What Is Vehicle Transportation?
Vehicle transportation, also referred to as auto shipping or car transport, is a service offered by vehicle shipping companies that involves collecting your automobile from one spot & transporting it to another. This service is beneficial in various circumstances where you are unable to operate the vehicle yourself, such as when purchasing or selling a used car online & need to transport a vehicle to another state, or when you've relocated & require cross-country vehicle shipping. Auto transport services can also be extremely useful when you need to move your car overseas, & unless ferries are available, you'll need to depend on a car shipping company to manage this for you.
Luckily, there are numerous vehicle transport services available to fulfill your requirements, which we've enumerated below.
Varieties Of Car Shipping Services
There are various car shipping services available, summarized below. It can be extremely helpful to review & determine precisely what type of auto transportation service you require or prefer to transport your vehicle.
The initial choice you need to make is 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 car delivery is an option, where designated collection & drop-off points are used, often the auto transport company's stores or operating bases. For this reason, terminal-to-terminal car delivery is usually more affordable but will necessitate more effort on your end to get the vehicle home. However, the vast majority of individuals require a door-to-door car shipping delivery service so that their automobiles are collected & dropped off at their door, regardless of whether it is a cross-country vehicle transport or just to move a car to another state. This is often preferable as it means you don't need to go anywhere to then collect your car - something that can be challenging without your vehicle in the first place!
Auto transportation services are generally divided into two categories: either you have someone operate your car to where it needs to be, or it's put on a trailer & taken there.
Have Someone Operate Your Vehicle
This is a straightforward solution to vehicle shipping that involves hiring someone to come & operate your car to where it needs to go - whether the need is to transport a vehicle across country or to ship automobiles to another state. The benefits of this car shipping method are that it is often more affordable as trailers & an extra vehicle are not required, & it can also be fast due to the straightforward nature of the transport.
However, there are some downsides to this method offered by auto shipping companies that lead some people to opt for other types of vehicle transport. First, mileage is obviously added to your car on the journey, meaning if you are transporting a vehicle across country, there will be significant miles added - less so when simply shipping a car to another state (as long as it is close by). Second, there is a slight risk of damage happening to your automobile while it is driven from A to B. These are particularly worrisome for people buying or selling cars online who want to ensure the vehicle arrives in exactly the same condition as it was advertised.
Put Your Automobile On A Trailer
Putting your car in a trailer is a safe way to guarantee a higher level of safety than having someone operate your vehicle to its destination. With auto shipping trailers, there are multiple options that you may want to go with depending on the value & size of your car.
First, you need to decide whether you want a single trailer for your automobile. These are often more expensive as they only transport one car at a time but are a great option if you are moving an expensive or classic vehicle which you don't want to risk getting damaged. The absolute safest way to transport 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 automobiles at once, of which there are a few variants:
Open vehicle shipping by any auto shipping company is the most affordable & by far the most common option when transporting a car. Your automobile is placed on an open carrier & is driven to the destination. All cars are safely secured but, as the name suggests, they are exposed to the elements during the drive & so this may not be recommended by vehicle shipping companies for highly valuable cars. Further, while it may be the most affordable way to ship a vehicle cross country, long journeys in open trailers will obviously run more risk of damage & leave your car exposed to the elements for longer periods of time.
Enclosed car transport involves multiple automobiles secured on a carrier, but they are enclosed, meaning they are not exposed to the dust, weather, & debris of the outside world 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.
Should you need to move your car overseas through a vehicle transport company, you should try & find one of the specialist services on our platform or one which has experience in overseas auto shipping, as they can provide you with tailored advice based on what you require.
Why People Often Move Automobiles To & From Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia, US is a popular location for vehicle shipping due to several reasons. Many people move to Roanoke for job opportunities, as the city has a diverse economy with industries such as healthcare, education, & manufacturing. Others may relocate to Roanoke for its affordable cost of living & scenic beauty, with the Blue Ridge Mountains nearby. Additionally, students attending universities in Roanoke, such as Roanoke College or Virginia Tech, may require auto shipping services to bring their cars to & from the city. Roanoke's central location in Virginia also makes it a convenient hub for vehicle shipping, as it is easily accessible from major highways like I-81 & US-220. Whether moving to Roanoke permanently or temporarily, many people find car transport services to be a convenient & efficient way to move their automobiles to & from the city.
How Much Does It Cost To Ship A Vehicle?
There are several variables when trying to work out how much it will cost to ship a car, but on average in the US, car shipping companies charge 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, this drops to $0.78.
These numbers are just averages for vehicle moving companies, however, & your car transport may cost more or less than these figures depending on the circumstances. The best way to find out how much auto shipping is going to cost you is to collect some vehicle shipping quotes from car transport companies, something that is very easy to do on Shiply.
If you do want to try & 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 shipping services.
Factors That Can Affect The Cost Of Car Shipping
We all want affordable vehicle transport, but there are several factors & variables that can affect how much your auto shipping will cost. Below we will lay out the main ones so that you can get a rough idea of whether your car transport requirements will be expensive or cheap.
As mentioned above, distance is one of the factors that will play a big part in how much your vehicle shipping will cost, with cross-state & cross-country journeys costing a lot more than an interstate auto delivery, which is often the most affordable car transport.
While longer distances do cost more, thankfully the average price per mile does drop the longer the journey is, meaning that you aren't paying over the odds.
International shipping will always result in expensive auto shipping quotes due to the logistics of transferring a vehicle overseas & the distance it will need to travel. It can also require special enclosed trailers or even a shipping container for your car.
Route - Along with distance, the route needed to take your automobile from its pick-up spot to its delivery spot can affect the pricing of your vehicle carrier service. Routes with known higher traffic, in LA, for example, may end up costing more than quieter roads due to the time this can add to a journey. Likewise, unforeseen circumstances such as major roadworks could also incur extra costs from the vehicle moving companies, or mean that a different route is required that may take longer.
Shipping Dates - How fast you need your car transportation service to operate can also affect the price. For example, if you are able to be flexible around timings, then you may find that your vehicle shipping service charges a lot less. This is because they are able to fit your automobile delivery into their schedule & reduce overheads for themselves, passing the savings on to you. However, if you require car transport in a strict timeframe (often known as expedited shipping), then this will typically end up costing you more due to the auto transport company likely having to dedicate a trailer & driver just for your delivery.
Vehicle Size - The height, length, & width of the car will all affect how much it will cost to transport your automobile. Car shippers will require larger trailers for bigger vehicles, with SUVs typically costing more on average to transport than a sedan. Further, you should always make sure to let the vehicle transport company know 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 a drivable condition, then this may make your car transport cost more expensive. This is because it may require extra equipment such as a winch or forklift to get your vehicle on & off of the trailer. If your car has a locked wheel, for example, then it will be impossible to simply roll it onto a trailer & off again, & takes more time, effort, & machinery to complete the delivery than a standard auto transport service. Most vehicle carriers would consider a car 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 auto 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 & petrol, whereas with single car trailers & enclosed transport, the price is likely to be higher as there is extra equipment required. Something like enclosed vehicle shipping will always be the most expensive method of shipping a car, as it means not only is your automobile traveling on its own, but it still needs specialist equipment to load, unload, & protect your vehicle during transport.
Locations Of Pickup & Delivery - Depending on where you need the car collected from & dropped off, this may also increase the price of shipping a vehicle. Urban areas will usually have auto shipping services in close proximity, & if it is a common destination route, you will tend to get affordable car transport. 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 also in an unusual or hard-to-access space, extra steps may need to be taken to load your car, which can also increase the vehicle shipping cost.
Car Transport Insurance - While all vehicle shipping 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 ship a vehicle 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 automobiles. 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. February, however, 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, again there is often a rush to move automobiles 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 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 cheaper 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 shipping their automobiles to university.
How To Ship A Vehicle - Finding A Car Transport 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 & find an auto transportation 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 hundreds of 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. Further, 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 Shipping Companies?
Given all of the options & variables involved with finding a vehicle transport 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 automobile 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.
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The Benefits of Using Shiply for Vehicle Transportation
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 a single quote form & can then obtain quotes from various companies based on the information you submit. This can save you a significant amount of 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 maintain all your vehicle shipping details in a centralized location.
Cost Comparison - Ultimately, the price of the vehicle shipping estimate is the most crucial factor when selecting which auto transport company to employ for transporting your vehicle. The challenge is that, while most businesses are willing to provide average prices & general estimates, you won't receive a definite vehicle transport quote without supplying information & filling in details. Although this is understandable, it means that comparing prices and obtaining a vehicle transport quote is not a simple task. Utilizing Shiply enables you to acquire genuine, final price estimates from vehicle shipping companies & compare them in one place, offering the opportunity to message them individually to ask any questions you may have & ultimately choose the most suitable company for your needs.
Affordable Vehicle Shipping - Auto transport businesses on Shiply can typically provide their services at a lower cost than if you approached 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 vehicle there, a company on Shiply may already have a multi-car transporter making that journey 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, & pick-up/drop-off locations are convenient for you, you can often save up to 75% on auto transport by utilizing our service.
Environmentally Friendly - Not only is using Shiply for auto transport more economical, 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 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 individuals who could have utilized that transporter to move their vehicles in the opposite direction. Many of the auto transporters on Shiply are also looking to fill their trailers on return trips, resulting in even less wasted CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere, as well as continued affordable transport for our users.
Getting Your Vehicle Ready for Shipping
If you have chosen an auto transport company to transport your vehicle & feel confident using them, it's time to prepare your vehicle 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 transit. 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, 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 judge 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 ascertain 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.
If you're looking for reliable & affordable car shipping in Roanoke or Roanoke car shipping, Shiply is the perfect solution. With our user-friendly platform, you can easily compare quotes from multiple car transport companies & choose the one that best fits your needs & budget.
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