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What to Expect When Hiring a Car Transport Company

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   What to Expect When Hiring a Car Transport Company

Shipping your vehicle can be a nerve wracking experience. It’s not easy entrusting your vehicle to complete strangers to be transported across the country. With so many auto transport companies to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which company is right for you. Here are a few things you can expect from a reputable car transport company.

Proper Licensing and Registration
Any reputable auto shipping company should provide you with a complete list of their licensing and registration requirements. They should even provide you with their USDOT # so you can check safety reports.

A List of Costs and Fees
When you hire a car transport company, they should provide you with a complete list of fees and charges. This should also include any penalty fees that you could incur. Make sure you have read and agreed to these terms and conditions prior to signing the contract.

An Explanation of Coverage
In addition to providing you with upfront pricing, a car transport company should also provide you with an explanation of their insurance coverage. In the event that your vehicle is damaged during transport, you need to be aware of your coverage options.

An Inspection Report
It is important for your vehicle to be thoroughly inspected prior to shipment. Any cosmetic or mechanical damage should be reported and verified before your vehicle leaves for transport. This will protect both you and the carrier in case any damage occurs during transport.

Tracking Information

Some car shipping companies offer GPS tracking so you know exactly where your vehicle is at all times. This also gives you a better idea of when your vehicle will arrive at its destination.

Seamless Delivery
Prior to shipment, the company should explain their delivery process. Some companies offer door to door shipment while others deliver your vehicle to a terminal. In addition, they usually contact you when the truck is close to your location so you can schedule your pickup time. Upon delivery, you should complete another inspection report and report any new damage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to Your Car Moving Questions

The hardest thing for people researching car moving companies to understand is that the prices they are getting are not hard and fast gaurantees, but rather ESTIMATES of what one company thinks it will take to get a vehicle moved promptly versus another company's opinion of what it will take. Don't be fooled, there are not carriers committed to take your vehicle at these quoted prices, the company you choose will still have to get to work getting a carrier to commit to move it at the price they quote you.

Your total price breaks down into two parts, the broker's fee (or 'deposit' as everyone calls it) and the carriers fee (your COD amount) Make no mistake about this, EVERYONE YOU ARE GETTING SALES CALLS FROM IS GOING TO BROKER YOUR MOVE. In this industry, there are brokers who try to fool you into thinking that they are the actual carriers and there are an equal amount of carriers who sell themselves on the fact that they have a truck or two but are not being honest about the fact that they broker out 90% of the orders they book. Here is a quick easy way to tell, if a company takes an up front fee, whether they call it a deposit or any other name, they are a broker. Carriers do not take any payment until the vehicle is delivered.

In our opinion, you are crazy to do so. Have you ever been paid up front for the work that you perform for your employer? Why would you pay a fee up front when there are reliable and trustworthy companies like ours that won't ask for it until we provide you with your carriers details?

The average transit time from pick up to delivery on any vehicle going coast to coast will be between one and two weeks. From there you can figure your transit time based on how far your vehicle is traveling, i.e. from either coast to the Midwest might average 3-7 days.

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