Terminal to Terminal Auto Shipping
Learn about terminal to terminal auto shipping, how it works, and whether it's the right choice for your vehicle transport needs.
What is terminal to terminal auto shipping?
Terminal to terminal auto shipping means you drop your vehicle at a designated location and pick it up from a terminal near your destination, typically saving $50 to $150 compared to door-to-door service. However, it can take 3 to 7 additional days because carriers wait for full loads, and most customers today prefer the convenience of door-to-door transport.
Terminal to terminal auto shipping is when you ship your vehicle from a terminal to a terminal. That's it - that's the whole definition. Of course, there's a lot more than just knowing the definition; there's a whole host of information about the topic that you should understand and be aware of.
Once upon a time, terminal to terminal auto transport was the go-to method of shipping cars across the country. This wasn't too surprising; really, the car shipping industry as we know it didn't really get big until the last 30-50 years. And, before the construction of the interstate highway system, the entire idea of shipping cars was fringe at best.
That changed slowly but surely. Terminals, once so common and convenient, began to be seen as a relic of a bygone era. Why take your car to someone to drop it off and wait when you could have the carrier come right to your door to pick your vehicle up? It just made sense, and over the last thirty years or so, terminal shipping has largely been surpassed by door-to-door transport services.
Do all auto shipping services use terminals?
No, far from it. Most auto shipping services provided today are for door-to-door transportation. This means that the auto transport truck will get as close to the pickup and delivery addresses you gave as they can physically get. A standard car transport truck is roughly 80 feet long and can haul up to ten vehicles at a time, so they obviously can't get everywhere, but the idea is the same regardless - you get to meet your carrier and release your vehicle directly to them instead of a middle man at a terminal.
That's not to say that terminal to terminal auto shipping is a bad thing, or that it's somehow inferior. Quite the opposite, in fact. Terminals are good for people who don't have the time or the luxury to wait for a carrier to show up at or near their house. They are often people with busy schedules who need to be able to drop their vehicle off somewhere and go about the rest of their business.
Terminal shipping is great because they can drop their vehicle off at the pickup terminal and that's it. The carrier will show up at the terminal, pick up the car, and then take it to another terminal in the delivery area where it will sit and wait for the owner to pick it up. If you're someone who can't wait around for a carrier to arrive, a terminal is a great choice.
Most auto shipping companies offer terminal to terminal shipping at a discounted price, and they can be a great way to make your auto shipping experience hassle-free. At the same time, it can take longer to find carriers willing to ship terminal to terminal, as they often need to take enough cars to make an entire load from the terminal, and that can take time as terminal shipping is not all that popular.
Is an auto shipping terminal stop necessary?
No, it is not necessary to use a terminal when shipping your car. In fact, most vehicle shipments today are done door-to-door, and for a number of different reasons.
The biggest reason is that it's just safer. Having the owner - or someone the owner has authorized to release or receive the vehicle on their behalf - be there at pickup and delivery gives carriers the ability to make sure they're taking the correct vehicle. No one wants to load the wrong vehicle onto their truck, after all!
It also gives customers a chance to meet the driver and see their truck and get a better understanding of how it all works and gives the driver the opportunity to interact with the customer, answer questions, and provide peace of mind while also making the business side of things a bit more personal.
There may be times when an auto shipping terminal is necessary, but for most people, it's not. In fact, most people find terminal auto shipping more of a burden than door-to-door shipping, which is a major reason why it's not as popular as it used to be.
So there are benefits of terminal to terminal auto shipping?
There are definitely benefits to terminal to terminal auto shipping services. But they're not nearly as common as they used to be due to door-to-door transportation becoming the go-to method of shipping a vehicle.
The main benefit to terminal shipping is it allows people who cannot make door-to-door transportation work to still have an option to ship their vehicle. They can take their vehicle to a terminal, drop it off, and not have to worry about the pickup or the delivery of it.
This is great for people who travel a lot, work a lot, or who don't live in the location where the vehicle is currently located. In fact, terminal auto shipping is most often used by people who can't commit to waiting hours or days for a carrier to arrive.
For most people, terminal to terminal auto shipping can remain in the past. They can use door-to-door transportation services, meet their driver, and have the ability to release the vehicle themselves.
Ship your vehicle with American Auto Shipping today!
Did you know we actually have our very own terminal location in Las Vegas, Nevada? We offer free terminal storage for anyone shipping a vehicle to or from the Las Vegas area. Make sure to talk to your representative about restrictions to accessing the terminal and how long your vehicle can sit before racking up fees.
To get started, get an idea of what your base cost is by getting a free quote or try our auto shipping calculator! When you use our services you will receive a free instant quote immediately that you can use to make a well-informed decision. If the price for shipping your vehicle is much more affordable than you expected, you can book with us via our quote form or call us to book over the phone. We think you will be surprised by how affordable shipping with American Auto Shipping can be!
Terminal to Terminal Shipping FAQ
Terminal to terminal auto shipping means you drop your vehicle off at a designated terminal location, and the carrier picks it up from there and delivers it to another terminal near your destination. You (or someone you authorize) then picks the vehicle up from the delivery terminal. It is the opposite of door-to-door transport, where the carrier comes directly to your address.
Terminal shipping is typically $50 to $150 cheaper than door-to-door service because it reduces the carrier's routing overhead. However, you need to factor in your own time and transportation costs to and from both terminals. For most people, door-to-door provides better overall value.
Terminal shipping can take longer than door-to-door because carriers often wait until they have a full load from the terminal before departing. This could add 3 to 7 additional days beyond standard transit times. A cross-country shipment via terminal might take 10 to 18 days compared to 7 to 12 days door-to-door.
Yes, we have a terminal location in Las Vegas, Nevada, where we offer free terminal storage for vehicles shipping to or from the Las Vegas area. Contact your representative for details about storage duration limits and access hours. For other areas, we can connect you with partner terminals nationwide.