Like I said, YMMV. That's between the driver and the company he works for. Mine is quite adamant that they do not want me working anywhere but on the inside of that trailer. When I help someone out, I'm actually risking a butt chewing.
We don't deal with random people off the street though, and everyone we deliver to knows the rules. I don't mean to suggest that your average common carrier like Yellow or Overnite has this same sort of policy, because I have no idea whether they do or not. I merely point out that it's something that should be established before the driver shows up at your doorstep.
Gack. I'm glad we don't handle those. :)
At 750 pounds, it had better run great and last forever too. :)
The 'major' common carriers have _three_ classes of 'delivery'.
For 'commercial' locations. the 'basic service' is "tailgate" or "dock". i.e., they back up to your *dock*, get the crate/pallet/whatever to the back of the truck and it's your responsibility from there. (or maybe they off-load just past the back bumper, _onto_ the dock (but *no*further*). "Inside delivery" -- _past_ the dock, to where you actually want it -- *may* be available at extra charge.
For 'residential delivery', there are, typically, two options: 1) "to the door" -- i.e. they offload it from the truck and bring it _to_ the building. 2) "inside delivery" -- this usually, make that "almost always", costs something additional (over and above the 'base surcharge' for residential delivery, if applicable). This gets it "inside the door" and to where you specify.
The real trick is to _ask_ before-hand, exactly what is included. e.g. "does it include getting it off the truck, onto the ground?" (if you don't have a dock available), and "will they bring it _inside_?" And, of course, you better aske "how much extra to get it delivered _the_way_*I*_need?"
It doesn't hurt to ask, *before* placing the order, "who will it ship by?", and "who is the local delivery agent, if different from the main shipper?" Next, you contact the delivery service _direclty_, and find out what -their- policy is.
Yeah, I've been down this route before.
Placed 'conditional' purchases -- as in "I'll buy it, but only if you ship via thus-and-such motor freight." (They carried "direct" from the source location to me, vs. having it trans-shipped via multiple carriers. -- 'direct' is *significantly* faster, and there's no problem of finger-pointing between multiple carriers if there's a damage (or other) problem.)
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