So until the truck pulls in to offload the shipment, no one breathes easy.
And, in fact, not even then.
.
As Bob Ryan of Berger Transportation Solutions, Minneapolis, MN, reminds, "what happens when the truck pulls in but there's no Masonite to lay down on the floors to roll the equipment over?" Or, perhaps, it's time to calibrate an instrument before final lockdown and there's no cadre of technicians around to do it. What then? The answer usually is charges keep mounting.
Moving Medical Equipment a Complex Equation

Moving any substantial or valuable amount of goods either domestically or internationally is a complex equation involving a buyer, a seller and an infrastructure of companies that actually execute the transit, unless, of course, buyer and seller decide to handle it themselves.




Certainly there are fairly straightforward occasions involving a single package, under one hundred pounds, that can easily be handled by one of the integrated shippers like FedEx, UPS or DHL. For somewhat larger crates--up to the dimensions of 4'x 4'x 5'-- an experienced motor carrier could probably truck it from New York to Los Angeles for something in the neighborhood of $500-750.

But for multiple piece shipments weighing tons, heavyweight and delicate MRIs or CTs, moving such expensive objects can be so intricate that "you could write an entire book about it," says Erik Cruz of the New Jersey based logistics company, Logical Solution Services, Inc. And those very complexities are the main reason why logistics firms, full service companies that oversee all aspects of transportation, are thriving.

Growth has been spurred by the increasing globalization of the medical equipment business, and since transportation in the 21st century is beset with security, regulation, customs and tax challenges, the turnkey services provided by specialist logistics companies is an attractive alternative to coordinating the job in-house. Retaining logistics providers often makes as much sense on the domestic side too

Though it's particularly difficult to arrive at accurate industry averages due to the nature of the business and all the interlocking parts, moving medical equipment can cost as little as $100 at Fedex or as much as $70,000 plus for a complex international, sea/air/truck operation.

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