What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to as car shipping or auto transport, is a service offered by vehicle transportation companies that involves collecting your automobile from one spot & transporting it to another. This service proves useful in numerous situations where operating the vehicle yourself is not practical, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online, relocating to a new residence across the nation, or shipping your automobile overseas. Vehicle transportation companies provide a variety of auto transport services to accommodate different requirements.
Categories Of Auto Transport Services
When selecting an auto transport service, the initial choice you must make is where you want your automobile collected from & delivered to. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an alternative where designated collection & drop-off points, frequently the vehicle transport company's shops or operating bases, are utilized. While this alternative is typically less expensive, it necessitates more effort on your part to get the automobile home. Most individuals, however, opt for door-to-door auto transport delivery, where their automobiles 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.
Vehicle transport services can be broadly classified into two categories: having someone operate your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transportation.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your automobile to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether you need to ship a car across the nation or to another state. This approach is often less expensive as it doesn't necessitate trailers or an additional vehicle, & it can be quicker due to its simplicity. However, there are some drawbacks to consider, such as the addition of mileage to your automobile, especially when shipping a car across the nation, & the slight risk of damage during the journey. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the car arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Placing your automobile on a trailer offers a higher level of safety compared to having someone operate it. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value & size of your automobile. Single trailers, while more costly, are ideal for transporting expensive or classic cars that require extra protection. The safest way to transport a car is in a shipping container, although this is the most expensive option. Multi-car transporters, which can carry several vehicles at once, are available in different variants:
Open vehicle shipping is the most affordable & common option offered by vehicle shipping companies. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & driven to its destination. While all cars are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during transit, making this option less suitable for highly valuable vehicles. Long journeys in open trailers also pose a higher risk of damage.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple cars on a carrier that is enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This option is preferable for more expensive or newer vehicles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage.
If you need to move your automobile overseas, it's best to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas vehicle shipping to provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
The Benefits of Utilizing Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Burlington
Time-Efficient - Instead of completing a quote form each time you desire a precise price from a company on transporting a car, on our platform you simply complete one quote form & then can receive quotes based on the information you supply from several companies. This can save you hours of time you would have spent phoning companies & filling out forms.
Communication with these businesses is all possible via our platform too, allowing you to store all of your vehicle shipping details in a single location.
Price Comparison for Burlington Vehicle Transport
When it comes down to it, the price of the vehicle shipping quote is the most crucial factor in choosing which auto transport company to utilize to transport your vehicle. The tricky thing is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average prices and rough estimates, you won’t actually receive a solid vehicle transport quote without having to give information and complete details. While this is understandable, it does mean that price comparison and getting a vehicle transport quote isn’t exactly a simple task.
Utilizing Shiply allows you to obtain genuine, final price quotes from vehicle shipping companies and compare them in one place, offering 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 Burlington
Auto transport businesses 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 trips they are already making and have already invested the cost for. Say, for example, you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York and needed to move your vehicle 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 work for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by using our service.
Better For The Environment
Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more affordable, but it is also better for the environment. In the above example, if your vehicle didn’t get on that multi-car transporter and instead you arranged transport from a separate vehicle shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be needed just for your vehicle.
Similarly, many vehicle transporters return from a delivery empty-handed, which is not only costly for them but also for the environment as there are lots of people who could have used that transporter to move their vehicles in the other direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are looking to fill their trailers on return trips too, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being released into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users!
Preparing For Your Vehicle To Be Shipped
If you have decided on an auto transport company to move your vehicle and feel secure using them, then it’s time to prepare your vehicle for shipping. We recommend following these steps:
Documents - It is important to ensure that any documents you may need are available at pick up or drop off, especially if you are selling your vehicle.
Cleaning - You should take care to remove all personal items from your vehicle prior to shipping, for the obvious reason that you don’t want to risk them getting lost or damaged in transit. It is also highly recommended that you clean your vehicle before transport as this will allow you to 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 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 car. This provides you with evidence of the vehicle’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, and engines should all be checked immediately to ensure that the vehicle is in the expected condition, as well as enable you to immediately raise concerns with the vehicle delivery service should anything not be working as it should.
Exterior Condition - You can compare the exterior of the vehicle to the photos taken of it before to determine whether any extra damage has occured. Shipping a vehicle can, in rare cases, cause damage, and you want to be sure your vehicle transport service has not done so.
Check Mileage - This is more relevant to vehicle shipping services where the vehicle is driven to the destination but it can help to check the mileage to ensure that it matches up with the 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 a vehicle? 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 and 500 miles, and if the trip is over 1,000 miles then this drops to $0.78.
What is the cheapest way to ship a vehicle? Having someone drive your vehicle to its destination is the cheapest way to ship a vehicle, however, if you need a trailer then a multi-car transporter will be your best option with regard to the cheapest way to ship a vehicle..
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 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 and delivery? In most cases, the vehicle 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 vehicle 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, and 2. Any items in the vehicle will not be covered by insurance for the transport of the vehicle itself.
How much gas should I have in my vehicle during transit? Generally, you should aim to have around a quarter of your tank full. This allows for easy loading 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.