So PO'ed at Uship!

Cord · Oct 2, 2015

I need to ship a mower from South Carolina to Wisconsin. Shouldn't be that difficult, right? Well, the bidder didn't realize the mower won't fit on a rented Uhaul trailer. Uhaul trailer? Yea, the guy doesn't even have a freekin' flat bed to haul it on! So I cancel the shipment and the shipper agrees to it. Now the way Uship works, you have to pay when you award the bid. Uship then holds the money until the shipper delivery the item. Makes sense because the shipper knows he'll get paid if he comes through on his end. Well, Uship is only refunding me 90% of the shipment amount. They're keep $113 as a "credit" - but it's my money! Of course the "credit" expires in a year. I doubt I'll be shipping another item like this in a year (I use mostly LTL) so if this mower doesn't move, then I'm out the money.

aczlan · Oct 2, 2015

Have you called them and explained that you canceled it because the shipper was not prepared to handle the load?

Aaron Z

JBourquin · Oct 2, 2015

Shipper should be held responsible. They bid on a load they were not equipped to handle. Why do they get off scott free.

kennyd · Oct 2, 2015

Sorry...may not help now but next time try shipping through Fastenal.

Here is a recent thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/344904-fastenal-shipping-thumbs-up.html

Stimw · Oct 2, 2015

On the TV show- Shipping Wars they show them getting paid on delivery from the receiver!
I don't know who is worse, the shipper or the client on that show!!
AND if someone tells me I have a deadline or I don't get paid I would be telling them to take it their self!!

s219 · Oct 2, 2015

The guy who bought my boat used U-ship to get it to Florida, and it turned out OK, but there were some darn sketchy people bidding on the job, with vehicles I wouldn't use to tow across town, never mind 900 miles.

Todd727 · Oct 3, 2015

Wait, you mean an online shipping website that anyone can bid to carry your load is fraught with amateur haulers? Who would've thought?

MossRoad · Oct 3, 2015

kennyd said:
Sorry...may not help now but next time try shipping through Fastenal.

Here is a recent thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/344904-fastenal-shipping-thumbs-up.html

Interesting and good to know. Here's a direct link to the 3rd party logistics....
https://www.fastenal.com/en/22/third-party-logistics-(3pl)

Copperhead · Oct 4, 2015

One of the specifications in commercial shipping contracts is that the actual trailer be specified. For instance, when I haul a load, the shipper has already specified that the trailer be a 53' dry van, swing door, air ride. They may also specify other things. If one wants to ship something thru any broker service (3PL), which is what UShip is, they need to specify the trailer that you require for the shipment. You should, at a minimum, specify the dimensions and weight to better assure that someone doesn't show up with an inadequate trailer for the load. Then issues like this could be greatly reduced or eliminated. Outfits like UShip play a little fast and loose with shipping compared to the major players, so you have to do more in setting the standard. The concept UShip is using is a good one, but it is very amateur. The shipper and receiver have to play more of a role to make sure things are done right. But then, that is why it generally costs less to use something like UShip than a major 3PL.

Copperhead · Oct 4, 2015

JBourquin said:
Shipper should be held responsible. They bid on a load they were not equipped to handle. Why do they get off scott free.

Definitions are critical. The shipper is the OP. Who hauls it is the carrier. Who takes it at the other end is the consignee. If the Shipper does not specify the load properly, the dimensions of the load, the weight, then it is easily feasible that the wrong carrier equipment will show up to haul it.

WilliamBos · Oct 4, 2015

Sorry to hear this.

Thanks for explaining how udhip actually works. Sounds like the entire show is staged.

Cord said:
I need to ship a mower from South Carolina to Wisconsin. Shouldn't be that difficult, right? Well, the bidder didn't realize the mower won't fit on a rented Uhaul trailer. Uhaul trailer? Yea, the guy doesn't even have a freekin' flat bed to haul it on! So I cancel the shipment and the shipper agrees to it. Now the way Uship works, you have to pay when you award the bid. Uship then holds the money until the shipper delivery the item. Makes sense because the shipper knows he'll get paid if he comes through on his end. Well, Uship is only refunding me 90% of the shipment amount. They're keep $113 as a "credit" - but it's my money! Of course the "credit" expires in a year. I doubt I'll be shipping another item like this in a year (I use mostly LTL) so if this mower doesn't move, then I'm out the money.

JJZ 109 · Oct 5, 2015

aczlan said:
Have you called them and explained that you canceled it because the shipper was not prepared to handle the load?

Aaron Z

You mean everyone at Uship isn't like Roy, the resident genius on the TV show?

kennyd · Oct 5, 2015

JJZ 109 said:
You mean everyone at Uship isn't like Roy, the resident genius on the TV show?

Well, he WAS anyway...RIP Roy.

JJZ 109 · Oct 6, 2015

kennyd said:
Well, he WAS anyway...RIP Roy.

Tells how long it's been since I've seen that lame show.

Cord · Oct 8, 2015

Update: I called Uship and asked for a full refund instead of a credit. Figured I'd have to give them a sob story followed by some foot stomping. Instead, the person didn't want to hear any more and instantly issued a full refund. This must be a policy to try and garner a little more income.

BTW- the original listing had the weight, dimensions and specified that it had three wheels. I even included a photo clearly showing the tricycle wheel arrangement. In fact when I talk to the guy the night before I told him that he needed a flat deck trailer and he proposed trailer wouldn't work.

Booked the shipment through Freight Quote but it still hasn't moved. They can't seem to find a partial drop deck trailer to put it on. I'll wait a little longer and then just give up and drive down and get it myself. By far, this is the toughest load I've ever had to move.

QRTRHRS · Oct 8, 2015

kennyd said:
Well, he WAS anyway...RIP Roy.

I always took Roy as being obnoxious but he knew his, er, stuff. Kind of like the driver I ran with for a week when I got a job running LTL. This guy was about as obnoxious as they come. When you bump say 20 docks in a day, you meet some of the "finest". Seems like most could not sign the BOL fast enough to get this guy out of there.

I did local for about eight months before going line haul. During that eight months, I met a quite a few people who would fit in well with the show as far as being major A"0's". Seems obnoxious is a way to survive.

I have to wonder that if the show is not indicitive of what really goes on then why has the company not sued for defimation?

QRTRHRS · Oct 23, 2015

Well, I had my first experiance with Uship as a seller that is. I had sold some things on Ebay for local pickup only. The successful bidder had a "driver" to pick up the items. Okay, the "driver" was okay to work with as far as going over the items with me and signing off on their condition. As with the TV show, he had a number of items already loaded and had run out of shipping blankets.

I won't get into exactly what was sold but he strapped them in, no blankets, nothing. It bothered me a bit as I sold something with no damage, nothing but then I had been payed so o'well, I did my part. Fair thee well.

JJZ 109 · Oct 23, 2015

Shipping large objects seems to be a large PIA. In November 2013 I had a bucket truck sold, contingent on getting it shipped to the buyer. Did an online search for a "vehicle shipper". Found some website that forwards your request to trucking companies similar to Uship, only they deal with real ( supposedly) trucking outfits, not any knucklehead with a pickup & trailer like Uship.
After getting bombarded with calls & emails from carriers I finally selected one. 3 weeks later, still no truck arrives. Lost the sale. Beware of these clowns no matter where you find them. Many are just brokers who look for truckers, not actual truck owners.
My story had a happy ending. Found another buyer. He wire transferred the money. Then sent an insurance card and temp tag from his state to me via Fed Ex and flew one of his employees to my local airport, where I met him with the truck. Truck headed out of state and I never heard from anyone again.

Cord · Oct 23, 2015

I gave up and picked the mower up myself. Left Friday at 7am and drove 1,000 miles. Got there at 7am Saturday morning. Loaded up and got home at 1:30am Sunday morning. Wisconsin to South Carolina and back in less than 48 hours.