What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to as car shipping or auto transport, is a service offered by vehicle shipping companies that involves collecting your automobile from one spot & transporting it to another. This service comes in handy in various circumstances where you are unable to operate the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online & need to transport it to a different state, relocating & requiring long-distance vehicle shipping, or moving your automobile overseas when ferries are not an option. Luckily, there are numerous auto transport services available to accommodate your particular requirements.
Categories Of Vehicle Shipping Services
When selecting a vehicle transport service, the initial choice you must make is where you want your automobile picked up from & delivered to, whether it's a long-distance vehicle transport or shipping a car to a different state. One option is terminal-to-terminal auto delivery, where designated collection & drop-off points, frequently the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases, are utilized. Although this alternative is typically more affordable, it demands more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, the majority of individuals prefer a door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their automobiles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of the distance. This is often more convenient as it eliminates the need to arrange transportation to retrieve your vehicle.
Vehicle shipping services can be divided into two primary categories: having someone operate your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your vehicle to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether you need to transport a car across the country or to a different state. The advantages of this approach include lower costs, as trailers & extra vehicles are not necessary, & quicker delivery due to the simplicity of the transport process. However, there are some drawbacks to consider. Firstly, the mileage on your vehicle will increase, especially when shipping a car across the country. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your automobile during the journey. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Putting your vehicle on a trailer is a safer alternative that guarantees a higher level of protection compared to having someone operate your automobile. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value & size of your automobile. For expensive or classic cars, a single trailer is often recommended to minimize the risk of damage, although it is more costly as it only transports one vehicle at a time. The safest way to transport a car is by using a shipping container, but this is the most expensive option.
Multi-car transporters, which can carry several vehicles at once, are another option with a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping is the most affordable & common method offered by vehicle shipping companies. Your automobile is securely placed on an open carrier & driven to its destination. While all cars are safely secured, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, making this option less suitable for highly valuable vehicles. Additionally, long journeys using open trailers pose a higher risk of damage & prolonged exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple cars on a carrier that is enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This alternative is preferable for more expensive or newer vehicles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during auto transport.
If you need to move your vehicle overseas, it's best to find a specialist service on our platform or one with experience in overseas vehicle shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
How Much Does It Cost To Transport A Vehicle?
The cost of transporting a vehicle varies depending on several factors, but on average, auto transport companies in the US charge around $2.92 per mile for journeys less than 200 miles, $0.93 for journeys between 200 & 500 miles, & $0.78 for journeys over 1,000 miles. However, these are just averages, & your vehicle transport cost may differ based on your specific circumstances. The best way to determine the cost of auto transport is to obtain vehicle shipping quotes from various vehicle transport companies, which is easily done on Shiply.
To get an idea of the factors that can affect the price of vehicle transport services, consider the following:
Factors That Can Influence The Cost Of Auto Transport
While we all want affordable vehicle transport, several variables can impact the cost of your vehicle shipping. Here are the main factors to consider:
Distance: As mentioned earlier, distance plays a significant role in determining the cost of vehicle transport. Cross-state & cross-country journeys are more expensive than interstate vehicle delivery, which is often the cheapest option. However, the average price per mile decreases as the journey length increases, ensuring you don't pay excessively for longer distances.
International shipping: Transporting a vehicle overseas is always more expensive due to the logistics involved & the distance the automobile needs to travel. It may also require special enclosed trailers or even a shipping container.
Route: Along with distance, the route taken to transport your vehicle from its pick-up spot to its delivery location can affect the pricing. Routes with known higher traffic, such as in LA, may cost more than quieter roads due to the additional time required. Unforeseen circumstances like major roadworks could also incur extra costs or necessitate a longer alternative route.
Shipping Dates: The urgency of your vehicle transportation service can also impact the price. If you have flexibility in your timings, you may find that vehicle shipping services charge less, as they can fit your automobile delivery into their schedule & reduce overheads. However, if you require expedited shipping within a strict timeframe, it will typically cost more due to the vehicle transport company likely having to dedicate a trailer & driver specifically for your delivery.
Vehicle Size: The height, length, & width of your automobile will all affect the cost of transport. Vehicle shippers will require larger trailers for bigger automobiles, with SUVs typically costing more on average to transport than sedans. Always inform the auto transport company about any bike racks, roof racks, or other accessories on the vehicle, as these can change the size of the trailer required for delivery.
Vehicle Condition: If your automobile is not in drivable condition, it may increase the cost of auto transport. This is because extra equipment, such as a winch or forklift, may be required to load & unload your vehicle from the trailer. If your automobile has a locked wheel, for example, it will be impossible to simply roll it onto & off the trailer, requiring more time, effort, & machinery to complete the delivery compared to a standard vehicle transport service. Most vehicle carriers consider an automobile that can brake, roll, & steer to be in good enough condition for easy shipping.
Auto Transport Service Type: The type of auto transport service you choose will also affect the cost of your vehicle shipping. Having someone operate your automobile to its destination is always the cheapest option, as you are essentially just paying for the driver's time & fuel. Single vehicle trailers & enclosed transport are likely to be more expensive, as they require extra equipment. Enclosed vehicle shipping is always the most expensive method of shipping an automobile, as it means your vehicle travels alone & still needs specialist equipment for loading, unloading, & protection during transport.
Locations Of Pickup & Delivery: The locations of your vehicle's pick-up & drop-off points may also increase the price of shipping. Urban areas usually have vehicle shipping services in close proximity, & if it is a common destination route, you will tend to get affordable vehicle shipping. Rural deliveries can cost more, as they require deviations from normal routes & extra mileage for the company. If a pick-up or drop-off point is in an unusual or hard-to-access space, extra steps may be needed to load your automobile, which can also increase the vehicle shipping cost.
Auto Transport Insurance: While all auto transport companies are required to carry liability insurance, many do not offer additional insurance, as it is not required by law. If a vehicle transport company does not offer cargo insurance, it is highly recommended that you seek out & acquire some for your automobile during its transit. As with all insurance policies, make sure you are clear on what type of damage is covered, whether there is a deductible, what parts of the vehicle are covered by the insurance, & any other questions you may have.
Time Of Year: Seasonality can also affect the price of vehicle shipping, with many services costing more to ship an automobile in the winter due to ice & snow slowing the routes. Here is a quick breakdown of how each season can affect auto transport costs:
Winter is often the most expensive season to ship your automobile. Ice, snow, & blizzard conditions can all cause delays on the roads & reduce the maximum speed at which the vehicle delivery service can transport cars. December is typically a difficult time to have a vehicle shipped, as drivers are on holiday, while many travel to warmer states in January, leading to increased vehicle shipping costs. However, February is usually quiet, & great rates are often available from vehicle shipping services during this month.
Spring is a great time to ship your automobile with a vehicle transportation service. With improved weather conditions, longer days, & more drivers ready to work, Spring can often mean affordable rates & high availability when it comes to moving your vehicle. March is often a better time to ship than April or May, as there is often a rush to move cars from colder to warmer states.
Summer is the prime season for shipping cars - the days are the longest in the year, students are traveling home from universities, employees take vacations, & it is also a very popular time to move house. This means that June, July, & August are all busy months for the auto transport industry, & you should not expect affordable vehicle shipping during the summer.
Fall is a good time to ship an automobile if you are looking for a slightly cheaper price. Vehicle shipping companies are less busy, & there is typically more driver availability after the summer rush. However, you are better off looking to move your automobile in October or November rather than September, as this is peak time for students shipping their cars to university.
How To Transport A Vehicle - Finding An Auto Transport Service
Now that you know more about vehicle shipping, the types of vehicle shipping services available, & what sort of auto transport service you need, you probably want to go ahead & find a vehicle transport service that is right for you.
The issue is that there are hundreds of vehicle transport companies out there. Trying to find them on Google can result in scrolling through numerous pages to find the best vehicle shipping company at the best price. The same is true if you were to go through phone books. Furthermore, many of these companies are reluctant to provide pricing, meaning you will likely need to apply for a quote & fill out details with each of them individually, which can be very time-consuming.
How Can Shiply Help Find Auto Transport Companies?
Given all the options & variables involved in finding a vehicle shipping service, searching for & finding the right one can seem like a daunting task. This is where Shiply can help.
On Shiply, you simply need to fill out a simple form to start collecting quotes. All we need from you are the make & model of the vehicle that needs shipping, the pickup location & delivery location, & the dates you need to move the automobile. This provides the auto transport providers on Shiply with enough information to give you an accurate quote for your job.
Once your listing is live, you will receive quotes in your Shiply inbox & via email. We recommend keeping email notifications turned on so that you can know immediately when a new quote comes through. Quotes can start coming through within a few minutes of posting your listing, but we always recommend waiting for a few to come through before making a decision so that you have multiple options to choose from.
Once you have a few quotes, you can ask the companies any questions you may have, such as their availability (if a time frame is given), what insurance they have, & how they would secure your vehicle. We recommend asking any company you may use these questions to ensure that everything goes smoothly & as expected.
Shiply has a feedback & ratings system, which we highly recommend looking at before selecting a quote to ship your automobile. This system allows you to view previous customers' experiences with a company, as well as their overall score.
The Benefits Of Using Shiply For Vehicle Shipping
Time-saving: Rather than filling out a quote form every time you want to get an accurate price from a company on shipping a vehicle, on our platform, you fill out one quote form & can receive quotes based on the details you provide from multiple companies. This can save you hours of time you would have spent calling companies & filling in forms. Contact with these companies is all possible through our platform as well, meaning you can keep all of your vehicle shipping information in one place.
Price Comparison: When it comes down to it, the cost of the vehicle shipping quote is the most important factor in deciding which auto transport company to use to ship your automobile. The difficult thing is that, while most companies are happy to give average prices & ballpark figures, you won't actually be given a firm vehicle transport quote without having to provide information & fill in details. While this is understandable, it does mean that price comparison & getting a vehicle transport quote isn't exactly an easy task. Using Shiply allows you to receive genuine, final price quotes from vehicle shipping companies & compare them in one place, providing the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately decide on the best company for you.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping: Auto transport companies on Shiply are typically able to offer their services for a lower fee than if you went directly to them. This is because they are often looking to fill space on journeys they are already making & have already sunk the cost for. For example, if you were moving from Los Angeles to New York & needed to move your vehicle there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey with 5 of the 6 spots filled, & they are just looking to ensure they are not wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, & pick-up/drop-off locations work for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by using our service.
Better For The Environment: Not only is using Shiply for auto transport cheaper, but it is also better for the environment! In the above example, if your vehicle didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate vehicle shipper, the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled, as another entire journey would be needed just for your automobile. Similarly, many vehicle transporters return from a delivery empty-handed, which is not only costly for them but also for the environment, as there are many people who could have used that transporter to move their automobiles in the other direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are looking to fill their trailers on return journeys too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Why People Often Move Vehicles To & From Gateway, Alaska, US
Gateway, Alaska, US is a popular destination for people moving their automobiles to & from for several reasons. Firstly, Gateway is a small town located in the heart of Alaska, surrounded by stunning natural beauty, including mountains, forests, & rivers. Many individuals choose to relocate to Gateway to escape the hustle & bustle of city life & enjoy a more tranquil, rural lifestyle. Secondly, Gateway is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with plenty of opportunities for hiking, fishing, hunting, & other outdoor activities. Moving an automobile to Gateway allows people to easily explore the surrounding wilderness & take advantage of all that the area has to offer. Finally, Gateway is a close-knit community with a strong sense of community spirit. Many individuals choose to relocate to Gateway to be part of this welcoming & supportive community, & having an automobile shipped to this beautiful part of Alaska can make the transition much smoother & more enjoyable. Whether moving to Gateway for work, retirement, or simply for a change of pace, having a vehicle transported to this stunning part of Alaska can make the transition much easier & more pleasant.
Preparing Your Vehicle for "Car Shipping Gateway"
You've selected a vehicle transport firm to ship your automobile and are confident in their services. It's now time to get your car ready for the "gateway car shipping" journey. Adhere to these guidelines:
Paperwork - Ensure you have all necessary documents for pickup or delivery, particularly if you're selling the vehicle.
Decluttering - Remove all personal belongings from the car prior to transport to avoid loss or damage. It's also wise to tidy it up beforehand, so you can identify any harm that occurs during transit.
Operational State - If the vehicle will be operated at all during shipment or driven from the delivery location, ensure it's functioning properly. Inspect fluid levels, battery charge, and tire pressure. This helps you assess the condition upon arrival.
Visual Documentation - Crucially important: capture detailed images of every aspect of the car before the vehicle delivery service collects it. This documents the state prior to shipping in case anything happens en route.
After Your Vehicle Arrives
Once the vehicle shipping company completes delivery, take these steps:
Inspect Vital Functions - Immediately test lights, brakes, engine to ensure the car is in good working order. Notify the vehicle transport service if anything's not operating correctly.
Exterior State - Contrast the outside to your pre-shipping photos to identify any new damage. Transporting a vehicle can sometimes cause issues, so you want to ensure your auto transport company didn't do that.
Verify Mileage - More crucial if the car was driven, but check the odometer to confirm it aligns with the journey.
We'd appreciate if you could provide a review for the auto transport firm you used on Shiply, so others can choose car shipping services with confidence.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Here are responses to some common inquiries about vehicle shipping:
What's the cost to transport a car? Vehicle shipping prices vary significantly, but on average anticipate around $2.92 per mile for under 200 miles, $0.93 for 200-500 miles, and $0.78 for over 1,000 miles.
What's the most economical way to ship a car? Having someone drive it is most affordable, but if you require a trailer then a multi-car transporter is the most budget-friendly "car shipping gateway" choice.
How do I pay for auto transport? Each Shiply auto transport firm is unique, so discuss payment methods with your selected vehicle delivery service before confirming.
Can I track my vehicle transport online? Many car shipping companies provide online tracking, some with personalized updates. Contact them to verify if tracking is available.
Does someone need to be present for pickup and delivery? Usually yes, the vehicle shipping company requires you there to sign paperwork and provide keys.
Can I leave items in my vehicle? Some personal belongings are generally acceptable, but keep in mind 1) the weight could impact the shipping cost, and 2) your items won't be insured like the vehicle itself.
How much fuel for transit? Around a 1/4 tank is typical - sufficient for loading/unloading but not too much extra weight.
Can I ship if it's not operational? Yes, but it's more expensive since specialized equipment is required to load/unload.
Can I transport a modified vehicle? Absolutely, with numerous transport providers on Shiply, there's usually someone capable of safely shipping any type of modified automobile.
