Anyone ever picked up an item from a Conway Freight terminal? Do they help you load, or do they just bring you back an point it out so you’d have to bring your own furniture dolly and helpers?
My guess woould be that if it’s palletized, and you have a truck they can get to easily (that will depend on their dock setup) they will most likely load it for you. If it’s a situation that’s going to require something more complicated, you’re most likely on your own.
However, there’s no reason you can’t simply call them and ask them directly. One assumes you have the PRO number of the shipment, so give them that number and they’ll know exactly what’s going on with that shipment.
What Ornery Bob said. I would add that they will likely have a pallet jack or forklift if needed to load it onto the back of your pickup truck. If it’s small enough to fit in your trunk of your car then you are likely on your own.
I picked up a large-screen TV from a Conway terminal once – I just brought a pickup truck and they brought the box out to the parking lot with a fork lift and helped me load it into the truck. Very helpful. Although, they didn’t seem too accustomed to helping customers directly…I kept getting pointed in the general direction of where I needed to go, and I felt like I was walking in an employees-only area, dodging forklifts, etc. Your mileage may vary, but if you need help with a heavy item I’m guessing you won’t have a problem. Maybe have some cash handy in case you need to bribe/tip a guy!
I’ve picked up and delivered directly to freight terminals before, usually in a SUV or mini-van. I did book shows across the country and occasionally I would have to pick up at the terminal itself instead of have the books delivered to the venue. We are talking a pallet of maybe 30-40 boxes in some cases.
It shouldn’t be too difficult, pick-ups at the terminal aren’t common, but they aren’t unusual. To echo SpeedwayRyan, I always found the folks at the terminals friendly and helpful, but they tend to presume you know what you are doing and that you have more knowledge than you do. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or clarification.
Check in at the front office or with security and see where they want you. Unless your truck matches the dock height, they will probably have you park somewhere near the forklift ramp to bring the pallet out to you so you can break it down and load it. How much help you get depends on who is driving the forklift, the union rules, and what you are loading. If the forklift driver helped, I tipped $5-$20 depending on the size of the load and how much help they were.
Dropping there is the same way. I’d check in up front, find where I had room to work and ask for a pallet. They’d point to a stack I could drag one from or sometimes I’d have to wait for them to bring me one. (again, depends on their work and safety rules). Once I had the pallet stacked, I’d do the manifest and ask that it be shrink-wrapped and they’d take it from there.