First time trying greyhound

[Rick Denney]

Told before: When I had Bloke do some needed repairs to the Holton, I arranged with my parents, who were driving from a family gathering in Ohio back to Houston that year, to drop it off at BlokePlace. When it was ready, I drove from northern Virginia to BlokePlace (close to the most miles in an approximately straight line anyone can drive in two states when one of them is not Texas), hung out, enjoyed the hospitality and maybe one or two local restaurants, let Bloke write insurance appraisals for the other tubas I'd brought for that purpose, packed them all back up and returned. I figure the gas cost me $280 dollars, not much more than shipping in a proper box and packing materials. Yes, I can drive 900 miles in one day. As to the time it took--I put that in the "visiting friends" category.

But not only did I not have to worry about it falling from a conveyor 12 feet up, but I didn't have to worry about it becoming an impromptu coffee table in the employee lounge at the bus station in Bean Station, Tennessee.

Conversely--yes, I've told this story before, too--I shipped a B&S F tuba to Austin using Greyhound, and what was quoted to me as taking 48 hours finally arrived 10 days later. I had the box already, and it was sturdier than your average shipping carton (read Lee's post above). But I think I sweated $280 worth of bullets. I should have just delivered that one, too--that road trip would also have resulted in the usual delightful visit.

One potential buyer of my York Master balked at the $1000 shipping to carry the crated tuba to a distant land beyond a very large ocean. I dunno; $1000 seemed kinda cheap to me. I would have built the crate myself. When I moved a tall-case clock from Dallas to Virginia, I paid 300 1998 dollars just for the custom-made crate. Shipping delicate things safely is not inexpensive. Lowering the price entails increasing the risk.

Rick "who doubts that Bean Station even has a bus stop" Denney

[Michael Bush]

For how often it seems these threads slog on and their frequency, you could swear some people must be getting paid by said agencies for the number of posts they can make. Whenever I had shipped all I care about is a tracking number that actually works when you look it up.

Caring about nothing except a working tracking number is a luxury only someone who doesn't ship tubas much has any chance of being able to afford. If you start shipping at all often while caring solely about tracking, you will discover some other things to care about very quickly

[Scania9s]

Hi,
Just wanted to share an experience I am having with Greyhound Package Express. I shipped my tuba through them over 3 weeks ago from AZ to MA. Unable to trace or track. No one knows where it is. I included my and the potential buyers address and contact info inside the flap of the box so hopefully someone good will come along and contact us. Should have written its destination all over the outside. So glad it's insured! Bummer for me and the buyer

[Ken Crawford]

So who eats it when "the dog" takes a dump on your tubas? Or "the dog" eats your tubas?

Seller?

Buyer?

"Pfft."

I've wondered the same. What is the proper etiquette when an instrument fails to reach its destination, in one piece or at all? Should the seller eat it, the buyer or split it?

[Rick Denney]

So who eats it when "the dog" takes a dump on your tubas? Or "the dog" eats your tubas?

Seller?

Buyer?

"Pfft."

I've wondered the same. What is the proper etiquette when an instrument fails to reach its destination, in one piece or at all? Should the seller eat it, the buyer or split it?

The last time I shipped a tuba using Greyhound, I did not cancel my Clarion all-hazards-except-termites coverage until after it arrived. None of the shippers provide decent insurance, and I would never count on it. Buy your own.

By the way, the seller eats it. The buyer has no control over shipping, and only the seller can do what it takes to ship it properly.

Rick "which is why when I'm the seller I'm reluctant to ship" Denney

[bort]

Rick, I've always been curious about Clarion insurance and if it covers shipping. I've thought about asking them, but as with any insurance companies, I would like to 1) not raise any red flags with them or 2) give them any ideas. I seem to remember reading all of the fine print, but can't remember seeing anything in there.

[tclements]

I shipped a tuba cross country for $75. But I hope you are not under any time constraints. ID the bus needs room for the passengers' luggage, cargo gets bumped off and put on the next AVAILABLE bus.

[Rick Denney]

Rick, I've always been curious about Clarion insurance and if it covers shipping. I've thought about asking them, but as with any insurance companies, I would like to 1) not raise any red flags with them or 2) give them any ideas. I seem to remember reading all of the fine print, but can't remember seeing anything in there.

When I read the coverage in detail (long enough ago that I may be forgetting some details), it seemed to me that the only hazard not covered was vermin--termites in particular attacking wooden instruments. I would want to make sure that ownership didn't officially change hands until after shipping.

I seem to recall an exclusion for mysterious disappearance, which is when one claims an instrument is missing but has no report of how it became so. If it was lost in shipping and you have the shipping receipts, it's not a mysterious disappearance. Discovering that it must have gone missing sometime over the last two years--that's a mysterious disappearance.

Rick "who has that policy lying around here somewhere" Denney

[royjohn]

After a bad experience receiving a tuba which had shifted in the styrofoam peanuts and had bell damage from UPS, I shipped a big Besson BBb from Tennessee to New England via Greyhound. By that time I had learned to encase the tuba in styrofoam board wrapped with plastic shipping wrap and then in a box with peanuts. There weren't any problems.

What did give me pause was the fact that (as someone alluded to) the maximum amount Greyhoud will be responsible for is, I think, $1000 AND, if you go over 800 miles, that amount is reduced to $300. As luck would have it, the selling price was about $800 and the trip was, of course, just a few miles over 800. If you're close to 800 miles, it might be worth it to drive a bit closer to the next station. In the end, I just sweated it out.

I don't think I would send any tuba costing over about $3000 on Greyhound unless I had some other insurance.

I'm retired and like tubas and trips. If you're in the East and want a tuba courier, give me a call, I work cheap. You might have to let me try the horn, though.

[daytontuba]

Just got a new horn shipped to me via Greyhound - the horn arrived with zero damage and their porter was very helpful in getting the horn into the back of my vehicle. My only issue with the whole process was their non-functional tracking system, which told me the horn was still in Richmond Va. on the day it arrived here in Dayton!

[Scania9s]

I've gone ahead and reported my tuba stolen since Greyhoind never even scanned the package into their tracking system. I suspect it's way in to Mexico by now! I've been trying to get a hold of the district manager so we'll see...

[edsel585960]

Mot recent experience. The horn arrived undamaged. Something had been spilled on the case but it washed off. As usual the tracking was useless. Still showed at the point of origin when I picked it up at the station. Pro, economical way to ship large items. Con, lousy tracking system.