Flutterby™! : ridiculous question 2003-05-26 02:45:09.49151+00

ridiculous question

2003-05-26 02:45:09.49151+00 by Dan Lyke 4 comments

Okay, here's a ridiculous question for you: An acquaintance in dire straits who needs a hand has a load of stuff in storage near Needles, CA, and needs to get it to near Las Vegas, NV. Options under consideration have included:

Fly to LA, train to Needles, pick up rented truck, drive to Las Vegas, fly home
Retrieve trailer from Todd, drive to Needles (at least 9 hours), thence to Las Vegas (at least 4 hours), thence home (at least 9 hours). This could be combined with a stopover in Helendale to see the Exotic World Burlesque Museum.
Find someone in Needles willing to package and ship said stuff to Vegas.

Cash flow has been a bit of an issue of late, cheaper is good, but there are aspects of #3 that are appealing. However, I've no idea where to start in trying to arrange logistics for such a thing. Last time I shipped a pallet or two worth of stuff was over a decade ago, and that was from a major transportation hub to same. Anyone know how this stuff is done?

The flight and train to LA-Needles will take you how long? I don't see the expense saving you the time to warrent it.

Doing it all yourself will take you two days and the gas money. Do you have that much free time?

#3 sounds the most efficient and possibly the cheapest. If the stuff is in storage at a franchised storage facility call them and ask for guidance and advice. UPS may also have some advice available for you.

Two-Men-And-A-Truck charges $75/hr for two men and a truck. No mileage. You may be able to negotiate for a two-tday deal.

I'm not sure where the communication channel is, but if you can get one of those universal containers dropped off at the storage locataion and get it loaded, you can then find a truck heading in the right direction.

Does this friend in dire straits have more time than you? Generally when I'm in dire straits I have alot more available time.

Another option, fly to LA. Drive to the border. Find a bunch of Mexicans with a truck. Pay them enough not to steal anything (not slighting Mexicans - I'd make this statement about anyone). And let them do the work. Visit Joshua Tree. Fly home.

Yet another option: go to Type2.com. Subscribe to the Type2 list (VW bus owners). See if there is anyone willing to carry a busload of stuff from Needles to Vegas expenses paid. Is this more stuff than will fit in a VW bus?

Still trying to figure out just how much stuff it is. Person in question is trying to get life going, so doesn't have time to take off; one of those "If I can grind through this job for a few months, then the next position opens up" situations.

The reasons #1 and #2 are even under consideration is that Charlene and I were thinking a road trip might be fun. And there is some reason to believe that a little [cough] "pep talk" might be in order, as the consequences of failure on the part of this person could be... wider reaching.

But yeah, overall I'd far prefer some operation where we could just make some phone calls and have the right thing happen. I'll be tracking down the storage facility today, I was mainly hoping someone had an "in" to the "I've got a pallet here that needs to get there" scene.

>> I was mainly hoping someone had an "in" to the "I've got a pallet here that needs to get there" scene.

That just amounts to calling a few trucking companies (let your fingers do the walking) and checking out rates. The trouble is that you are going to have to have the articles packed, put on the pallet and weighed and the trucking company doesn't do that. The two men and a truck option that Eric gave you would pack and truck but $75 an hour is most likely more costly than the trains, planes and trucks that your #1 option entailed.

Trucking companies will pick up but most of the time they want you to deliver the pallet to their depot. Talk to the storage folks first and find out what services they offer. Then you'll know more about the options open to you.