What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also known as car shipping or auto transport, is a service offered by auto transport companies that involves collecting your vehicle from one location & transporting it to another. It's beneficial for moving a car in various situations where you can't drive the automobile yourself. For instance, you might be buying or selling a used vehicle online & need to transport it to another state, or perhaps you've recently moved & need to ship your car across the country. Auto transport services can also be extremely helpful when you need to transfer your vehicle overseas & ferries aren't available, requiring you to rely on a car shipping company to manage the task.
Luckily, there are several vehicle transport services available to meet your specific requirements, which we'll discuss below.
Types Of Car Shipping Services
Below, we've outlined the different car shipping services available. It's advantageous to read through & determine the exact type of auto transportation service you require or prefer for transporting your vehicle.
The first decision you need to make is where you want your automobile picked up from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or moving a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal car delivery is an option, where designated pick-up & drop-off points, often the auto transport company's stores or operating bases, are used. Terminal-to-terminal car delivery is usually more affordable but requires more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, most people require a door-to-door car shipping delivery service, where their automobiles are picked up & 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 collect your vehicle, which can be challenging without your car in the first place!
Auto transport services generally fall into two categories: having someone drive your vehicle to the destination or putting it on a trailer & shipping it.
Have Someone Drive Your Vehicle
This straightforward solution to vehicle shipping involves hiring someone to drive your car to the desired location, whether you need to transport a car across the country or to another state. The advantages of this car transport method are that it's often more affordable, as trailers & an extra vehicle aren't required, & it can be faster due to the simple nature of the shipping.
However, there are some drawbacks to this method offered by auto transport companies that lead some people to choose other types of vehicle shipping. Firstly, mileage is added to your car 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 driven from point A to point B. These concerns are particularly worrisome 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
Putting your car on a trailer is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone drive your vehicle to its destination. With auto shipping trailers, there are several options available depending on the value & size of your automobile.
First, you need to decide whether you want a single trailer for your car. These are often more expensive as they only transport one vehicle at a time but are a great choice if you're moving an expensive or classic car that you don't want to risk getting damaged. 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 car shipping by any auto transport company is the most affordable & most common option when moving a vehicle. Your car is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. All automobiles 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 cars. Furthermore, while it may be the most affordable way to transport a vehicle cross-country, long journeys in open trailers obviously run a higher risk of damage & leave your car exposed to the elements for extended periods.
Enclosed car transport involves multiple automobiles 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 vehicles where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during car shipping.
If you need to transfer your car overseas through a vehicle transport company, try to find a specialist service on our platform or one with experience in overseas auto shipping, as they can provide tailored advice based on your requirements.
How Much Does It Cost To Transport A Vehicle?
Several variables affect the cost of moving a car, 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 vehicle moving companies, & your car transport may cost more or less depending on the circumstances. The best way to find out how much auto shipping will cost you is to collect vehicle transportation quotes from car shipping companies, which is easy to do on Shiply.
If you want to get an idea of how much you can expect your vehicle delivery to cost, consider the factors that can affect the price of car 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 transport 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 car delivery, which is often the most affordable auto shipping option.
While longer distances do cost more, fortunately, the average price per mile decreases as the journey length increases, ensuring you're not paying excessively.
International shipping will always result in expensive vehicle shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring a car overseas & the distance it needs to 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 pick-up 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 added to the journey. Similarly, unforeseen circumstances like major roadworks could also incur extra costs from the vehicle moving companies or necessitate a different, longer route.
Shipping Dates - How quickly you need your car transportation service to operate can also impact the price. For example, if you can be flexible with timings, you may find that your vehicle 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 car transport within a strict timeframe (often known as expedited shipping), it will typically cost you more, as the auto transport company may need to dedicate a trailer & driver solely for your delivery.
Vehicle Size - The height, length & width of the car will all affect the cost of transporting your automobile. Car shippers will require larger trailers for bigger vehicles, with SUVs typically costing more on average to transport than sedans. Additionally, always inform the vehicle transport company about any bike racks, roof racks, or other accessories on the car, as these can also change the size of the trailer required for the delivery.
Vehicle Condition - If your automobile is not in drivable condition, it may make your car transport more expensive. 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, taking more time, effort & machinery to complete the delivery than a standard auto transport service. Most car carriers consider a vehicle that can brake, roll & steer to be in good enough condition to ship easily.
Car Shipping Service Type - The type of vehicle transport service you select will also affect the cost of your car shipping. Having someone drive your automobile to its destination will always be the most affordable option, as you're 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 moving a car, as it means your automobile travels alone & still needs specialist equipment to load, unload & protect it during transport.
Locations Of Pickup & Delivery - Depending on where you need the vehicle picked up from & dropped off, the price of shipping a car may increase. Urban areas usually have auto shipping services in close proximity, & if it's a common destination route, you'll 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 pick-up or drop-off point is in an unusual or hard-to-access space, extra steps may be needed to load your vehicle, which can also increase the vehicle shipping cost.
Car Transport Insurance - While all car shipping companies are required to carry liability insurance, many do not offer additional insurance, as it's not legally required. If an auto transport company doesn't offer cargo insurance, it's highly recommended that you seek out & acquire some for your vehicle 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, which parts of the car 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 move a car in the winter due to ice & snow slowing the routes. Here's a quick breakdown of how each season can affect car 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 cars. December is typically a difficult time to have a car shipped, as drivers are on holiday, while many travel to warmer states in January, leading to increased auto shipping costs. However, February is usually quiet, so great rates are often available from car transport services during this month.
Spring is a great time to ship your vehicle with an automobile 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 cars - the days are the longest in the year, students are traveling home from universities, employees take vacations & it's also a very popular time to move house. This means that June, July & August are all busy months for the car transport industry, & you should not expect affordable vehicle shipping during the summer.
Fall is a good time to ship a car if you're looking for a slightly more affordable price. Auto shipping companies are less busy & there is typically more driver availability after the summer rush. However, you're better off looking to move your vehicle 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 & an auto transport service are & what sort of car shipping service you need, you probably want to go ahead & find an automobile transport service that's right for you.
The issue is that there are hundreds of auto 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 to go through phone books. Furthermore, many of these companies are reluctant to provide pricing, meaning you'll 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 Car Transport Companies?
Given all the options & variables involved in finding an auto 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 you need to move the car. This gives the car transport providers on Shiply enough information to provide you with an accurate quote for your job.
Once your listing is live, you'll receive quotes in your Shiply inbox & to your email. We recommend keeping email notifications turned on so 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 choose 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 that we highly recommend looking at before selecting a quote to ship your car. This system allows you to view previous customers' experiences with a company & see their overall score.
Why People Often Move Vehicles To & From Dorado, Puerto Rico, US
Dorado, Puerto Rico, US, is a popular destination for people moving their cars to & from the mainland United States. Many individuals choose to ship their automobiles to Dorado when relocating for work or retirement, as the town offers a high quality of life, beautiful beaches & a warm, tropical climate. Additionally, some people may need to transport their vehicles to Dorado for extended vacations or to have a car available when visiting family & friends.
On the other hand, residents of Dorado may need to ship their automobiles to the mainland US for various reasons, such as moving for job opportunities, education or to be closer to family. Some may also choose to sell their cars to buyers in the US, necessitating vehicle shipping services from Dorado to the buyer's location.
When shipping a vehicle to or from Dorado, it's essential to work with experienced auto transport companies that are familiar with the unique challenges of moving cars to & from Puerto Rico. These challenges may include navigating customs regulations, ensuring proper documentation & dealing with the logistics of shipping an automobile overseas. By choosing a reputable car shipping company, you can ensure that your vehicle arrives safely & efficiently at its destination, whether you're transporting a car to Dorado or moving it from Dorado to the mainland United States.
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The Benefits Of Using Shiply For Vehicle Transport in Dorado
Time-efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each time you desire an accurate cost from a company on Dorado vehicle transport, on our platform 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 spent phoning companies & inputting details. Communication with these businesses is also feasible through our platform, allowing you to store all of your vehicle shipping details in one location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial factor in choosing which auto transport company to employ to transport your vehicle. The challenging aspect is that, while most companies are willing to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't actually receive a definite vehicle transport quote without having to give information & fill in details. While this is understandable, it means that price comparison & getting a vehicle transport quote isn't exactly a simple task. Utilizing Shiply allows you to receive authentic, final price estimates from vehicle 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 company for you.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping in Dorado - Auto transport businesses on Shiply are usually able to provide their services for a lower cost than if you went directly to them. This is because they are often seeking to fill space on trips they are already making & have already invested the cost for. For example, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to move your vehicle there, a company on Shiply 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 are convenient for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by using our service.
Eco-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 vehicle. 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 used that transporter to move their vehicles in the opposite 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.
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 vehicle ready 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 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 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 Dorado 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 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 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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