Recommendation for engine shipping

[paul]

I need to ship a palletized engine from Southern California to Texas.
Any recommendations of shipping companies is greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Paul Marvin, paulrmarvin@icloud.com .

[68blk500c]

Paul:  An area engine builder has used Forward Air for years and recommends them.
Don

[gt350bp]

I recently shipped two engines from Daytona Beach to Sacramento area and strongly recommend building a box around them. One was a new Boss block and the other an aluminum 427 FE. Can't be too careful. I think both went via AAA Cooper with no issues or problems.

Don
gt350bp

[Scode67FB]

It's been several years since I last shipped anything that big so I don't know what the current options might be. Last time I did, I used Forward Air. I would only use them as a LAST RESORT. They were the cheapest back then, TRUE. The problem is the inconvenience.
FIRST, the shipment has to be dropped off and picked up at their airport depots. They don't pick up or deliver. They don't have depots at every airport, so in my case, it was almost an hour drive each way to drop off a shipment.
SECOND, and this is the worst part to me, is the whole drop-off procedure. When you arrive, you have to check in, then WAIT until they're ready to unload you. Then WAIT until they put your shipment on a scale to determine the shipping cost. Then WAIT until they call you to the counter to tell you the shipping cost. When they tell you the shipping cost, they'll tell you to go to a nearby liquor store and get a money order to pay the shipping cost. The shipping depot doesn't accept cash, checks, credit or debit cards. ONLY MONEY ORDERS. So, after driving there and unloading your shipment, you have to leave to go buy this money order and hope nothing happens to your items before you come back. Then, when you return with the money order, you get to WAIT some more until they're good and ready to take your payment.
I did this a few times until I just got too tired of it. I would make my trips at 10-11 at night to try to avoid traffic and thinking they might not be real busy at that hour. I don't know what might've happened had I gone earlier, but my late-night trips were all at least four hours long from start to finish. I hope a good option turns up. I'd be interested, as well.

[Coralsnake]

I used to deal with Forward Air  on a regular basis...

Then one time the driver wanted to add a surcharge because he unilaterally decided there was "no business" at the address. I said thank you, let me put the forklift away and I will sign your paperwork one last time.

There are a lot of "light freight" companies that do this type of delivery. Just search for truck freight or light freight and you should have a lot of options.

Reminds me of the guy selling a door skin that wants $300 for shipping. No thank you. I have shipped entire engines cheaper cross country.

[Royce Peterson]

I have shipped many engines using Forward Air. Outstanding service. No issues. Build a crate, mount the engine on a pallet.

[Rocket]

My motor was shipped by Old Dominion From Phoenix to Longmont ,Co.  Don't know cost or how long it took. Ron

[paul]

Thank you to all who've posted.

[vtgt500]

I ship freight most weeks.  Have had every imaginable experience.  Avoid brokers.  You have absolutely no idea who will be handling the item.  Even insured is impossible to collect against loss.
Of late, have been doing shipping online with YRC.  Their online rates are 1/2 anyone else.  Critical to crate freight to sustain a 5 foot drop.  Have insurance for full amount.  Purchase the Tip & Tell. and impact meters sold by McMaster-Carr and U-Line.  Just their impression being seen encourages safe handling. 
https://www.uline.com/Grp_332/Damage-Indicators?keywords=Tip-N-Tell+Indicators

[Royce Peterson]

Guess I should mention I have shipped a few engines (three so far) using Fastenal third party logistics. It was significantly cheaper than Forward Air the first time but seemed to take forever. Two since then have not given me a warm fuzzy but eventually got where they were supposed to go. Took forever. Their prices have increased to the point that they are no longer a good candidate.