Call, Quote, Ship - It's that easy.

📏 WONT FIT! If you somehow found a cardboard box that big, most wont accept packages above 150 lbs & 165 in.

📦 PACKING? Even boxed & bubble wrapped, glass or fragile parts don't usually handle well when tossed dozens of times between trucks and warehouses before it reaches you. 

👺 LOSS/DAMAGE/THEFT? INSURANCE? Claims for damage to your pinball machine can take weeks or months for approval. You're not guaranteed a full or even partial resolution, so you risk a full loss on your pinball machine. Even with a refund, you have to pay for repair and the collectors value decreases. 

💵 Cost:  N/A, item is too big for them to ship.

📦  PACKING? You will almost certainly be required to palletize or crate, pad, secure, and plastic wrap the pinball machine. Will the seller do it? Will they charge you extra for that, too? 

⏰ APPOINTMENTS? Appointments are not standard when LTL shipping. Almost every "big" company will charge you extra (per stop) to get an exact time of arrival. Otherwise, the driver will show up whenever they can. If you're not there, there's an extra fee to come back later, too!

🤑 HIDDEN FEES! You must provide the exact dimensions and weights of the pinball machine + pallet or your shipment may increase hundreds or thousands more than expected. Did you know that these companies can back-charge you for a shipment YEARS after your item was delivered, and are not required to notify you?

📍 LOCATIONS? This pinball machine needs to be palletized or crated so a forklift driver can move it with ease. This means you'll have to find a way to get this palletized machine to a warehouse or pay extra for a driver with a pallet jack and liftgate or built-in forklift on their truck to meet you at your home. 

👺 LOSS/DAMAGE/THEFT? INSURANCE? Claims with trucking companies are tricky - they'll want photos of the item before you packed it, once it arrives at the warehouse, and once it arrives at delivery for proof just to file it. Most policies for cargo insurance on LTL trucking companies cap out around one third of the declared value of an item. Claims for damaged items can take weeks or months for approval here, too. You're not guaranteed a full or even partial resolution, so you risk a full loss on your pinball machine.

💵 Cost:  Quotes vary significantly based on seasonality, market trends, shipment urgency, item weight(s), location(s), and a variety of other factors. From experience with these companies, an approximate average price between $500-1,200 is expected before fees on a lane like this. 

WHAT IS A SHIPPING WEBSITE? While we can't name drop... there's a few websites that allow you to ship your oddly sized items with "shippers" who offer "bids" to move your item from A to B. 

📦  PACKAGING? While packing the item isn't entirely necessary in some cases, it's usually better to have it done in advance as your item will be packed in tight around other customer's items. 

🤑  FEES! These sites tend to charge both the customer and the "shipper" around 10-30% each on every shipment. Because of this, many of these "shippers" will quote a partial amount and advise they require additional payment to complete the booking off the website. 

Loading and unloading are not standard, included costs. If there aren't people on site at pick and delivery locations to load and unload without the driver's help, there are additional fees associated. Some may also charge fees similar to LTL like appointment, over-dimensional, etc.

🤨 SHADY CREDENTIALS These sites don't ensure the person or company "bidding" is legally allowed to haul your item. While the FMCSA & DOT require active authority with them (visit Company Snapshot to check your carrier's credentials and insurance in their database). 

👺 LOSS/DAMAGE/THEFT? INSURANCE? If the "shipper" breaks your item while loading, driving, or unloading and your carrier doesn't have the proper credentials or insurance, you're left with a broken pinball machine with no reimbursement for damages + shipping costs to them and the website.

There are also many over-seas, illegally operating "dispatch". "logistics", or "broker" companies that take your payment upfront, then go missing with your item(s).

Just about any of these websites are going to claim to be a "neutral 3rd party" in the event of an issue - meaning it's not their problem and they will not help if the carrier creates an issue for you. 

💵 Cost: Similar to LTL quotes, may vary significantly based on seasonality, market trends, shipment urgency, item weight(s), location(s), and a variety of other factors. From experience with these companies, an approximate average price between $500-1,500 is expected before fees on a lane like this. 

HOW MANY MILES IS THAT? That's about 2,349 miles, round trip! 

📦  PACKAGING? If you don't have any in the garage, will likely have to stop at a hardware store along the way for some blankets, bubble wrap, bungee cords, and tape.

🛑 PIT STOPS At about 400 miles per day, you'd be on the road and in hotels for about 5-6 days - why waste your vacation days and rewards points? Not to mention tolls, gas, snacks, meals, drinks, and more - it sure does add up. 

😮‍💨 WEAR & TEAR ON YOUR VEHICLE You're definitely going to need an oil change after this one. Have you tested how reliable your vehicle is on longer trips lately? Breakdowns and tows aren't cheap! 

💵 Cost: You'd be looking at roughly $1,529.33 in average costs!

• $281.88 in Fuel 

                     (25mpg / 2,349 miles ) x $3 per Gallon [US Average] 

• $750.00 in Hotels [5 Nights] 

                      (400 miles per day / 2,349 miles) x $150 per Night at Hotel

• $300.00 in Food 

                      ($10 Meal x 3 per Day) x 5 Days) x 2 People

• $117.45 in Maintenance / Wear Costs 

                      ($0.05 per Mile x 2,349 miles)

• $80.00 in Supplies