Dependable Car Transport

By Tom Kearns

If you need to ship any vehicle a long distance whether it be a sports car, vintage, SUV or golf cart, generally the most economical and smartest way to do that is to hire a service that specializes in this type of service. This service may be by carrier truck or shipment by sea or air. They will save you money, effort, time and wear and tear on the car and your psyche.

When you think of "auto shipping" what comes to mind is a company with some type of transport vehicle to take your car to the destination you specify, in the same condition as when you left it in their care. Most folks take the company's reliability for granted and expect their car to be waiting for them at the end of the journey. Company names can be deceiving. "Reliable Auto Shipping Experts, Inc." doesn't mean a thing. You need to research the historical record of the company to which you entrust your car.

You should know that most auto shipping companies, while spread out in thousands of locations all across the larger countries, are really rather small operations that own a few trucks.

If you offer the company you choose to ship your auto a flexible schedule, the price will be more reasonable than if you dictated a specific time frame. Given the more flexible terms, most companies will perform well, no matter your car's final destination.

The deal is generally set up with either a broker or a single carrier itself. You will find that some enterprising shipping company's now act as their own brokers. This being true, make sure that you know that you are dealing with the carrier that also brokers for himself and not a carrier that brokers it out to some unknown company..

The company with whom you sign a contract must have a valid MC license and you must find out about its insurance carrier. Ask for a copy of the Insurance Certificate, then contact that company and find out what they really cover, and maybe more importantly, what they do not cover. The reliable company will not bat an eye at such a request and may in fact welcome the customer who is willing to do his homework. You don't want to give away your precious car to some organization whose insurance policy will lapse as soon as they put it on the carrier.

Looking companies up is always a good idea. Better not to be involved with companies which are not listed anywhere or unwillingly offer basic info about themselves. Check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to verify they are indeed a carrier and not a covert broker-carrier.

Doing the same via a professional broker may be even a better idea: it is the broker's job to dig up any vital background information on even the most reticent carriers; and once you have that information your suspicions will be either justified or officially disproved, so that you may proceed more safely. - 30331

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