Estes Express Lines

UPDATE: 5.27.25: Estes seems to have improved over the past year and now offers faster service than many other freight companies as well as better customer service. Also they have not been adding the $25 add-on service charge to schedule deliveries to residential customers (so far)... It's nice to see improvements. PAST POST FROM ABOUT A YEAR PRIOR: Over the past 8 years we have used ESTES, PILOT, SAIA, T FORCE (formerly UPS FREIGHT) FEDEX FREIGHT & others. We would rate Estes about 2nd worse in this list. If taking your freight to them expect to wait 30-60 minutes for them to get it. Also expect extra charges added on almost every bill. If they may a phone call it’s $25 a call. Shipments are slow. But T Force is worse.

I have to agree with the other reviewers. They set an appointment with me. They called the next day to cancel it. They set a new appointment for a day earlier, which is today. I took off from work, and they no showed. When I called, they told me it was still scheduled for tomorrow, and they couldn't deliver tomorrow and I should've gotten a phone call to reschedule. What? So they rescheduled me for a new time, first thing on Tuesday. They told me they would email me confirmation of this, but never did. Since they already burned me once, I checked their online portal and it says my delivery is still scheduled for today. What? No one over there seems to know what is going on, but now it is too late to speak to anyone and I imagine I won't be seeing my delivery first thing Tuesday morning as they promised.

I very, very rarely write reviews for anything, but I'm getting a little concerned. I contacted Estes almost a week ago about the status of a sofa which was marked for delivery on the 23rd. The website said they'd call me to set up an appointment, which never happened. The package said it had reached its destination city, Phoenix. When I emailed to inquire about the status, I was told that they were "unable to locate the shipment," and that I needed to provide them information on what the package looks like (weight, dimensions, etc.) to help them find it. They mentioned I'd get a response in one or two business days, which hasn't happened. I shot them another email and received no response. I'm not sure how a giant sofa gets lost - either way, they've since updated their tracking to say that it hasn't reached Phoenix yet. Kind of shady. I'm hoping I can get some help with this issue.

I had to quickly change the delivery address due to building constraints once the freight arrived on-site. Estes was so wonderful in helping me get the freight reconsigned. The dispatch department was very responsive and extremely helpful. D was my driver, and he was AWESOME! He kept in communication with me, we met at the new location and he helped unload over 2000 lbs freight. I'd recommend Estes Express!

Good luck getting anyone on the phone to schedule your delivery. It makes no difference what option you choose, nor does choosing no option get you to anyone at this place. This, even after they lost my first order somewhere in transit.

Terrible. Apparently they refuse to put my delivery inside claiming they have had people accused them of theft/assault and other things. It turns out it only because they want and extra $50-$60 bucks for placing the object inside. So now my $1,000 item is sitting in my carport until I can figure out a way to get it inside. Try to use someone else for deliveries if you can

Lori demonstrated no sign of competent customer service skills. I get it, answering a phone call for a shipping service company is nothing glamorous. But holy cow, if you don't like your job that much, please don't make the rest of us suffer. We just want to know your company's proper procedure and protocol regarding getting this item shipped to us. It's not like we didn't pay for the service. Put some pride in your work ethic, and please find a job that is more suited to your negative demeanor.

I have a small business I run from my house and have had many deliveries from Estes in the past, usually with out any issues at all. This time a customer had been waiting on a piece of beer equipment for weeks. I was notified it landed in PHX so I called to make a delivery appointment. We agreed that it would be late in the day Wednesday. When I did not hear from them about the delivery time I called and spoke to a wonderful woman at ext. 5027 (I wish I remembered her name). She found my package still on the dock, for some reason it was left behind. She offered first thing Thursday morning but I was already committed to installing it at my customer by then. With in a few minutes she was able to get the equipment on a truck and brought it to me. She definitely went above and beyond to get my equipment delivered the day it was expected. In today's world that type of customer commitment is almost a lost art. With out her ambition my customer would not have been able to serve beer by Friday and I may have lost that customer.

Called to schedule a delivery and asked for a morning appointment. Was texted confirmation of an afternoon appointment. So clearly off to a good start. Luckily I was still home when they delivered it because I rearranged my schedule to be there. When I got to the door after they rang the bell - from my office right around the corner from the front door - the driver was already back at the truck and just gave me a wave. A signature was supposed to be required for the delivery due to the value of the delivery (heavy music equipment). I opened the garage door and went out to check the delivery, which was way too heavy for me to move by myself. The driver was still there and sitting in the truck, so I asked if it was possible for him to put it into the garage, since he had a hand truck. Which is where I would have asked him to put it in the first place had he waited for me to get to the door before dropping the delivery (which was right in front of the garage door, so we’re talking a difference of about six feet). He shrugged and said “that’s where it said to deliver it.” Well, it also said signature required, but whatever. I don’t blame him; I blame the company for having such low expectations of their employees. Not too mention how long it took to get to us in the first place, but that’s another story. Definitely try a different company.

I haven’t had the best luck with cargo delivery companies, but not Estes Express Lines this week. Their office personnel and the driver were great! Excellent customer service, business efficiency, and personable. In fact, Shawn went out of his way to make the onsite delivery seamless. Five stars truly earned.