UPS Lost my Engine!

We ship between 3 and 30 pallets every day to customers. I have used every single LTL freight carrier known to man. They all lose freight, and they all lie. My daughter works for me and used to be an account manager at FedEx, she is tasked with calling nearly every day to track down missing pallets. It's gotten so bad that we now are shipping more and more on our own trucks, even out of state. The freight carriers just don't care right now. They are overworked, undermanned and really have a dgas mentality.
 
Jeff Oslick said:
A bluetooth-only solution won't work, you need a GPS tracker that will network. I'm actually looking at getting these, as FedEx has been repeatedly misplacing time-sensitive shipments of samples my company sends (for various reasons, UPS isn't a good option for us). If anyone has experience with GPS trackers, please share, I'd like to hear.
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Certainly a GPS tracker would be better, but Airtags / Tiles are more easily available, and they can be useful for this kind of thing. Someone I know put them on his luggage when travelling, and when the airline misplaced his luggage, he was able to tell them where to look for it. I guess it relies upon someone with an iPhone or the tile app to move within range of the tab at some point, so probably not as reliable as a dedicated GPS tracker (although the battery will last longer).
 
CaptainXap said:
Certainly a GPS tracker would be better, but Airtags / Tiles are more easily available, and they can be useful for this kind of thing. Someone I know put them on his luggage when travelling, and when the airline misplaced his luggage, he was able to tell them where to look for them. I guess it relies upon someone with an iPhone or the tile app to move within range of the tab at some point, so probably not as reliable as a dedicated GPS tracker (although the battery will last longer).
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In our particular case, we're looking for the best solution. If our samples get too warm (we ship them in a large cooler), we can be on the hook for thousands of dollars in resampling costs, and there is no way to obtain insurance to cover that.
 
And we carry supplemental insurance, the carriers will deny any coverage, we file it on our insurance and they subrogate it to the carriers.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
So... what about insurance for lost things. (shipped a $7K part yesterday with suboptimal coverage so it's too late for that). But, an engine is coming my way in a few months. My experience is that the premium for big ticket items is pretty hefty....and I've had fun and games with things such as "we obviously ran over it but we are still denying your claim".
What would say, $100,000 of coverage cost?
11 hour drive; will have to think about it.
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I'd be tempted to go get it myself and probably save not just on shipping and thousands of dollars of insurance, but also the crating needed when only I will handle it vs, handing off to a shipper is very different and much less expensive.
 
Gary Ward said:
When I was buying something heavy, expensive and used(like a racing engine)
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Several years ago a freight company truck pulled up to our shop and wanted to unload a 440 tri-power complete from oil pan to factory air cleaner. We sure wanted it but it wasn't our motor, darn it.. :lol::lol:
 
Rgbeard said:
11hr drive is 100% do-able. I would take 0.001 seconds to think about it.
I like control over things such as this.
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I am going to have to take 0.01 seconds just because that is going to mean about 3 days for me (takes me a day to recover from such a trip). And about $12000 in lost gross revenue (which admittedly some can be recovered through rescheduling)
 
Bill said:
And what's your (or the other party) auto insurance going to say when you tell them about the $100k engine that was in the back of your pickup and is now a total loss?
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Not sure I understand; if the engine rolls down the embankment with the truck, my auto insurer will not be involved with the shipped item.
My auto policy does not restrict transport of anything legal.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I am going to have to take 0.01 seconds just because that is going to mean about 3 days for me (takes me a day to recover from such a trip). And about $12000 in lost gross revenue (which admittedly some can be recovered through rescheduling)
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I mean, if your time is really worth $400/hr after taxes, then it gets harder to justify getting the motor (and bully for you for clearing 800K/year post tax!). However, if those are GROSS numbers, you might find that you're way ahead to go get it. In addition, depending on your work, is it possible/safe to work until noon, drive there, spend the night, leave early the next day, getting home at 7-8pm the next night, then roll into the weekend (watch college football on Saturday instead of mountain climbing or whatever you'd normally do?

If you did that, you'd only be out 1/2 of Thursday and all day Friday, and you'd still have your weekend largely intact.

If you really don't want to do it, that's fine.

Personally, I'd use a transporter who'd probably charge me about $600 for it and is bonded and insured, but I'd have to wait for him to work it into one of his runs. I got an 800lb motor from Phoenix to Seattle this way.
 
UPDATE!

Called the builder this morning as they were handling logistics. They have been 'All over UPS' on the issue. Their update was;
  • The engine has been found!
  • The crate had 'lost' all the shipping labels, so without any information UPS transferred it to a 'holding warehouse' till someone started asking about it.
  • Crate was confirmed via photos (Luckily it had the big Continental logo on the sides)
  • Relabeling it for shipping, and I should have a new tracking number later today. 5-days out from destination.

Here is also what I learned,
  • It was shipped uninsured. Just 'standard carrier insurance'. Did someone say 0.50/lb?! :(
  • I can't insure it for the remaining trip, but plan to insure it for its trip back!
I have some apple airtags. They are cheap (~$30/ea) and work great! I wish had thought to put one on the engine. Maybe I'll send one to the builder for the trip back.

Thanks to everyone here for the ideas, and info.

-m
 
They all suck let's be honest. I once shipped the gear legs from my airplane to a guy in Canada for a modification. While in transit the guy passed away. I called UPS to have it re-routed back to me and they refused to do so saying it must be delivered and the recipient re-ship it. The guy had no wife, I had no way of contacting one of his relatives nor did I really want to after such a tragic loss for them. Took about a month but finally one of his relatives contacted me and worked it out. Cost me $600.00 to send a set of gear legs round trip for nothing.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Not sure I understand; if the engine rolls down the embankment with the truck, my auto insurer will not be involved with the shipped item.
My auto policy does not restrict transport of anything legal.
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If you have an accident and the engine is destroyed or damaged, your auto insurance will most likely not pay out for the contents of your car/truck. Just for the damage to your vehicle.
 
jsstevens said:
If you have an accident and the engine is destroyed or damaged, your auto insurance will most likely not pay out for the contents of your car/truck. Just for the damage to your vehicle.
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oh, definitely. I would only expect that.
 
malcoholio said:
UPDATE!

Called the builder this morning as they were handling logistics. They have been 'All over UPS' on the issue. Their update was;
  • The engine has been found!
  • The crate had 'lost' all the shipping labels, so without any information UPS transferred it to a 'holding warehouse' till someone started asking about it.
  • Crate was confirmed via photos (Luckily it had the big Continental logo on the sides)
  • Relabeling it for shipping, and I should have a new tracking number later today. 5-days out from destination.

Here is also what I learned,
  • It was shipped uninsured. Just 'standard carrier insurance'. Did someone say 0.50/lb?! :(
  • I can't insure it for the remaining trip, but plan to insure it for its trip back!
I have some apple airtags. They are cheap (~$30/ea) and work great! I wish had thought to put one on the engine. Maybe I'll send one to the builder for the trip back.

Thanks to everyone here for the ideas, and info.

-m
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Dang. I was just about to suggest looking in my neighbors barn. We frequently find missing delivered items there.
 
There is also Samsung Galaxy SmartTag.
 
This guy used AirTags to track shipments to Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and North Korea.

 
malcoholio said:
Thanks Geroge!
Looks like that story ended well (UPS Found the engine). But it was filled with horror stories about UPS denying claims. I hope our is found, but need to prepare to go after UPS if it's not.
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Wow!
 
UPDATE #2!

So the engine is LOST AGAIN! (Why am I hearing the Benny Hill show soundtrack in my head?)

The 'good news' is that the crate made it to the final hub, and was then subsequently lost before it was put on its 'last-mile delivery truck'. So now the builder is trying to relocate the crate in the 'lost items' warehouse near San Antonio.

Hey @FORANE Can you check your neighbor's barn?

Meanwhile. . I am looking into renting an F250, one-way, from Texas to California. . should the engine be 'found' again.

ROAD TRIP!!

-m
 
When you said the routing stickers were "lost", I was wondering how they were going to affix them differently the next time to prevent a recurrence. Will be curious to hear if the labels were "lost" again.
 
Jim_R said:
When you said the routing stickers were "lost", I was wondering how they were going to affix them differently the next time to prevent a recurrence. Will be curious to hear if the labels were "lost" again.
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They place little barcodes all over pallets. I have my warehouse guys put packing tape over them when put on wood or something they may come off of. Also we now put 8 1/2 x 11 florescent yellow stickers with the packing list stuck to each pallet that has the delivery address and the PRO number.
 
malcoholio said:
Looks like that story ended well (UPS Found the engine). But it was filled with horror stories about UPS denying claims.
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AKBill said:
Just wondering if you insure a package/crate for say $20,000. How long does it take to get reimbursed from the shipper?
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FlyingElvii said:
UPS is notorious for not paying claims. There was a class action suit about it some years ago.
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I have to ship ultrasound machines, monitors, HUGE power supplies back and forth new and for repair. The guy that does our repairs has had insurance reimbursement for our pieces denied EVERYTIME there has been damage... both UPS and FEDex, don't bother with the insurance, they never pay. The power supply on an old Phillips ultrasound machine is the size of a computer tower and nearly full 1/8" metal except for one computer board. Received one with the metal flange bent. We could not reproduce the damage-bent metal even dropping off the top of a 3 story building:eek::confused:
 
Sorry, I've seen this title too many times and every time I see it, I think ..."UPS lost your engine? Better than you losing your engine"

There, now you can share in my misery.
 
malcoholio said:
Meanwhile. . I am looking into renting an F250, one-way, from Texas to California. . should the engine be 'found' again.

ROAD TRIP!!

-m
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An engine fits nicely in the back of a small U-haul truck.

BTDT when I got a rebuilt engine and drove it from Orlando to Cincinnati.
 
An engine fits nicely in a pickup or even a suburban. I retrieved mine, boxed up, in my suburban. They just fork lifted the box into he back of my truck.
 
cowtowner said:
And we carry supplemental insurance, the carriers will deny any coverage, we file it on our insurance and they subrogate it to the carriers.
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Do you know whether your insurance has had success in subrogation?
 
My crated O-320-D3G fit easily in my 2000 Toyota TRD pickup. And it's a rather small pickup.
 
We had a FedEx van pull into our driveway, then without the driver even getting out, it immediately backed up and left. A minute later I got an email notifying me of the “delivery” left at the front door. He would have tripped over us doing so. Package nowhere to be found and no help from FedEx finding the “lost” small shipment.

They lost your engine again? Wow.
 
MauleSkinner said:
Do you know whether your insurance has had success in subrogation?
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Once I turn it in, they quit communicating with me about it. They pay me minus my deductible and I move on. They haven't gone up on my rates, so I'm thinking they are getting some of the money back
 
cowtowner said:
Once I turn it in, they quit communicating with me about it. They pay me minus my deductible and I move on. They haven't gone up on my rates, so I'm thinking they are getting some of the money back
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Who's your shipping insurer? I need one!
 
Update #3

Engine is still lost. Somewhere in San Antonio. "We can't find it anywhere." (A giant blue crate that weighs 700 lbs. smells like oil and 100LL)

Now I am dealing with filing claims. The first Claim has already been denied. They need the original invoice, details on if the engine is new or used, and photos of the crate before shipping. Does anyone know a good lawyer?
 
malcoholio said:
Update #3

Engine is still lost. Somewhere in San Antonio. "We can't find it anywhere." (A giant blue crate that weighs 700 lbs. smells like oil and 100LL)

Now I am dealing with filing claims. The first Claim has already been denied. They need the original invoice, details on if the engine is new or used, and photos of the crate before shipping. Does anyone know a good lawyer?
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OMG I figured you would find it eventually. WTH!
Are they saying it is lost for good?

Sorry I don’t know any good lawyers.
 
What state would the claim be in? I suppose Texas might apply because that’s where the engine was lost, but your contract with UPS might specify where you have to bring claims. Knowing which state the claim needs to be brought in will help narrow down which lawyer to hire.
 
jsstevens said:
If you have an accident and the engine is destroyed or damaged, your auto insurance will most likely not pay out for the contents of your car/truck. Just for the damage to your vehicle.
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If I wreck my truck bad enough to destroy an aircraft engine strapped down in the bed, the damage to the engine is going to be the least of my concerns.
 
Update #4
(queue Benny Hill Theme) They Found the engine Again!!

Apparently, a big Blue box without labels and smelling of 100LL has been located in the Pheonix 'Lost Items Warehouse'. The running theory is that after my initial denied claim, the engine shop sent a quote for replacement value to the shipper validating my replacement value of ~$90K. That's when they apparently started looking harder and found it in Phoenix. Something about sending photos of the box to EVERY stop between the departure and the destination.

I had half a mind to say 'Oh you found it? Great. Don't touch it, I can be in Pheonix in 12 hours with an F350.' But alas, they have promised to put it back on a train to San Antonio, again, and they promise not to lose it. . again.

At this point, I am hopeful, but don't believe them.
 
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