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Can anyone recommend a way to ship poles? I need to get two poles from GA to PA. I am pretty sure you can't use Fed Ex or UPS. I have heard about using a freight shipping company called DBshanker, I think that is who MF athletic uses. Any other suggestions?

Use this link (just a search of this board) and read and learn what you can. Shipping poles is a real pain in the ____.
search.php?keywords=shipping+poles&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=titleonly&sr=posts&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

- master

I've used R&L Carriers (a commercial trucking company) to ship poles several times and have always been happy. The website (www.rlcarriers.com) indicates that they have locations in Georgia and California. It's easier to drop the poles off and pick them up at one of their terminals. I'm sure it's easier for them and it means less handling and therefore less chance for damage.

None of the delivery services (UPS, FedEx, etc.) work for poles. BAX Global (now part of DB Schenker) may still deliver poles, but . . . .

A few years ago I needed to send my son's poles from Wisconsin to Colorado for one of Pat Manson's immersion camps (highly recommended). I decided on BAX GLobal "Next Day Air" and sent them off a couple of days before his flight to Denver. Well, he arrived but the poles weren't there. I called BAX and was told that the poles were on a truck in Ohio (you geography buffs know this wasn't a good sign). I not-so-politely explained that they needed to use a phrase other than "Next Day Air" to describe this service -- "Some Day Ground" perhaps? The poles finally made it the second day of camp. To cap things off, on the way back when time wasn't an issue, the trip took about a week. I received a call from a woman in a town about 10 miles north of the delivery address asking me if I was expecting a thin, long package. BAX had just dropped the poles off in her backyard without explanation!

Good luck.

Darth Vaulter wrote: I received a call from a woman in a town about 10 miles north of the delivery address asking me if I was expecting a thin, long package. BAX had just dropped the poles off in her backyard without explanation!

Good luck.

Hahaha that's awesome! (well since you got them back anyway)

If you're trying to ship poles in the future, check out http://www.flyawaypoles.com. It's a new company that only deals with vault poles and the shipments are fully-insured!

cbo wrote:If you're trying to ship poles in the future, check out http://www.flyawaypoles.com. It's a new company that only deals with vault poles and the shipments are fully-insured!

I used them recently, and I recommend them highly.

The venue, who had promised to have the poles at the track first thing in the morning, actually had to send someone to the the loading dock to find them, costing us valuable warm-up time. There was a bit more confusion getting the poles picked up and returned following the meet, but it had nothing to do with Fly-Away Poles.

This post probably needs some updating. The flyawaypoles.com site is not running. Southwest Cargo will not accept anything over 160" long.

Also, BAX / DB Schenker when asked for a quote says they do not do anything with pole vaulting poles any more

As Monteo says, Southwest Freight will not ship anything over 160" long, but Southwest Airlines will let you check poles (for a fee) if you are on the same flight.