Most people struggle to find suitable auto transport services. That is because they don’t know what to look for in a service or where to find it. If you are a car owner with a valuable vehicle or have a fleet for office workers, you need to find the right car transport company to get your vehicles shipped on time and safely. This post will explain in detail how to find great carriers and why you should choose them such as by checking their reviews, verifying their legality, and ensuring they follow other legal procedures like registration, and insurance. Read till the end to know all the major and minor details about car shipping.
Hire an auto transportation service that knows what you need. It has already been tested by accounts that those who go after big names only, and don’t research about a carrier before choosing them, end up frustrated and dejected due to the carrier failing to understand what their shipping needs were. Instead of going after cheap pricing or any other weak reason, find out how the carrier communicates with you to understand what are your pains that need to be addressed.
The transport methods that carriers offer are Open Car Transport and enclosed shipping. Open car transport is the most common shipping type; it is an open trailer where the vehicle is exposed to elements and weather conditions. Unless it is a very expensive or exotic car, most people choose this option.
Enclosed Car Shipping Services are the costlier shipping type. The car is protected from elements, debris, scratches and dents. But the pace of the shipment is slower as compared to open shipping. If you have time and the budget, you should choose it for added safety and security.
A good and reputable company offers both of these services. But you need to choose in accordance with your needs. It binds on your carrier to consult you on this. After assessing your financial conditions, car’s worth, and delivery location in detail they should help you choose the best option.
Choosing companies that know what a customer wants is not that simple, you will have to look for other factors that will help you determine how good a service is.
Genuine client reviews on credible platforms can uncover a shipping company’s reality. Most clients rely on ratings that are above 4.5 or on direct reviews from customers who frequently avail a carrier’s services. A detailed review shows why you should or should not go with a certain carrier, exposing things that you cannot see before working with them. Therefore, it is important to know credible platforms like GBP, BBB, or clutch where a company cannot manipulate reviews and ratings.
It is crucial to look for reviews that say about a company’s communication style, their response time, quality of service, car tracking and constant updates, and whether they use price baiting tricks to pull your attention.
Further, you must not undermine a friend’s or family member’s advice, or word of mouth. Direct recommendations from people you know will always be helpful.
A company needs to carry an eight digit USDOT number to ship a car cross country. It is made compulsory by the US Department of Transportation. A legal company should provide it on request and can also put it on their official website.
The carriers also possess a Motor Carrier number which is issued by FMCSA. This number is for you to check their legal status, their inspection history, and contact information.
If you don’t want unnecessary trouble in your life, just use these numbers to verify a carrier. You can either use USDOT, or MC number to check their details. You can put up a complaint against scammers, if you suspect anything abnormal, call the FMCSA helpline.
Car inspection is the most important part of a shipping process. The carrier is bound to have a policy on the inspection of cars before the loading and after the delivery. The purpose of the inspection is to protect cars from damage and ensure insurance coverage in case of damages during the transit.
The condition must be printed on the bill of lading after detailed inspection. You should review the document to make sure the condition was well documented, and make sure you and the driver both sign it.
The USDOT has made arranging spare keys for drivers mandatory. You should make them available at any cost before the shipment.
After the delivery, always cross check the car’s condition with the record on the bill of lading. It is also a must for you to be present or appoint someone to be there for you.
Insurance policies can save you from real financial losses that may occur during shipments. Sometimes auto transport companies act carelessly, or due to other professional negligence, the vehicles get damaged, dented or scratched. To prevent that, comprehensive insurance policies are in place to make sure you get compensated. However, you must read the policy contract in detail, because conditions like “act of God” do not apply on general insurance coverages; they are due to torrential rains, disaster, storms etc.
You should be wary of the carrier's policy of cancellation. They should brief you in detail about the delivery timelines, penalties, or any extra charges due to the rescheduling of shipments.
Car tracking is a great source of your mental peace when you ship car to another state. Vehicle tracking systems force companies to remain true to their promises like routing plan, transit time. Professional auto transport services not only offer vehicle tracking services, but will let you know if something uncertain transpires on the way. Most companies use GPS tracking, some use phone based text updates. You can also opt for both.
A client friendly company like Bold Auto Transport has a separate customer service team that contacts the driver on your request, and provides constant location and other updates on your car. You should not call your drivers as they are not able to attend your calls while driving.
Choosing a local or national level carrier should be based on what services they may offer. A local transport service offers better prices for moves under 200 miles, and charge very high for cross state shipments.
A national level auto transport broker typically offers reasonable prices for long distance shipments. These carriers work with trucking companies from all over the country offering fast and reliable services, and competitive pricing.
It is also easier to find national level carriers because they have more reviews and wider reach on various platforms.
For shipment within the state, local transport are more experienced, offer low prices, and have better reputation among the locals of that state.
You should never choose a service that uses prices as a unique selling point. Because price baiting in the car shipping sector is common; first they trap you with cheap quotations, and then extract all the money through other scamming tactics. Before opting for a quotation, ask many reputable carriers for prices, use their Car Shipping Cost Calculator tool to generate precise costs. Compare the prices and choose the right one.
The prices normally fluctuate, and depend on factors like fuel prices, season, distance, transport method, and even Expedited Auto Transport services.
Some carriers may ask for a complete payment upfront. It is a direct scam. No reputable firm asks for complete payments. It is normal to ask for 10-20% of payments in advance. Always make the payment through legal channels, if you pay in cash get the receipt with all the shipping details mentioned
You should know what documents and paperwork is required for car shipping. You will need things like; bill of lading, insurance policy, car title and registration, photo ID, and proof of insurance. In case of a friend receiving the car, get an absent owner authority form. For international shipments, you may need a lienholder authorization form.
Choosing an auto transport service is a matter of detailed attention and research. To choose a carrier that caters to your needs, you must be aware of the vital checklist that ensures you chose the right company. A reliable and professional car shipping service should have the expertise to suggest the shipping method you need, must have all types of tracking systems, offer budget friendly prices, must have a USDOT and MC number for verification, and insurance coverage. For intra state shipping local carriers are suitable, while for long distance shipments national level companies offer the best services.
To find a company’s legal status, check its FMCSA registration through their USDOT and MC number, online reviews on platforms like Google Business and BBB, clear contract and justified price offers, and a comprehensive insurance coverage should ensure the company is legitimate.
The factors that determine the cost to ship a car are distance, vehicle size and type, transport method, seasonality, fuel prices, pickup and delivery type, urgency in case you need express shipping service. You can use online tools to generate precise car shipping costs.
The decision to choose open or enclosed transport depends on what type of car you have; for a standard car you can opt for open shipping, while for exotic, luxury, and high-value cars enclosed shipping is considered the best option. You must consult your carrier for more insight.
Yes, most companies offer Door to Door Car Shipping along with port to port delivery services. If you have a good budget, delivery at your doorstep will give you a great relief especially in case of bad roads and streets where delivery is not easy.
In an ideal condition it will take about 1-3 weeks to ship a car to another state. However, if your destination state is in the other corner of the country, it may take more time. The exact time will be determined by assessing exact shipping details.
Yes all professional transport companies offer tracking either through their inhouse vehicle tracking system, or through text updates that you will receive on your phone. You can also contact your customer support to know your vehicle location.
