Auto Transport Tips: Common First-Time Questions You Need to Ask
The auto transport industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the automotive world. More and more people are looking to have vehicles they buy or move transported, as opposed to driven, especially if the vehicle is hundreds or thousands of miles away. The rise of the internet has made this scenario all too common today, and more than any other time the auto transport industry is thriving. The industry has helped this small, niche industry expand rapidly – quite rapidly – over the past twenty years or so and has laid the groundwork for new ways of conducting business, finding customers and coordinating pickup and delivery dates with shippers and customers. All this has led to the industry that we know today, but like with any company you work with there are going to be things you need to know and things you probably don’t want to know at all, so read ahead to learn more about what you should ask your shippers when you start getting quotes to ship your vehicle.
How much does it cost?
This is one of the most common auto transport-related questions we get – how much does it cost? It’s a loaded question, because auto transport quotes are calculated differently by different companies, and for a variety of different reasons too. Fuel prices in some regions are cheaper than others, which will affect the price you pay. Carrier and customer popularity along a route is another – prices tend to be lower along more popular routes because there is higher demand for services and the competition among carriers tends to be higher. Prices are usually good only for two weeks, three at most, from the day you receive them, so keep that in mind and try not to book an order too far in advance, since your prices will likely change within that time.
Will my vehicle be insured?
Asking the tough questions is important, but this is a common one, and the answer is always yes. Vehicle shipping companies are required by law to carry insurance for all the cargo they ship as well as insurance covering their truck and accidents that happen with that. Insurance is important, because a lot of things can go wrong during the auto transportation process – not that they will, of course, but unfortunately things do happen from time to time, and it’s best to be prepared. Auto transport drivers are required to cover every vehicle they ship and are required to have copies of their insurance information on-hand in case their customers want to peruse their information, which we recommend that you do, considering every company’s policy is bound to be different.
How long does it take?
Another common auto transport question is this one, and the simple answer is that it depends on where you’re shipping from and to, what you’re shipping, carrier availability on the route, etc, etc. There are quite a number of different factors that all go into your car shipping prices and services, including how long it’s going to take to get from A to B. That said, there are different windows as well -you’ll need to wait for your shipper to find you a carrier (known as dispatch), wait for the carrier to arrive to pick it up (pickup window), and even wait for the carrier to physically transport it (transit time) and wait around once he gets to the delivery area (delivery window) since that takes time too. All these will change depending on who you book your order with, who they dispatch your shipment to, where that carrier is and what his route is, the time of year, road and weather conditions during pickup and transit, and so much ore. How long does it take is a broad question that can only be answered in the most general of ways, so talk to your shipper for more information.
If you’re interested in shipping a vehicle, make sure to fill out our free online quote request form to get multiple free quotes emailed to you from top-rated auto transport companies within minutes. We clear all our advertisers for reliability and also make sure they are fully licensed, bonded and insured so you know you’re only getting quotes from the best shippers in the industry. If you have further questions about our services or how we do business, or if you simply need some help in getting your free auto transport quotes, give us a call toll-free at 800-930-7417 to speak to one of our live agents, who can answer your questions and help you get your free quotes today.
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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