Bike shipping rates are sky high

[deereid]

I just learned, the hard way, that FedEx Ground shipping rates went up back in February; for oversize containers (like the standard cardboard bike box 10 x 50 x 29) they will charge an extra $40 fee and then compute the shipping charge based on weight. I used to pay $35 per bike box to ship from N.C. to California, this time it cost me about $80 per bike box each way, which is about what the airlines charge to fly a bike domestically. Does anyone know a cheaper way to get bikes coast to coast?  

[JayH]

Maybe if you're lucky, you can find a moving company going in your direction and ask to share space?  Perhaps freecycle and see if anybody is going your way?   I paid $135 to ship my bike fedex ground from NJ to Fairbanks, AK in 2001....  

Jay