Greyhound “package express” ELIMINATED

[V63]

 Greyhound has eliminated their package express service. Apparently,  there was a recent ownership change of the company,  per an employee.

It was a great service option particularly for larger automotive parts.

[Carfreak]

Many years ago we used it quite often without any issues at the 'old' Greyhound stations in our area.

One was inside an antiques / craft mall and the lady was a hoot.  The other was in a downtowny area so parking was always tricky but the station agent was friendly and helpful.

They closed both locations and a new facility was constructed near the railroad tracks.  Staff at the new location either weren't trained or didn't care to be involved with the process.  Last time I shipped with them was about 6 or 7 years ago and I really didn't know if the package would make it to the destination or even out of the building. 

Is Fastenal shipping again yet?  They were a good alternative. 

[V63]

Fastenal is quite (extremely) limited in destinations in comparison

[Jay Friedman]

Greyhound Express was especially good with heavy items.  I remember I once shipped a starter motor to another state to be rebuilt.  Once the work was finished I then needed it quickly to be able to drive to a car show. UPS would have taken several days.  It was sent by bus, didn't cost much and arrived overnight.  Had to go to the bus station to get it but I easily made it to the show. 

[V63]

They were EXTREMELY good for large items like fenders, doors, dash pads, door panels.

 I just tried to send a plain 15" steel wheel USPS ground, 1,000 miles

$100 🤑🤦🏻�♂️.

[Jason Edge]

They were EXTREMELY good for large items like fenders, doors, dash pads, door panels.

 I just tried to send a plain 15" steel wheel USPS ground, 1,000 miles

$100 🤑🤦🏻�♂️.

USPS is still great for items to US destinations that will fit in their Flat Rate boxes or Regional Box (if destination is in a nearby zone), but UPS ships 90% of my big items that will not fit in a flat rate box. Coupled with a Stamps.com account and the deep discounts for UPS it will save you a lot if you ship a lot.

I plugged in a steel wheel (18" x 18" x 11" at 25 lb) and I can ship NC to CA (almost 3000 miles) 5 day UPS ground for $39.14.  I can ship it 3 day UPS for $57.51 or 2 day air for $80.32.
While we are talking shipping I almost never ship US Postal outside the US anymore .. almost all UPS.  Two Big reason from someone that ships outside the US all the time: US Postal has a 3rd party company handling international shipments where it goes to  NJ address and they redirect it to it's final destination.

After about 3 shipments completely screwed up with this process, and the fact international Priority shipments went from the advertised 6 to 9 days to anywhere up to 5 months during the height of COVID, and up to 2 months in the recent past I am reluctant to even consider them at this point shipping outside the USA.

I had one customer that absolutely insisted on US Priority International to save a couple of bucks, but after about 2 months the person basically swore on his parents grave he would never ever see this package, so I refunded him.  Package showed up in about 2 weeks ... he resubmitted payment but it was a hard lesson learned.

And don't even get me started about Greyhound and shipping fenders ... talk about a nightmare from Hades... and that was supposed to be back when they could and would do it. The last time I used them at the customers insistence was that I used UPS and do the trip into  Raleigh, NC (I am in a smaller town Garner, NC about 15 miles from Greyhound) ended up being two back to back trips burning at least 3 hrs the 1st day and 2 hors the 2nd day.  I basically told him $75 to go into Raleigh and spend part of my morning with Greyhound's finest and drop off if he provided the label, etc. Well, they screwed up the label and would not take the package. I had to return home with the Big Fender still in tow. I told customer it would be $75 more if he wanted me to go spend another morning at Greyhound. He coughed up the mullah and I ended up killing another couple of hours. Believe me, after the first screw up, and the customer had to pay me double on my "handling" part of the deal, he probably wished he had just coughed up the mullah and went the UPS Route.  That is the last time I used them and will not eat green eggs and ham or use Greyhound again, even if they reconstitute this service ... unless someone just has some really deep pockets with a lot of folding money.

If companies like UPS start dropping the ball like US Postal (other than flat rate in the US) or Greyhound, we shippers are in trouble.

[V63]

Great explanation, thank you.

we all have our horror stories if we ship enough.

I am willing to "try" UPS again, (OOPS). Boxed the wheel weighs 31# according to USPS.
the actual dimensions are 19" x 19" x 13"

Will advise.

[Jason Edge]

Great explanation, thank you.

we all have our horror stories if we ship enough.

I am willing to "try" UPS again, (OOPS). Boxed the wheel weighs 31# according to USPS.
the actual dimensions are 19" x 19" x 13"

Will advise.

My dimensions and weight are for the 61 to 64 wheels (rims) I have been shipping for 25 years. Cut that box down a bit and you can save. Unless it is something that has to be padded to protect I cut the box down to just over the size of the item.

I plugged your dimensions in with UPS via Stamps.com and I can still ship NC to CA for $46.44.
I then plugged in for NC to TX about 1200 miles and it drops to $31.71.
I then went back to the dimensions and weight I know I can ship one of my 61-64 rims and NC to TX drops to 27.37.

If you ship a lot you have to learn ways to shave the cost.

[Carfreak]

If you ship a lot you have to learn ways to shave the cost.

i.e. sturdy metal rims will need at least a double corrugated box but doesn't necessarily need a lot of packaging material to cushion the part. 

Particularly compared to a more fragile part such as a speedometer, steering wheel, horn ring, headlight pods, tail lights, etc.

These pieces should generally have a minimum 1-2" spacing all the way around with sufficient type and quantity of packing to ensure the box won't crush and the part won't move.   

[V63]

Thank you again 🙏 for the calculations! Truly appreciated.  I will try UPS tomorrow.

Absolutely Agreed on the packaging.

for discussion purposes, it comes down to cost vs benefit for me.
 Time equals money!

I did score a double corrugated box, but custom tailoring a box on a 'limited' production (hobbist) to save $5 seems a wash (using your number research)

I shall advise UPS status tomorrow,

Thank you again!

 



 

[Jason Edge]

Thank you again 🙏 for the calculations! Truly appreciated.  I will try UPS tomorrow.

Absolutely Agreed on the packaging.

for discussion purposes, it comes down to cost vs benefit for me.
 Time equals money!

I did score a double corrugated box, but custom tailoring a box on a 'limited' production (hobbist) to save $5 seems a wash (using your number research)

I shall advise UPS status tomorrow,

Thank you again! 

I've been cutting down boxes for over 2 decades and have to remember most people will not have the large stash of cardboard on hand or the experience to quickly cut down a box to size. Still the point is you have to shop around. The fact I can ship up to 70 lbs from NC to CA in a medium USPS box for about $15 or a large box for about $20, or turn to UPS for those hubcaps I am shipping today and saving $15 over USPS is valuable info.

[Jason Edge]

i.e. sturdy metal rims will need at least a double corrugated box but doesn't necessarily need a lot of packaging material to cushion the part. 

Particularly compared to a more fragile part such as a speedometer, steering wheel, horn ring, headlight pods, tail lights, etc.

These pieces should generally have a minimum 1-2" spacing all the way around with sufficient type and quantity of packing to ensure the box won't crush and the part won't move. 

For rims I simply cut another layer of cardboard for both ends and insert in box. Might add 3/8" thickness. Just to say my specs I provided on the rims are very conservative and the max I would have used. As far as fragile items like a speedometer you take lots of precaution. I have precut strips of foam I gently tape to the front to protect the needle, then slide into a just fit box where it will not move but foams keeps from getting crushed in toward needle, that goes into a box about twice that size with layer of foam or bubble wrap. Fuel & temp cluster are double padded and double boxed shipped in a very similar way ... very different from a very thick steel wheel. After 25 years you learn many tricks, some sooner than later. Long thin trim goes in PVC, take advantage of those "regional rate" boxes for items shipping within a zone or two away, smallish non-fragile or semi-fragile items, or just small and heavy items almost always end up in a padded envelope, inside the small flat rate box, sometimes in that next small box up, and all that gets shoved into the flat rate envelope meaning I pay $7.60 regardless. I would say at this point I use USPS & UPS about equally whereas just 5 years ago it would have been about 95% USPS and 5% UPS.

[V63]

UPS Update🤦🏻�♂️✅, see image

[V63]

Jason, absolutely appreciate your information and recommendations! Will advise as I learn more, but apparently it's going to be next week

[Jason Edge]

UPS Update🤦🏻�♂️✅, see image

You get the discounts thru Stamps.com, plus all labels are printed from home. I almost never go to the Post Office as I leave for pickup by mail carrier. UPS Store is just around the corner so if I don't have a UPS delivery during the day I will drop off. We also have  UPS drop box about 1/8 mile down my street for smaller items. If I didn't have a UPS store and drop box nearby you can "schedule" pickup thru Stamps.com for $3.80 as I recall. I have never had to use that. If you load the UPS app on your phone you can also track if you have any UPS deliveries coming to your address. If so, just leave the item outside for the UPS driver to pick up when they deliver your other items. I leave my stuff over by the side from the mail box with a sign that says For UPS Pickup. So, there are several ways to skin the UPS cat.

Today was a good example of USPS vs UPS>
I shipped a 1964 Cadillac Upper Grill from NC to CA which ended up in a box 53" x 10.5" x 10.5" at 14 lb.
My Options were:
USPS 7 day Parcel select: $138.72
USPS 2-3 day Priority: $151.07
UPS 5 day ground: $64.76

Needless to say it went via UPS.

[harry s]

    I used Greyhound a few times for large items. Their rates seemed reasonable especially with Veterans discount.
    A few years ago just before covid I bought a '41 rear diff (center section only) from a salvage yard in Wash State, I'm in VA. They charged me $90 shipping which I thought was downright cheap. When it came it was in a five gallon paint bucket with the nose sticking up through the top. They covered that with a plastic cup and duct taped it round and round. It came by FedEx.    Harry

[Art Director]

You get the discounts thru Stamps.com, plus all labels are printed from home.

I use Pirate Ship (pirateship.com) - there are no fees like Stamps.com charges and they offer big discounts off retail rates of USPS and UPS. I just fund the account $100 at a time and enjoy the savings. All 14 boxes containing the registration material that had to go to the 2022 Grand National from the Denver area to the Chicago area shipped for just $450 through Pirate Ship and UPS Ground.

[V63]

Aye aye Mate'ie the pirate 🏴�☠️  ship sounds worth investigation too! Thank you!

I have a friend who ships a lot with FEDX and he can send it for $60 and I'll just do that for now. they pick up at his residence.

BTW this same friend has a super nice preserved 1975 eldorado...and I have influenced him (I guess ☺️) to seek a last generation DTS (2006-2011).

[eldofever58]

This is a real shame. Up until a few months ago, I had been using GPX to ship a lot of large, heavy (~90lb) items pretty much all over the US. Busfreighter.com would even give you a shipping discount. Just stick the label on and drop it at the depot.

The main appeal to me, was that once the item was placed on the bus, it pretty much stayed there until it got to its destination. Sometimes this could take a week or so, but there were no conveyor belts, transfers, or repeated handling involved. Definitely not the case with UPS and the like.

[jwwseville60]

UPS is the way to go.
Soon the US Post Office will be history.
Very sad.