Looking for auto transport to or from Atlanta, Georgia, but not sure where to start or what to expect? That’s alright – we’re here to help! Atlanta is a major commercial area and the seat of the largest metro area in Georgia. It’s the main economic hub in the state and is also its largest city. As such, finding auto transport to and from Atlanta usually isn’t difficult. But there are still some things that you should know and understand about shipping in Atlanta. So read on to learn more and get the most out of your auto transport experience.
Basic facts about Atlanta
As it sits currently, Atlanta is the largest city in the state of Georgia by total population. Home to just under 500,000 in the city proper, Atlanta is a major commercial hub in the area. It also anchors a metropolitan area home to over 6.1 million people – the eighth-largest metro area in the U.S. by population. When it comes to auto transport to and from Atlanta, this is great news. Auto shippers want to travel into and out of major metropolitan areas along major interstate highways. Atlanta satisfies both of those criteria, meaning it’s a popular location for car transporters to get freight to and from.
This isn’t surprising; Atlanta was founded as the terminus of a major state railroad and quickly grew into a major railroad hub in the southern United States. This also made it a major strategic location in the U.S. Civil War, and was almost entirely destroyed during that war. It rebounded quickly, retained its status as a major transportation hub, and only grew more rapidly during the 20th century.
Today, Atlanta’s economy is massive and diverse, with major sectors in manufacturing and technology. This makes it a location people want to move to, which increases the demand for car shipping services to or from the city. As a result, finding auto transport to and from Atlanta should not be difficult.
Basics about shipping to or from Atlanta
As a major transportation hub – and not just a major rail hub – Atlanta has a lot of highways running in and out of it. This is good; auto shippers like to travel along major interstate highways and to and from major cities. The easier it is for a carrier to get into and out of a city, the better, after all. Atlanta sits along a few major interstate highways, including I-20, I-75, and I-85. I-20 is a major east-west interstate through the southern U.S., connecting with I-95 outside of Columbia, South Carolina, and running west through to Texas where it connects with I-10 east of El Paso.
I-75 is the main north-south interstate through Atlanta and connects Tampa, Florida, with Detroit, Michigan, along with a whole host of other cities such as Lexington and Cincinnati. I-85 runs east to Columbia, South Carolina and southwest to Montgomery, Alabama. I-85 connects Atlanta to I-95 further east as well as I-65 in Montgomery.
What all this means for you is that auto shippers have an easy time finding loads going pretty much anywhere in the U.S. out of Atlanta. They can travel east to I-95 and head north to the east coast, or they can take I-75 to Detroit and the many interstates further north. They can travel east along I-20, or catch it later by taking I-85 to Montgomery. Regardless, these interstate highways result in lower prices to and from Atlanta, at least for the most part. Carriers have an easy time finding loads and routes into and out of the city. This means that it’ll be easier for them to transport your vehicle at a competitive rate.
What to know about auto transport to Atlanta
We’ve discussed some of the routes into and out of Atlanta, which are always good to know. But there’s also more to know about auto transport to Atlanta in general, and things that may impact prices or services. Something to keep in mind about auto transport to Atlanta is its proximity to Florida. Florida is a major auto transportation location especially during the fall and early winter. Why fall and early winter?
Snowbirds. Snowbirds ship their cars down from the northeast during the fall and winter. They live in Florida during the cooler months, avoiding the snow and winter in the northeast. Then, they ship back north from Florida during the late winter or early spring and enjoy the cooler summers up north.
What this does for auto transport to Atlanta is provides carriers a lot of freight that’s going on the same basic routes. That volume is important; it keeps the carrier’s trucks full and the money flowing. Carriers want to travel along routes through major cities and metro areas especially those that are in high demand. This keeps them on the road and in the cash. Ultimately, finding auto transportation services into or out of Atlanta shouldn’t be difficult. It can be if you’re shipping to or from the middle of nowhere, but even then, carriers go through the middle of nowhere too! You should not have difficulty finding auto transport to or from Atlanta at a reasonable price.
How auto transport prices to Atlanta compare
Because it’s a major hub in the southeastern United States, auto transport prices to Atlanta shouldn’t be any more than the standard going rate along the route.
In fact, shipping into or out of Atlanta is usually easier from a carrier’s perspective. As a major city with numerous connections to major interstates, it’s easy to get into and out of. It’s popular with customers, so there’s always freight going every which way (both to and from Atlanta). Prices will stay competitive along most routes, especially if you’re shipping to another major city, such as Los Angeles. Some areas of the country will be more expensive to ship to or from, even if you’re coming to or from Atlanta. But, overall, prices for auto transport to Atlanta will be competitive pretty much year-round. Winter shipping may see some delays if the weather is particularly brutal. Atlanta has been known to be hit by winter storms that can dump snow on the area. When this happens, carriers may avoid the city until the snows melt. But that rarely affects prices as the storms tend to pass quickly and the snows melt before long.
Tips on auto transport to or from Atlanta
Like most major cities, you should expect that your carrier cannot reach your neighborhood. They drive 80-ft long transport trucks, after all, so small streets or tree-lined roads are inaccessible. Instead, you should prepare to meet your carrier in a large parking lot nearby. Box stores such as Walmart are great for that, and carriers often meet their customers outside those kinds of stores for loading and unloading.
You should also expect traffic when it comes to pickup and delivery. Traffic in the Atlanta is notoriously bad especially along I-75. This can impact carrier’s timetables and result in delays in pickup and delivery. Don’t be surprised if your carrier is running a bit late because of traffic. Don’t be surprised if your carrier needs a local company to pickup or deliver your vehicle. Atlanta is a major city – the largest in Georgia – and its downtown and neighborhoods can be difficult to access. Many carriers that operate in major cities will hire local companies (or they have local drivers) to do the actual pickup and delivery of a vehicle.
What this means is they’ll use a local flatbed or tow truck to pick your vehicle up and take it to the truck. Or, conversely, take it from the truck to your location. This isn’t something every carrier does, but it is an option for many especially if you cannot meet the driver somewhere nearby. Make sure to speak to an agent for more information about that.
Ship a car to Atlanta Today with American Auto Shipping
If you’re interested in shipping a vehicle in Georgia, we can help! With over twenty years of experience helping our customers ship their vehicles, we know how to handle just about anything on the road. We work with only the best carriers on the road today, so if you ship with us, you’re in good hands from booking to delivery. We know what it takes to get a vehicle shipped to or from anywhere in the United States.
If you’re interested in shipping to Atlanta, give us a call at 800-930-7417, or fill out our free online quote form. Using the quote form will get you a free price right away. You can then book your shipment entirely online if you’d wish. You can also call us and speak to a representative. They can answer your questions, give you a quote to ship your vehicle, book your shipment, give you updates on a current shipment, and much more. So no matter what you’re shipping, or where you’re shipping from or to, let American Auto Shipping help you get it done.
Popular Atlanta Auto Transport Routes
Local References
- City of Atlanta Official Website: http://www.atlantaga.gov/
- Atlanta on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta
- The Official Guide to Atlanta: http://www.atlanta.net/
- Atlanta on City Data: http://www.city-data.com/city/Atlanta-Georgia.html
Atlanta Zip Codes Include:
30301, 30302, 30303, 30304, 30305, 30306, 30307, 30308, 30309, 30310, 30311, 30312, 30313, 30314, 30315, 30316, 30318, 30320, 30321, 30324, 30325, 30326, 30327, 30328, 30331, 30332, 30334, 30336, 30337, 30342, 30343, 30348, 30349, 30350, 30353, 30354, 30355, 30357, 30358, 30361, 30363, 30364, 30368, 30369, 30370, 30371, 30374, 30375, 30377, 30378, 30380, 30384, 30385, 30388, 30392, 30394, 30396, 30398, 31106, 31126, 31131, 31136, 31139, 31150, 31156, 31192, 31193, 31195, 31196
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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