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 various circumstances 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 services provide a practical solution for individuals who require their cars to be transported to another state or across the nation.
Fortunately, there are numerous auto transport services available to cater to your specific requirements. These services accommodate different preferences, budgets, and needs, making it simpler for you to discover a suitable option for your vehicle transportation necessities.
Categories Of Vehicle Transport Services
When it comes to vehicle transport services, there are a few crucial decisions you need to make. First, you must determine the collection and delivery locations for your automobile, whether it's a cross-country car transport or shipping a car to another state. You can choose terminal-to-terminal auto delivery, where designated pick-up and drop-off points are utilized, often at the car transport company's stores or operating bases. While this option is typically more affordable, it requires more effort on your part to get the car home.
Alternatively, most people prefer door-to-door auto transport delivery service, where their vehicles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of the distance. This option is more convenient as it eliminates the need to arrange transportation to collect your vehicle after it has been shipped.
Vehicle transport services can be broadly categorized into two types: having someone operate your car to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transportation.
Hire Someone To Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your vehicle to its destination is a straightforward solution for car shipping, whether you need to ship a car across the country or to another state. This method is often more affordable as it does not require trailers or an extra vehicle, and it can be faster due to its simplicity.
However, there are some drawbacks to this method that may lead some people to choose other car transport options. Firstly, your vehicle will accumulate mileage during the journey, which can be significant when shipping a car across the country. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your car while it is 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 car arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Automobile On A Trailer
Placing your automobile on a trailer is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection compared to having someone operate your vehicle to its destination. Car shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value and size of your vehicle.
Single trailers are often more expensive as they only transport one car at a time, but they are an excellent choice for moving expensive or classic cars that require extra protection. The safest way to transport a car is by placing it in a shipping container, although this is the most expensive option.
Multi-car transporters, which can carry several cars at once, come in a few variants:
- Open car shipping: The most affordable and common option, where your vehicle is placed on an open carrier and driven to the destination. While all cars are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, making this option less suitable for highly valuable vehicles.
- Enclosed auto transport: Multiple cars are secured on a carrier and enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, and 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 vehicle overseas, it's best to find a specialist service or a company with experience in overseas car shipping to provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
What Is The 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 and 500 miles, and $0.78 for journeys over 1,000 miles.
However, these figures are just averages, and your car transport cost may be higher or lower depending on your specific circumstances. To get an accurate estimate, it's best to collect car shipping quotes from multiple car transport companies, which is easily done through platforms like Shiply.
Several factors can influence the cost of auto transport, including:
- Distance: Cross-state and cross-country journeys cost more than interstate car delivery.
- International shipping: Transporting a car overseas is always more expensive due to the logistics involved and the distance traveled.
- Route: Routes with higher traffic or unforeseen circumstances like roadworks can increase the cost and duration of the journey.
- Shipping dates: Flexible timings may result in lower costs, while expedited shipping with strict timeframes typically costs more.
- Vehicle size: Larger vehicles like SUVs cost more to transport than sedans due to the need for bigger trailers.
- Vehicle condition: Non-drivable cars may require extra equipment, increasing the cost of auto transport.
- Auto transport service type: Having someone drive your car is the cheapest option, while enclosed car shipping is the most expensive.
- Pickup and delivery locations: Urban areas with common destination routes often have cheaper car shipping, while rural or hard-to-access locations can increase costs.
- Auto transport insurance: Additional cargo insurance beyond the company's liability insurance is recommended and can affect the overall cost.
- Time of year: Seasonality plays a role, with winter being the most expensive time to ship a vehicle due to weather conditions and holidays.
How To Transport A Vehicle - Discovering A Vehicle Transport Service
With hundreds of car transport companies available, finding the right one can be overwhelming. Searching on Google or through phone books can be time-consuming, and many companies are reluctant to provide pricing without a detailed quote application.
This is where Shiply can help simplify the process of finding auto transport companies.
How Can Shiply Assist In Discovering Vehicle Transport Companies?
Shiply streamlines the process of finding a car shipping service by allowing you to fill out a simple form to start collecting quotes. You only need to provide the make and model of the car, pickup and delivery locations, and the dates you need to move the vehicle. This information enables auto transport providers on Shiply to provide accurate quotes for your job.
Once your listing is live, you'll receive quotes in your Shiply inbox and email. It's recommended to keep email notifications turned on so you can be immediately notified when a new quote arrives. Quotes can start coming in within minutes of posting your listing, but it's advisable to wait for a few options before making a decision.
After receiving a few quotes, you can ask the companies any questions you may have, such as their availability, insurance coverage, and how they secure cars during transport. It's crucial to ask these questions to ensure a smooth and expected experience.
Shiply's feedback and ratings system is another valuable resource when selecting a car shipping company. This system allows you to view previous customers' experiences and overall scores, helping you make an informed decision.
Why People Frequently Transport Vehicles To & From Mentor, Ohio
Mentor, Ohio, is a popular city for car shipping due to its strategic location and thriving economy. Situated along the shores of Lake Erie, Mentor is a hub for various industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and retail. The city's proximity to major highways, such as Interstate 90 and State Route 2, makes it an ideal location for car transport companies to serve.
Many people move to Mentor for job opportunities, as the city is home to several large employers, including Avery Dennison, Steris Corporation, and Cleveland Clinic. When relocating to Mentor, individuals often rely on car shipping services to transport their vehicles safely and efficiently.
Additionally, Mentor is a popular destination for car enthusiasts, with events like the Mentor Cruise-In drawing thousands of visitors each year. Car collectors and enthusiasts from across the country often ship their vehicles to Mentor to participate in these events or to purchase classic and exotic cars from local dealerships.
Whether you're moving to Mentor for work, attending a car event, or simply need to transport your vehicle to or from the city, car shipping companies like Car Shipping Mentor can provide reliable and affordable auto transport services tailored to your needs.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Vehicle Transport Guidance
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 a single quotation form & can then obtain quotes from various companies based on the information you submit. This can conserve you significant time that you would have spent phoning companies & inputting details. Communication with these businesses is also feasible via our platform, allowing you to store all your vehicle transport guidance information in a centralized location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle transport estimate is the most crucial factor when choosing which car shipping company to employ for transporting your automobile. The challenge is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average costs & rough estimates, you won't receive a definite vehicle transport quote without supplying information & completing details. Although this is reasonable, it means that comparing prices & obtaining a vehicle transport estimate is not a simple task. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from vehicle transport companies & compare them in one location, offering the opportunity to message them individually to inquire about any concerns you may have & ultimately select the optimal company for your needs.
Affordable Vehicle Transport - Car shipping businesses on Shiply can typically provide their services at a lower cost than if you contacted them directly. This is because they are often seeking to fill 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 are not wasting any space. As long as the dates, times, & pick-up/drop-off locations are suitable for you, you can frequently save up to 75% on car transport by utilizing our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Using Shiply for car transport is not only more economical but also more eco-friendly. In the previous example, if your vehicle didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate vehicle shipper, the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire trip would be required just for your automobile. Similarly, many vehicle transporters return empty-handed after a delivery, 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 seeking to fill their trailers on return trips, resulting in even less wasted CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Preparing Your Vehicle for Transport
If you have chosen a car transport company to ship your vehicle & feel confident using them, it's time to get your automobile ready for shipping. We suggest following these steps:
Documents - It's 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 during transport. It's also highly recommended that you clean your vehicle before transport, as this will allow you to assess 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, you should ensure that it's in running condition. This means checking fluid levels, battery charge, & tire pressure. Again, this can also help you better evaluate 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 ascertain 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 mentor 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
