Was trying to ship some parts from Washington state to Missouri. Contacted Fastenal and got this back.

Good Morning,

Your request was denied Friday due to the closed lanes between our east and west zones.








Kind Regards,



Fastenal| Blue Lane Freight Midwest Region

 

I wonder if you can ship like from California to Utah or are they stopping all interstate shipping

 

There is no shipping between the zones. This is actually an opening up of their shipping service. When the COVID first hit hard they removed the 3PL service entirely from their site. On their current web site it looks like Utah is west. Stu

https://www.fastenal.com/en/22/blue-lane-freight

 

So much for a first try (for me). Maybe in a few months they’ll open cross country route again.

 

What and from where are you looking to ship, BJ?

 

Auburn Washington. Headers and a bell housing to Wentzville, MO.

 

Is the seller willing to box and ship ok, and you're just trying to get the cheapest freight, or did you need their boxing assistance? It's a bit far away for me to help, but Mixer Man Bob lives closer to that neighborhood, and I'm sure he'd help if needed.

 

I wanted to try Fastenal because I’ve heard their name being thrown around. Greyhound wanted $98. Just to ship the bellhousing terminal to terminal. I’ll probably be using them now.

 

I was chatting with a member here recently about Fastenal. I've had very good luck with them on a few occasions but it was several years ago.
We noticed that their shipping rates have gone up - WAY up. They have also limited the type of items they will accept.

About eight years ago I was able to get an 8-foot F2 bed packed to the gunwales with other parts from parted out trucks shipped from Arizona to Maine. For cheap.
It is only now I realized that I was in the right place at the right time - like stumbling onto a wedding party when the pretty bridesmaids were drunk and wanted to take off their dresses and dance on the tables.
It hasn't been that good since.
Tom

 

I'm obviously going to the wrong Fastenal branch!
haha.
Ive had them tell me that trucks from Utah To Colorado were full but trucks from Utah To points East were fine. Or from Colorado to Utah was fine. I think it may have to do with however they are doing thier internal location to location shipping.? (I havent used them in a couple years though)
also maybe try calling someone and see if there are any other potential options? The online request is so impersonal, I used to always call them and was on a first name basis with the girl there. Now they require the online request form.

 

I tried to also ship Fastenal at the end of the year and no one was responding. I finally got them to come back from the mini end of the year time off thing and was told they had cancelled that interstate service indefinitely. It wasnt likely to maybe ever come back the rep said. They were not even shipping in the same time zone currently. Covid has made them reconsider how they do business....IMHO a lot of what was will no longer exist.
So I moved on. I was inquiring about Fastenal because for Christmas I bought myself a 1956 Cab that was on Craigs list out of Michigan. Because Fastenal wasnt playing, I ended up going on line with uShip to get quotes. I filled out the uShip online paperwork and clearly described what I was shipping and how it was going to be made ready for shipment. I am not experienced with this. The nice guy who sold me the cab also prepared it for shipping. We thought it could be strapped to a pallet. I clearly told uShip that. I sent pictures of what a cab looks like. I received quotes based on the time slot and how much and how big the shipment was. I agreed and paid. I chose to have the cab picked up yesterday to give my guy in Michigan a 10 day period to get the cab onto a pallet and strapped etc so he wasnt too rushed.
The Yellow Freight (YRC) truck with whom uShip contracted, arrived yesterday as scheduled and the driver refused to take the shipment because it needs to be CRATED. "This thing will be thrashed in the process the driver said.it needs to be crated." Now that he didnt pick it up YRC also didnt want to now take it because its an antique. I remember uShip online application mentioned that if the item was USED they wouldnt guarantee condition. I agreed to that reluctantly. Now YRC wants a release FROM uShip saying it is "Scrap Metal" so they can limit their liability.
My guy in Michigan would have crated the cab if we were informed it was needed so it could have been shipped yesterday...remember he had like 12 days to get the shipment ready. Now to keep the quote in place the shipment has to happen before February rolls up. These guys suck. My guy in Michigan has to drop everything so that he can make a crate in 20 degree weather and have it before next Wednesday to make the deadline or they will requote and jack up the $'s Good luck shipping. Make sure NOT to do a shipping thing online...the uShip Director of Operations guy I spoke to who was a jerk, chastised me for doing online stuff and said "NO ONE who books these things ever reads the online applications" I though mine had been read. After the payment they quickly sent confirmation of payment and asked if there was any other message, I said beside the shipment being on a pallet please telephone the pickup location a couple hours earlier than arrival to shorten the arrival window some. I receive an email the next day back around Jan 3rd saying if that phone call was a requirement that I should look elsewhere. I thought it stupid that they wouldnt do this who doesnt have a cell phone today and what is wrong with everyone being on the same page? Well I removed that requested prior to arrival phone call suggestion. I thought someone had reviewed my application pretty well to have noticed that phone ahead request. How was I to know "no one reads these online applications" that included pictures of what a cab looks like and a very clear description of what I was trying to do? This has been a disgusting experience. I have been able to actually finally speak to real people with the power to get things done. I have 30 years of experience figuring out how to back channel phone systems to find a live person to talk to that can make things happen and most of that experience was utilized to find these two folks that can decide things. The YRC guy is a good guy, The uShip guy is a jerk. I emailed YRC customer service manager( (Mr" can do"), The Director, of Operations for uShip (a complete jerk) and my very decent guy in Michigan to plead with them to allow the quote to extend into February so my guy in Michigan doesnt risk pneumonia making a crate in 20 degree weather....lets see if these two shipping team mates are willing to do the right thing....at all. Clearly I blew it by not asking you all how to get this done. You all would have told me to crate it up etc....oh well once again not doing my homework has come to bite me in the tush.

 

Ever see that show Shipping Wars on A&E? Those folks on that show go to some web page to bid on shipping jobs. Is it U Ship they use?

 

I looked at that cab last year. I bought the hood and seat out of it. The cab is soft but will probably work for what you are going to do

 

Mr bigwin... so I prepare myself please explain what you mean by "the cab is SOFT" ?

 

Mr bigwin... so I prepare myself please explain what you mean by "the cab is SOFT" ? Please educate