There are around 4,400 vehicle shipping businesses in the United States. Perhaps you’ve been through the gruelling vetting process and finally decided on a company to ship with! In that case, they should tell you what the process will be like when you ship a car with them.
But what if you haven’t exactly made a choice yet? And you’re feeling anxious about the process? To help you out, we’ll discuss that in detail here, including how to get the car shipping cost. Keep reading to get more information so you can feel more relaxed about your move.
The Car Shipping Process
Let's say you've already decided on an auto transport company. In that case, congratulations! Then it's up to you to start the car shipping process.
But first, you must understand what will take place. You'll be able to tell if a company is attempting to cut corners this way.
Here's everything you'll go through with them, from obtaining a car shipping quote to having your vehicle returned to you safely.
1. Get the Car Shipping Cost
Before you say yes to anything, you must get the car shipping cost. Without doing so, you’ll be going in blindly, which means you can have a huge financial surprise and burden.
Fortunately, this is very easy to do. You can either call up the company or fill out their online calculator.
Your start and end locations, the approximate date you'll need shipping services, how quickly you need them (economy/standard or expedited), the type of vehicle you have, and the type of hauler you want are all things you'll need to provide (open or enclosed).
The agent on the phone or on the website can provide you with some estimates based on this information. You can then confirm that these rates are acceptable to you and proceed to the next step.
2. Set Dates for Pickup and Dropoff
The next step is to set the pickup and dropoff dates. If you need an enclosed hauler and/or are moving during peak season, you may need to select alternate time slots and dates to ensure you get these services.
The majority of people believe that this is where you would pay for everything in advance. When you use a reputable company like AutoStar Transport Express, however, you won't have to pay in full right away.
Instead, you'll only need to pay a nonrefundable $25 deposit, which will be applied to your entire shipping cost.
You'll also need to give the agent some details about your vehicle. This includes the following:
- Make and model
- Year
- Last 6 digits of its VIN
Of course, you’ll also have to give them the addresses for both the pickup and dropoff locations.
3. Driver Picks up Your Car
You'll receive an email and a phone call from the auto transport company before the driver arrives to pick up your car. They'll let you know when the driver will arrive and on what day.
If everything goes well, the driver will arrive at your door and you will be able to complete the handoff with them. If they are unable to contact you for any reason, they will arrange to meet you at the nearest accessible parking lot. This ensures that everyone is safe.
You'll go through a vehicle inspection with the driver once you're with them. All previous damage is noted so that a comparison can be made once you arrive at your destination with your car.
Once that’s done, you’ll get a copy of the Bill of Lading and the driver will set off with your vehicle!
4. Track Your Car While in Transit
Some auto shipping companies will allow you to track your car while it’s in transit so you can get peace of mind. They’ll give you login details for their site so you can go on and check it whenever you wish.
Some companies might even give you the driver’s contact details so you can speak directly with them. So if you get anxious about your car easily, this can be a fantastic way to keep yourself updated and calm about the situation.
Receive Your Car
Once your car reaches its destination, you have 2 choices for receiving it: you can either go get it yourself or you can send someone in your place.
In either case, the driver will conduct a post-transport inspection, just as they did before they left with your vehicle. If no new damages have occurred, you will sign a Bill of Lading and receive a copy. After that, you are free to drive your car wherever you want!
However, if you discover new damage while in transit, you'll need to fill out some additional paperwork with the auto transport company.
However, it should not be a difficult procedure. All drivers must have current cargo insurance policies, which means you should be able to get fair compensation for your losses fairly quickly.
Now You Know How to Ship a Car
You now have a better understanding of what you must go through when shipping a car after reading this article. As you can see, the process begins when you receive a car shipping quote and ends when your vehicle arrives at its final destination.
The auto shipping company will assist you with every step of the process from beginning to end. So you won't have to be concerned because you'll be accompanied by professionals. When you work with reputable car shipping companies, moving will be a lot easier.
