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 spot & transporting it to another. This service proves useful in numerous situations where you are unable to operate the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online & requiring it to be transported to a different state, relocating & needing cross-country vehicle shipping, or moving your automobile overseas when ferries are unavailable.
Luckily, there are various auto transport services accessible to cater to your particular requirements, which we will explore below.
Varieties Of Vehicle Shipping Services
When it comes to vehicle shipping services, there are several crucial choices you must make. Initially, you need to decide where you want your automobile picked up from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or shipping a car to a different state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is a possibility, where designated collection & drop-off points are utilized, frequently at the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases. While this option is typically more affordable, it demands more effort on your part to get the automobile home.
However, most individuals prefer a door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their vehicles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or simply shipping a car to a different state. This option proves more convenient as it eliminates the necessity to collect your automobile from a separate location, which can be challenging without your vehicle.
Vehicle transport services can be categorized into two main groups: having someone operate your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transport.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your vehicle to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether you need to transport a car across the country or to a different state. This method is often more affordable as it doesn't require trailers or an additional vehicle, & it can be quicker due to its simplicity.
However, there are some drawbacks to this approach that lead some individuals to opt for other vehicle transport options. Firstly, mileage is added to your automobile during the journey, which can be significant when shipping a car across the country, although less so when shipping to a nearby state. Secondly, there is a slight risk of harm to your vehicle during the drive. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals buying or selling vehicles online who want to ensure the automobile arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Utilizing a trailer to move your vehicle is a safer option that guarantees a higher level of protection compared to having someone operate your automobile. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value & size of your automobile.
Single trailers are often more expensive as they only transport one vehicle at a time, but they are an excellent choice for moving costly or classic automobiles that you want to safeguard from potential damage. The safest way to transport a vehicle is in a shipping container, although this is the most expensive option.
Multi-car transporters, which can carry several automobiles at once, come in a few 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 vehicles are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, making this option less suitable for highly valuable automobiles. Additionally, long journeys in open trailers pose a higher risk of damage & prolonged exposure to the elements.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple vehicles on a carrier that is enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This option is preferable for more expensive or newer automobiles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during auto transport.
If you need to move your automobile overseas, it's best 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?
The cost of transporting a vehicle varies depending on several factors, but on average, auto transport 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.
However, these are just averages, & your vehicle transport cost may be higher or lower depending on your specific circumstances. The best way to determine the cost of auto transport is to obtain vehicle shipping quotes from various vehicle transport companies, which is easy to do on Shiply.
To get a better idea of what factors can affect the price of vehicle transport services, take a look at the information below.
Factors That Can Influence The Cost Of Vehicle Transport
While we all want affordable vehicle transport, several factors & variables can impact the cost of your vehicle shipping. Let's explore the main ones to help you understand whether your auto transport requirements will be costly or budget-friendly.
As mentioned earlier, distance plays a significant role in determining the cost of your vehicle transport. Cross-state & cross-country journeys are more expensive than interstate vehicle delivery, which is often the most affordable option.
Although longer distances cost more, the average price per mile decreases as the journey length increases, ensuring you're not paying excessively.
International shipping always results in costly vehicle shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring an automobile overseas & the distance it must travel. It may also require special enclosed trailers or even a shipping container for your automobile.
The route required to take your vehicle from its pick-up spot to its delivery location can also affect the pricing of your vehicle carrier service. Routes with known higher traffic, such as in LA, may cost more than quieter roads due to the additional time added to the journey. Similarly, unforeseen circumstances like major roadworks could incur extra costs from the vehicle moving companies or necessitate a different, longer route.
The speed at which you need your vehicle transportation service to operate can also impact the price. If you can be flexible with timings, you may find that your vehicle shipping service charges less, as they can fit your automobile delivery into their schedule & reduce overheads, passing the savings on to you. However, if you require auto transport within a strict timeframe (known as expedited shipping), it will typically cost more, as the vehicle transport company may need to dedicate a trailer & driver specifically for your delivery.
The height, length, & width of the automobile will all affect the cost of transport. Vehicle shippers will require larger trailers for bigger automobiles, with SUVs typically costing more on average to transport than sedans. It's essential to inform the auto transport company about any bike racks, roof racks, or other accessories on the vehicle, as these can change the size of the trailer required for the delivery.
If your vehicle is not in drivable condition, it may increase the cost of your auto transport. This is because it may require extra equipment, such as a winch or forklift, to load & unload your automobile from the trailer. For example, if your vehicle 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 vehicle carriers consider an automobile that can brake, roll, & steer to be in good enough condition to ship easily.
The type of auto transport service you select will also affect the cost of your vehicle shipping. 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. Single vehicle trailers & enclosed transport are likely to be more expensive, as they require extra equipment. Enclosed vehicle shipping is always the most expensive method of shipping an automobile, as it means your vehicle travels alone & still needs specialist equipment to load, unload, & protect it during transport.
The pickup & delivery locations can also increase the price of shipping a vehicle. Urban areas usually have vehicle shipping services in close proximity, & if it's a common destination route, you'll tend to get affordable vehicle shipping. Rural deliveries can cost more, as they require deviations from normal routes & extra mileage for the company. If a pick-up or drop-off point is 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.
While all auto transport companies are required to carry liability insurance, many do not offer 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 automobile are covered by the insurance, & any other questions you may have.
Seasonality can also affect the price of vehicle shipping, with many services costing more to ship an automobile in the winter due to ice & snow slowing the routes. Here is 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 automobiles. 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, & great rates are often available from vehicle 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 vehicle. March is often a better time to ship than April or May; however, there is often a rush to move automobiles 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, & it is 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 vehicle 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 vehicles to university.
How To Transport A Vehicle - Finding An Auto Transport Service
Now that you know more about what vehicle shipping & a vehicle shipping service are & what sort of auto transport service you need, you probably want to go ahead & find a vehicle transport service that is right for you.
The issue is that there are hundreds of vehicle 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, & 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 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 vehicle 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 start 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 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 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 Vehicles To & From Cleveland Heights, Ohio, US
Cleveland Heights, located in Ohio, US, is a popular destination for people moving their automobiles. Many individuals relocate to Cleveland Heights for various reasons, such as job opportunities, education, or a change of scenery. When moving to a new city, it's often necessary to transport your automobile, & vehicle shipping companies play a crucial role in facilitating this process.
Similarly, people moving out of Cleveland Heights may need to ship their vehicles to their new location. Whether it's for a new job, family reasons, or simply a desire to explore a different part of the country, vehicle shipping services make it possible to transport automobiles safely & efficiently.
The presence of reliable vehicle shipping companies in Cleveland Heights ensures that residents can easily move their automobiles to & from the city without the hassle of driving long distances or worrying about the wear & tear on their vehicles during the journey.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Auto Transport in Cleveland Heights
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each time you desire an accurate price from a company on Cleveland Heights auto transport, on our platform, you complete one quotation form and can then receive estimates based on the information you supply from several companies. This can save you hours 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 auto shipping details in one location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the auto shipping estimate is the most crucial factor in choosing which vehicle transport company to employ to transport your automobile. The challenging aspect is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices and rough estimates, you won't receive a definite auto transport quote without having to give information and fill in details. While this is understandable, it means that price comparison and obtaining an auto transport quote is not exactly a simple task. Utilizing Shiply allows you to receive authentic, final price estimates from auto shipping 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 Auto Shipping - Vehicle transport companies on Shiply are typically able to offer their services for a lower cost than if you went directly to them. This is because they are often looking to fill space on trips they are already making and have already invested the cost for. For example, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York and needed to transport your car there, a company on Shiply 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 vehicle transport by using our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for vehicle 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 and instead, you arranged transport from a separate auto shipper, then the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be needed just for your car. Similarly, many auto 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 vehicle 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 Your Vehicle for Shipping
If you have chosen a vehicle transport company to move your car and feel confident using them, then it's time to prepare your automobile 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 and 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 auto 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 auto 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 auto 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 auto transport service has not done so.
Check Mileage - This is more relevant to auto 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 vehicle transport company you used through Shiply so that others can browse auto shipping services with the same peace of mind.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Below we have answered some of the most asked questions about auto shipping:
How much to ship a car?
Auto 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 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 vehicle transport?
This is down to each individual vehicle transport company on Shiply and is something you should discuss with your chosen auto delivery service before confirming the delivery. Most companies will be flexible with payment options, however.
Can I track my auto transport online?
Each auto 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 auto transport companies to confirm that this is possible with them.
Does someone have to be present for pickup and delivery?
In most cases, the auto 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 auto shipment?
Most auto 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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