What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also known as car shipping or auto transport, is a service offered by vehicle shipping companies that involves collecting your automobile from one location & transporting it to another. It's beneficial for moving a vehicle in various situations 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 perhaps you've recently moved & need to ship your vehicle across the country. Auto transport services can also be extremely useful when you need to transfer your car overseas & ferries aren't available, requiring you to rely on a vehicle shipping company to manage the task.
Luckily, there are numerous vehicle 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 shipping 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 collected from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country car shipping or moving a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal vehicle delivery is an option, where designated collection & drop-off points, often the auto transport company's stores or operating bases, are used. Terminal-to-terminal vehicle delivery is usually more affordable but requires more effort on your part to get the automobile home. However, most people require 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 auto transport or just moving a car to another state. This is often preferable as it eliminates the need to go somewhere else to collect your automobile, which can be challenging without your vehicle in the first place!
Auto transport services generally fall into two categories: having someone operate your vehicle 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 operate your automobile to the desired location, whether you need to transport a car across the country or to another state. The advantages of this car shipping method are that it's often more affordable, as trailers & an extra vehicle aren't required, & it can be faster due to the simple nature of the transport.
However, there are some drawbacks to this method offered by auto transport companies that lead some people to choose other types of vehicle shipping. 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 vehicle to a nearby state. Secondly, there's a slight risk of damage occurring to your automobile while it's being operated from point A to point B. These concerns are particularly worrisome 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
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 shipping trailers, there are several options available depending on the value & size of your automobile.
First, 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're moving an expensive or classic car that you don't want to risk getting damaged. The safest way to ship a vehicle 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 automobiles at once & comes in a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping by any auto transport company is the most affordable & most common option when moving a car. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & operated to the destination. All vehicles are securely fastened, but as the name suggests, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, so car shipping companies may not recommend this for highly valuable automobiles. Furthermore, while it may be the most affordable 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 vehicle transport involves multiple automobiles 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 vehicles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during car shipping.
If you need to transfer your automobile overseas through a vehicle transport company, try to find a specialist service 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 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 car shipping will cost you is to collect auto transport quotes from vehicle shipping companies, which is easy to do on Shiply.
If you want to estimate how much you can expect your vehicle delivery to cost, consider the factors that can affect the price of car transport services, which we'll discuss below.
Factors That Can Affect The Cost Of Vehicle Transport
We all want affordable car shipping, but several factors & variables can impact the cost of your vehicle transport. Below, we'll outline the main ones so you can get a rough idea of whether your auto transport requirements will be expensive or cheap.
As mentioned earlier, distance is a significant factor 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 most affordable car shipping option.
While longer distances do cost more, fortunately, the average price per mile decreases as the journey length increases, ensuring you're not paying excessively.
International shipping always results in expensive car shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring a vehicle 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 collection 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. Similarly, 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. This is because they can fit your automobile delivery into their schedule & reduce overheads, passing the savings on to you. However, if you require car transport within a strict timeframe (often known as expedited shipping), it will typically cost more due to the vehicle shipping company likely having 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 automobiles, with SUVs typically costing more on average to transport than sedans. Additionally, always inform the vehicle 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 car transport more expensive. This is because it may require extra equipment, such as a winch or forklift, to load & unload your vehicle from the trailer. For example, if your car 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 vehicle 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 most affordable option, as you're essentially just paying for a driver's time & fuel. In contrast, single car trailers & enclosed transport are likely to be more expensive, as they require extra equipment. 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 collected from & dropped off, the price of shipping a car may also increase. Urban areas usually have car shipping services in close proximity, & if it's a common destination route, you'll tend to get affordable car shipping. Rural deliveries can cost more, as they require deviations from normal routes & 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 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's not required by law. If a car shipping company does not offer cargo insurance, it's 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's 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 an automobile 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 affordable 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's also a very popular time to move house. This means that June, July & August are all busy months for the auto transport industry, & you should not expect affordable car shipping during the summer.
Fall is a good time to ship a vehicle if you're looking for a slightly more affordable price. Car shipping companies are less busy & there is typically more driver availability after the summer rush. However, you're better off looking to move your automobile in October or November rather than September, as this is peak time for students shipping their cars to university.
How To Transport A Vehicle - Finding An Auto Transport Service
Now that you know more about 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's right for you.
The issue is that there are hundreds of car shipping 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, & 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 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 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 also 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 Cars To & From Ashland, Kentucky, US
Ashland, Kentucky, US is a city located in the northeastern part of the state, along the Ohio River. People often move vehicles to & from Ashland for various reasons. One common reason is relocation, either for work or personal reasons. When individuals or families move to Ashland, they may need to transport their automobiles using car shipping services. Similarly, when people move away from Ashland, they may require vehicle shipping to take their cars with them to their new location.
Another reason people might ship vehicles to or from Ashland is for buying or selling automobiles. If someone in Ashland purchases a car from another state or if an Ashland resident sells a vehicle to someone in a different location, car shipping services can facilitate the transaction by safely transporting the automobile to its new owner.
Additionally, Ashland is home to several auto dealerships, which may require vehicle shipping services to transport new or used cars to their inventory or to deliver automobiles to customers who have purchased them from out of state.
Overall, the need for car shipping in Ashland, Kentucky, US arises from various situations related to relocation, buying & selling vehicles & the presence of auto dealerships in the area.
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The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Ashland
Time-Efficient - Instead of completing a quotation form each time you require an exact price from a company on transporting a vehicle, on our platform you complete one quotation form & then can receive quotes based on the information you supply from several businesses. This can save you a significant amount of time you would have spent phoning companies and completing forms. Communication with these businesses is also possible through our platform, allowing you to store all of your "ashland car shipping" details in a single location.
Price Comparison - Ultimately, the expense of the car shipping estimate is the most crucial factor in choosing which auto transport company to employ to transport your vehicle. The challenging aspect is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices and rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite car transport quote without having to supply information and complete details. While this is understandable, it means that price comparison and obtaining a car transport quote isn't exactly a simple task. Utilizing Shiply allows you to obtain genuine, final price estimates from "car shipping ashland" 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 Car Shipping - Auto transport companies on Shiply are typically able to provide their services for a lower cost than if you went directly to them. This is because they are often seeking to fill space on journeys they are already making and have already invested the cost for. For example, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to transport your car there, on Shiply, a company 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 - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, but it is also more environmentally friendly! In the above example, if your car didn't get on that multi-car transporter & 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 car. 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 cars in the opposite direction! Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are looking to fill their trailers on return journeys too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Readying Your Car for Shipping - If you have chosen an auto transport company to transport your car and feel confident using them, then it's time to prepare your car for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Documents - It is crucial 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 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 & tire pressure levels. Again this can also help you better assess 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & has the right equipment to safely carry it out.
