What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to 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. This service is beneficial in numerous situations where you are unable to operate the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online, relocating to a new residence, or transporting your automobile overseas. Vehicle shipping companies provide a variety of auto transport services to accommodate your unique requirements.
Categories Of Vehicle Transport Services
When selecting a vehicle transport service, you must determine the pickup and delivery locations, whether it's a nationwide car transport or shipping a vehicle to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is a choice where designated collection & drop-off points are utilized, frequently at the car transport company's facilities or operating bases. This choice is typically more affordable but demands more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, most individuals prefer door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their vehicles are collected and dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of the distance.
Vehicle transport services are generally categorized into two types: having someone operate your vehicle to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Engage Someone To Operate Your Vehicle
Engaging someone to operate your vehicle to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether it's across the nation or to another state. The advantages of this approach include lower costs, as trailers and additional vehicles are not necessary, and quicker delivery due to the straightforward nature of the transport. However, there are some drawbacks to this approach, such as increased mileage to your automobile (especially when shipping a vehicle across country) and a slight risk of damage during the journey. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals purchasing or selling vehicles online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Placing your vehicle on a trailer is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone operate your vehicle to its destination. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value and size of your automobile. Single trailers are more expensive as they only transport one vehicle at a time but are a great choice for moving expensive or classic vehicles that you don't want to risk damaging. The safest way to transport a vehicle is in a shipping container, but this is also the most costly option.
Multi-car transporters can transport many vehicles at once and come in a few variants:
- Open vehicle shipping: The most affordable and common choice, where your automobile is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. While all vehicles are safely secured, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, which may not be recommended for highly valuable automobiles. Long journeys in open trailers also run a higher risk of damage.
- Enclosed auto transport: Multiple vehicles are secured on a carrier but are enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, and debris during transit. This choice is often preferable for more expensive or newer automobiles.
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.
What Is The Cost To Ship A Vehicle?
The cost of shipping a vehicle varies depending on several factors, but on average, US auto transport 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. However, these are just averages, and your vehicle transport may cost more or less depending on your specific circumstances. The best way to determine the cost of auto transport is to gather vehicle shipping quotes from various companies, which is easy to do on platforms like Shiply.
Factors That Can Influence The Cost Of Vehicle Transport
Several factors can impact the cost of vehicle shipping, including:
- Distance: Cross-state and cross-country journeys cost more than interstate vehicle delivery, which is often the most affordable option. However, the average price per mile decreases as the journey length increases.
- International shipping: Transporting a vehicle overseas is always more expensive due to the logistics involved and the distance traveled. It may also require special enclosed trailers or shipping containers.
- Route: The route taken from the pick-up spot to the delivery location can affect pricing. Routes with higher traffic or unforeseen circumstances like roadworks may incur extra costs or require longer alternative routes.
- Shipping dates: Flexibility in timings can lead to lower costs, as vehicle shipping companies can fit your delivery into their schedule and reduce overheads. Expedited shipping within a strict timeframe typically costs more.
- Vehicle size: The height, length, and width of the automobile, as well as any accessories like bike racks or roof racks, can change the size of the trailer required and affect the cost.
- Vehicle condition: Non-drivable vehicles may require extra equipment like winches or forklifts to load and unload, increasing the cost of auto transport.
- Auto transport service type: Having someone operate your vehicle is the most affordable option, while single vehicle trailers and enclosed transport are more expensive due to the specialized equipment needed.
- Pickup and delivery locations: Urban areas with common destination routes often have more affordable vehicle shipping, while rural deliveries or hard-to-access spaces may incur additional costs.
- Auto transport insurance: While all auto transport companies must carry liability insurance, additional cargo insurance is recommended and may affect the overall cost.
- Time of year: Seasonality can impact vehicle shipping prices, with winter being the most expensive due to weather-related delays and reduced speeds. Spring and fall are generally more affordable, while summer is the busiest season with higher demand.
How To Ship A Vehicle - Finding A Vehicle Transport Service
With hundreds of vehicle transport companies available, finding the right one can be a daunting task. Searching on Google or through phone books can be time-consuming, and many companies are reluctant to provide pricing without a detailed quote application.
How Can Shiply Assist In Finding Vehicle Transport Companies?
Shiply simplifies the process of finding a vehicle shipping service. By filling out a simple form with your vehicle's make and model, pickup and delivery locations, and desired shipping dates, you can receive quotes from auto transport providers on Shiply. Quotes can start arriving within minutes of posting your listing, and it's recommended to wait for a few options before making a decision.
Once you have received quotes, you can ask the companies questions about availability, insurance, and how they secure your vehicle during transport. Shiply's feedback and ratings system allows you to view previous customers' experiences and overall scores, helping you make an informed decision when selecting a vehicle shipping company.
Why People Frequently Move Vehicles To & From Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell, situated in northwest Montana, is a popular destination for vehicle shipping due to various reasons. Many individuals relocate to Kalispell for its breathtaking natural beauty, outdoor recreational opportunities, and friendly small-town atmosphere. The city is surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, Flathead Lake, and Glacier National Park, attracting nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Kalispell is also home to a growing economy, with industries such as healthcare, tourism, and manufacturing providing job opportunities. As a result, people often relocate to Kalispell for work, necessitating the need for vehicle shipping services. Additionally, Kalispell's proximity to the Canadian border makes it a convenient location for those moving between the United States and Canada, further increasing the demand for vehicle shipping to and from the area.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Auto Transport in Kalispell
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each instance you desire an accurate cost from a business for transporting a vehicle, on our site you complete one quotation form & can then obtain estimates based on the information you supply from several companies. This can conserve you hours of effort you would have spent phoning businesses & inputting details. Communication with these firms is also feasible via our platform, allowing you to store all your Kalispell auto transport data in a single location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial aspect in choosing which car transport company to employ to transport your automobile. The challenge is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite auto transport quote without having to input information & complete details. Although this is reasonable, it means that cost comparison & obtaining a vehicle transport estimate isn't precisely a simple process. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from auto shipping companies & compare them in one place, offering the opportunity to message them individually to inquire about any concerns you may have & ultimately choose the optimal company for your needs.
Affordable Auto Shipping - Car transport businesses on Shiply can usually provide their services at a reduced rate compared to going directly to them. This is because they are frequently seeking to occupy space on trips they are already making & have already invested the expense for. For instance, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to transport your vehicle there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that trip with 5 of the 6 spots occupied, & they are simply looking to ensure they aren't wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, & pick-up/drop-off locations are suitable for you, you can often save up to 75% on car transport by utilizing our service.
Eco-Friendlier - Not only is using Shiply for car transport more affordable, but it is also more environmentally friendly. In the previous example, if your vehicle didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate auto shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be required just for your automobile. 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 car transporters on Shiply are also looking to fill their trailers on return trips, meaning even less wasted CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Preparing Your Vehicle for Shipping
If you have selected an auto transport company to transport your vehicle & feel confident using them, then it's time to get your car ready for shipping. We suggest 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 before 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 & 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, & 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, & 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, & 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 & 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 & 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, & 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 & 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.
,378 words
