What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to as auto shipping or car 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 maybe you've recently moved & need to ship your vehicle across the country. Vehicle transportation services can also be extremely useful when you need to transport your car overseas & ferries aren't available, requiring you to rely on an auto 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 Car Shipping Services
Below, we've outlined the various car shipping services available. It's advantageous to read through & determine the precise type of automobile transportation service you require or prefer for transporting your vehicle.
The first decision you need to make is where you want your automobile collected from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or moving a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated collection & drop-off points, often the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases, are used. Terminal-to-terminal auto 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 vehicle transport or just moving a car to another state. This is often preferable as it eliminates the need to go somewhere else to retrieve your automobile, which can be challenging without your vehicle in the first place!
Vehicle transportation services generally fall into two categories: having someone operate your car 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 car to the desired location, whether you need to transport a vehicle across the country or to another state. The advantages of this auto shipping method are that it's often more affordable, as trailers & an extra automobile aren't required, & it can be faster due to the straightforward nature of the transport.
However, there are some drawbacks to this method offered by vehicle transportation companies that lead some people to choose other types of car shipping. Firstly, mileage is added to your automobile during the journey, meaning that if you're moving a vehicle across the country, significant miles will be added, although less so when simply transporting a car 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 relevant for people buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Put Your Automobile 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 car to its destination. With vehicle shipping trailers, there are several options available depending on the value & size of your automobile.
Firstly, 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 damaging. 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 car transport company is the most affordable & most common option when moving a vehicle. Your automobile 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 vehicle shipping companies may not recommend this for highly valuable automobiles. Furthermore, while it may be the most affordable way to transport a vehicle cross-country, long journeys in open trailers obviously pose a higher risk of damage & leave your car exposed to the elements for extended periods.
Enclosed auto shipping involves multiple vehicles 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 automobiles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during car shipping.
If you need to move your automobile overseas through a car shipping company, try to find a specialist service on our platform or one with experience in overseas vehicle transportation, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
Why People Often Move Vehicles To & From Los Alamos, New Mexico
Los Alamos, New Mexico, is a popular destination for vehicle shipping due to its unique location & the presence of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Many people relocate to Los Alamos for work at the laboratory or other related industries, often requiring them to transport their automobiles to their new home. Additionally, Los Alamos is situated in a relatively remote area, making it more convenient for residents to have their vehicles shipped rather than driving long distances themselves. Car transportation companies frequently handle shipments to & from Los Alamos, ensuring that residents can easily move their automobiles when relocating to or from the area.
How Much Does It Cost To Transport A Vehicle?
Several variables influence the cost of moving a vehicle, but on average, car shipping companies in the US 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 obtain vehicle transportation quotes from auto transport companies, which is easy to do on Shiply.
If you want to get an idea of how much you can expect your automobile delivery to cost, consider the factors that can affect the price of vehicle transport services, which we'll discuss below.
Factors That Can Affect The Cost Of Car Shipping
We all want affordable vehicle transport, but several factors & variables can impact the cost of your car shipping. Below, we'll outline the main ones so you can get a rough idea of whether your auto shipping requirements will be expensive or cheap.
As mentioned earlier, distance is one of the key factors that will significantly influence the cost of your vehicle transport, with cross-state & cross-country journeys costing much more than interstate automobile delivery, which is often the most affordable option.
While longer distances do cost more, fortunately, the average price per mile decreases as the journey length increases, ensuring that you aren't paying excessively.
International shipping will always result in expensive vehicle shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring a car overseas & the distance it must 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 location 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 additional time this can add to a journey. 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 impact the price. For example, if you can be flexible with timings, you may find that your car shipping service charges significantly less because they can fit your automobile delivery into their schedule & reduce overheads, passing the savings on to you. However, if you require auto shipping within a strict timeframe (often known as expedited shipping), this will typically cost you more, as the vehicle transport company may need 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 auto shipping 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 automobile is not in a drivable condition, this may increase the cost of your car shipping. 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, requiring more time, effort, & machinery to complete the delivery compared to 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 Shipping Service Type - The type of car shipping service you choose will also affect the cost of your vehicle transportation. 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 & fuel, whereas single car trailers & enclosed transport are likely to be more expensive due to the extra equipment required. Enclosed vehicle shipping will always be the most expensive method of transporting a car, as it means your automobile travels alone & still requires specialist equipment to load, unload, & protect your vehicle during transport.
Locations Of Pickup & Delivery - Depending on where you need the vehicle collected from & dropped off, the price of moving a car may increase. Urban areas usually have vehicle shipping services in close proximity, & if it is a common destination route, you will 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.
Car Shipping Insurance - While all car shipping companies are required to carry liability insurance, many do not offer any 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 & 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 vehicle shipping, with many services costing more to transport a car in the winter due to ice & snow slowing the routes. Here is a quick breakdown of how each season can affect auto shipping costs:
Winter is often the most expensive season to ship your automobile. This is because ice, snow, & blizzard conditions can all cause delays on the roads, as well as 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 transportation 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 automobiles - the days are the longest in the year, students are traveling home from universities, employees take vacations, & it is also a very popular time to move house. This means that June, July, & August are all busy months for the auto shipping industry, & you should not expect affordable car shipping during the summer.
Fall is a good time to ship a vehicle if you are looking for a slightly more affordable price. Vehicle shipping companies are less busy, & 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 shipping their cars to university.
How To Transport A Vehicle - Finding A Car Shipping Service
Now that you know more about what vehicle shipping & a car transportation service are & what sort of auto shipping service you need, you probably want to go ahead & actually try to find a vehicle transport service that is going to be right for you.
The issue is that there are hundreds of vehicle transport companies out there. Trying to find them on Google can end up resulting in scrolling through numerous pages trying to find the best car 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 become very time-consuming.
How Can Shiply Help Find Car Shipping Companies?
Given all of the options & variables involved with finding a vehicle transportation 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 car shipping 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.
In conclusion, when you need vehicle shipping in Los Alamos or any other part of the country, Shiply is here to help you find the best car transport company for your needs. With our easy-to-use platform & wide network of reliable vehicle shipping providers, you can rest assured that your automobile will be in good hands during its journey.
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The Benefits of Using Shiply for Vehicle Transportation
Time-efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each time you desire an accurate cost from a business on transporting a car, on our site you complete one quotation form & then can obtain quotes based on the information you supply from several companies. This can save you hours of time you would have had to invest calling companies & filling in forms. Communication with these businesses is all possible through our platform too, allowing you to store all of your vehicle shipping details in one location.
Cost Comparison - When it comes down to it, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial factor in choosing which auto transport company to employ to transport your car. The challenging aspect is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't actually be given a definite "car shipping los alamos" quote without having to provide information & fill in details. While this is understandable, it does mean that cost comparison & getting a vehicle transport estimate isn't exactly a simple task. Utilizing Shiply allows you to receive genuine, final cost estimates from "los alamos car shipping" companies & compare them in one place, providing the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately decide on the best business for you.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping - Auto transport businesses on Shiply are typically able to offer their services for a lower cost than if you went direct to them. This is because they are often looking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already invested the cost for. Say, for example, you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to move your vehicle there. On Shiply, a business may already have a multi-car transporter making that trip with 5 of the 6 spots filled, & they are just looking to ensure they are not wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, & pick-up/drop-off locations work for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by using our service.
More 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 vehicle 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 trip would be needed just for your automobile. 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 lots of people who could have used that transporter to move their cars 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.
