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 & need to transport it to another state, relocating & requiring cross-country vehicle shipping, or moving your automobile overseas when ferries are not available.
Luckily, there are numerous auto transport services available to cater to your specific requirements, which we will discuss below.
Varieties Of Vehicle Shipping Services
When it comes to vehicle shipping services, there are a few crucial decisions you need to make. Firstly, you must determine where you want your automobile collected from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or shipping a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated collection & drop-off points are used, often 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 automobile 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 a car to another state. This option is more convenient as it eliminates the need to collect your automobile from a separate location, which can be challenging without your vehicle.
Vehicle transport services are typically divided into two categories: having someone drive your automobile to the destination or putting it on a trailer for transport.
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. This method is often less expensive as it doesn't require trailers or an extra vehicle, & it can be faster due to its simplicity.
However, there are some drawbacks to this method that lead some individuals to choose 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 damage to your vehicle during the drive. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Put Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Using a trailer to transport your automobile is a safer option that guarantees a higher level of protection compared to having someone drive your vehicle. 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 expensive or classic cars that you want to protect from potential damage. The safest way to transport an automobile is in a shipping container, although this is the most expensive option.
Multi-car transporters, which can carry several vehicles at once, come in a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping is the least expensive & most common option offered by vehicle shipping companies. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & driven to its 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. 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.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Auto Transport in Wyoming
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each instance you desire an accurate cost from a business for wyoming auto transport, on our site you complete a single quote form & can then obtain quotes from various companies based on the information you submit. This can conserve you significant time that you would have otherwise spent contacting companies and completing forms. Communication with these businesses is also feasible through our platform, allowing you to store all of your auto shipping details in a single location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the auto shipping estimate is the most crucial factor when choosing which vehicle transport company to employ for your car shipment. The challenge is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average prices & rough estimates, you won't receive a definite auto transport quote without supplying information & completing details. Although this is reasonable, it means that comparing prices and obtaining an auto transport quote is not a straightforward process. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from auto shipping companies & compare them in one place, with the ability to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately select the optimal company for your needs.
Affordable Auto Shipping - Vehicle transport 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 cost for. For instance, if you were relocating from Los Angeles to New York & needed to transport your car 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, and pick-up/drop-off locations are suitable for you, you can often save up to 75% on vehicle transport by utilizing our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for vehicle transport more affordable, but it is also more eco-friendly. In the previous example, if your car 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 vehicle. Similarly, many auto 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 cars in the opposite direction. Many of the vehicle 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 a vehicle transport company to transport your car & 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 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 is 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, then you should ensure that it is 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 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, & 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, & 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 & 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 vehicle transport? This is down to each individual vehicle transport company on Shiply & 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 & delivery? In most cases, the auto 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 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, & 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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