What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to as auto shipping or car transport, is a service offered by vehicle shipping companies that involves collecting your automobile from one spot & transporting it to another. It's beneficial for moving a vehicle in various circumstances where you can't operate the car yourself. For instance, you might be buying or selling a used automobile online & need to transport it to another state, or maybe you've recently moved & need to ship your vehicle across the nation. Auto shipping services can also be extremely useful when you need to transfer your car overseas & boats aren't available, requiring you to rely on a vehicle transport company to manage the job.
Luckily, there are numerous automobile transport services available to satisfy your specific requirements, which we'll discuss below.
Types Of Vehicle Shipping Services
Below, we've outlined the various vehicle transport services available. It's advantageous to read through & determine the precise type of auto transportation service you require or prefer for transporting your automobile.
The first decision you need to make is where you want your vehicle picked up from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country car shipping or moving a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated collection & drop-off points, often the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases, are used. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is usually less expensive but requires more effort on your part to get the automobile home. However, most people require a door-to-door vehicle transport delivery service, where their cars are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of whether it's a cross-country car shipping or just moving an automobile to another state. This is often preferable as it eliminates the need to go somewhere else to collect your vehicle, which can be challenging without your car in the first place!
Vehicle transport services generally fall into two categories: having someone operate your car to the destination or putting it on a trailer & shipping it.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
This straightforward solution to vehicle shipping involves hiring someone to drive your automobile to the desired location, whether you need to transport a car across the country or to another state. The advantages of this auto transport method are that it's often less expensive, as trailers & an extra vehicle aren't required, & it can be faster due to the simple nature of the shipping.
However, there are some drawbacks to this method offered by vehicle shipping companies that lead some people to choose other types of car transport. Firstly, mileage is added to your automobile during the journey, meaning that if you're moving a car across the country, significant miles will be added, although less so when simply transporting a car to a nearby state. Secondly, there's a slight risk of damage occurring to your vehicle while it's being driven from point A to point B. These concerns are particularly worrisome for people buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the automobile 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 car to its destination. With vehicle shipping 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 car at a time but are a great choice if you're moving an expensive or classic automobile that you don't want to risk getting damaged. The safest way to ship a car is to put it in a shipping container, but this is by far the most costly option. The other option is a multi-car transporter, which can move many vehicles at once & comes in a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping by any car transport company is the least expensive & most common option when moving an automobile. Your car is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. All vehicles are securely fastened, but as the name suggests, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, so vehicle shipping companies may not recommend this for highly valuable automobiles. Furthermore, while it may be the least expensive way to transport a car cross-country, long journeys in open trailers obviously run a higher risk of damage & leave your vehicle exposed to the elements for longer periods.
Enclosed auto transport involves multiple vehicles secured on a carrier, but they are enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This is often preferable for more expensive or newer automobiles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during vehicle transport.
If you need to move your car overseas through a vehicle transport company, try to find a specialist service on our platform or one with experience in overseas automobile shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
How Much Does It Cost To Transport A Vehicle?
Several variables affect the cost of moving a car, but on average, US vehicle transport companies 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.
These figures are just averages for automobile moving companies, & your vehicle transport may cost more or less depending on the circumstances. The best way to find out how much auto shipping will cost you is to collect car transport quotes from vehicle shipping companies, which is easy to do on Shiply.
If you want to get an idea of how much you can expect your automobile delivery to cost, take a look below at the factors that can affect the price of vehicle transport services.
Factors That Can Affect The Cost Of Vehicle Transport
We all want inexpensive car shipping, but several factors & variables can affect how much your vehicle transport will cost. Below, we'll outline the main ones so you can get a rough idea of whether your auto shipping requirements will be expensive or cheap.
As mentioned earlier, distance is one of the factors that significantly impacts how much your vehicle transport will cost, with cross-state & cross-country journeys costing much more than interstate automobile delivery, which is often the least expensive car shipping option.
While longer distances do cost more, fortunately, the average price per mile drops as the journey lengthens, ensuring you aren't paying excessively.
International shipping always results in expensive vehicle shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring a car overseas & the distance it needs to travel. It may also require special enclosed trailers or even a shipping container for your automobile.
Route - Along with distance, the route required to take your vehicle from its pick-up spot to its delivery spot can 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 added time. Likewise, unforeseen circumstances like major roadworks could also incur extra costs from the automobile moving companies or necessitate a different, longer route.
Shipping Dates - How quickly you need your vehicle transportation service to operate can also affect the price. For example, if you can be flexible with timings, you may find that your car shipping service charges significantly less because they can fit your automobile 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 you more, as the vehicle transport company may need to dedicate a trailer & driver solely for your delivery.
Vehicle Size - The height, length, & width of the automobile will all affect the cost of transporting your vehicle. Car shippers will require larger trailers for bigger vehicles, with SUVs typically costing more on average to transport than sedans. Additionally, always inform the auto transport company about any bike racks, roof racks, or other accessories on the car, as these can also change the size of the trailer required for the delivery.
Vehicle Condition - 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. For example, if your vehicle has a locked wheel, 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.
Auto Transport Service Type - The type of vehicle transport service you select will also affect the cost of your car shipping. Having someone operate your automobile to its destination will always be the least expensive option, as you are essentially just paying for a driver's time & fuel, whereas single car trailers & enclosed transport are likely to be more expensive due to the extra equipment required. Enclosed vehicle shipping will always be the most expensive method of moving a car, as it means your automobile travels alone & still needs specialist equipment to load, unload, & protect it during transport.
Locations Of Pickup & Delivery - Depending on where you need the vehicle picked up from & dropped off, the price of shipping a car may increase. Urban areas usually have car shipping services in close proximity, & if it's a common destination route, you will tend to get inexpensive 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 automobile, which can also increase the vehicle shipping cost.
Auto Transport Insurance - While all vehicle 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 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 car shipping, with many services costing more to transport a vehicle 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 car 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 automobile with a vehicle transportation service. With improved weather conditions, longer days, & more drivers ready to work, Spring can often mean inexpensive rates & high availability when it comes to moving your car. March is often a better time to ship than April or May; however, there is often a rush to move vehicles 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 inexpensive car shipping during the summer.
Fall is a good time to ship a vehicle if you are looking for a slightly less expensive 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 automobile 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 A Vehicle Transport Service
Now that you know more about what vehicle shipping & a car shipping service are & what sort of auto transport service you need, you probably want to go ahead & actually try to find a vehicle transport service that is going to be 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 trying to find the best car shipping company for the best price, & the same is true if you were going to go through phone books. Furthermore, many of these companies are reluctant to give you pricing, meaning you will most likely need to apply for a quote & fill out details with each of them individually, which can become very time-consuming.
How Can Shiply Help Find Vehicle 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 get started with collecting quotes. All we need from you are the make & model of the vehicle that needs shipping, the pickup location & delivery location, & the dates that you need to move the automobile. This gives the auto transport providers on Shiply enough information to be able 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 pick from.
Once you have a few, you can ask them 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 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 view their overall score.
Why People Often Move Vehicles To & From Emmett, Idaho, US
Emmett, Idaho, US is a small city located in Gem County, known for its scenic beauty & outdoor recreational activities. Many people move automobiles to & from Emmett for various reasons. Some may be relocating to Emmett for work or family reasons & need to transport their vehicles. Others may be selling or purchasing a car from someone in Emmett & require vehicle shipping services to complete the transaction. Emmett's proximity to Boise, the state capital, also makes it a popular choice for those looking to live in a more rural setting while still being close to urban amenities. In such cases, car shipping emmett or emmett car shipping services can help facilitate a smooth transition.
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The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Emmett
Time-Saving - Instead of completing a quotation form each time you desire a precise price from a company on transporting your automobile, on our platform you simply complete one quotation form & then can receive quotes based on the information you provide from several businesses. This can save you hours of time you would've had to spend phoning companies & filling out forms.
Communication with these businesses is all possible through our platform too, allowing you to keep all of your vehicle shipping info in one location.
Price Comparison for Emmett Vehicle Shipping
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 transport your automobile. The tricky thing is that, while most businesses are happy to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't actually be given a firm vehicle transport quote without having to provide information & fill out details. While this is understandable, it does mean that price comparison & getting a vehicle transport quote isn't exactly a simple task.
Utilizing Shiply allows you to get 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 business for you.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping Emmett
Auto transport businesses on Shiply are typically able to offer their services for a lower fee 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 sunk the cost for. Say, for example, you were moving from Los Angeles to New York & needed to move your automobile there. On Shiply, a company 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.
Better For The Enviroment
Not only is using Shiply for auto transport cheaper, but it is also better for the enviroment. In the above example, if your automobile 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 automobile!
Similarly, many vehicle transporters return from a delivery empty-handed, which is not only costly for them but also for the enviroment as there are lots of 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 trips too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued cheap transport for our users.
Preparing Your Automobile For Shipping
If you have decided on an auto transport company to move your automobile & feel secure using them, then it's time to prepare your automobile 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 see 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 vehicle delivery service to pick up is to take high-quality photographs of all parts of the automobile. This provides you with evidence of the automobile's condition before shipping should anything happen to it during transport.
What To Do After Delivery
Once the vehicle shipping company 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 automobile 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 see whether any extra damage has occurred. Shipping an automobile 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 automobile is driven to the destination but it can help to check the mileage to ensure that it matches up with the trip taken.
We would greatly appreciate it if you could also leave a review for the auto transport company 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 an automobile? Vehicle shipping prices can vary drastically depending on the circumstances, but on average a trip should cost you around $2.92 per mile if the trip is less than 200 miles, $0.93 if the trip is between 200 & 500 miles, & if the trip is over 1,000 miles then this drops to $0.78.
What is the cheapest way to ship an automobile? Having someone drive your vehicle to its destination is the cheapest way to ship an automobile, however, if you need a trailer then a multi-car transporter will be your best option with regard to the cheapest way to ship an automobile.
How do I pay for my auto transport. This is down to each individual auto transport company on Shiply & is something you should discuss with your chosen vehicle delivery service before confirming the delivery! Most companies will be flexible with payment options, however.
Can I track my vehicle transport online? Each vehicle shipping company 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 companies to confirm that this is possible with them.
Does someone have to be present for pickup & delivery. In most cases, the vehicle shipping company 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 automobile keys.
Can I keep items in my vehicle during my vehicle shipment? Most vehicle transport companies 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 automobile 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!
