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 drive 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 when ferries are unavailable & you must depend on an auto transport company to transport your vehicle.
Luckily, there are numerous vehicle transport services available to cater to your specific requirements, which we will discuss below.
Varieties Of Auto Transport Services
When it comes to auto transport services, there are several options to consider. The initial decision you'll need to make is where you want your vehicle collected from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or shipping an automobile to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated pick-up & drop-off points are utilized, frequently at the vehicle transport company's stores or operating bases. While this option is typically less expensive, it requires more effort on your part to get the vehicle home.
Most individuals, however, 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 just shipping an automobile to another state. This option is more convenient as you don't need to go anywhere to collect your vehicle, which can be challenging without your automobile in the first place!
Vehicle transport services generally fall into two categories: having someone drive your automobile to the destination or putting it on a trailer & transporting it.
Have Someone Drive Your Vehicle
Hiring someone to drive your automobile to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether you need to ship a car across the country or to another state. The benefits of this auto transport method include lower costs, as trailers & extra vehicles are not required, & faster delivery due to the simplicity of the transport.
However, there are some drawbacks to this method offered by vehicle shipping companies that lead some people to choose other types of vehicle transport. Firstly, mileage is added to your automobile during the journey, which can be significant when shipping a car across the country & less so when shipping a car to a nearby state. Secondly, there is a slight risk of damage to your vehicle during the drive. 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 Vehicle On A Trailer
Placing your automobile on a trailer is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone drive your vehicle to its destination. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options, depending on the value & size of your automobile.
You can choose between a single trailer for your vehicle, which is more expensive as it only transports one automobile at a time but is a great option for moving expensive or classic cars that you don't want to risk damaging. The safest way to transport a vehicle is in a shipping container, but this is by far the most expensive option.
Alternatively, you can opt for a multi-car transporter, which can move many vehicles at once & comes in a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping is the cheapest & most common option when transporting an automobile. Your vehicle is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. While all vehicles are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, so vehicle shipping companies may not recommend this option for highly valuable automobiles. Additionally, long journeys in open trailers pose a higher risk of damage & exposure to the elements for extended periods.
Enclosed auto transport involves securing multiple vehicles on a carrier, but they are enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This option is often 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 vehicle 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.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Auto Transport in Bend
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 quotes based on the information you supply from several companies. This can conserve you hours of effort you would have needed to invest phoning companies and completing forms. Communication with these businesses is also feasible via our platform, allowing you to store all of your Bend auto transport details in a single location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle transport estimate is the most crucial aspect in choosing which car shipping 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 give information & complete details. While this is reasonable, it means that cost comparison & getting a vehicle transport estimate isn't precisely a simple process. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final cost quotes from auto transport companies & compare them in one place, offering the capability to message them individually to inquire about any questions you might have & ultimately choose the ideal company for you.
Affordable Auto Transport - Car shipping businesses on Shiply are usually able to provide their services for a reduced rate than if you went directly to them. This is because they are frequently seeking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already invested the cost for. For instance, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to transport your vehicle there, a company on Shiply might already have a multi-car transporter making that trip with 5 of the 6 spots occupied, & they are just aiming 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 shipping 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 people 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 chosen 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 documents you may require are available at pick up or drop off, particularly 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 proof 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, & 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.
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