Shipping A Car - When Auto Shippers Compete, You Win!

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I ship an over-sized auto?

  Of course! If your auto is bigger than any standard auto, it is imperative that you inform the company that is shipping your auto so they can secure an appropriate mode of shipment. If you’re auto has any modifications that affect the overall size or weight, mark that down and let the company know ahead of time. This is important because if you do not tell the shipping company about your 4-inch lift kit (which makes it impossible to ship on a standard 10-car carrier), you will be charged more money because you misrepresented your auto.

• Can I ship more than one auto?

  Of course you can! Because most trucking companies use 10-car, open carriers, it is usually no problem to ship more than one auto. One important thing to note when you decide to ship more than one auto is that it may take longer to find a truck because there has to be room for all of your vehicles. Some auto shipping companies offer discounts for more than one auto, so make sure you let that company know if you have more than one auto.

• Can I ship my auto if it’s not running?

  Most, if not all auto shipping companies will ship your auto if it’s not running. Usually they will charge a fee for this, as the truck must then wench it onto the truck instead of driving it (which takes time). Make sure that you let the auto shipping company know if your auto is DNR (does not run, not do not resiscitate) so they can make the necessary changes to your information as well as let the trucking company know. It is also important to let the auto shipping company know if it does not roll, brake, or steer. This is just to let them and the trucking company know if they need to make any special arraignments.

• Can I put things in my auto?

  The way it works is that trucking companies that only use giant, 10-car carriers aren’t licensed to ship household goods because there’s no place to put it! The difference, however, is the enclosed ship service that many companies offer. If you’re looking to ship some boxes along with your auto, companies that use enclosed trailers and trucks are licensed to do that. But don’t pack your auto full of boxes if it’s going onto a giant, open truck, because that’s illegal.
  The gray area is the trunk. Most auto ship companies allow you to have up to 100 pounds in the trunk only. This means blankets, pillows, maybe some clothes...loose stuff. By putting miscellaneous junk in your trunk, so to speak, you’re not transporting “household goods” but rather just some “stuff” that happens to be in your trunk. This can change, however, if you decide you’d like your stereo to stay in the trunk, because this can be seen as household goods. So no electronics at all in the auto, and you can never have anything in the cab. Loose change and some candy wrappers are okay, but nothing big.

• How far ahead should I schedule my pickup?

  Generally, auto ship companies require 1-7 days notice so they can schedule you on the next available truck. Because this industry is route-based, it is often difficult to find a truck to ship your auto on short-notice. Some brokerages offer “express service,” but unless they a) own their own trucks and b) live where you do, express service generally takes more time than if you just scheduled a week or so ahead.
  If an immediate pickup is absolutely necessary (in case of emergency), the auto ship company can probably help you. Many companies have contracts with hundreds of smaller trucking companies (and some even own their own trucks), so chances are they can get to you pretty quick. Don’t rely on this, however, because things have been known to go wrong. If you really want your auto picked up in the time frame that you requested, make sure theauto ship company has plenty of notice.

• How long will it take to ship my auto?

  Some auto shipping companies will promise unrealistic shipping times so you will employ them. But, because this industry is route-based, times will vary depending on which route it is, what time of the year it is, and of course the weather. Generally, if you’re shipping your auto coast-to-coast, it will take 7-14 days. If you going from south to north, it may take 3-4. However, if you’re coming or going to the Northeast and New England, it may take a bit longer depending on how the weather is looking. If there is a storm brewing that might dump inches of snow onto the region, you may have to wait until it passes (this is due to truck and cargo safety).

• Is a pickup date guaranteed?

  Not usually. Because the industry is route-based, it may take some extra time to get to your auto, especially if you live in the middle of nowhere, away from major freeways. What most auto shippers will do is give you a window for pickup. So, if you want your auto picked up on May 9th, the shipping company will probably give you a window between May 8th and 11th. This also gives the trucking companies a break because things happen and they can fall behind schedule (although this is uncommon). Be wary of companies that guarantee a pickup date, because you could be left holding the bag.

• What is a broker?

  A broker is a company that handles all the shipping information and gets your auto shipped. They deal with trucking companies so you don’t have to, letting you deal with some of the other things that you need to do. What a broker will do is get all the information they need about the auto (pickup/destination, year, make, model, etc) and pass it along to the trucking company. Then, they’ll get all of the trucking company’s information (insurance, etc) and finalize the pickup date for you. For this service they charge a nominal fee. While this may seem like a lot, it is nothing compared to some of the trucking companies. The broker makes sure that you are not being gouged by companies looking to make an extra buck.

• Where will my auto be picked up?

  Most auto ship companies offer door-to-door service, which means they will come to your house and put the auto on the truck in front of you. However, with major cities comes tiny roads, and trucks can’t drive on those small roads. The auto ship trucks can be as long as 75 ft long, which makes it virtually impossible to squeeze on a small, two-lane road. If the truck can’t get to your house, generally they will contact you and let you know that you need to meet them in a parking lot or some other place that the truck can fit in.
  Also, because of the nature of the United States, many cities prohibit giant trucks from going down minor roads. This is why you never see large 18-wheelers driving past your house. This is generally why you may need to meet the truck in a parking lot or someplace else that the truck can fit in. If they come to your house and there are laws preventing him from doing so, he could get a major fine--then your auto will never move! So let the company that you ship your auto with if your streets are narrow and the truck can’t get in...they’ll appreciate that.