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 operating the vehicle yourself is not practical, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online, relocating to a new residence across the nation, or moving your automobile overseas. Vehicle shipping companies provide a variety of auto transport services to accommodate different requirements.
Categories Of Auto Transport Services
When selecting an auto transport service, the initial choice you must make is where you want your vehicle collected from & transported to. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an alternative where designated collection & drop-off points, frequently the car transport company's facilities or operating bases, are utilized. While this option is typically more affordable, it necessitates more effort on your part to get the vehicle home. However, most individuals prefer door-to-door auto transport delivery, where their automobiles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of whether it's a cross-country car transport or simply moving a car to another state.
Vehicle transport services can be classified into two primary categories: having someone operate your automobile to the destination or placing it on a trailer for transportation.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
Employing someone to operate your automobile to its destination is a straightforward solution for vehicle shipping, whether you need to transport a car across the nation or to another state. This approach is often more affordable as it doesn't necessitate trailers or an additional vehicle, & it can be quicker due to its simplicity. However, there are some drawbacks to consider, such as the addition of mileage to your automobile, especially when moving a car across the country, & the slight risk of damage during the journey. These concerns are particularly relevant for individuals purchasing or selling automobiles online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as advertised.
Place Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Placing your automobile on a trailer provides a higher level of safety compared to having someone operate it. Vehicle shipping trailers come in various options depending on the value & size of your automobile. Single trailers, while more expensive, are ideal for moving expensive or classic cars that require extra protection. The safest way to transport a vehicle is in a shipping container, but this is also the most costly option.
Multi-car transporters, which can carry several automobiles at once, come in different variants:
- Open car shipping: The most affordable & common option, where your vehicle is placed on an open carrier & driven to the destination. While all automobiles are securely fastened, they are exposed to the elements during transit, making this option less suitable for highly valuable vehicles. Long journeys in open trailers also pose a higher risk of damage.
- Enclosed auto transport: Multiple cars are secured on a carrier but are enclosed, protecting them from dust, weather, & debris during transit. This option is preferable for more expensive or newer automobiles where minimizing the risk of damage is a priority.
For overseas vehicle transportation, it's best to find specialist services or companies with experience in overseas car shipping to receive tailored advice based on your requirements.
What Is The Cost To Transport A Vehicle?
The expense of transporting a vehicle varies depending on several factors, but on average, US auto transport companies 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 differ based on your specific circumstances. The best way to determine the expense of auto transport is to obtain vehicle shipping quotes from various companies, which is easily done on Shiply.
Factors That Can Influence The Expense Of Auto Transport
While everyone wants affordable vehicle transport, several factors can impact the cost of car shipping services:
- Distance: Cross-state & cross-country journeys cost significantly more than interstate vehicle delivery, which is often the most affordable option. However, the average price per mile decreases as the journey length increases.
- International shipping: Moving a vehicle overseas is always expensive due to the logistics involved & the distance traveled. It may also require special enclosed trailers or shipping containers.
- Route: The route taken from the collection spot to the delivery location can affect pricing. Routes with higher traffic, such as in LA, may cost more than quieter roads due to the added time. Unforeseen circumstances like major roadworks could also incur extra costs or require a longer alternative route.
- Shipping dates: Flexibility in timings can result in lower charges, as vehicle shipping companies can fit your delivery into their schedule & reduce overheads. Expedited shipping, where you require auto transport within a strict timeframe, typically costs more.
- Vehicle size: The height, length, & width of the automobile affect the cost of transport. Larger vehicles like SUVs generally cost more to transport than sedans. Accessories such as bike racks or roof racks can also change the required trailer size.
- Vehicle condition: Non-drivable cars may incur higher auto transport costs due to the need for extra equipment like winches or forklifts for loading & unloading. Most car carriers consider a vehicle in good enough condition to ship easily if it can brake, roll, & steer.
- Auto transport service type: Having someone operate your vehicle is the most affordable option, while single car trailers & enclosed transport are more expensive due to the specialized equipment required. Enclosed car shipping is the most costly method, as your vehicle travels alone & still needs special equipment for loading, unloading, & protection during transit.
- Pickup & delivery locations: Urban areas usually have vehicle shipping services nearby, & common destination routes often offer affordable car shipping. Rural deliveries can cost more due to deviations from normal routes & extra mileage. Unusual or hard-to-access collection or drop-off points may also increase costs.
- Auto transport insurance: While auto transport companies must carry liability insurance, many do not offer additional coverage. If a company doesn't provide cargo insurance, it's highly recommended to acquire some for your vehicle during transit. Clarify what type of damage is covered, any deductibles, & which parts of the automobile are insured.
- Time of year: Seasonality affects vehicle shipping prices, with winter being the most expensive due to ice, snow, & blizzard conditions causing delays & reduced speeds. December is difficult for shipping due to driver holidays, while January sees increased costs as many travel to warmer states. Spring is a great time for affordable rates & high availability, with March being better than April or May. Summer is the prime season for shipping cars, making June, July, & August busy months with higher prices. Fall offers slightly cheaper prices, with October & November being better than September.
Watertown, South Dakota, US: Vehicle Shipping Destination
Watertown, located in South Dakota, US, is a popular destination for vehicle shipping. Many people move automobiles to & from Watertown for various reasons, such as relocating for work, purchasing or selling vehicles online, or transporting classic cars for events. The city's central location within the state makes it a convenient hub for vehicle shipping companies, offering easy access to major highways & interstates. Additionally, Watertown's growing economy & attractive quality of life have contributed to an increase in automobile transportation to & from the area.
How To Transport A Vehicle - Finding An Auto Transport Service
With hundreds of vehicle transport companies available, finding the right one can be overwhelming. Searching on Google or through phone books can be time-consuming, & many companies are reluctant to provide pricing without a detailed quote application. This is where Shiply can help simplify the process.
How Can Shiply Help Find Auto Transport Companies?
Shiply makes it easy to find the right vehicle shipping service by allowing you to fill out a simple form to start collecting quotes. Provide the make & model of the automobile, pickup & delivery locations, & the dates you need to move the vehicle. This information enables auto transport providers on Shiply to give you accurate quotes for your job.
Once your listing is live, you'll receive quotes in your Shiply inbox & email. We recommend keeping email notifications on to be immediately informed of new quotes, which can start arriving within minutes of posting your listing. Wait for a few quotes before making a decision to have multiple options to choose from.
After receiving quotes, you can ask the companies any questions you may have, such as their availability, insurance coverage, & how they secure automobiles during transport. It's crucial to ask these questions to ensure a smooth & expected experience.
Shiply's feedback & ratings system allows you to view previous customers' experiences & overall scores for each company, which we highly recommend checking before selecting a quote to ship your vehicle.
The Benefits of Using Shiply for Vehicle Transport in Watertown
Time-Efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each time you desire an accurate cost from a company on Watertown vehicle transport, on our platform, you complete one quotation form & can then obtain quotes from various companies based on the information you supply. This can save you hours of time that you would have spent phoning companies & providing details. Communication with these businesses is also possible through our platform, allowing you to store all of your vehicle shipping information in a single location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle shipping quote 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 receive a definite vehicle transport quote without having to give information & complete details. While this is understandable, it means that price comparison & obtaining a vehicle transport quote is not exactly a simple task. Utilizing Shiply enables you to receive authentic, final price quotes from vehicle shipping companies & compare them in one place, offering 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 Watertown - Auto transport companies on Shiply can typically provide their services at 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 transport your vehicle there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey 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 suitable for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by using our service.
Environmentally 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 journey would be needed just for your vehicle. Similarly, many car 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 vehicles in the other direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are also looking to fill their trailers on return journeys, 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 prepare your vehicle for shipping. We recommend 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 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 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 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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