For some people, a long-distance move means moving from one place to another in the same state. However, most consider long-distance as moving from one state to another. Interstate transportation is when you must transport your vehicle from one State to another.
There are multiple ways to handle a long-distance move. For instance, you can move everything yourself. Load the moving van, drive it and tow your vehicle or have someone else drive your vehicle. Or, you can hire private moving and auto transport companies.
Shipping cars across the country is not as easy as calling a local moving company. It is not pizza delivery; moving a vehicle requires time and understanding to have the best interstate auto transport experience.
It is always recommended that you hire a professional auto shipping company for this type of job instead of trying to do it yourself. That’s where we at American Auto Shipping come in. We have helped thousands upon thousands of customers move their vehicles all across the United States.
Before choosing an organization for cross-country car shipping, we recommend reading the following tips to have a good experience.
Hire Private Auto Transport Companies
Transporting your vehicle across the country can be a stressful experience. Still, if you take the time to research and ask the right questions, you can avoid common problems and make sure your vehicle arrives at its destination safely.
Do Your Research
Once you know you need to ship a car, start by looking up potential auto transport companies before anything else. There are a number of ways to find them. A quick online search yields a lot of quality results. You can also talk to friends or family who have shipped a car recently.
You should get a list of possible companies specializing in interstate cross-country car shipping. Look at their reviews online – you should only book with those that you feel perfectly comfortable with. Every company will have some bad reviews, of course, as you can’t please everyone. But the best have mostly positive reviews that look like they were written by real customers.
Of course, you could skip all of that and choose American Auto Shipping. With almost 25 years of experience helping customers ship their vehicles, there’s no vehicle on the road we can’t handle. We are top-rated on a number of platforms and give the best prices and the best service of any shipper out there today.
Get Quotes For a Private Car Transport Service
Some people, though, just want to shop around. We understand that. Once you have a few companies you feel comfortable contacting, call and get quotes to ship your car. While you’re on the phone, you should ask what services they offer and how long they have been in business.
Each auto transport company works a bit differently, but most will include any and all taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges in their quotes. Still, though, you should make sure they include all those costs before you book with them. You should also ask about insurance as well. Every auto transport company that physically moves vehicles is required to carry insurance.
Ask For References
The best way to find a reputable auto transport company is by asking for references from previous customers. Ask them about their experience with the company and what kind of service they received. If possible, ask for the names of other people who have used this company and call them yourself, so you have an idea of their experience with this particular company before choosing one yourself.
Most companies you speak to will tell you they only use professionally licensed and insured carriers, which is good because that’s the only kind of carrier on the road. But still, it’s important to know for sure because some companies are more lax than others, so you want to be sure you’re protected in case there is any damage to your vehicle during transit.
Check Reviews
You should also check reviews on websites like Google and Yelp, as well as Transport Reviews. The last is the industry-standard review website for auto shippers.
These websites allow people to leave reviews about businesses in their area so that others can learn more about them and see what kind of services they offer before choosing who they will hire for their needs!
Here at American Auto Shipping, we work hard to maintain our high ratings on every review platform we are on. To do that, we provide excellent customer service and we only work with the best carriers on the road. We have stringent requirements that weed out the lesser carriers and leave only the best for our customers – requirements that other shippers do not have, and this is reflected in the many, many positive reviews we have from real customers.
Do They Offer Tracking Services
If you are planning to ship your car alone, it is important to know if the transport service offers tracking services. Tracking services will let you know the location of your vehicle at any time.
Most companies can help you track the status of your vehicle at any time during its journey. However, unless your vehicle has a tracking device or a GPS unit inside it, most companies will only be able to tell you where the driver is and an estimate of how long it will take to get your vehicle to you.
If a shipping company says they offer GPS tracking, take it with a grain of salt. Most carriers on the road do not offer GPS tracking for their trucks; it’s expensive and often more complicated than the traditional method of asking the driver where they are.
Know Pick Up and Drop Off Addresses
When shipping your car, it is important to know where they pick up your vehicle and where they drop it off. The best way to ensure that your car gets picked up on time is by providing them with all the necessary information beforehand. Make sure that there are no mistakes in these addresses so that there’s no delay in picking up or dropping off your vehicle.
Of course, carriers drive large, sometimes 80-ft long trucks that cannot physically get to every address in the country. As such, it’s also important to understand that you may need to meet your carrier in a large parking lot near the pickup or delivery location. This gives the carrier plenty of space to load or unload your vehicle without issue.
Getting Ready For Cross Country Car Shipping
Here are some tips for getting your vehicle ready for interstate transport.
Ship Today With American Auto Shipping
The key to a smooth car shipment is preparation. If you have done your research and know exactly what to expect, you will gain confidence in the process and likely have a better experience.
You’ll find that every tip and piece of advice we gave in this article also pertains to us here at American Auto Shipping. Save yourself the hassle and guesswork of finding a reputable shipping company – if you’re reading this, you’ve already found one!
We have been in business for over 20 years helping customers transport their vehicles. We know all the ins and outs of the industry and we know what it takes to move your vehicle on time and at a price that’s affordable.
American Auto Shipping is here to help you every step of the way. We offer door-to-door transportation on every type of carrier on the road. So whether your vehicle is big, small, running or not, we can move it.
So call us toll-free or use our online quote request form to get your free auto quote and get out of the planning phase of your car shipment today.
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