Auto Transporters

As we’ve discussed many times before on this blog, moving sucks. It sucks! We challenge you to find the person who relishes boxing things up, sorting through old papers and knick-knacks, deciding what to throw out or keep - it’s a tedious process that we would rather avoid at all costs. But hey, it’s also necessary, as most of us do not live in the same residence we were born in and have likely moved 3, 5, or even more times in our lives.

One thing is moving items in a home to a new home. Another however is coordinating the move of larger things, such as cars. Car shipping can be traced way back to the first invention of the automobile. In the late 19th century cars were expensive, luxury items, and because of this the demand was not overly high. But some demand did exist, and getting cars to buyers on different continents gave rise to the auto transport industry. In the early years car transport was achieved via railroads. This worked, but it took a ton of time. In 1898 Alexander Winton invented the first auto carrier, a rudimentary system that placed a car on top/towards the back of another car. Folks were enamored, but again, there were so few buyers the investment in an auto carrier didn’t justify the costs.

Once Henry Ford came around the game officially shifted. Ford created the first car in the world most people could afford – the Model T. By 1928 there was one car for every four people in the States, and here is where auto transporters came into play. The industry has exploded, there are a plethora of providers, but there are also a host of things to keep in mind before settling on one provider. First is cost. In general, getting a car in an open trailer from New York to San Francisco for example will run in the $1,400 to $1,600 range. There are two options in terms of the physical environment your car will be shipped in – open or closed container. Closed container costs more and prevents your ride from getting chipped or scratched from road debris popping up during the trip. If the company only offers open air transport, beware, they are likely small and inexperienced.

Second, references. This applies to any service, really. References are key as they make first-time decisions much easier because someone you trust has already been through the process. If they were pleased with said service, this information is worth its weight in gold. Next is payment. Most reputable companies will not request full payment until the car is delivered. Likely there will be some sort of combination of an initial deposit and the remaining due upon delivery. Another timely question is, “are you a carrier or a broker?” The car shipping industry uses brokers quite frequently who will take your order and then find a carrier that fits your needs. Online especially, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two. Brokers are great because they will find you the most competitive price, but a broker will not be able to answer more nuanced questions that only a carrier can.

More on this last point, a broker or transporter will have a U.S. Department of Transportation number assigned to them. Ask for this number and then check to see if it is valid and up-to-date. Get written or electronic quotes in a file format (printed or pdf) and always keep a chain of emails backed up if the communication is only online. Following these tips will get you to the right auto transporter. There are a bunch of good ones out there, good luck with the move (but don’t ask us to help!).