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 operate the vehicle yourself. For instance, you might be buying or selling a used car online & need to transport it to another state, or perhaps you've recently moved & need to ship your vehicle across the country. Auto transport services can also be extremely useful when you need to transfer your car overseas & ferries aren't available, requiring you to rely on a car shipping company to manage the task.
Luckily, there are numerous vehicle transport services available to cater to your specific requirements, which we'll discuss below.
Types Of Car Shipping Services
Here's an overview of the different car shipping services available. It's advantageous to read through & determine the precise 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 car collected from & delivered to, whether it's a cross-country vehicle transport or moving a car to another state. Terminal-to-terminal auto delivery is an option, where designated collection & 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 vehicles are collected & dropped off at their doorstep, regardless of whether it's a cross-country auto transport or just moving a car to another state. This is often preferable as it eliminates the need to go somewhere else to retrieve your car, which can be challenging without your vehicle in the first place!
Auto transport services generally fall into two categories: having someone operate your car to the destination or putting it on a trailer & shipping it.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
This straightforward solution to vehicle shipping involves hiring someone to operate 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 since trailers & an extra vehicle aren't required, & it can be faster due to the straightforward 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 vehicle while it's being operated 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 exact condition as advertised.
Put Your Vehicle On A Trailer
Putting your car in a trailer is a safer way to ensure a higher level of protection than having someone operate your vehicle to its destination. With auto shipping trailers, there are multiple options available depending on the value & size of your car.
First, you need to decide whether you want a single trailer for your vehicle. These are often more expensive as they only transport one car at a time but are a great choice if you're moving an expensive or classic vehicle that you don't want to risk getting damaged. The safest way to ship a car is to put it in a shipping container, but this is by far the most expensive option. The other option is a multi-car transporter, which can move many vehicles at once & comes in a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping by any auto transport company is the most affordable & most common option when moving a car. Your vehicle is placed on an open carrier & operated to the destination. All cars are securely fastened, but as the name suggests, they are exposed to the elements during the drive, so car shipping companies may not recommend this for highly valuable vehicles. Furthermore, while it may be the most affordable way to transport a car cross-country, long journeys in open trailers obviously run a higher risk of damage & leave your vehicle exposed to the elements for longer periods.
Enclosed car transport involves multiple vehicles 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 cars where the owner wants to minimize the risk of damage during auto shipping.
If you need to transfer your car overseas through a car transport company, try to find one of the specialist services on our platform or one with experience in overseas vehicle 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 auto transport may cost more or less depending on the circumstances. The best way to find out how much car shipping will cost you is to collect auto transport quotes from vehicle transport companies, which is very easy to do on Shiply.
If you want to get an idea of how much you can expect your vehicle delivery to cost, take a look below at the factors that can affect the price of car transport services.
Factors That Can Affect The Cost Of Car Shipping
We all want affordable vehicle transport, but several factors & variables can affect how much your auto shipping will cost. Below, we'll outline the main ones so you can get a rough idea of whether your car transport requirements will be expensive or cheap.
As mentioned earlier, distance is one of the factors that significantly impacts how much your vehicle transport will cost, with cross-state & cross-country journeys costing much more than interstate auto delivery, which is often the most affordable car shipping option.
While longer distances do cost more, fortunately, the average price per mile drops as the journey lengthens, ensuring you aren't paying excessively.
International shipping always results in expensive auto shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring a vehicle overseas & the distance it needs to travel. It may also require special enclosed trailers or even a shipping container for your car.
Route - Along with distance, the route required to take your vehicle from its collection spot to its delivery spot can affect the pricing of your auto carrier service. Routes with known higher traffic, such as in LA, may end up costing more than quieter roads due to the added time. Likewise, 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 auto transportation service to operate can also affect the price. For example, if you can be flexible with timings, you may find that your vehicle shipping service charges significantly less. This is because they can fit your car 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 since the auto transport company likely needs to dedicate a trailer & driver solely for your delivery.
Vehicle Size - The height, length & width of the car will all affect the cost of shipping your vehicle. Auto shippers will require larger trailers for bigger cars, with SUVs typically costing more on average to ship than sedans. Additionally, always inform the car transport company about any bike racks, roof racks, or other accessories on the vehicle, as these can also change the size of the trailer required for the delivery.
Vehicle Condition - If your car is not in drivable condition, it may make your vehicle 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 car shipping service you select will also affect the cost of your vehicle shipping. Having someone operate your car to its destination will always be the most affordable option, as you are essentially just paying for a driver's time & fuel. In contrast, single vehicle trailers & enclosed transport are likely to be more expensive, as they require extra equipment. Enclosed auto shipping will always be the most expensive method of transporting a car, as it means your vehicle travels alone & still needs specialist equipment to load, unload & protect it during transport.
Locations Of Pickup & Delivery - Depending on where you need the vehicle collected from & dropped off, the price of moving a car may also increase. Urban areas usually have auto shipping services in close proximity, & if it's a common destination route, you will 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 collection or drop-off point is also in an unusual or hard-to-access space, extra steps may be needed to load your car, which can also increase the vehicle shipping cost.
Car Transport Insurance - While all car transport companies are required to carry liability insurance, many do not offer any additional insurance as it is not required by law. If an auto transport company does not offer cargo insurance, it is highly recommended that you seek out & acquire some for your car 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, what parts of the vehicle are covered by the insurance & any other questions you may have.
Time Of Year - Seasonality can also affect the price of auto shipping, with many services costing more to transport a car in the winter due to ice & snow slowing the routes. Here is a quick breakdown of how each season can affect car transport costs:
Winter is often the most expensive season to ship your car. This is because ice, snow & blizzard conditions can all cause delays on the roads, as well as 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 vehicle shipping services during this month.
Spring is a great time to ship your car with an auto 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 vehicle. March is often a better time to ship than April or May; however, there is often a rush to move cars from colder to warmer states.
Summer is the prime season for transporting vehicles - the days are the longest in the year, students are traveling home from universities, employees take vacations, & it is 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 auto shipping during the summer.
Fall is a good time to ship a vehicle if you are looking for a slightly more affordable price. Vehicle shipping companies are less busy, & there is typically more driver availability after the summer rush. However, you are better off looking to move your car in October or November rather than September, as this is peak time for students transporting their vehicles to university.
How To Transport A Vehicle - Finding A Car Shipping Service
Now that you know a bit more about what auto shipping & a vehicle shipping service are & what sort of car transport service you need, you probably want to go ahead & actually try to find an auto transport service that is going to be right for you.
The issue is that there are hundreds of vehicle transport companies out there. Trying to find them on Google can end up resulting in scrolling through numerous pages trying to find the best auto shipping company for the best price, & the same is true if you were going to go through phone books. Furthermore, many of these companies are reluctant to give you pricing, meaning you will most likely need to apply for a quote & fill out details with each of them individually, which can become very time-consuming.
How Can Shiply Help Find Car Transport Companies?
Given all of the options & variables involved with 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 get started with collecting quotes. All we need from you are the make & model of the vehicle that needs shipping, the pickup location & delivery location, & the dates that you need to move the car. This gives the car transport providers on Shiply enough information to be able to provide you with an accurate quote for your job.
Once your listing is live, you will receive quotes in your Shiply inbox & to your email. We recommend keeping email notifications turned on so that 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 pick 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 which we also highly recommend looking at before selecting a quote to ship your car. This system allows you to view previous customers' experiences with a company, as well as view their overall score.
Why People Often Move Vehicles To & From Smyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna, Tennessee, is a growing city located in the Nashville metropolitan area. Many people move cars to & from Smyrna for various reasons. One common reason is relocation - as Smyrna continues to attract new residents, people often need to ship their vehicles when moving to the city. Additionally, Smyrna is home to a Nissan manufacturing plant, which employs thousands of workers. Employees relocating to work at the plant may require auto shipping services to transfer their cars.
Another reason people transport vehicles to & from Smyrna is for online car purchases or sales. With the rise of online vehicle buying & selling platforms, it's becoming increasingly common for people to purchase cars from out of state & require auto shipping services to transport them to their new homes. Smyrna's central location within the United States makes it a convenient destination or origin point for vehicle shipping.
Whether you're moving to Smyrna for work, relocating to the city, or buying a car online, reliable auto shipping services can help ensure your vehicle arrives safely & efficiently. By using a platform like Shiply, you can easily compare quotes from multiple vehicle shipping companies & find the best option for your specific needs & budget when moving a car to or from Smyrna, Tennessee.
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The Benefits Of Using Shiply For car shipping smyrna
Time-efficient - Rather than filling out a quotation form each time you desire an accurate cost from a business for transporting a vehicle, on our site you complete one quotation form & can then obtain quotes from various companies based on the information you submit. This can conserve you hours of effort 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 smyrna car shipping details in a single location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the car shipping estimate is the most crucial aspect in choosing which auto transport company to employ to transport your vehicle. The challenge is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average costs & rough estimates, you won't receive a definite car transport quote without supplying information & filling in specifics. Although this is reasonable, it means that comparing prices & getting a car transport estimate isn't exactly simple. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from car shipping companies & compare them in one place, offering the opportunity to message them individually to inquire about any concerns you may have & ultimately select the optimal company for your needs.
Affordable Car Shipping - Auto transport businesses on Shiply can usually provide their services at a lower cost than if you contacted them directly. This is because they are frequently 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 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 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 auto transport by utilizing our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Using Shiply for auto transport is not only more economical but also more environmentally friendly. In the previous example, if your car didn't get on that multi-car transporter & instead you arranged transport from a separate car shipper, the emissions into the atmosphere would have doubled as another entire journey would be required 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 utilized that transporter to move their cars in the opposite 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 emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Preparing Your Car For Shipping
If you have chosen an auto 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 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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