Terminal Auto Shipping and You
Terminal to terminal auto shipping, commonly referred to today as “terminal auto shipping,” is when you drop your vehicle off at a designated terminal where it will sit and wait for your carrier to arrive to pick it up. On the surface it seems like a good thing – you don’t have to sit around and wait for your vehicle to be picked up, but rather can get on with your life (albeit without your car for a bit) while everything takes care of itself. But the reality is that terminal auto shipping services are becoming increasingly harder to find and for some pretty good reasons, which we’ll share if you care to read on.
Simply put, the standard method of shipping a car today is via door to door auto transportation services on an open ten-car hauler. With terminal shipping services your carrier doesn’t come to your door, but rather you have to drop it off somewhere. Oftentimes terminals today are lacking in security and can often leave a car woefully exposed to inclement weather, theft, damage and a host of other problems. Carriers don’t like to do this because damage caused by a terminal is often misattributed to negligence on their behalf – which is slanderous, really, as most carriers work hard to make sure that no damage befalls their cargo and, indeed, damage from actually having a vehicle shipped is at its lowest in years.
Not only that, but terminal auto shipping usually takes a lot longer because fewer carriers are willing to put themselves on the line for something that often causes them undue hassle. Getting to a terminal can be a pain, and you usually have to wait weeks or sometimes even months for your vehicle to actually be picked up. Carriers don’t like going to terminals if they can help it, so oftentimes they’ll eschew vehicles sitting at a terminal for vehicles that are ready to go and they can meet their customers at the same time. Some terminal shipping services may be cheaper than door to door, but the hassle and wait time is generally not worth it.
If you are interested in shipping a vehicle, take a minute and fill out our free online auto shipping quote request form. When you do, you’ll receive multiple free quotes in your email inbox from some of the best car shippers in the industry, companies that we clear for both dependability and reliability and who we make sure are fully licensed, bonded and insured. If you want to learn more about terminal to terminal auto shipping services, or would like some help getting your quotes or simply understanding more about shipping a car, you can contact one of our agents any time, toll-free, at 800-930-7417.
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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