Member "Staging Lots" ??

Ok, a few of us were talking about the logistics of this stuff we call a hobby (addiction?). And I was wondering about the possibility of members volunteering their services for "staging lots".

Say, for example, a member from MI won a GL auction in the Midwest (now who could that be?) and had the 14 days to move said lot. The "staging lot" member could retrieve the lot or just receive the lot and hold it until shipping could be arranged.

Or, if a "staging lot" member was a mid-way point in the shipping route, the stuff could be staged there until the member could come get it.

An example: I recently picked up a trailer of mine from Ft. McCoy. While there, I retrieved a pallet of stuff for a Southwest member. Well, our MI friend needs some things moved from the Southwest. If our Southwest member and our MI member get together and work out a deal on the shipping to my place, I could stage the MI stuff here until our Northern friend could come get it. The St. Louis area is a lot closer than Utah.

A lot of us already do this, but it takes some digging to find out who has the space/facilities to do this kind of thing. I was thinking of a way to show it on the member map. Kinda like an assistance member.

I don't know if I'm getting the correct thoughts out there. With shipping and fuel costs what they are, and the 14 day thing with GL, sometimes we need all the help we can get.

Some feedback?

This is a wonderful reason that Steel Soldiers is my favorite place to hang out. Adam picked up my lube trailer and even though I was planning on driving down and picking it up we worked out a deal where he towed it up to my place and I am letting him use the dolly for an extended tour. I never would have bid on it being in Korea if Adam had not stepped up.

I would be glad to be a stageing member once I retire I just have to get back from the Orient

Stage

members volunteering their services

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You might want to check out the " Forum " then " Transporation Needs" and if you need something inspected there is " Need item inspection or loadout?!"
There are all kinds of interesting things behind the "Front Page"
On a side note:
While it sounds good in practice, how many that are close to a base would really want to help someone that maybe had just bidded against them on a item? On the other hand would you feel right about outbidding a member and then asking them to pickup the item? Wayne

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After my debacle with Warner Robins, I was thinking the same thing. I maybe moving soon (it's a huge maybe) to a location near Ft McCoy. If that happens, I plan on opening an inspection, pick-up, and holding business.

Right now I am too far from Letterkenny and M-burg to get there and back quickly and my boss is too much of a clock puncher for me to get out the door to help others like I would like to. Trying to find a plausible excuse for me to go to Letterkenny on Monday and Wednesday of next week to help out Maddawg and Econstruction.

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Thats funny Medlog, I might be working for another division here (at work) and might be doing something similar.

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I'm on board with this idea, I have 2 acres and 2 buildings that could store vehicles, or whatever.

Oh yeah, but if you bid against me and won, I'm keeping your stuff after I pick it up.....

Ed

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It is a good idea.I live near3 bases.Letterkenny [Chambersburg],Navy Depot [Mechanicsburg] and Ft Indiantown Gap [Annville].I am self imployed with time on my hands well sometimes I have my 3 year old boy and 4 yearold girl.I would be in for doing this.

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I've been doing this for ages now! I don't really have the room here in Norfolk for lots of stuff, but when I move this month I will have my 40+ acres to hide stuff on. Yes, if I was bidding on something close and lost, then was asked to pick it up, no hard feelings. They must have wanted it more than I did! Also, this opens up whole new areas to buy stuff for people who were usually stuck within a certain range. Now I could say bid on AL and KS auctions, where stuff might be cheaper or something I really want but can't get locally would come up for auction. Then I could plan to come out and get it or have it shipped in a more suitable time frame.

I like it and can volunteer for SC right now. Modest fees, like fuel or maybe a trade if you got like a large lot of something useful. I wouldn't gouge anyone. Because I wouldn't want another lot to gouge me.

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This is another good reason to use the member locator map. Maybe we can add a new color for individuals willing to assist/stage?

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Ok, most of you got what I was trying to say. I know there are places here already for transportation/inspection needs, bit I was thinking more of a way to use the member map to find people that have the room/facilities to stage stuff for others. Not just stuff directly from GL, but maybe a midway point in shipping, or stuff from private sellers. A lot of us already do this type of thing, but again, maybe a way to use the map, (I think the map is a great tool that is not being used to it's full potential).

On the bidding/out-bid thing, I agree with Adam. If I want a lot on GL/E-bay/GSA, I will place MY top dollar. If it goes over that by $1 or $1000, it was more than I wanted to give. How could I have hard feelings for the person that won it if it went for more than I thought it was worth?

It's like this, this site is probably the greatest thing in the MV hobby right now. The people (Chris, mods) provide a great "family friendly" location for all of us to come together. The membership here is what makes this site the close community it is.I was just thinking of a way to make it easier for us to come together in helping others out.

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You have put forth a great idea. I only wish I lived close to some active GL bases. This would be fun for me and I in no way would care if someone outbid me on anything.. Its as simple as the one with the deepest pockets wins.. Many times because I have lost my mind I buy stuff far from me.. Well everything is far from me except Lansing. Therefore I have to work my but off to get it removed before a deadline. This is one reason the EUC sucks.. You could get it passe in a week or 6 weeks making it very hard to fit that 14 day window with a truckers schedule. I would pay fuel and time to someone willing to do base pick up and store things in a minute.. Good talk guys! Thank You Reo54..

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I also wanted to ad. Its a communication thing too.. I am always willing to pick up lots for others if I can fit them on my truck. This brings the high price of shipping down to earth for all parties. Maybe a look what I won section instead of a look whats coming up for bid section..This way we can work together on pickups. Take for example I just did battle with some people on here over some lube trailers.. The only reason I lost was the site jammed up.. I have no issue with loosing and was willing to help this person get them home because I knew of a truck going to the same place. Its all good and there will be more..

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I am also in, and have already been doing it for some members.
Now, I have been collecting millitary trucks for over 25 years, there is one down side. "TIME".
I hate to bring this up, but how long do you hold something? I know of one guy who sold a truck, the guy paid for it, never came back....he had died. At friends house, he has a nice M38A1, a Doctor dropped it off for some work, never came back, it has been about 6 years.
While we are on this subject.......the guy who had me pick up the M35A2 starter at Cherry Point last year, could you contack me, just want to make sure you are still with us.
I have two 5 acrea lots here to put stuff on. If you win a truck at Camp Lejeune, I have a wrecker driver who will pick it up and drop it off here for $100. (M35A2s)
One of the few, Frank USMC RET.

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If you win a truck at Camp Lejeune, I have a wrecker driver who will pick it up and drop it off here for $100. (M35A2s)

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Is this somebody in the business that can be counted on and has all of the insurance and such to get on base? And is he willing to do this for everybody or is it just a friends rate for you?

The only problem I see is what is going to happen if someone bids on something and wins and things have changed and the person offering help can't get off work or is sick or something? A 25% default fee is going to upset some people. Knowing a local wrecker service that will go on base and pull it to a local staging area for a reasonable price (and $100 seems pretty reasonable) would be a big plus to this plan even if you plan to go get it yourself with your own truck.

I have heard horror stories about what some wrecker services charge out of town truckers for emergency services.

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I've got plenty of space here in Nevada. No bases too close to me though. I've been storing a laundry trailer for a guy in California for about a year and a half now. Put me on the list!

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I don't have unlimited space but I do have space for auctions in Lansing and Selfridge.

Lane, Do you have me covered up north?

The biggest problem with me is the pickup day. I have all the time in the world on the weekend but for the GL pickup times I have to take a day off work. I can pickup from Lansing or Selfridge in the morning and still get home in time to get to work. I pickup up a trailer from Lansing this morning and here I am sitting at work.

Let's see.....have guys who can inspection for me....pickup for me......store for me...
therefore, I can more easily acquire more of the toys I normally have to pass on bidding because of such complications............

This is heading to only one logical end...........BANKRUPTCY!!

Count me in..........

I am not very close to any bases but have acreage upon which to store.
Also have a crane truck to pickup loads.......

Michael
The guy has his own towing company. The rate is great because Camp Lejeune is about a 40 minute ride from me. I have given his contact to other members here who needed some thing removed from Camp Lejeune.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET.

I like the convo. here. This is what I am glad to see this website taking the next step toward--joint cooperation. I just hope I can get out there to McCoy both to help out and get away from my A-hole boss.

I've been inspecting, picking up, holding/shipping stiff for follks on various MV forums (including this one) for years... And, I've been using some of you to do the same for me as well...

I'm a forty minute drive from Bragg, but I tend to run all over the South in search of stuff...

I don't have a problem getting stuff for folks where they have outbid me, if you want something more than I did, more power to you, and I'm glad it went to a good home with a friend.

Just give me a time frame up front for how long you think I'll need to hang on to something, as it makes a difference where I stash it, and I can't keep stuff forever.

I've always thought that helping each other was part and parcel of being a member of the comunity...