Auto Shipping Brokers Versus Auto Shipping Carriers

By Tom Kearns

And in this corner of the ring is the auto shipping broker, his opponent in the opposite corner is the auto shipping carrier. May the best fighter win. Let's get it on.

A Background on the Two Competitors

The auto shipping carriers are as numerous as baby bunnies. These businesses provide a convenient service for vehicles on the move, for car dealers and for customers with specific requirements. Most find that contacting one of these carriers online may be the only way to go as they are all over the place and a face-to-face contact with them is unlikely. Even so, it is not very difficult to obtain quotes and rates either online or by telephone. Excellent customer service is usually their stock in trade. The rates quoted to you will include the cost of insurance which is imperative for the well being of your vehicle. The auto shipping carriers will offer you several options by which to ship your vehicle or equipment of any sort. Your vehicle can be transported in an open or enclosed environment, by truck, rail, freight or boat, and these are just some of the services they offer.

Auto shipping brokers are specific individuals who work as the middleman between you and the shipping company. They are the most widely used in dealing with auto shipping for both parties. This being due to the fact that they make the customers life easier and they bring more clientele and revenue to the shipping companies. They allow the curious customer much freedom in that they never have to be tied down to one company. Brokers give the patrons a variety of companies and prices to choose from, as well as direct communication.

And the Winner Is.

The main difference between broker and carrier is brokers do not have their own trucks or transportation systems. Carriers have their own shipping utilities, and the cost is somewhat less expensive. Brokers are the people that find the companies for you, and get your vehicle picked up and delivered. A major problem for carriers is that their transportation services are far away from the customer and you can only use their services, but with a broker you are allowed full disclosure to a multitude of options without being tied down to any one company; as well as the benefit of relying on your broker to get the carrier to your destination quickly and easily.

Brokers also uncover a plethora of rates and quotes out there in the industry and can offer you the best they found. They will probably have better communication with the drivers but this is not a guarantee as most carriers do not have the communication equipment to talk directly to the drivers. An added advantage with choosing the broker scenario is that the brokers are communicating with more than one shipping service at a time. The far flung domestic and/or international scope of the shippers have an inherent lack of communication with the various components of a shipment. As previously stated, the carrier will normally drop off their vehicles at terminals, whereas the broker will deliver it to your door - definitely a convenience.

It was a fair fight. The winner depends upon your needs. Everyone wins this one. - 30331

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