Thank you for your patience, ideas and support as we have worked through implementing new improvements, processes, policies and pricing. 

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The following covers our 2023 Locations and Timing. It also covers our estimated Pricing, which may change. Like 2022, we assumed everyone prefers simple, accurate pricing that doesn't need to change, and strikes a realistic balance between viability and risks DC Container & Logistics has always needed to assume and cover for everyone. 

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Please review and understand everything on this page. We have also updated our packing information and policies. Please make sure you understand and agree to them before you purchase any space, as they apply regardless.

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PLEASE NOTE: DC Container & Logistics missions are contingent upon the successful coverage of overall costs, including a reasonable buffer for contingencies & emergencies. The majority of our costs are incurred before Containers even leave DC. This year that is around $28,000 per container. If we do not take enough orders to cover this on a per container basis, our payment processing system allows us to refund orders, preferably entirely, or possibly less  a small payment system transaction fee. We will be keeping everyone informed about our collective progress in reaching the per container viability numbers.We will also be sharing more information about the breakdown of costs once other critical project planning and production projects and tasks are successfully completed.

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WHEN & WHERE 

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We feel confident the following dates will provide enough buffer to ensure timely on Playa delivery on Monday of Build Week, August 21, 2023.

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DC LOAD-IN: CHI Centers in Silver Spring

 

CHI Centers

10501 New Hampshire Avenue

Silver Spring, MD 20903

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ALL ART PROJECTS, CAMPS & BURNERS

Saturday, August 5, 2023 

12:00pm to 8:00pm

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BRC LOAD-OUT: 5:15 & Dingbat

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Advance Teams Container

Monday, August 21, 2023

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Additional Containers (for later advanced teams, if there is more than one Container)

Wednesday, August 23, 2022

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Regular / Main Load-out Hours:

Sunday, August 27 through

Tuesday August 29, 2023

12:00pm to 8:00pm

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BRC LOAD-IN: 5:15 & Dingbat

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Saturday, September 2, 2023 through

Monday, September 4, 2002

10:00am to 5:00pm

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NOTE: Late drop-offs in 2022, combined with our leniency, compounded loading and logistics challenges. We are glad we were able to accommodate everyone, but we will not accept any bins or items onto DC Containers past 5:00pm on Monday, September 4.

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DC LOAD-OUT: CHI Centers in Silver Spring

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CHI Centers

10501 New Hampshire Avenue

Silver Spring, MD 20903

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ALL ART PROJECTS, CAMPS & BURNERS

Saturday, September 16, 2022

12:00pm to 8:00pm

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COST

 

OVERVIEW

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The following are the costs for shipping your things to BRC and back. We feel they are close, but we like to be as certain as we can before opening sales. 

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Between the wild 2022 logistics and supply chain challenges, and more options in the DC area to take gear out to BRC and back, we have had more to consider and get right on the first bounce. If you want to know more about this you can do so here.

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REGULAR SHIPPING

 

$85 per Bin (27 Gallon Black & Yellow)

$15 per Cubic Foot (How to Calculate)

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BIKE SHIPPING

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Bikes require extra work and planning to handle, to say nothing of the loads of unusable space they cause. Taking off pedals and turning handlebars helps, but bikes still occupy around 15-20 cubic feet ($240 - $320 this year if we fully charged for the volume they take up). Even with blankets and strapping, bikes can still get bumped and nicked. Other BM Container cities won't take assembled bikes at all. 

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We will again take bikes as we have in the past (assembled, handlebars turned, pedals off, etc.), are offering a boxed bike option*, and now require e-bike transportation to be determined by their awkward volume.

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$250 per assembled bike (turned handlebars, pedals removed, like normal)

$135 per boxed bike*

E-bikes need to be estimated by their volume.

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* Boxed bikes are the way to go. This means a bike is disassembled (wheels, seat, basically how a bike arrives from the factory) and put into a bike box. You can usually get bike boxes for free from a bike shop. The $135 price is based on a 9 cubic foot box. We need the boxes to fit together as tightly as possible, so no handlebars or seats or anything else sticking out of the box.

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BULK SHIPPING (~16% discount) FOR CAMPS, REGIONAL CITIES, AND PROJECT TEAMS

 

Bulk loading means more efficient space use for everyone. We offer this to well-organized camps and project teams bringing camp set ups and infrastructure that will all be loaded at the same time on the same day, could be loaded into a large single cubic volume (i.e. does not use shelving units), commits to loading and unloading at specific times, and places an order for more than $2,500 worth of space.

 

$72 per Bin (27 Gallon Black & Yellow)

$13 per Cubic Foot (How to Calculate)

 

Is this you or someone you know? Please contact us and let us know about your well organized camp, regional Burner crew, or art / project team. Once we work out logistical details and agreements we will provide your crew with a specific discount code you can use on the order page.

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ART SHIPPING (~33% discount)

 

As always, we prioritize discounts for Playa / Org and regional facilitated art and installations. Art shipping DOES include tools and construction materials, but DOES NOT include things for your own camp such as camp lights, fire pits, air conditioning units, camp decorations, kitchen infrastructure, pillows etc. Some exceptions are made for furniture, shade structures, and other items that are specifically going to Black Rock City with the intention to be a gift for all participants. Please note, however, your art support camp can still also bundle a discounted Bulk rate as well. To make this all work, art teams need to collaborate with us in the same way large camps, regional cities and project teams do, which you can learn more about here.

 

$57 per Bin (27 Gallon Black & Yellow)

$11 per Cubic Foot (How to Calculate)

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Note: Some art projects receive small amounts of free shipping space, as donations come in through the ticket system. Those donations are passed on directly to art projects. 

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SPACE PURCHASING LINK WILL APPEAR HERE.

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WE WILL ANNOUNCE SALES OPENING ON

THE DC CONTAINER & LOGISTICS FB GROUP.

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PRICING BACKGROUND & RATIONALE

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2022 was the wildest year ever to work out pricing, and we have taken the lessons learned into 2023. Last year we watched vendor costs rise 20% to 40% above 2019 prices, which represented a total increase of more than 110% from our 2017 costs. Between 2019 and 2022 (including the 2 year gap BM didn't happen) our costs went up 44%, but we were able to cap DC / Mid-Atlantic costs at about 19%, largely due to new efficiencies, systems and solutions, and greater experience and collaborations with you. 

 

This year's pricing is based upon lessons learned in 2022, and new assumptions and the feedback we have received. Here are some of the main considerations that go into viability and risk assessment, and ultimately, pricing:

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• The DC Container Way

  • Scaffold Shelving​

    • PRO: Sturdy and flexible configurations we can customize based on individual, collective and project needs.

    • PRO: Less chance for contents moving around or being crushed. 

    • CON: Takes up space that could be used to just pack as much into each container as possible, as other BM Container cities do.

    • CON: The lost space (because we do not cram everything directly on top of everything else, forever) means we are collectively paying for our shared assurance and convenience.

  • Quick Center Isle ​Evacuation

    • PRO: We can generally have a center isle cleared within 1-2 hours of Playa touch down.​ Great for camps and art teams that need to jump on building as soon as they arrive on Playa.

    • PRO: Once evacuated, everyone can generally get to every part of every container. You do not have to wait until a completely stacked and packed container is fully emptied to get your things. As far as we know DC Containers are the only ones who do this.

    • PRO: Most of the container contents remain onboard until you come and get them. We do not have to remove, spread out and expose everyone's gear onto Playa until it is picked up just so people can get their things buried in the nose (front) of the Container.

    • PRO: Generally we are able to be more careful in our loading, with generally less total work for everyone involved.

• Price Stability lessons we learned in 2022

  • In 2022, everyone wanted to be sure that DC Containers were 100% happening. Some BM Container cities were not promising anything until a certain amount of sales have happened. In 2023, we are assuming 1-2 containers and our model means less strained uncertainty between these two options. Outreach to regional cities, camps and projects hopefully means we get to the 2 containers we fielded in 2022, and easier overall stability in doing so.

  • Our assumption was that everyone wanted stable pricing, and not have to worry about prices going higher later. In 2022, other BM Container cities​ were saying they might need to increase prices along the way. While they could offer lower initial pricing, this was largely because they were selling more of the total container volume. This is because each container gets packed as tightly as possible (everything stacked on top of everything else, no protective shelving, no rapid evacuation, no total container access, etc.)

  • None of the BM Container cities were able to lock in costs in 2022 (as we had the option to in the past) because our intermodal vendor was not able to lock in their own costs with their trucking or rail services. These costs would shift on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis due to historically high fuel prices and transportation capacity fluctuations. 2023 is a far more stable year in logistics but we are having to balance cost with risk due to more BRC transportation options in the DC area. 

• Some current ideas that helped us hold costs at include:

  • We no longer use EventBrite, which has reduced fees and thus your net costs by about 5%

  • Scale. If we can do the usual 3x containers, or possibly a 4th by collaborating with other smaller cities in the region we can potentially get a 2-3% discount, which helps buffer against needing to change pricing later.

• Some ideas we looked at that didn't work out, or might have under more stable logistics and supply chain environments.​

  • We explored smaller truck options but scale seemed to provide consistently better cost buffering, especially when you track the last few months of fuel costs.

  • We had also been exploring some larger scale solutions (i.e. non-intermodal / trucking), including potentially buying or renting our own 53' dry boxes (semi trailers) but fuel price fluctuations affect trucks much more than trains. Also the availability of drivers has been fluctuating quite a bit, for some time, because trucking and shipping companies and their contract policies have been pushing drivers to leave the profession and have been crippling to smaller, individual operators, who have been leaving the profession in droves. 

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We have learned a LOT about logistics watching and evaluating options from 2022, everyone's wildest transportation year. We thank you for your questions, ideas and research along the way. 

 

As always we are open to your ideas, and look forward to deliver all of our everything together!

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