Tractor Shipping

[swampbuggy77]

Hi all,
My search for a tractor continues. I've started searching beyond my local area, beyond driving range. What's the best approach for having a tractor shipped? Prices are all over the place, and most brokers are just adding a huge markup to the shipping price. Is there a way to access shippers directly? I'm only shipping a 3 or 4 series John Deere, so it's basically just car sized.

I know Central Dispatch is the main source of shipping these days, is it worth paying for an account myself? What kind of shipping rates does everyone see?

Thanks for anyone that has experience with shipping.

 

[jonsstihl]

no experience with shipping but could it be cheaper to fly out and rent a truck and trailer. Better ask lots of questions and look at plenty of photos before buying a plane ticket.

 

[JethroB]

I know of a local used car dealer and also a wrecker service in my area with rollbacks that will make day trips for $1.00 per mile. That limits them to a couple hundred mile radius or maybe a little more. I don’t believe either will go out of state though. You could ask around.

 

[bnold]

Check out uShip.
Free account. Shippers bid on shipment.

Used to use it quite frequently.

 

[radios1]

ship by train, you can't beat the price, not by a long shot.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Knowing your location would help out.... prices can vary widely. I had my tractor shipped last year, in the height of the oil field boom. I had negotiated $2 a mile with the dealer (who had shipped many tractors at that price previously). He ended up contracting a hot shot driver for $3 / mile. The dealer ate the additional cost. 8 months later, guys were hauling for $1.50 / mile when the oil fields slowed way down.

Ask your dealer (wherever they are) for referrals from locals. I just purchased a 34' travel trailer, but due to circumstances, I could not go pick it up (675 miles away). The dealer sent me a list of about 15 haulers, I had to contract them. Cost me $1500, paid COD when he got here. Prices varied from the low at $1500 to a high of $2200

 

[super55]

I've used Uship and F8star from tractorhouse. Uship works good but you really have to sit and wait to get good quotes. The broader the pickup date and delivery date the better rates you are going to get especially with a tractor this size because for a hotshot this is only a partial load. FR8star did a lot of legwork and emails would come in from truckers offering bids. Location has a lot to do with rates as well but every time I have used shippers I have got charged about 1.50 a mile.

 

[coobie]

ship by train, you can't beat the price, not by a long shot.

Just curious you know this how?Have you personally shipped a tractor by train lately?Just curious can you supply your prices & data? Love to seem them,thanks.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Just curious you know this how?Have you personally shipped a tractor by train lately?Just curious can you supply your prices & data? Love to seem them,thanks.

I was curious about that myself.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Ok, I cannot resist this.... it was a model train with a little tractor on a flatcar........ sorry, really couldn't resist!

But, I too, am curious about shipping by rail. Lots of planning / logistics involved, especially if you are not by a rail yard. Transportation to the shipping terminal, transport from arriving terminal, storage if required.... sounds like it could have a lot more incidental charges.