Shipper/Transport Rant

[Viki]

Here is the whole gory story. Has anyone else had something like this happen?

I sold a horse around the 28th of the month. The buyer contacted and contracted with a shipper the 2nd. I got the horses health and coggins done. Shipper supposed to pick the horse up the 14th, then the 15th then the 16th, then after the 25th, then the 27th, and now we are moving into another month.

Oh dear! Health paper expiring! I contacted the shipper and was told they would pay for the new health paper and board starting the first of the month. Well, then it's the 1st and they are going to pick up the horse....oh no, it's the 4th or the 5th then it's going to be after the 25th again. I and the buyer are fit to be tied.

The shipper offers to refund the buyer her deposit and she accepts. I contact the shipper and tell them I am charging them board till the day they were out of contract with the buyer. They are all agreeable and will get a check right out in the mail. Well, that was 3 weeks ago. Buyer nor I have received any money. NOW we are getting the old 'the check is in the mail' routine!

I have never, ever had a shipper do this! Have you?

Viki

 

[REO]

OMG that stinks! I sure wish I knew who that shipper was so I don't deal with them. That isn't right.

 

[Reble]

Yes, 3 days before our USDA papers where too expire, he said he did not think he would make the pick up in time. He had already change the date 3 times.

We drove oursleves and picked up our colt, hubby was amazing, drove 17 hours straight had a few hours of sleep and we drove back home and got across the border with no problems.

We also did get our deposit back but was at least a month before it was in our hands, after a couple of emails and phone calls.

This was 3 years ago.

Good Luck

 

[Minimor]

I would have a very hard time sending a deposit to a shipper prior to transport, and have never been required to do so. All the shippers I have used--for big horses as well as Minis--from the biggest of companies to the small, private shipper who hauls a few horses to help pay for gas money and several in between--all of them have said to just pay on delivery.

My absolute favorite shipper is IHT--they haul the high priced race horses and Grand Prix show jumpers back & forth across the country and arrange transport for horses coming from/going to the US as well--they have the best of rigs and charge high rates, and they have always been perfectly fine with making arrangements over the phone, picking up the horse, dropping the horse off & collecting the check (or cash, either one) at that time.

So no, this has never happened to me with a shipper & probably won't.

 

[Viki]

Almost all the shippers I've used want half down! Unless I've used them before and then they will make me a deal to pay on delivery. Your lucky you've never had to pay a 'deposit'!

Viki

 

[Miniv]

Minimor.......... My husband used to be a transporter. And no, he wouldn't ask for a deposit from a known/former customer. However, if he never asked for a deposit from some of those NEW customers, he very likely would have had many many people shrug off reserving space on the trailer, not letting him know they were canceling and totally messing up his route and everyone else's route and schedule along with it.

 

[WhiteTailsMinis]

Sorry you're having these shipper woes. Sounds crazy and I'm acually surprised the shipper would offer to pay anything at all even though it is their fault the delays are happening. I'd think they'd say it's part of the business.

we too are always required to pay 1/2 down and NON-refundable at that. We haven't had an opportunity to use the same shipper twice (or more) so I have no idea if the same shipper will also require the 1/2 down again since we past the test the first time LOL We'll see if they do or not when we use them again.

We recently had one shipper that was emailing with us - seemed all set - and even spoke on phone. During the phone conversation was to email us the contract. Contact them the next morning to say we didn't have the contract yet and the reply was "we can send you a sample contract but we are full". How does that happen from 9pm the night before - when we've been discussing all the details and have a date and expecting the contract?

So for your shipper to offer to pay board and reimburse fees - - sounds fishy to me - that comes off the top of his income for the trip - he'll end up hauling for nothing if the delays continue.

Good luck getting it all worked out - it's very stressful I'm sure.

 

[~Lisa~]

I have never bought a horse in my own state so used plenty of different haulers and never not once was I asked to pay a deposit and frankly I would not do so- money and my horse.... NO WAY NO HOW but that is just me

 

[disneyhorse]

I think all the shippers I've used (and I've used a lot... big and mini horse shippers) have required a 50% non-refundable deposit. In fact, I've only had once or twice where I haven't and it's because I'd used them before!

I'm sorry you are going through this... is this a shipper that you or the buyer has used before? I am always hesitant to use shippers I haven't come across, although I have met some great ones through the shippers that my buyers have chosen.

Andrea

 

[minie812]

We have usually gone and gotten any horse we have bought OOS if it was a few states away. I have had several shipped to me though that was to far for us to go and only one wanted a deposit the other three was cash on delivery and they were all on time within hours of expected

 

[Viki]

I am being contacted by lots of people that have been taken by the same shipper. Seems, they are finding them on LB and figure they are trustworthy because they are there. Too bad they cant be banned! Just goes to show you, no matter where a company advertises, beware!

Viki

 

[Annabellarose]

You might want to contact Mary Lou and let her know who they are and what they've done and she might look into it/take their information off of LB.

 

[Carolyn R]

I try to pick up myself if it is within a 8-10 hour trip, it doesn't always work out. With that said, several years back I was taken over by someone that used the Lil beginnings transport board. Mary Lou was very nice about it and did ask for details and such to prevent a repeat incident.

Sorry it happened to you, unfortunately I too had made a deposit I never received back due to their vehicle issues, don't think there ever was a trip planned, just a scam.

Any shipper I have used since has not asked for a deposit (I have offered, but they said cash or credit card on delivery). PLease let Mary Lou know.