Will Anyone Be Driving My Car During the Shipping Process?

Some people have concerns about whether someone will be driving their vehicle when it is shipped with an auto transport company. This is a legitimate concern given that our vehicles are usually one of our most expensive assets next to our home. The truth is that someone will likely have to drive your car at some point during the shipping process, but the good news is that it shouldn’t be very far.

 Many transport companies have a drop-off location where customers will leave their car prior to shipment. When the vehicle is ready to be loaded, it might be necessary for a worker to drive your car from a storage location to the carrier. Typically, this is not a far distance. At this point, the driver of the auto carrier will have to drive your vehicle onto the truck. It will remain on the carrier for the entire transport and then the driver will have to drive it off the carrier when it’s time to unload. Depending on the transport company, your car might remain at this location or it might be driven to a storage location where it will remain until it is picked up. Other than these short distances, your vehicle should not be driven during the transport process. You will be asked to give your keys to the driver of the transport carrier so they can load and unload your vehicle from the carrier. 

Although your car will be driven at some point during the shipping process, the distance should be minimal. You should note the mileage of your vehicle at the time of drop-off and the transport company should provide you with a bill of lading which will also document the mileage when the car was dropped off. You should always compare the mileage at drop-off to the current mileage of the vehicle to check for any discrepancies. Most reputable auto transport companies will also offer insurance while your vehicle is being shipped, but you should check to see if this includes driving it to and from the auto carrier. If they do not cover this part of the process, check with your own insurance company to ensure your car is covered. In some cases, additional insurance might need to be purchased. In order to provide additional coverage, Ship a Car Direct provides a 'Damage Free Guarantee'.