Only a 1/4 tank of Fuel When Shipping a Vehicle

When it comes to car shipping, there are a lot of things that need to be done. Perhaps one of the most important things to do is make sure that the vehicle is in shape to be transported. This means that it runs and drives, can roll, brake, steer, start and run, and that all the fluids are at their proper levels.

Prepping a vehicle for transport really isn't all that difficult; most of the time it's just making sure that it's in good working order. If it's not, say so before a carrier is assigned. Non-running vehicles will cost more to ship as they require a winch to load and unload and not all carriers have one. Not only that, but they require more work from the carrier than simply driving the vehicle on and off the truck.

One thing that a lot of people don't realize, though, is that you should only have a quarter (1/4) of a tank of fuel in your vehicle when you ship it. This is for several reasons that we'll get into in today's blog.

The main reason why you should only have a quarter of a tank of gas in your vehicle when you ship it is the fact that fuel is heavy. This may not seem like much, but it's actually a pretty important factor. Weight limits restrict a lot of what a carrier is allowed to do. They have to build their loads a certain way to ensure they stay under specific weight limits imposed by state and federal agencies.

Why? Well, the biggest issue is infrastructure. Using infrastructure, like roads and bridges, wears it down over time. Heavier vehicles wear infrastructure down more quickly. As roads and bridges take time to repair and maintain, it's important that governments make sure vehicles stay under specific limits.

Not only that, but weight limits are a safety measure, particularly when it comes to bridges. Bridges may be able to handle a lot of weight, but they're not invincible and will fail under too much pressure. If trucks don't abide by weight limits, that can spell disaster, and no one can predict when - only that it will happen, sooner or later.

As fuel is heavy, it adds a lot of weight to the auto transport truck. And, because those trucks can haul ten vehicles at a time, if all those vehicles are full of fuel, that's a lot of extra weight. What happens if a carrier is overweight?

If a carrier is overweight , they'll be forced off of the road until the weight is removed. This is why weigh stations exist. We're sure you've seen them - they're along most every state and interstate highway in the U.S. Carriers are required to stop at weigh stations to ensure they are in compliance with current weight restrictions.

If they aren't, the weight will need to be found and removed. If the issue is fuel in a vehicle, that's simple - they'll just siphon it out. What they do with it we don't know, but that's usually how these things are handled. Officials will find the source of the extra weight, remove it, and then let the carrier proceed (hopefully without a fine!). Why a 1/4 of a tank of fuel?

A quarter of a tank of fuel in your vehicle will be plenty for your shipper to load and unload your vehicle. It will also be enough for you to drive your vehicle to a gas station and get it fueled up at delivery if necessary.

Here is the arithmetic, because it explains why drivers care. A gallon of gasoline weighs about 6.3 pounds, so a typical 15 to 20 gallon tank carries roughly 95 to 125 pounds when it is full. A quarter tank is around 25 to 30 pounds. Leaving a quarter instead of a full tank takes about 70 to 95 pounds out of each car, and across nine cars on one trailer that is several hundred pounds, which is easily the difference between passing a scale and being told to unload something. Federal law caps a truck on the Interstate at 80,000 pounds gross, and the fuel in the cars counts.

What about electric cars? There is no fuel to drain, but the same thinking applies to the battery. We ask for a charge between 20% and 80%, never 100% and never near empty, with at least 40% to 50% at pickup so the car can be driven on and off and still have a cushion if the trip runs long. You can't charge an EV on the truck, so plan for what you will have at delivery. We cover the rest of the EV checklist, including Tesla settings, in our post on shipping an electric vehicle. A plug-in hybrid follows both rules: about a quarter tank and a partial charge.

Auto transporters can't have more weight than they are allotted, so one of the first things they do will make sure that there is nothing in your vehicle that should not be there and then make sure you don't have too much fuel in your vehicle when you ship it.

If you do, you may have to siphon it out yourself or possibly drive it off, which can take a lot of time and end up costing you more at pickup. To avoid this, simply get that fuel out of the vehicle before the carrier shows up and you should be fine.

What if I can't remove the fuel? If you can't remove the fuel from the vehicle yourself, your driver may be able to help you. And, you can talk to them about seeing if you can get an exemption. While carriers do have weight limits they have to abide by, they do have a bit of wiggle room. We see this in their ability to haul vehicles that have light items in them (for a fee) and we don't often hear stories about how customers won't remove fuel from their vehicles before pickup.

That said, if they can't accommodate it and you can't get the fuel out of the vehicle, well, the driver may have to siphon it out, wasting that fuel. It's best to avid this if possible, so be sure to prepare your vehicle accordingly before the carrier arrives. American Auto Shipping can help you ship your vehicle

If you're interested in car transport to or from anywhere in the United States, you really should take a minute to fill out our free online auto transport quote request form. When you do, you'll get a free estimate right away, and our auto transport experts can walk you through it.

You can also contact us any time at 800-930-7417 to speak to a real person. Our representatives work hard for our customers, and are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. They can also give you your estimate right over the phone when you're ready to take that step.