Posts Tagged ‘Choose an Auto’
TRAVEL AUTO TRANSPORT COMPANY
When searching for a company to ship your car, you will find many auto shipping companies. For the most part, these companies provide the same type of general service. Some differences between car shipping companies are the price, the service, and whether the company is a broker or carrier.
In the auto transport and freight industry, the word Carrier refers to the actual party involved in the physical transport of your vehicle or freight. Carriers own their trucks and run under their own MC (motor carrier) authority and insurance. Any commercial truck that you see on the highway or road is a carrier. All Carriers must have insurance adequate enough for the freight that they will be carrying. Carriers must also be registered with the U.S. DOT (Department of Transportation).
The Transport Broker is the middle man that will handle your transport job by arranging the proper carrier according to the details of the transport job. These details could be the type of vehicle being transported, vehicle pick up or drop of location, transport route, or any special transport needs. The broker should be able to arrange transport faster than the normal person because they are in the auto transport industry and have access to a wide range of carriers. 98% of Brokers do not have their own trucks so they do not carry any insurance. Auto Transport Brokers make money off of every car they move. Transport brokers get their pay usually in the form of a deposit. The deposit for an auto transport job can be $150-$225. Most of the time, the deposit is pre paid before the automobile is picked up. The deposit is always included in the total transport price. For example: transport of a SUV from Miami to New York City may cost $800.00, a deposit of $185 is given before transport. Therefore, $800.00 (total transport cost)- $185.00 (deposit)= $615 (balance) which will usually be paid C.O.D. when you receive your car.
The Auto Transport Industry is very competitive so during your search for transport service you may be told a lot of things. However, a lot of these things may be true and the rest may be worded in a way to capture your business. First, you must know who you are talking to (broker or carrier). Having knowledge gives you a much better advantage on receiving better service and a better price. As mentioned before, all transport companies offer the same general service, transport. The difference between Auto Transport companies will be customer service. With the development of Transport Review sites, companies have been making an extra effort to provide better customer service and satisfaction. However, problems big or small can arise and transport companies’ willingness to resolve these problems will be the main difference in quality of service.
Price will always determine the type of service you will receive. Knowing how much the deposit fee is minus the total transport cost will tell you how much the transport carrier is getting paid. When a transport company gets your business they will do one of two things. The broker may first call up a carrier that they know runs the specific route that your automobile will be traveling along. Two, the broker may list your vehicle on a nationwide online load board. This load board is viewed by transport carriers and brokers only. A carrier will call the broker if the load posted matches the route they will be traveling along. Whichever way that the broker finds the carrier, the amount the carrier will be paid will determine the speed and willingness to do the job. A low paying transport job will get put aside for a better paying job.
Choose an Auto Transport Company
An auto transport company is a great solution in these – and many other situations.
Choose carefully when you’re selecting a car shipping company. Some offer just one shipping option: take it or leave it. That type of “one size fits all” strategy is easier for the company, but certainly doesn’t benefit most customers.
Evaluate Pickup and Delivery Options
Most auto transport customers have three major concerns: price, pickup/delivery date, and vehicle safety. Also consider the flexibility of options offered to you – as well as your own flexibility with timing and location. Ideally, you should be able to pick and choose between options and create a custom package that fits your needs – and your budget!
These three options are common throughout the auto transport industry:
1. Door-to-door Service: The vehicle is picked up at your home or office and delivered directly to your door at the destination point.
Depending on your neighborhood and street layout, this option isn’t always available. The auto transport company may ask to meet you at a local mall, large retail store, or other location with a parking lot large enough to accommodate the transport truck.
2. Date-specific Pickup and/or Delivery: The vehicle is picked up and/or delivered on a specific day or 1-2 day window.
If you have time constraints, it’s often best to work with an auto transport carrier with its own fleet of trucks or one who contracts with dedicated shippers. An auto transport broker arranges shipments and acts as the agent between customers and shippers. Brokers often can’t guarantee dates unless the auto shipper they contract with is willing to do so.
3. Same-Truck Shipping: The auto transport company may have its own definition for this term. It sounds as though they load your car on a truck where it sits snugly in place until delivery. Since each load/unload has the slight possibility of damaging the vehicle, this sounds like the safest shipping option.
It’s not that easy though. Car shippers may make several pickups and deliveries between the time when your car is loaded and the day it’s delivered. Your car may travel on the same truck, but could be loaded and unloaded several times as the driver balances the load, adds vehicles, or delivers them.
A high-volume auto transport company is more likely to be able to consolidate shipments to minimize loads and unloads. During extremely busy shipping times, it’s often possible for them to load a truck and drive straight through to the destination. That allows all cars to stay in one place for the entire trip.
During slower periods, larger companies still work to minimize load and unloads. For instance, instead of driving directly from New York to Los Angeles, the truck may make one stop in Chicago instead of 3-4 additional stops along the way.
Flexibility Is Important When You’re On A Budget
You may be surprised at how much you can save on shipping costs if you can be flexible about pickup and delivery dates. If timing isn’t critical to your vehicle shipment, ask the auto transport company about budget car shipping options.
For instance, at DAS Auto Shippers, we offer a both a “Flexible Pickup and Delivery” option and a “Budget Pickup & Delivery” option. With the “Flexible” option, customers receive a window of days during which their vehicle will be picked up and delivered. The “Budget” option offers a “bare bones” move for budget conscious customers who are able to drop off their vehicle and pick it up at one of our 100 Shipping Centers around the country. Other auto transport companies may offer similar programs: ask when you call.
It’s important to know exactly what sort of service you’re buying, so do your homework before selecting a car shipping company. A little research before the move can save you a lot of worry and headaches during and after the move. At a minimum, you need to know the price, dates involved, estimated transport time, pickup and delivery specifications, and method of transport.
Once you find the right package with a reliable auto transport company, you can relax and let someone else do the driving.