Question: A friend of mine in another state halfway across the country inherited a motorized wheelchair that she would like to send to me. The weight, including batteries, is about 275 pounds. What is the best way to ship this wheelchair? ~Lori

Answer: The best option, depending on where you are and where the wheelchair is, is to have it shipped via a house-moving company. House movers pick up goods and deliver them to your residence. House movers generally insure their freight, but they cost a bundle.

Another option is to go with a freight carrier and have it shipped in a wooden crate. Freight carriers don't generally pick up or deliver goods to a residence. If they do agree to do it, they'll likely tack a hefty delivery fee on top of their basic delivery charge. Also, freight movers use fork lifts to move goods so the wheelchair could be damaged if knocked around too much.

Before I decide on any mover, I would call all of the moving and freight companies in the city you want the chair shipped from to get the best quote. If it's still too high, call the airline and book a cheap round trip flight and go get it yourself. This way the airline is responsible for shipping the wheelchair.