What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also known as car shipping or auto transport, is a service offered by auto transport companies that involves collecting your vehicle from one location & transporting it to another. This service is beneficial in various situations where you are unable to drive the car yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used vehicle online and need to transport a car to another state, or when you've relocated and require cross-country vehicle shipping. Auto transport services can also be extremely useful when you need to move your vehicle overseas, and unless ferries are available, you'll need to depend on a car shipping company to manage this for you.
Luckily, there are several vehicle transport services available to fulfill your requirements, which we have detailed below.
Types Of Car Shipping Services
When it comes to car shipping services, there are a few choices to consider. It's crucial to determine precisely what type of auto transportation service you require or prefer to transport your vehicle.
First, you must decide where you want your vehicle collected from and delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or shipping a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated collection and drop-off points, often the auto transport company's stores or operating bases, are used. This choice is usually more affordable but requires more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, most people prefer a door-to-door car shipping delivery service, where their vehicles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or just shipping a car to another state. This is often more convenient as it eliminates the need to travel 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 drive your car to the destination or putting it on a trailer and moving it.
Have Someone Drive Your Vehicle
This straightforward solution to vehicle shipping involves hiring someone to drive your car to its destination, whether you need to transport a car across the country or to another state. The benefits of this car transport method include lower costs, as trailers and an extra vehicle are not required, and faster delivery due to the simplicity of the transport.
However, there are some drawbacks to this method offered by auto shipping companies that lead some people to choose other types of vehicle transport. Firstly, mileage is added to your car during the journey, which can be significant when transporting a car across the country, although less so when shipping a car to a nearby state. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your vehicle while it is being driven 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 vehicle in a trailer is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone drive your car to its destination. With auto shipping trailers, there are several options available depending on the value and size of your vehicle.
First, you need to decide whether you want a single trailer for your car. These are often more expensive as they only move one vehicle at a time but are a great choice if you are transporting an expensive or classic car that you don't want to risk damaging. The safest way to move a car 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 vehicles at once and comes in a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping by any auto shipping company is the cheapest and most common option when moving a car. Your vehicle is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. All cars are securely fastened, but as the name suggests, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, so auto shipping companies may not recommend this for highly valuable vehicles. Furthermore, while it may be the cheapest way to transport a car cross-country, long journeys in open trailers obviously pose a higher risk of damage and leave your vehicle exposed to the elements for longer periods.
Enclosed car transport involves securing multiple vehicles on a carrier, but they are enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, and debris during transit. This is often preferable for more expensive or newer cars where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during auto transport.
If you need to move your car overseas through a car transport company, 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?
Several variables affect the cost of transporting a car, but on average, US car shipping companies 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 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 vehicle shipping quotes from car 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 auto transport services, which we will outline below.
Factors That Can Affect The Cost Of Car Transport
We all want affordable vehicle transport, but several factors and variables can impact the cost of your car shipping. Below, we will lay out 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 is one of the factors that significantly influences the cost of your vehicle transport, with cross-state and cross-country journeys costing much more than interstate car delivery, which is often the cheapest auto shipping option.
While longer distances do cost more, fortunately, the average price per mile drops as the journey length increases, ensuring you aren't paying excessively.
International shipping always results in expensive vehicle shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring a car 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 car from its collection 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 added time. Likewise, unforeseen circumstances like major roadworks could also incur extra costs from the vehicle 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 auto shipping service charges significantly less. This is because they can fit your vehicle delivery into their schedule and reduce overheads, passing the savings on to you. However, if you require car transport within a strict timeframe (often known as expedited shipping), this will typically cost you more, as the auto transport company may need to dedicate a trailer and driver solely for your delivery.
Vehicle Size - The height, length, and width of the car will all affect the cost of moving your vehicle. Auto shippers will require larger trailers for bigger vehicles, with SUVs typically costing more on average to transport than sedans. Additionally, always inform the car transport company about any bike racks, roof racks, or other accessories on the vehicle, as these can also change the size of the trailer required for the delivery.
Vehicle Condition - If your car is not in a drivable condition, this may make your vehicle transport more expensive. This is because it may require extra equipment, such as a winch or forklift, to load and 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 and off again, taking more time, effort, and machinery to complete the delivery than a standard auto transport service. Most vehicle carriers consider a car that can brake, roll, and steer to be in good enough condition to ship easily.
Car Transport Service Type - The type of car transport service you select will also affect the cost of your vehicle shipping. Having someone drive your car to its destination will always be the cheapest option, as you are essentially just paying for the driver's time and fuel. In contrast, single car trailers and enclosed transport are likely to be more expensive, as they require extra equipment. Enclosed vehicle shipping is always the most expensive method of transporting a car, as it means your vehicle travels alone and still needs specialist equipment to load, unload, and protect your car during transport.
Locations Of Pickup And Delivery - The locations of the vehicle pickup and drop-off may also increase the price of shipping a car. Urban areas usually have auto 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 collection or drop-off point is also in an unusual or hard-to-access space, extra steps may be needed to load your vehicle, which can also increase the auto shipping cost.
Car Transport Insurance - While all car transport companies are required to carry liability insurance, many do not offer additional insurance, as it is not required by law. If an auto transport company does not offer cargo insurance, it is highly recommended that you seek out and 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 car 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 a car in the winter due to ice and snow slowing the routes. Here is a quick breakdown of how each season can affect car transport costs:
Winter is often the most expensive season to ship your car. 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 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 auto shipping costs. However, February is usually quiet, so great rates are often available from auto shipping services during this month.
Spring is a great time to ship your car 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 cars 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 car transport industry, and you should not expect cheap vehicle shipping during the summer.
Fall is a good time to ship a car if you are looking for a slightly cheaper price. Auto 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 vehicle 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 A Car Shipping Service
Now that you know more about what vehicle shipping and an auto shipping service are and what sort of car transport service you need, you probably want to go ahead and actually try to find a vehicle transport service that is going to be right for you.
The issue is that there are hundreds of auto 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 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 and fill out details with each of them individually, which can be very time-consuming.
How Can Shiply Help Find Car Transport Companies?
Given all of the options and variables involved with finding an auto 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 get started with 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 car. This gives the car 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 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 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, 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 car. This system allows you to view previous customers' experiences with a company, as well as view their overall score.
Ames, Iowa, US - Vehicle Shipping
Ames, Iowa, US is a popular location for people to move their cars to and from. As a thriving college town and home to Iowa State University, Ames sees a lot of student traffic, with many students shipping their vehicles to and from the city at the beginning and end of each semester. Additionally, Ames is a growing city with a strong economy, attracting new residents who often need to ship their cars when relocating.
When looking for vehicle shipping ames or ames auto shipping services, it's important to consider the factors mentioned earlier, such as distance, route, shipping dates, vehicle size, and condition. By using a platform like Shiply, you can easily compare quotes from multiple auto shipping companies and find the best option for your needs and budget.
Whether you're a student moving to Ames for school, a new resident relocating for work, or simply need to transport your car to or from the city, there are plenty of reliable vehicle shipping services available to help you get your car where it needs to go safely and efficiently.
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The Benefits of Using Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Ames
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each instance you desire an accurate cost from a business for vehicle transport in Ames, on our site you complete a single quotation form and can then obtain quotes from various companies based on the information you submit. This can conserve you significant time that you would have otherwise spent contacting companies and completing forms. Communication with these businesses is also feasible through our platform, allowing you to store all your vehicle shipping details in one location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial factor when choosing which auto transport company to employ for your vehicle. The challenge is that while most businesses are willing to provide average prices and rough estimates, you won't receive a definite vehicle transport quote without supplying information and completing details. Although this is reasonable, it means that comparing prices and obtaining a vehicle transport quote is not a straightforward process. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from vehicle shipping companies and compare them in one place, with the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have and ultimately select the optimal company for your needs.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping - Auto transport businesses on Shiply can typically provide their services at a lower cost than if you contacted them directly. This is because they are often seeking to fill space on trips they are already making and have already invested the cost for. For instance, 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 occupied, and they are simply looking to ensure they are not wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, and pick-up/drop-off locations are suitable for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by utilizing our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Using Shiply for auto transport is not only more economical but also more eco-friendly. In the previous example, if your vehicle didn't get on that multi-car transporter and instead, you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be required just for your vehicle. Similarly, many car transporters return from a delivery empty-handed, which is not only expensive for them but also for the environment as there are many individuals who could have utilized that transporter to move their vehicles in the opposite direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are also seeking to fill their trailers on return trips, resulting in even less wasted CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Preparing Your Vehicle for Shipping
If you have chosen an auto transport company to transport your vehicle and feel confident using them, it's time to get your vehicle ready for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Documents - It's 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 before shipping, for the obvious reason that you don't want to risk them getting lost or damaged in transit. It's also highly recommended that you clean your vehicle before transport as this will allow you to assess 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, you should ensure that it is in running condition. This means checking fluid levels, battery charge, and tire pressure. Again, this can also help you better evaluate 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 cheapest 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.
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