Has anyone ever shipped a fire truck? I am looking at having one shipping 1,500 miles and it would have to be on a lowboy. I have researched several different shipping companies and it is very difficult to weed out the fake ones. Most companies change names every so often to retain business so it is hard to tell which companies are legit or not. Any help would be great.
well I picked up a firetruck and drove it back to PA... lol Had police in VA and MD smiling and waving at me as I went down I95...
Seriously though, your best be is going to be a vehicle transport, or in this case a flatbed.
I shipped a 70 Chevelle via a car carrier but this is much bigger. Check out BBB reports and see if anyone can recommend a carrier. Its gonna cost $$$ depending on the size of the rig it may be the only thing they can move..
And on 2nd thought if it runs, you may wanna just drive it....
I've had 2 shipped over the years. The first from NC to FL, used a local trucking company here in FL that did it as a backhaul. That saved me a little money. The second from ME to FL I used USHIP to find a carrier. I don't remember their name but they bundled different loads on and off the truck as it came down the east coast so I wasn't the only one footing the bill for the entire trip.
That's the last place I would look - a bunch of fly by night hotshotters who think they can be on shipping wars moving stuff with a 1988 F350 and an overloaded gooseneck trailer.
You're best bet is to use a broker. I had one shipped from Los Angeles to north MS for $1500. You'll pay more for the lowboy. You would be able to put that on a regular flatbed if you can have it picked up and dropped off at a facility with a drive on/off loading dock.
Even if it is driveable, do not do it or have anyone else do it for you. By the time you pay for just plane tickets and fuel, you will be close if not more than what you can get it shipped for. Even if you saved a couple hundred dollars, have it break down somewhere in between and it will cost you thousands! Pay to have it shipped.
If you want flat bed, it would probably have to be a drop deck. Personally, I'd try to find a carrier in the destination city because as was mentioned before, carriers are willing to cut deals on back hauls just so they don't lose money coming back.
EDIT:
You may want to look here. That is the current rates for flatbed trucks broken down by region. Most of the trip you specified looks like it's going to cost you about $2.70 a mile right now. Those rates are supposed to be updated weekly, so keep that in mind as a resource when planning your budget for the trip.
Has anyone ever shipped a fire truck? I am looking at having one shipping 1,500 miles and it would have to be on a lowboy. I have researched several different shipping companies and it is very difficult to weed out the fake ones. Most companies change names every so often to retain business so it is hard to tell which companies are legit or not. Any help would be great.
do the lights and sirens work? if they do just respond code 3 in the bastard from new York all the way to lousiana the cops wont stop you because you will look like your on official business and such...
do the lights and sirens work? if they do just respond code 3 in the bastard from new York all the way to lousiana the cops wont stop you because you will look like your on official business and such...