Greyhound Package Express Experiences

I've been thinking that I'm going to ship some 37 Chevy Pickup fenders using Greyhound Package Express. Anybody care to share their experiences with using that service? Normally I use my company to ship large packages through R&L Carriers. I've had great service with them but their prices are starting to get higher and higher.

From what I understand I have to pickup the fenders at the Greyhound Terminal. Is this correct? Is their online quoting very accurate? Seems a little inexpensive and does that mean that my almost perfect fenders will be mashed when I get them?

Thanks in advance,

Andy L. Kaempfer
St. Louis, MO

 

Shipped hoods and transmission ,Fenders too,,have never had a Problem.. Yes they must be dropped off and picked up at bus station..

Mind you now NOT all stops do the Package Express so you'll need to check that.

The prices are close within $5 either way

 

Several threads on here. Lots of feedback. I have had good luck with them.

 

I've never taken the buss cross country but if these were coming from the west coast to Saint Louis does 8 days seem a little long?

 

Here is one
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236763&highlight=bus

 

I've had good luck with some big sheet metal parts. They prefer min. or no packaging which is good. I got a big front valance once with just the address written right on it in marker. Got it without even a scratch.

 

I've had good experiences with this form of shipment personally, but that being said, I have a friend that sold some parts. The buyer insisted on having them shipped Greyhound and against my friend's objections. He sent them the way the buyer wanted. They never showed up.
My friend has been waiting months and months for Greyhound to honor their insurance and has heard nothing from them since he made the claim...
r

 

I've had fenders, doors, windows shipped to me through greyhound never had a single problem and def. more cost effective than traditional freight routes. Size limitations do limit what you can send.

 

Good experiences with rear quarters and a motorcycle frame- great $$.

Package the heck out of it - I think stuff gets handled a lot.

Plus you probably get to see a part of town you normally don't go to.

 

I've shipped big things with them, no problems.

 

I've shipped with them dozens of times and never a bad experience.
No, they do NOT get handled a lot. They probably get handled less than any other shipper.
Example- Phoenix to St Louis. Loaded on the bus in Phoenix, unloaded off the bus in St Louis. Almost no handling.

It is a great system and very reasonably priced.
Highly recommended by someone who uses them regulary.

It is very unlikely it will take more than 2-3 days to get them. They also provide a tracking number.
Such a deal.

Steve

Hosting-

Sunday April 11, 2010 8th annual Nostalgic Show & Go! Phoenix www.nostalgicshowandgo.org

 

Here's my experience. I sent a truck fender from NC to GA. Not all terminals (bus stations) can do the paperwork. And not all bus stations that can do the paperwork are computerized. This means there is no tracking available if the terminal you sent it from isn't computerized. None of this is a deal killer, just a might inconvenient.

So, I needed a fender to go from NC to GA. Waaay to big for USPS. UPS wanted $180. FedEx was even more. With Greyhound, it was $60. I had to drop it off at the terminal. I timed my drop off with the bus arrival/departure time so I could make sure it got on the bus. You can get a price quote and times from the greyhound website. It did get to GA undamaged, although it took a couple of days. See, here's the deal with that. Unless you pay a premium, you are shipping "space available". This means it goes on the first bus with enough room for it to fit. Now while the first bus had plenty of room, the next bus at the transfer location in ATL did not. I had ***umed it would go straight through. When it didn't arrive the first day, I panicked. I called and found out I couldn't track it since it went through a non computerized terminal. So, I called every terminal between here and there til I found it. That was a relief, but a bit frustrating. It ended up taking three days to go from NC to GA.

Also, be aware that a lot of bus stations are little more than gas stations/convenience stores. If there's not room for your part on the first bus, it will be sitting at a gas station/convenience store with the kind of people that hang out in gas stations and the kind of people that ride greyhound busses (no offense meant, but a lot of crackhead types at both places).

In the end, now that I know how it works, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. They got it there safe AND cheap AND faster than UPS.

 

If I'm shipping something large and/or something that I don't want damaged, Greyhound is my preference. They accept packages up to 30 inches X 47 inches X 82 inches. Trust me, that's a very large box. What I like is that the boxes are handled by hand and that the cargo compartment isn't large enough for them to pile a bunch of heavy stuff onto your package. I purchased a rear clip (from the B pillar back, including the B pillar & quarter window) of a '34 Ford 5 window coupe. The body was cut into three pieces and shipped to me by Greyhound, from CA to TN for roughly $175. That's a good deal, by any measure.

A few years ago, I purchased a pair of original paint, mint condition fenders from a 13,000 actual mile '67 Nova. The seller stuck them in separate boxes, without any padding at all. They didn't even get a chip in the paint.

Depending upon the specific route, your package may not even change buses. Yes, I'm a fan of Greyhound.

 

i shipped a hood from chicago to kansas on a greyhound a few yrs back, i had no problems at all, i met it at the station so it wouldnt get lost and basically took it right off the bus. worked great for me

 

Suggest you contact one of the people that advertise transportation in the H.A.M.B O'Dex like BenD. I have used Ben a couple of times now, and I have to say that he does a great job. He treats the parts as if they are his own. Don't be in a hurry, because he has to coordinate pickup and delivery with when he is going to be in the area, but his prices are very reasonable. Give the business to a fellow HAMBer.

 

I have a friend that bought a really nice pair of buckets seats out of a Firebird and had them shipped via Greyhound. They never did show up and Greyhound couldn't find them. I suppose this could be a rare case, but because of that I won't ship stuff on Greyhound.

 

I just had a great experience with them. Found a grill for my 54 chevy pickup in Seattle. I live in NY. UPS and FedEx wanted $250+ to ship. Greyhound was $52.00 Took 6 days and found me in NYC undamaged. Would do it again.

 

I shipped a few things that way. I got a fender from a HAMBer and it arrived safe and sound. I shipped some 30s Chevy hood side, and some other things that I can't remember, but they were bulky and/or heavy. The usual shippers wanted $100-200 if they'd even ship it. Greyhound? $30. There in 2-3 days.

The one complaint I have is more of a warning. Make sure you keep in close contact with the guy on the other end and get a tracking number. When my package came in, Greyhound called me. When I shipped stuff, the guy at the other end claimed he never got the call, and he never got the reminder postcard Greyhound sent him. Greyhound sent it back to Chicago, then back to TX. By then, the guy didn't want to pay the holding and re-shipping fees, so I bet it got s****ped. The same thing happened when I sent trim to PA. The guy claimed he never got the message, but Greyhound and I both tried repeatedly. When I finally got in touch with him, the storage fees were more than the trim was worth.

So, it's a GREAT shipping service, BUT make sure they have a proper, working phone number and address, and get a tracking number and/or bus number just in case.

 

I have both shipped and recieved items like hoods, running boards, fenders etc. Never had a problem with Greyhound

 

Lots of luck shipping Cadillac fenders, no problems at all.

 

make sure you have shipped to a station that will recieve packages and you should be good. I got a Hood This way and it was fine.

 

Always a good experience.

 

Had a full 35/36 5-window roof shipped to me via Greyhound, arrived looking great. But it was packed well, thats the key to any positive shipping experience.

 

shipped lots of big stuff like seat frames and trunklids out with good experience

 

I shipped a transmission to San Diego, cost $50 and took 2 days, that was the standard service, the express was faster, but cost more. Standard service means it goes whenever there is space.

 

I recieved a cadillac wheel and steering column. worked for me, a little different and strange, but it worked. just have it wrapped up gorilla proof. (Luggage comercial)

 

I use them a lot. ship bike frames car fenders. Never had a problem and they are cheap. Just make sure there is a bus stop near the shipped end.

Were I live if you don't get it that day they have it locked in a room over night.

 

Greyhound is THE only way to Ship. Granted, it's not to your door, but on the other hand, it's not all beat up and super expensive to Ship. Sent/received a bucnch of stuff that the Brown Shirts and/or USPS wouldn't touch...unless you were willing to pay more than the part was worth...

 

I've used Greyhound quite a bit on large packages;mostly sheetmetal very well packed. Never had a problem until a friend sent me a well packed 33 3-w door.I picked up the box got it home,the box just had the usual handling rash.Lo and behold I open it up and the whole top of the 3-w door is crushed from a width of 3 inches to approx. 1 inch.They must have drove a bus over the door top!I immediately drive 1 1/2 hours back to greyhound to put in a claim.I tell them the door is worth $1500.00 and very hard to replace.Their manager looks at the door and tells me he finds it very hard to believe it's worth $1500. but he reluctantly believes my story.I put in a damage claim for $1000.00.After six weeks I get a check for $100.00.That was a year ago and yes I've used them since;for big stuff no one else can compete.Ya pays yer money ya takes yer chances.