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 and conveying it to another. This service is beneficial in various circumstances where you cannot 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 several automobile transport services available to satisfy your specific 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 one option, where designated collection and drop-off points, often the automobile transport company's stores or operating bases, are used. While terminal-to-terminal vehicle delivery is generally more affordable, it does necessitate more effort on your part to get the automobile home.
Most individuals, however, prefer a door-to-door vehicle transport delivery service, where their automobiles are collected and dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of whether it's a cross-country car hauling or just transporting a vehicle to another state. This choice 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 placing it on a trailer for transport.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
One straightforward solution to vehicle shipping is hiring someone to drive your automobile to its destination, whether you need to transport a car across the country or to another state. The advantages 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 from point A to point B. These concerns are particularly relevant for people buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Put Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Placing 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. When it comes to vehicle shipping trailers, there are several options available depending on the value and size of your automobile.
First, you'll 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 they are an excellent choice if you are moving a costly 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. There are a few variants of multi-car transporters:
Open vehicle shipping is the most affordable and common option when transporting an automobile. Your vehicle is placed on an open carrier and driven to the destination. While all automobiles are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, so car hauling companies may not recommend this option for highly valuable vehicles. Additionally, long journeys in open trailers pose a higher risk of damage and expose your automobile to the elements for extended periods, even though it may be the cheapest way to transport a car cross-country.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple automobiles on a carrier, but they are enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, and debris during transit. This choice is often 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 automobile overseas, try 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 based 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, and $0.78 for journeys over 1,000 miles.
These figures are just averages for vehicle moving companies, and your automobile transport may cost more or less depending on your specific circumstances. The best way to determine the cost of auto transport is to obtain vehicle shipping quotes from various car transport companies, which is easy to do on Shiply.
To get an idea of what factors can affect the price of vehicle transport services, take a look at the information below.
Factors That Can Affect The Cost Of Vehicle Transport
While we all want affordable vehicle transport, several factors and variables can impact the cost of your automobile shipping. Below, we'll outline the main ones to help you understand whether your auto transport requirements will be costly or economical.
As mentioned earlier, distance plays a significant role in determining the cost of your vehicle transport, with cross-state and cross-country journeys being more expensive than interstate automobile delivery, which is often the most affordable 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 always results in costly vehicle shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring an automobile overseas and the distance it must travel. It may also require special enclosed trailers or even a shipping container for your vehicle.
Route - Along with distance, the route required to take your automobile from its pick-up spot to its delivery spot can affect the pricing of your vehicle 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 necessitate a different, longer route.
Shipping Dates - The speed at which you need your automobile transportation service to operate can also affect the price. If you can be flexible with timings, you may find that your vehicle shipping service charges significantly less. This is because they can fit your automobile delivery into their schedule and 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 due to the car transport company likely having to dedicate a trailer and driver solely for your delivery.
Vehicle Size - The height, length, and width of the automobile will all affect the cost of transporting your vehicle. Car shippers will require larger trailers for bigger automobiles, 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 vehicle, as these can change the size of the trailer required for the delivery.
Vehicle Condition - If your automobile is not in a drivable condition, it may increase the cost of your auto transport. This is because it may require extra equipment, such as a winch or forklift, to load and unload your vehicle from the trailer. For example, if your automobile has a locked wheel, it will be impossible to simply roll it onto a trailer and off again, requiring more time, effort, and machinery to complete the delivery compared to a standard vehicle transport service. Most vehicle carriers consider an automobile that can brake, roll, and steer to be in good enough condition to ship easily.
Auto Transport Service Type - The type of auto transport service you select will also affect the cost of your vehicle shipping. Having someone operate your automobile to its destination will always be the most affordable option, as you are essentially just paying for the driver's time and fuel. In contrast, single vehicle trailers and enclosed transport are likely to be more expensive, as they require extra equipment. Enclosed vehicle shipping is always the most costly method of transporting an automobile, as it means your vehicle travels alone and still needs specialist equipment to load, unload, and protect it during transport.
Locations Of Pickup And Delivery - The locations of the automobile's pick-up and drop-off points may also increase the price of shipping a vehicle. Urban areas usually have vehicle shipping services in close proximity, and 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 and 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 and 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, which parts of the vehicle are covered by the insurance, and any other questions you may have.
Time Of Year - Seasonality can also affect the price of vehicle shipping, with many services costing more to transport an automobile in the winter due to ice and 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, and blizzard conditions can all cause delays on the roads and reduce the maximum speed at which the vehicle 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 automobile shipping costs. However, February is usually quiet, so 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, and more drivers ready to work, Spring can often mean affordable rates and 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 automobiles from colder to warmer states.
Summer is the prime season for shipping vehicles - the days are the longest in the year, students are traveling home from universities, employees take vacations, and it is also a very popular time to move house. This means that June, July, and August are all busy months for the auto transport industry, and 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 more affordable price. Vehicle shipping companies are less busy, and 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 transporting their vehicles to university.
How To Transport A Vehicle - Finding An Auto Transport Service
Now that you know more about what vehicle shipping and a vehicle shipping service are and what sort of auto transport service you need, you probably want to go ahead and 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 trying to find the best vehicle shipping company for the best price, and 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 and 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 and variables involved with finding a vehicle shipping service, actually searching for and finding the right one can seem like a daunting task, and 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 and model of the vehicle that needs shipping, the pickup location and delivery location, and the dates that you need to move the automobile. 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 and 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, and how they would secure your vehicle. We recommend asking any company you may use these questions to ensure that everything goes smoothly and as expected.
Shiply has a feedback and 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.
Bloomington, Illinois, US - Vehicle Shipping
Bloomington, Illinois, is a city located in the heart of the United States. Many individuals often move automobiles to and from Bloomington for various reasons, such as relocating for work, buying or selling a vehicle, or attending university. When it comes to vehicle shipping Bloomington, there are several options available, including door-to-door and terminal-to-terminal services. Bloomington vehicle shipping companies can help you transport your automobile safely and efficiently, whether you need to ship your car across the country or just to a neighboring state. By using a reliable vehicle shipping service in Bloomington, you can ensure that your automobile arrives at its destination in the same condition as when it was picked up.
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The Advantages of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Bloomington
Time-Efficient - Instead of completing a quotation form each time you require an exact price from a business for transporting a vehicle, on our platform, you complete one quotation form and can then receive quotes from various companies based on the information you submit. This can save you a significant amount of time that you would have spent phoning companies and filling out forms. Communication with these businesses is also possible through our platform, allowing you to keep all of your Bloomington car shipping information in a single location.
Cost Comparison - The Crucial Aspect
Ultimately, the price of the Bloomington vehicle shipping quote is the most crucial factor in selecting which auto transport company to utilize for transporting your vehicle. The challenging aspect is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average prices and rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite vehicle transport quote without having to submit information and fill in details. Although this is understandable, it means that comparing prices and obtaining a vehicle transport quote is not exactly a simple task. Using Shiply enables you to receive genuine, final price quotes from vehicle shipping companies and compare them in one place, providing the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have and ultimately decide on the best company for you.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping - The Budget-Friendly Choice
Auto transport businesses on Shiply can typically offer their services at a lower cost than if you went directly to them. This is because they are often seeking to fill space on trips they are already making and have already invested the cost for. For example, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York and needed to transport your vehicle there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey with 5 of the 6 spots filled, and they are just looking to ensure they are not wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, and pick-up/drop-off locations are convenient for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by using our service!
Environmentally Friendly - The Eco-Conscious Option
Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, but it is also more environmentally friendly. In the above example, if your vehicle didn't get on that multi-car transporter and instead, you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire journey would be needed just for your vehicle. Similarly, many car 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 vehicles in the other direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are also looking to fill their trailers on return journeys, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users!
Readying Your Vehicle for Shipping
If you have chosen an auto transport company to move your vehicle and feel confident using them, then it's time to prepare your vehicle for shipping. We recommend following these steps:
Documents - It is crucial to ensure that any necessary documents are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your vehicle.
Cleaning - You should take care to remove all personal belongings 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 determine its condition and 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 and 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 car shipping company you selected has completed their delivery, there are a few things you should do:
Check Vital Signs - Lights, brakes, and engines should all be checked immediately to ensure that the car is in the expected condition, as well as enable you to immediately raise concerns with the car 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 determine whether any extra damage has occurred. Shipping a car can, in rare cases, cause damage, and you want to be sure your car transport service has not done so.
Check Mileage - This is more relevant to car shipping services where the car 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 company you used through Shiply so that others can browse car shipping services with the same peace of mind!
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Below we have answered some of the most asked questions about car shipping:
How much to ship a car? Car 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 and 500 miles, and if the journey is over 1,000 miles, then this drops to $0.78.
What is the cheapest way to ship a car? Having someone drive your vehicle to its destination is the most affordable way to ship a car; however, if you need a trailer, then a multi-car transporter will be your best option with regard to the cheapest way to ship a car.
How do I pay for my auto transport? This is down to each individual auto transport company on Shiply and is something you should discuss with your chosen car delivery service before confirming the delivery. Most companies will be flexible with payment options, however.
Can I track my car transport online? Each car shipping company on Shiply has different ways of operating, but many offer the ability to track your car shipment, with some even able to provide personal updates. If you require tracking, you should message individual car transport companies to confirm that this is possible with them.
Does someone have to be present for pickup and delivery? In most cases, the car shipping company will require you to be in attendance for the pickup and 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 car keys.
Can I keep items in my vehicle during my car shipment? Most car 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, and 2. Any items in the vehicle will not be covered by insurance for the transport of the car 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 and 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 and 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 and has the right equipment to safely carry it out.
