would mean they are cutting corners somewhere. Having watched a few episodes of "Shipping Wars" and seen either gross incompetence or indifference on the part of many of their drivers, I wouldn't let them haul my Tonka toy truck.

[pawatt]

It may be worth considering buying a used park model if you have found an area and a park you would like to return to each year. The cost can be very reasonable.

[monkey44]

I understand everything you all said here - we've been trying for three weeks with haulers... we know the difficulties.

It can't be that random, find some guy you don't know and trust him with your trailer. Snowbirds must have a regular method for transport ... one that is safe, reasonable cost, and hire-able.

I know, a lot drive down - but not everyone ... not every Snowbird drives a rig.

But what we asked: What do Snowbirds do when shipping trailers south, or north?

[joebedford]

Call it 2400 miles round trip. At 10 mpg that's 240 gallons of diesel which at $4 per gallon is about $1K. Fuel is about half the total cost ...

[Horsedoc]

Cars ship cheaper because the shipping company can load several on a trailer and do it for less. This is going to be a one-way trip and likely no back-haul

[michelb]

I'd put a listing on www.uship.com and see if you can find someone driving along that route that wouldn't mind towing it for you.

[chevor]

Its all because of this sue happy society. There is a lot of money spent in commercial trucking on insurance and liability.

[PapPappy]

It's gonna be more expensive, because it's a specialty item.
That show on Cable where they bid on transport jobs would probably do it:)
They had one guy move the Grayhound Bus Conversion that a member of this forum bought, so I'm sure that they could move your trailer.....but probably not cheap.

Another option might be to contact someone via Craigslist, to see if anyone is traveling down to Florida without a trailer, but has the TV that would handle it. Then, pay for them to tow it down....plus something extra. But, you would be taking a risk doing this, unless you know the person.