What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to as automobile transport or auto shipping, is a service offered by car hauling companies that involves collecting your automobile from one spot & transporting it to another. This service is beneficial in various circumstances where you are unable to operate the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online, relocating to a new residence, or transporting a vehicle across the nation. Auto shipping services can also be advantageous when you need to move your automobile overseas, and unless ferry services are available, you will need to depend on a vehicle transport company to manage the job for you.
Luckily, there are numerous automobile transport services available to satisfy your particular requirements, which we will discuss below.
Types Of Vehicle Transport Services
When it comes to vehicle transport services, there are a few choices to consider. The first decision you'll need to make is where you want your automobile picked up from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country car hauling or transporting a vehicle to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated collection and drop-off points, often the automobile transport company's stores or operating bases, are used. This choice is generally more affordable but requires more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, most individuals prefer a door-to-door vehicle transport delivery service, where their automobiles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of whether it's a cross-country car hauling or just transporting a vehicle to another state. This is often more convenient as it eliminates the need to travel to collect your automobile, which can be challenging without your vehicle in the first place!
Automobile transport services are typically divided into two categories: having someone operate your vehicle to the destination or putting it on a trailer for transport.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
This straightforward solution to vehicle shipping involves hiring someone to operate your automobile to the desired location, whether it's transporting a car across the country or to another state. The benefits of this auto transport method include lower costs, as trailers and an extra vehicle are not required, and faster delivery due to the simplicity of the transport process.
However, there are some drawbacks to this method offered by car hauling companies that lead some individuals to choose other types of vehicle transport. Firstly, mileage is added to your automobile during the journey, which can be significant when transporting a car across the country, although less so when shipping a vehicle to a nearby state. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your automobile during the drive. 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.
Put Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Putting your automobile on a trailer is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone operate your vehicle to its destination. With car hauling trailers, there are several options available depending on the value & size of your automobile.
Firstly, you need to decide whether you want a single trailer for your vehicle. These are often more expensive as they only transport one automobile at a time but are a great choice if you are moving an expensive or classic car that you don't want to risk damaging. The safest way to transport a vehicle is to put it in a shipping container, but this is by far the most expensive option. The other choice is a multi-car transporter, which can move many automobiles at once & comes in a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping by any car hauling company is the cheapest & most common choice when transporting an automobile. Your vehicle is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. All automobiles are safely secured, but as the name suggests, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, so this may not be recommended by car hauling companies for highly valuable vehicles. Furthermore, while it may be the cheapest way to ship a car cross-country, long journeys in open trailers will obviously run a higher risk of damage & leave your automobile exposed to the elements for longer periods.
Enclosed auto transport involves multiple vehicles secured on a carrier, but they are enclosed, meaning they are not exposed to dust, weather, and debris during transit. This is often preferable for more expensive or newer automobiles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during auto transport.
If you need to move your vehicle overseas through an auto transport company, try to find one of the specialist services on our platform or one with experience in overseas car shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Vehicle?
The cost of shipping an automobile 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 and 500 miles, & $0.78 for journeys over 1,000 miles.
These figures are just averages for vehicle moving companies, & your car transport may cost more or less depending on the circumstances. The best way to find out how much auto transport will cost you is to collect car shipping quotes from vehicle transport companies, which is easy to do on Shiply.
If you want to get an idea of how much you can expect your vehicle delivery to cost, consider the factors that can affect the price of car transport services, which we will discuss below.
Factors That Can Affect The Cost Of Auto Transport
While we all want cheap vehicle transport, several factors & variables can affect the cost of your car shipping. Below, we will outline the main ones so that you can get a rough idea of whether your auto transport requirements will be expensive or cheap.
As mentioned earlier, distance plays a significant role in determining the cost of your vehicle transport, with cross-state & cross-country journeys costing much more than interstate car delivery, which is often the cheapest option.
Although longer distances do cost more, the average price per mile decreases as the journey length increases, ensuring that you aren't paying excessively.
International shipping will always result in expensive car shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring an automobile overseas & the distance it needs to travel. It may also require special enclosed trailers or even a shipping container for your vehicle.
The route required to take your automobile from its pick-up spot to its delivery spot can also affect the pricing of your car carrier service. Routes with known higher traffic, such as in LA, may end up costing more than quieter roads due to the additional time added to the journey. Similarly, unforeseen circumstances like major roadworks could also incur extra costs from the vehicle moving companies or require a different, longer route.
The speed at which you need your car transportation service to operate can also impact the price. If you are flexible with timings, you may find that your car shipping service charges less, as they can fit your vehicle delivery into their schedule & reduce overheads, passing the savings on to you. However, if you require auto transport within a strict timeframe (often known as expedited shipping), it will typically cost more, as the car transport company may need to dedicate a trailer & driver specifically for your delivery.
The height, length, & width of the vehicle will all affect the cost of transporting your automobile. Car shippers will require larger trailers for bigger vehicles, 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 car, as these can change the size of the trailer required for the delivery.
If your automobile is not in drivable condition, it may make your auto transport more expensive. This is because it may require extra equipment, such as a winch or forklift, to load & unload your car from the trailer. If your vehicle has a locked wheel, for example, it will be impossible to simply roll it onto a trailer & off again, taking more time, effort, & machinery to complete the delivery than a standard car transport service. Most car carriers consider an automobile that can brake, roll, & steer to be in good enough condition to ship easily.
The type of auto transport service you select will also affect the cost of your car shipping. Having someone operate your vehicle to its destination will always be the cheapest option, as you are essentially just paying for the driver's time & fuel, whereas single car trailers & enclosed transport are likely to be more expensive due to the extra equipment required. Enclosed car shipping will always be the most expensive method of shipping an automobile, as it means your vehicle is traveling alone & still needs specialist equipment to load, unload, & protect it during transport.
Depending on where you need the automobile picked up from & dropped off, the price of shipping a car may also increase. Urban areas usually have car shipping services in close proximity, & if it is a common destination route, you will tend to get cheap car 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 vehicle, which can also increase the car shipping cost.
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 car transport company does not offer cargo insurance, it is highly recommended that you seek out & acquire some for your vehicle 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.
Seasonality can also affect the price of car 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 vehicle. Ice, snow, & blizzard conditions can all cause delays on the roads & reduce the maximum speed at which the car delivery service can transport automobiles. 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, so great rates are often available from car shipping services during this month.
Spring is a great time to ship your vehicle with a car transportation service. With improved weather conditions, longer days, & more drivers ready to work, Spring can often mean cheap rates & high availability when it comes to moving your automobile. 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 cheap car shipping during the summer.
Fall is a good time to ship a car if you are looking for a slightly cheaper price. Car shipping companies are less busy, & there is typically more driver availability after the summer rush. However, you are better off looking to move your vehicle in October or November rather than September, as this is peak time for students shipping their cars to university.
How To Ship A Vehicle - Finding An Auto Transport Service
Now that you know more about what car shipping & a car shipping service are & what sort of auto transport service you need, you probably want to go ahead & find a car transport service that is right for you.
The issue is that there are hundreds of car transport companies out there. Trying to find them on Google can result in scrolling through numerous pages trying to find the best car shipping company for 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 of the options & variables involved with finding a car shipping service, actually 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 car that needs shipping, the pickup location & delivery location, & the dates that you need to move the vehicle. This gives the auto transport providers on Shiply enough information to provide you with an accurate quote for your job.
Once your listing is live, you will receive quotes in your Shiply inbox & to your 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 when they are available (if a time frame is given), what insurance they have, & how they would secure your car. We recommend asking any company you may use these questions to ensure that everything goes smoothly & as expected.
Shiply has a feedback & ratings system that we highly recommend looking at before selecting a quote to ship your vehicle. This system allows you to view previous customers' experiences with a company, as well as their overall score.
Why People Often Move Cars To & From Ansonia, Connecticut, US
Ansonia, a city located in New Haven County, Connecticut, is a popular destination for car shipping. Many people move to Ansonia for various reasons, such as job opportunities, family, or a change of scenery. When relocating to Ansonia, individuals often need to transport their vehicles, which is where car shipping services come in handy.
Similarly, people moving out of Ansonia may require car shipping services to transport their vehicles to their new location. Whether it's for a new job, retirement, or other personal reasons, car shipping companies can help make the process of moving a car from Ansonia to another city or state much easier & less stressful.
Ansonia's location in the northeastern United States also makes it a convenient hub for car shipping. Its proximity to major cities like New York, Boston, & Philadelphia means that many car shipping routes pass through or near Ansonia, making it easier & more affordable to transport vehicles to & from the city.
When looking for car shipping services in Ansonia, it's essential to choose a reliable & experienced company. Shiply can help connect you with trustworthy car shipping providers in the Ansonia area, ensuring that your vehicle is transported safely & efficiently to its destination.
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The Benefits Of Using Shiply For Vehicle Transportation
Time-efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each instance you desire an accurate cost from a business on transporting a vehicle, on our site you complete one quotation form & then can obtain quotes based on the information you supply from several companies. This can conserve you hours of effort you would have had to invest phoning companies & inputting details. Communication with these businesses is all feasible through our platform too, allowing you to store all of your vehicle shipping details in a single location.
Cost Comparison - When it comes down to it, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial factor in choosing which auto transport company to utilize to transport your vehicle. The challenging aspect is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average costs & rough estimates, you won't actually be given a definite vehicle transport estimate without having to supply information & fill in details. While this is understandable, it does mean that cost comparison & getting a vehicle transport estimate isn't exactly a simple task. Utilizing Shiply allows you to receive genuine, final price estimates 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 business for you.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping - Auto transport businesses on Shiply are typically able to provide their services for a lower cost than if you went direct to them. This is because they are often looking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already invested the cost for. Say, for example, you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to move your vehicle there. On Shiply, a business may already have a multi-car transporter making that trip 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.
Eco-Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, but it is also more eco-friendly. In the above example, if your vehicle didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate vehicle shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be needed just for your vehicle. 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 lots of people who could have used that transporter to move their vehicles in the other direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are looking to fill their trailers on return trips too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Readying For Your Vehicle To Be Transported
If you have decided on an auto transport business to move your vehicle & feel secure using them, then it's time to ready your vehicle for shipping. We recommend following these steps:
Documents - It is important to ensure that any documents you may need are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your vehicle.
Cleaning - You should take care to remove all personal items from your vehicle prior to shipping, for the obvious reason that you don't want to risk them getting lost or damaged in transit. It is also highly recommended that you clean your vehicle before transport as this will allow you to ascertain its condition & notice any damages that may occur during delivery.
Running Condition - If the vehicle will be driven at any point during shipping or driven home from the drop-off location then you should ensure that it is in running condition. This means ensuring that there is enough fluid, as well as checking battery charge & tire pressure levels. Again this can also help you better judge the condition of the vehicle upon arrival.
Photographic Evidence - One very important thing to do when preparing your vehicle for the car delivery service to pick up is to take high-quality photographs of all parts of the car. This provides you with evidence of the car's condition before shipping should anything happen to it during transport.
What To Do After Delivery
Once the vehicle shipping business you selected has completed their delivery, there are a few things you should do:
Check Vital Signs - Lights, brakes, & engines should all be checked immediately to ensure that the vehicle is in the expected condition, as well as enable you to immediately raise concerns with the vehicle delivery service should anything not be working as it should.
Exterior Condition - You can compare the exterior of the vehicle to the photos taken of it before to ascertain whether any extra damage has occurred. Shipping a vehicle can, in rare cases, cause damage, & you want to be sure your vehicle transport service has not done so.
Check Mileage - This is more relevant to vehicle shipping services where the vehicle is driven to the destination but it can help to check the mileage to ensure that it matches up with the journey taken.
We would greatly appreciate it if you could also leave a review for the auto transport business you used through Shiply so that others can browse vehicle shipping services with the same peace of mind.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Below we have answered some of the most asked questions about vehicle shipping:
How much to ship a vehicle? Vehicle shipping prices can vary drastically depending on the circumstances, but on average a journey should cost you around $2.92 per mile if the journey is less than 200 miles, $0.93 if the journey is between 200 & 500 miles, & if the journey is over 1,000 miles then this drops to $0.78.
What is the most affordable way to ship a vehicle? Having someone drive your vehicle to its destination is the most affordable way to ship a vehicle, however, if you need a trailer then a multi-car transporter will be your best option with regard to the most affordable way to ship a vehicle.
How do I pay for my auto transport? This is down to each individual auto transport business on Shiply & is something you should discuss with your chosen vehicle delivery service before confirming the delivery. Most businesses will be flexible with payment options, however.
Can I track my vehicle transport online? Each vehicle shipping business on Shiply has different ways of operating, but many offer the ability to track your vehicle shipment, with some even able to provide personal updates. If you require tracking, you should message individual vehicle transport businesses to confirm that this is possible with them.
Does someone have to be present for pickup & delivery? In most cases, the vehicle shipping business will require you to be in attendance for the pickup & delivery of the vehicle. This is because there are likely to be release forms that you need to sign, as well as handing over the vehicle keys.
Can I keep items in my vehicle during my vehicle shipment? Most vehicle transport businesses will be fine with you keeping some personal items in the vehicle when it is transported. However, there are two important things to remember: 1. The weight of the items may affect the price of the vehicle shipment, & 2. Any items in the vehicle will not be covered by insurance for the transport of the vehicle itself.
How much gas should I have in my vehicle during transit? Generally, you should aim to have around a quarter of your tank full. This allows for easy loading & unloading of the vehicle but will not add too much extra weight to the vehicle.
Can I ship my vehicle if it isn't running? You can ship your vehicle if it isn't in running condition, however, this will be more expensive as specialist equipment is required to load & unload the vehicle.
Can I ship a modified vehicle? Almost any type of vehicle is able to be shipped on Shiply, with hundreds of transport providers available to bid on your job there will always be someone that is up for the job & has the right equipment to safely carry it out.
If you're looking for reliable & affordable vehicle shipping ansonia or ansonia vehicle shipping services, look no further than Shiply. Our platform connects you with top-rated auto transport businesses, making it easy to compare quotes & find the best deal for your needs.
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