My Awful Experience Moving Personal Good Using Crowley Logistics - Part 1 Jacksonville FL

This is and was my experience with Crowley Logistics upon moving from Jacksonville, FL to Puerto Rico January 2017. It was not a happy experience.

Part 1 - Jacksonville, FL : Moving My Personal Goods

    Everything began months ago when I decided to change my life completely by being more self sustainable and living a more off-grid lifestyle, I decided to move back to my home land Puerto Rico so I could achieve those dreams of being more self reliant and self sustainable. Having lived in Jacksonville 18 years I practically was raised here, I did not know a thing about the cost of moving across country. So I began researching all over the web of what would be the easiest way of moving my personal items overs seas with a low overhead and even sending my car but that will be a separate blog post for some other day.

The Beginning: Research is the key 

Early one day I decided to post on Reddit and see if anyone on the web would have some advice for me on how to move several boxes across the seas without breaking bank. I posted a thread and to my amaze a few people actually responded. One person advised for me to check out a freight forwarder. So I called around Jacksonville but to my avail I could not get a hold of anyone that was helpful. Finally one day I took a trip to my local postal office, the sweet lady behind the counter notified me that they wanted $200+ (not insured) for each box. I was flabbergasted at those prices, she kindly advised for me to check out Crowley. So I headed back to the keyboard to mash away until I could find a lead or source to cheaply getting my items overseas on a boat using Crowley.

A few in depth Google searches later I found an email for inquiries on freight shipping from Jax port to San Juan. Honestly It wasn't too difficult finding the contact email I just had to navigate through Crowley's website and find it. So I emailed them, here is the original message:

 I was easily forwarded over several emails to a lady named Stacey who then gave me a quote and an invoice for (2) 18 x 18 x 24 Boxes. The total was $102.60(uninsured) for both and I was very happy to get that price.

 Pro Tip: Don't use Walmart boxes use the heavy duty Home Depot boxes. 

Continuation... 

Being only 24 years old I did not have much to take with me on the move. I did how ever have a room full of personal goods such as clothes, a few electronic gadgets and some clothes. Prior to me deciding that I was going to move to PR i started getting rid (selling/donating) a lot of my belonging. I limited myself to only two boxes to avoid taking too much with me. So I went to the address that I was given, I dropped of my boxes and that was it. 

The experience in Jacksonville with Crowley was bad but not as terrible as in Puerto Rico. (Part 2 Coming Soon)

Why was it bad you ask?  

Experienced in Jacksonville, FL 

• Called a million times no one picks up the phone.
• No one at front door to answer questions to the general public
• Had to call HQ in Jacksonville just to get told to speak to the security guard
• Security Guard looked like he was having a shitty day and rudely told me to go through the back door.
• Once inside the building no one was behind the glass counter I had to knock and finally 10 minutes later someone shows up
• Filled out paper work waited another 10 minutes and was told to drive around the back of the building and drop off the boxes
• Found one of the open door/gate and picked up my own heavy boxes and left them on the back door and waited shit you not 20-30 mins just for anyone to show up.
• When I asked about insuring the boxes, the lady stuttered and did not have an answer. I asked her that I don't want my items broken and if she could find out if there was an insurance option. Bluntly she said she doesn't know. Frustrated that it took that long I left and assumed everything would be fine without insurance 
• I was handed a receipt and I left.

         1 week later I received an email of the bill of landing (verification it arrived to PR)

As of today 1-22-17 I am going to be picking up my boxes tomorrow here in San Juan, PR. Part 2 of this terrible experience is only about to get worse. Hopefully I am saving someone out there the time, state of mind and stress of dealing with Crowley. I sincerely hope someone in the board of director reads this and makes a change because honestly I do not know how such a company is still running with the lack of work ethics in this place. But just as in those cheesy late night TV commercials, "But Wait There's More!" you will soon see how much worse it gets.