Moving is often stressful enough without worrying about how you will pick up your car from one point to another. The easiest way to move without any hassles is to send your car across the country, not to drive it.
However, choosing a transportation company can be difficult, and making sure that your car is ready for transportation is a process.
Here is what you ought to know about shipping your car across the country, whether you are ready to book the vehicle or just wondering what you need to do to prepare for traveling.
The Ins And Outs Of Shipping A Car
Auto transport companies get your vehicle from a certain place to somewhere else. Most of the time, the carrier will be transporting your vehicle from your old address and then deliver it to your new one.
When you transport your car you will work with 2 different companies: those that transport your car in a truck are called carriers and then the people that help you find the carrier in the first place are called brokers.
There are five main steps to transporting cars:
- Do your research on various auto transport companies to compare the services they offer and prices.
- Check that your chosen company is insured and licensed.
- Load your car, hand your keys over and ensure your vehicle is prepared to be transported.
- Do not worry about anything when your precious car is on the move. It is important to be in communication with your broker.
- Unload your vehicle, inspect it to make sure nothing is damaged and say thank you to the driver.
The Time It Will Take To Get Your Car To Its Destination
The time it will take for a vehicle to be delivered is between six days and one month.
Delivery times vary depending on many factors like traffic jams, the number of cars the truck is transporting, and the number of hours the driver is permitted to drive every day.
Because it is difficult to forecast the exact timing, companies usually give you an estimated date of when your vehicle is expected to arrive.
Below are general recommendations on how many days it takes to ship your car around the country:
- Five to fourteen days for shipping from the West Coast to the East Coast
- Three to eight days for transportation from the East Coast to the Midwest
- Three to eight days for transportation from the West Coast to the Midwest
- Three to eight days for transportation from the North to the South
It would probably help if you also considered that the driver would have to go to several other places to receive other vehicles before going to delivery sites.
Why is it taking so long? The reason is that the carrier will off-load the other vehicles before that. Also, drivers are legally permitted to drive only a certain number of hours per day. Even if the driver wants to deliver the car to your new home faster than planned, the law may stop him from doing so.
Receipt and delivery times are counted in these legally allowed hours. Delivery and receipt take a significant amount of time during the delivery process.
Established and more reliable delivery service providers often ask their drivers to call you the day before the delivery time.
Drivers will call you again and give you more precise delivery details as soon as they arrive at your destination.
However, there may be a delay at this stage if the transport situation is bad or the weather suddenly causes chaos in the delivery area.
Closed Or Open Transport?
Outdoor/open transport is when your vehicle is exposed to the elements on the back of a big truck. Closed transport means that your car is inside a fully closed container.
Think about if you would be able to ride a motorbike where your whole face is cracked by the howling wind and cold rain (open transport), alternatively you could be inside a vehicle with rolled-up windows and enjoy weather protection (closed carrier).
Is There Car Shipping Insurance?
Road carriers are required to have insurance that covers damage (due to company negligence) caused to your vehicle during transport.
Vehicles are rarely damaged during transport in rough terrain, but accidents can occur. Therefore, make sure your transportation service has current insurance.
You could ask for a hard copy and ask them to walk you through what is covered by their insurance. Also, it is advisable to contact your insurance company to double-check if your vehicle will be covered during your trip.
Some policies will not cover the delivery of your car across the country as part of a standard procedure but will add temporary delivery insurance to the system after you have booked your vehicle.
While you can find the information you need online, the best thing you can do is talk directly to your insurance company, who should be able to answer your questions.
Can I Ship Boxes While My Car Is Being Shipped?
You can send your boxes at the same time as your car is being shipped. However, you will probably have to work with a separate moving company. Auto-shipping companies are usually not permitted to carry the extra item in the vehicles.
Does The Size Of My Vehicle Change The Price?
Road transport is more expensive for more substantial and larger vehicles. The heavier your car is, more gas will be needed. Of course, the cost of golf cart shipping would differ from the cost of transporting Porsche Cayenne. Also, the larger the vehicle, the fewer vehicles the carrier can supply per truck.
Can I Ship One Or More Vehicles At A Time?
Yes. You can carry more than one vehicle at a time. Some transportation companies offer discounts if you order two or more vehicles for one trip.
Is Shipping A Car Safe?
Delivery of cars is generally safe, but you should carefully check the automobile transportation companies that you are considering.
Take your time to read some online reviews and make sure you do not hand over the keys to a company that has a damaged history on vehicles.
What Documents Would I Need To Ship A Car Overseas?
The documents you need depend on where you are shipping from, so you’ll want to see with your chosen company to find out exactly what you need.
Can You Put Additional Stuff In A Car When Shipping It?
Some road transport companies allow you to carry a limited number of personal belongings, but many prohibit it, and we do not recommend doing so.
Your carrier’s insurance will generally not cover damage or theft of your belongings during transport.
To Sum Up
The best way to deliver a car around the country depends largely on your preferences, schedule, and budget.
Firstly, choose a reliable and experienced shipper, i.e., Ship a Car, Inc. After that, you may have to deal with some other things as well.
It would probably be best if you spent some time with a carrier representative or talk to them by email or phone. There are several details you should consider when talking to the carrier representative.
Look at the insurance terms, services, prices, etc. of the transportation company before you reset to zero per unit.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options and secured yourself to a service provider, make sure you booked the service as early as possible to be almost certain of the convenience of receiving and shipping, price discounts, and favorable delivery agreement terms.
