thesaint wrote:
I tried to do a search on this, but didn't find anything on the forum. I live in Hawaii and I got a job in New Mexico, and I need to ship my Vespa. How much does it usually cost to send it by boat, and if I land it in San Diego on a boat, is there a company that can truck over the Vespa the rest of the way?
Any help would be appreciated!
I've not done this and can't help on the cost, but I used to be in the ocean cargo business so I can offer some limited help. Bottom line is you are going to have to spend some time on the phone getting answers and quotes, and the best way to proceed will likely become clear after talking to some shipping companies.
There are a number of ways to do this. One is to contact the actual ship operator, talk to one of their sales reps about how to prep the bike, and the cost to drop it off at the dock in Hawaii and then to pick it up at the dock in California. Then you could arrange the transhipment to NM with a trucking company. This might be the cheapest but would likely be full of logistical hassles that you would have to resolve yourself.
Another way would be to contact a freight forwarding company in Hawaii and have them arrange through shipment all the way to your new home. They may arrange to have the bike prepped for shipment, probably using a Vespa or motorcycle dealer in Hawaii. This would cost more but they would deal with all the transhipment issues to the trucker in the mainland (and your contract would include both legs).
Finally, you could call a moving company that specializes in moving household goods to the mainland. Probably the most expensive option, as they would subcontract with a freight forwarder who subcontracts with the prepper, the shipping line and the trucker in CA. However, they would likely give you a door-to-door contract that would present the fewest hassles.