skyrocketing shipping

[bloke]

I just shipped a (what I would think of as a "$20") shipment off to a customer via FedEx.

It was a scant 3 lb's, and only 2 feet by a 1-foot square.

FedExGround (no extra insurance, and no extra nuthin'...and taking it to the dollar store - to avoid a pick-up charge) was $41.

3rd/4th Class Mail would have been $60.

Priority Mail would have been $80.

[tokuno]

Similar experience. Granted I ship infrequently, but I sold my Willson (euph) in 2017ish that cost just under $70 to ship across country. Last week I sent my son's pass-down euph to the Midwest, and $125 was the best quote from all the carriers that I checked (ups, usps, fedex - greyhound wasn't an option this time, but it wasn't cheap, either).

[KingTuba1241X]

Covid surcharge "Our employees take great risks to deliver your packages safely in accordance with the CDC recommendations for Covid-19, so therefore we've added a Covid Value Added Tax (CVAT), we thank you for your understanding and patience during these unprecedented times" . No kidding, I've actually kinda seen this statement.

[bloke]

This doesn't have an immediate effect, but just think of the countless trillions of dollars which have been printed out of thin air, certainly over the last couple of decades.

I remember charging someone $50 to work on their Schilke trumpet (because my boss told me to) in 1979, and feeling as though we were "gouging" that person.

[bort2.0]

I just mailed some Valentines cards and lollipops to the kids' grandparents in Baltimore. I think it cost about $8.

[bisontuba]

Yup, I have been helping sell old horns and I get a pack and shipping quote and just about fall off my chair.
Prices have shot up like a rocket

[bort2.0]

If it's cheaper than going in person, then it's worth it.

Well, not really.

But whatever. Nothing I can do about it!

[bloke]

tubas:

It's about time for many of us tuba-buyers/sellers to think more along the lines of "meet somewhere in the geographic middle"

bloke "#roadtrip"

[KingTuba1241X]

tubas:

It's about time for many of us tuba-buyers/sellers to think more along the lines of "meet somewhere in the geographic middle"

bloke "#roadtrip"

I was pondering the idea with another well known repairman and tubist in the community of starting something like Uber, but called "TUber" or something with a network of nationwide & regional "drivers" who are on call to hand transport horns. Handoff's midway to destination if it's farther than a day's drive either way, split on logistics profit etc. I think it would be a great venture.

[bort2.0]

tubas:

It's about time for many of us tuba-buyers/sellers to think more along the lines of "meet somewhere in the geographic middle"

bloke "#roadtrip"

I was pondering the idea with another well known repairman and tubist in the community of starting something like Uber, but called "TUber" or something with a network of nationwide & regional "drivers" who are on call to hand transport horns. Handoff's midway to destination if it's farther than a day's drive either way, split on logistics profit etc. I think it would be a great venture.

I did that once to get a tuba from NYC to Kentucky. Worked great! Not sure I'd do it again, but it did work well!

[Three Valves]

Gas, grass or ass.

Nobody rides for free!!

[KingTuba1241X]

tubas:

It's about time for many of us tuba-buyers/sellers to think more along the lines of "meet somewhere in the geographic middle"

bloke "#roadtrip"

I was pondering the idea with another well known repairman and tubist in the community of starting something like Uber, but called "TUber" or something with a network of nationwide & regional "drivers" who are on call to hand transport horns. Handoff's midway to destination if it's farther than a day's drive either way, split on logistics profit etc. I think it would be a great venture.

I did that once to get a tuba from NYC to Kentucky. Worked great! Not sure I'd do it again, but it did work well!

Norm's shop I presume? I think if some guys were dedicated to providing a great transaction it could easily be lucrative for all parties involved. I'd much rather use an actual (honest) tuba player to transport my horns than a shipping company or the "Bus".

[bort2.0]

Yeah, Norm and I traded tubas about 6 years ago. A college kid in NY was driving to Arkansas or something, so he made a stop in Kentucky along the way. Worked great. Again, not sure I'd do it again (or, that I'd want to convince my wife -- again -- that it was a decent idea). But it's worth considering.

I think Wade has mentioned before that Jeep owners do this to get parts around to each other. (Although, every time I've shipped things via Greyhound, it's been 90% car parts getting shipped.)

[KingTuba1241X]

Yeah, Norm and I traded tubas about 6 years ago. A college kid in NY was driving to Arkansas or something, so he made a stop in Kentucky along the way. Worked great. Again, not sure I'd do it again (or, that I'd want to convince my wife -- again -- that it was a decent idea). But it's worth considering.

I think Wade has mentioned before that Jeep owners do this to get parts around to each other. (Although, every time I've shipped things via Greyhound, it's been 90% car parts getting shipped.)

Yeah, thinking this time we actually make it official and create an APP based system. You know, in with the times...

[jtm]

The rescue dog organizations set up "railroads" to ferry dogs cross country with people driving fairly short legs and passing the dogs on to the next driver.

[humBell]

I would inquire after landing techniques before i trusted anything fragile to shipping by sky rocket, but there is a certain futuristic appeal to the idea i could get behind...

But of course i know you all are just talking about prices... Alas, i haven't been on the shipping end of late, so it hasn't hit me too hard.

[humBell]

tubas:

It's about time for many of us tuba-buyers/sellers to think more along the lines of "meet somewhere in the geographic middle"

bloke "#roadtrip"

I was pondering the idea with another well known repairman and tubist in the community of starting something like Uber, but called "TUber" or something with a network of nationwide & regional "drivers" who are on call to hand transport horns. Handoff's midway to destination if it's farther than a day's drive either way, split on logistics profit etc. I think it would be a great venture.

I approve of TUber. If ya ever need another driver, lemme know. But i'd only be doin' it for the fun, as meetin' new tuba folk is usually that.

Alas, i anticipate my next trip to be a full car on the way back, so i could probably only offer one direction of travel.

[KingTuba1241X]

tubas:

It's about time for many of us tuba-buyers/sellers to think more along the lines of "meet somewhere in the geographic middle"

bloke "#roadtrip"

I was pondering the idea with another well known repairman and tubist in the community of starting something like Uber, but called "TUber" or something with a network of nationwide & regional "drivers" who are on call to hand transport horns. Handoff's midway to destination if it's farther than a day's drive either way, split on logistics profit etc. I think it would be a great venture.

I approve of TUber. If ya ever need another driver, lemme know. But i'd only be doin' it for the fun, as meetin' new tuba folk is usually that.

Alas, i anticipate my next trip to be a full car on the way back, so i could probably only offer one direction of travel.

A volunteer who doesn't want to get paid? well that's nice of you. I think it would have to be negotiated between seller, buyer and "TUber" driver but as usual time is money and if you can afford gas then more power to you. It's a great idea, which can branch out to an APP based system like some of the other shipping/gig worker type ones but only for large brass. It'll be much easier to start once we're clear of "Covid".

[bloke]

$.15-a-mile seems pretty cool to me.
This could (theoretically) be as much as $500 diagonally across the nation, but a lower rate seems like it would be too low for people to be willing to mess with it...(??)
That having been said, with all of the printing of trillions of dollars and hyperinflation that is surely to come, $500 isn’t going to be very much money to buy very much of anything..,

[Doc]

Tuba Courier sounds like an excellent job after retirement: Not insanely busy. Control of schedule and amount of work. Travel is written off. Meet players around the nation. Make enough to justify time and expenses, but not enough to discourage business (that would be the toughest part, methinks).