Public Service Announcement
Having been asked to do single-Shipment runs in the past (typically for sensitive species, especially neonates) albeit with absolute naïveté in regards to the round-trip costs to, say, Texas, I am excited to offer a proposition that I think will only appeal to those involved in very expensive and/or sensitive Shipments, whether a single animal (
exempli gratia, a
Lachesis melanocephala), a group (e.g.
Protobothrops mangshanensis, or a mix of species), high-end morphs in the $1,000s or $10,000s (Boid and Pythonid circles, typically), or an entire import You want me to chase, pick up n’ bring to You (directly from the airport, even), but
anybody and
everybody—and any kind, size, mix or value of a Shipment—is welcome to this proposition if it is worth it to You!
The greatest aim of this proposition: Delivery next day!! …provided Pickup to Delivery is ≤2,000 miles, and ‘next day’ from Pickup that is, not from departing my home. Logically, coast-to-coast (CTC) will take three (3) days at my average of ≈16 hours/1,000 miles of driving per day (not counting pit stops), and Sacramento, CA-->Henrico, VA is ≈41 hours/2,781 miles of driving for example. Other benefits include:
• NO limit to the size of the Shipment, and thus, NO ‘Large Shipment Surcharge’; if it fits in my car—eventually, an SUV or van—it’s a go!
• As implied above, CTC would be a go, and with NO ‘Extended Territory Surcharge’!
• NO risk of cross-contamination!
• 100% attention and care, and in the same climate-controlled vehicle as always!
• Many categories of animals exempt from my Conditional Live Arrival Guarantee, would be guaranteed! (
Exempli gratia: Amphibians, testudines, crocodilians and CBB neonate serpents.)
• Still "door-to-door", whether home, work or another public place of Your choosing!
• Point A to Point B, straight n’ simple!
Inspired by my venture into transporting dogs, cats and exotic mammals last year (a few cats, a pair of Marmosets in June, a Belgian Malinois in November, and a Degu in December, with three [3] prospective exotic mammal Shipments for January 2023), which I will be expanding on this year for various reasons (namely the same gross income at half or even a third of the Shipments = less time on the road and thus less expenses = more profit), I would like to extend n’ offer practices from these mammalian realms to the herpetocultural realm (as implied in the intro, not just to the venomous circle, and honestly, this might appeal more to the large constrictor circle, morphs in particular).
In these mammalian realms, there are various pay scales. With dogs for example, I have a friend who charges $600-$750 CTC for the private sector ($500 flat rate for rescues CTC which is what she mostly does), some charge $350-$500 if they are taking multiple dogs (especially if they produced them) and
not going CTC or all over the country, and others charge $1-$1.50/mile if it is the only Shipment they are taking (calculated from Pickup to Delivery, not round-trip from the transporter's home), especially for a high-end breed like a $15K French Bull Dog, where it has 100% attention n’ care and will be transported without delay caused by other Shipments. And every pricing in-between.
I am willing to offer one or all pay scales based on the shortest route (even if I take a longer route), see how, starting with three (3) examples at $1/mile, and then how they could be discounted to 75¢/mile taking them one after another:
Exempli gratia #1: On my October 2022 itinerary, I transported a 70-neonate Shipment (10
Ophiophagus hannah, 20
Naja sputatrix and 40
N. siamensis) from Lancaster, PA-->Burnet, TX. As a direct transport, it would be 1,612 miles. I would charge $1,612 to do this run and
only this run.
The best part: Delivered next day!!
Exempli gratia #2: A Client from Ridgeland, SC, who is welcome to make themself known, had lost ≈$11,000 to Delta between two (2) Shipments within ≈2 years. One of those was a ≈$6K incoming Shipment from San Antonio, TX. As a direct transport, it would be 1,180 miles. I would charge $1,180 to do this run and
only this run.
The best part: Delivered next day!!
Exempli gratia #3: The second destroyed Shipment of the Client in #2, in May/June 2022, was a $5K outgoing Shipment to Butler, PA, which Lois and I wound up taking the replacement Shipment on our June itinerary. As a direct transport, it would be 704 miles. I would charge $704 to do this run and
only this run.
The best part: Delivered next day or even the same day!!
If these particular three (3) were taken one after the other: Lancaster, PA-->Burnet, TX-->San Antonio, TX-->Ridgeland, SC-->Butler, PA, I would be willing to only charge 75¢/mile, in which the respective fees in
Exempli gratia #1-3 would be $1,209, $885 and $528.
But Hel; if ALL parties of ALL Shipments were comfortable (in regards to cross-contamination), I could lessen costs even more via taking simultaneous Shipments like I always have, say, $300-$500,
as long as the ‘greatest aim’ is met: Delivering next day (or perhaps two [2] days if both parties of a respective Shipment were okay with this), which means not taking nearly as many Shipments as I always have (no more ‘the more the merrier’ if I am receiving more money per Shipment), say, maybe 6-10 total, not necessarily in the car at the same time, but overlapping like always. And again, CTC will naturally take three (3) days at ≈16 hours /1,000 miles of driving per day (not counting pit stops), which I wouldn’t want to delay anymore if someone is going to be paying $1/mile.
Definitely more than Delta, but it would be the peace of mind, topnotch care and timeliness You would be paying such a ‘premium’ for so to speak, the peace of mind and topnotch care which I have now proven in >2 years and 32 itineraries via having sensitive animals on the road for days yet delivered alive n’ well, doing great to this day. So, just imagine how much better (mostly for Your stress LOL) being delivered next day would be!!
Most of You will probably say, “Nah, Timothy, Your current-and-long-standing system works perfectly, having transported expensive, sensitive and high-end animals just fine, even being on the road for days sometimes; I will stick with Your regular itineraries at $150”, but just keep this proposition in mind, for a few of You—even expressing utmost faith n’ confidence in me—still show absolute concern over some Shipments, and it bothers me that I
still haven’t proven myself enough to You, so, maybe this proposition will appeal to You one day for that insanely expensive, sensitive n’ special Shipment. Hel; ‘mammalian people’ spend these transport rates for animals less than some reptile Shipments I have taken! If You have $5,000-$6,000 to spend on herps, consider spending an extra $1,200-$1,600 for next day transport knowing it won’t be frozen, fried, or crushed by a forklift…
Think of this as an alternative service offered by Yours Truly, an Elite or Premiere Service so to speak, or Platinum versus the standard Gold, again: At a premium cost for peace of mind, topnotch care and the timeliness of next day delivery (again, 3-day delivery CTC, but still Point A to Point B).
I thank You for reading and considering, and I hope to see this proposition come to fruition or be piloted by someone.
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