Frequently Asked Questions Related Vehicle Shipping

Nowadays, many people are inclined towards vehicle shipping services for importing/exporting vehicles. However, not many people are familiarized with auto transport process, which is why they especially those looking for vehicle shipping for first time, often get confused while acquiring vehicle-shipping services. In order to educate such people regarding auto transport process, question and answers are the best way. Here are some of frequently asked questions regarding the vehicle shipping process that can help people to have an understanding with process:

What points should be considered while hiring an auto shipping company?

The safety of your vehicle during its relocation mainly depends on car shipping company. Therefore, it is imperative to hire the one, which is licensed, insured, and experienced.

How can you determine reliability of an auto shipping company?

A number of ways can help customers to determine expertise of an auto shipping company. However, the best way is to check it with federal agencies such as the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Moving Carrier and Safety Administration (FMCSA), and Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) that regulate interstate and overseas auto transportation.

Moreover, verifying auto shipper with Better Business Bureau (BBB) can help people to know how company deals with its customers. Reading vehicle-shipping reviews and requesting auto-shipping quote are also useful to compare its services with other well-known companies.

Which is the best method for transporting vehicle safely?

All methods are secure and safe ways of relocating vehicles. It generally depends on the type of vehicle required to move. For transporting a classic car, enclosed transportation and RoRo auto shipping are considered best for domestic and international auto shipping respectively. Both are safe, secure, and cost effective as compared to any other method of vehicle shipping.

Can I ship my car, if it does not run?

Well, no for international vehicle shipping because companies do not like transporting out of order cars overseas. However, for domestic transportation you can ship an out of order vehicle, if you inform the shipper about its running condition.

How can I ensure safety of my vehicle?

When you choose auto transportation method like enclosed and RoRo for your vehicle shipping, vehicle is shipped at the destination safely. However, if you are much concerned about safety of vehicle, you must get your vehicle shipping insured by getting a vehicle shipping insurance. Means, if your vehicle crashes or gets any damage during its transportation, you will be able to claim it.

Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration-Avoid Fake Auto Shipping Companies

Auto transport services are very popular nowadays. People, who want to transport vehicles to distant cities, hire vehicle transporters for shipping their vehicles to desired area. In addition, people who purchase cars from automotive dealers in other cities also choose to ship their vehicles with the help of auto transporters. Vehicle shipping services are preferred because they relieve of people from hassles of relocating car on their own. Therefore, if you want to relocate a vehicle, you should hire a car shipping company for transporting it because it is cost effective.

When looking for an auto transport company, one of major thing you will need is to avoid vehicle shipping scams. Auto transport industry comprises of both licensed and illegal car shipping companies because of which it becomes hard to find out a reputable network of auto transporters for shipping vehicle. A number of ways can help you to check if it is legitimate or fraud. If you are hiring a company for transporting your vehicle, you should verify it with following federal agency to make sure it is not a scam:

Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration (FMCSA)

It is subsidiary of U.SDepartment of Transportation, which particularly deals with interstate moving companies. In order to verify your auto mover, you should contact Federal Moving Carrier and Safety Administration (FMCSA). It holds record of all legitimate vehicle shipping companies. In order to verify company with FMCSA, you should log onto agency’s website and visit Safety and Search.

The safety and search allows citizens to access safety record of an auto shipping company. You can check your car transporter by entering its official name or US DOT number. When you will enter name of vehicle shipper, it will possibly come with following results:

1.  Does not exist, means the vehicle shipper is not registered with Federal Department of Transportation. Hence, it is not legitimate..

2.      Inactive DOT number means the company has been asked by DOT to shut its operations due to violation of rules and regulations. Thus, it is an unprofessional and inexperienced vehicle shipping company.

3.      Record exist means the car shipper is registered with DOT. Check its safety record and make sure it is insured as well.

You must also check rating of auto shipper with Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration. It will enable you to see whether it meets standards of vehicle shipping as well as where it stands among reputable companies.

Complaint against a Vehicle Shipping Company

Due to numerous complications involved in vehicle transportation process, sometimes conflicts occur among clients and companies. Although, vehicle transport companies put their maximum efforts to sort out the issues between them and customers but occasionally it remains unresolved. In addition, few non-professional companies often refuse to cooperate with clients. In such situations, people do not find an exact solution for resolving their problems and decide to proceed for legal actions. However, there are alternatives to it that cost less and work effectively. Therefore, clients who are in a conflict with car shipping company consider court proceedings as a last resort. 

The best way of resolving issues with vehicle transporters is to contact federal agencies that regulate transportation and work in order to establish a fair marketplace. However, prior to contacting these agencies, make sure you have all documents to provide evidences. You should have the copy of car shipping insurance, vehicle shipping contract, and vehicle tracking report. Understand the terms and conditions, and if you think your vehicle is mismanaged while it is being transported, you must consider the following agencies to find out a feasible solution of your issue:

Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration (FMCSA)

The Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration (FMCSA), a subsidiary of US Department of Transportation, specifically deals in order to regular the interstate movers. If you are in a conflict with an auto transport company on moving your vehicle, you can file your complaint with FMCSA. By logging on FMCSA’s website, you can filea complaint regarding your auto shipping process. In addition, if you do not have access to internet, you can use the toll free number 1-888-368-7238. The offices of FMCSA remain open 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Monday through Friday. 

You complaint regarding vehicle shipping process will be redirected to the appropriate regulating authority of the State you are living in.

Better Business Bureau

Although the vehicle shipping companies are not required to be authorized from Better Business Bureau but customers can file their complaints with it. The Better Business Bureau works in order to create a fair marketplace for consumers. It welcomes complaints against all type of businesses and handles the issues feasibly. In order to resolve your issue with auto transporter, you must file your complaint through BBB’s online “File a Complaint” services or toll free number of your local BBB organization.

Prevention is always better than cure which is why you are advised to consider nations top auto mover to move your car.

What to Look in an Auto Transport Company before Signing Contract

The auto shipping companies can help you to transport the vehicle, if it is required to ship at a far location. When it comes shipping a vehicle across the country, choosing vehicle transport services is far better than driving it yourself. The car shipping services are beneficial in many ways. However, the biggest advantage is you can save money because shipping a standard size vehicle mostly costs less than relocating the vehicle on your own. Therefore, you should prefer auto transport services.

However, you cannot trust a car shipping company in the industry without confirming its reliability. Remember, not all car transport companies can ship your vehicle safely. There are inexperienced and fake vehicle transporters operating as well. The safety of your vehicle totally depends on the vehicle shipping your are hiring. Therefore, you must consider professional auto transport companies that are best known for their shipping services. Make sure the company you hire fits the following criterion:

Authorized and Insured

The auto shipper must be registered with the federal agencies such as the Department of Transportation and Federal Moving Carrier and Safety Administration. You must check it with the Federal Maritime Commission, if you are hiring an ocean transporter. Visit the website of FMCSA and log onto the SaferSys database in order to verify the company’s registration. By entering its official name or the USDOT number, you will be able to view the safety record and legitimate details of vehicle transporter.

Carefully analyze the record and make sure it has an active DOT number. Also, check whether it has an MC number or not. The MC number will ensure you the company is insured as well.

Check with Better Business Bureau

It is always a better idea to verify the company with Better Business Bureau (BBB) as well to make sure it does not unresolved complaints on its account. The vehicle shipping companies with the unresolved complaints are considered non-professional and irresponsible. Therefore, you should avoid, if your auto shipper has bad BBB ratings.

Check Payment Methods

Some companies require a full deposit in advance for shipping the vehicles. You must avoid such car transporters as they may get money in advance and ignoring you later. Always hire the company which requires does not ask for full initial deposit.

Tips for Transporting Vehicle at Affordable Rates

Nowadays, everyone prefers to ship vehicle with the help of auto shipping companies, if it is required to move to a far location. However, there is some cost associated with auto shipping services that sometimes becomes unaffordable for people. People, who are looking for auto transport services at affordable rates, can reduce the cost of auto shipping services, if they understand the cost determining factors.

The following are some useful tips that will help you to keep the vehicle transport rates within your budget:

Choose Open Car Carriers

The cost of auto shipping services heavily depends on the car carriers you are hiring for transporting your vehicle. Both open and enclosed car carriers are considered safe.

Since you are looking for affordable auto shipping rates, you must choose open car transportation while requesting a car transport quote because it costs less as compared to enclosed car transportation. You must not be hesitant in choosing open car carriers because more than 80% auto transport activities are accomplished successfully through this method.

Choose Terminal-to-Terminal Services

In order to lower the car shipping rates, you must choose terminal-to-terminal auto shipping services because the door-to-door auto shipping services are expensive.

Look for Discounts

Most of the people do not ask for the available discounts on shipping vehicles. Many companies offer discounted rates to military people, students, and senior citizens. Therefore, you must ask for the available discounts for you. It may also help you to lower the amount of vehicle transportation price.

Do not Insure the Vehicle Shipping Process

You must not get a vehicle shipping insurance for securing the auto shipping process. Many people including company’s officials to get a car shipping insurance because it secures the process. However, you must not worry about the safety of your vehicle because all companies value the assets of their customers while it is being transported.

In addition, you must not get the car shipping insurance because your own car insurance covers your vehicle for auto transportation as well. In case, your vehicle is damaged during the vehicle transport process, you will still be able to make a claim because the auto carriers are always insured that cover your vehicle as well.

Avoid Additional Services

The auto transporter will offer you additional services such as GPS tracking services, customer toll free, and minute-to-minute text updates. However, you must avoid acquiring the additional services in order to keep the car shipping rates within your budget.

Career in Auto Transport Industry

The US auto transport industry is constantly expanding since last five to ten years due to increase in auto import/export activities. So far, it has been doing just too good and it is expected to perform the same way in future. The quick, affordable, and quality car delivery services by the network of auto transporters have enabled the auto transport industry to contribute towards the economy of US in this economic downturn. In addition, the industry has created several job opportunities for number of people in the last decade.

Due to this reason, the auto transport industry is considered among the highly growing industries. However, still according to several federal agencies, the auto transport services are not enough to accommodate the needs of customers. According to the United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, the need of transportation especially auto transport services is projected to grow constantly because of the high rate of car relocation activities.

Because of this reason, the US Department of Auto Transportation is encouraging the new students to enroll in transportation studies to avoid the scarcity of transportation experts in future. In addition, the US Department of Transportation has announced several scholarships for talented students, who want to take part in transportation studies. In addition, at this moment, the transportation especially, the auto transport industry is currently looking for young workers to meet the workforce requirements.

Since, auto transport industry has high growth profile and career opportunities in the industry are expected to increase as compared to other fields, the students are advised to choose auto transport studies as their career. The auto transport industry is a lucrative field, which can help you to develop a high standard in the society. In order to take part in US auto transport industry, you can choose the following industry related professions:

1.      Automotive engineer

2.      Railroad and route planner

3.      Aviation expert

4.      Freight Technician

5.      Specialized Hauler

6.      Driver

These are the professional, who are highly regarded in the auto transportation industry. The students are advised to choose any of these professions to excel in auto transport industry. Looking at the present job situations in the United States, students should choose transportation studies for their career because they would not need to wait long to seek a job. Moreover, the auto transport industry will not cost because the US Department of Transportation is willing to provide scholarships to talented students.

Useful Tips for Hiring the Right Car Shipping Company

Shifting home from one city to another city is a stressful task that becomes even more complicated when you decide to relocate your vehicle as well. When relocating, prefer auto-shipping services instead of relocating the vehicle on your own. When you choose to relocate the vehicle on your own, it includes various travelling expenditures such as, fuel cost and motel expenses. In addition, driving the vehicle over a long distance mostly comes up with car maintenance issues. If you calculate the cost of auto shipping services and relocating the vehicle on your own, you will observe that the car shipping services cost less. Above all, your vehicle will be transported on a car carrier and will reach the destination safely.

Therefore, you must acquire the services of an auto shipping company to ease out your relocating process. However, when looking for auto shipping services, make sure you hire an expert auto shipper. For that, you will need to conduct a research. Number of ways can help you reach the right auto shipping company. However, following are the two main ways of finding a reliable auto transporter:

Referrals: You must get recommendations from the people who have prior experience of shipping vehicles. This is the most recommended way because the people, who have been involved in auto-shipping previously, can guide you in the right direction. Moreover, you will be able to get referral of reliable auto shipping company.

Internet Surfing: However, if you do not have such people around you, you can use internet for finding reliable auto transport services. By browsing the websites of auto shipping companies, you can compare the services of auto transporters easily. In order to compare the companies, you must use following two tools to hire the services of a competitive transporter:

1.      Customer Reviews: You must read the customer reviews of various auto shipping companies. The reviews will allow you to know how past customers were dealt by the company. By reading the reviews of various auto shippers, you will be able to identify the companies trusted by past customers.

2.      Vehicle Shipping Quotes: The vehicle shipping quotes will allow you to compare the services and cost of services of auto shipping companies. By making a comparison of vehicle shipping quotes, you will be able to identify the company offering quality and economical services.

Thus, use both auto shipping reviews and quotes to make the right decision for shipping the vehicle. For more guidelines visit us at www.autotransportdepot.com/vehicle-shipping-services.htm.

SaferBus Mobile Application to find Reliable Auto Carrier

If you are planning to ship a car with the help of an auto transport company, then look certain things before you book. The safety of your vehicle should be the top priority while hiring an auto transporter. Therefore, the customers are advised to focus on quality services instead of looking for cheap rates. Do not risk your vehicle by making a premature decision. Most customers do not consider the necessary things while hiring the services of an auto shipping company. They just end up signing a contract by just getting quotes and reading auto shipping reviews without considering other particulars of the auto shipper.

Customers are advised not to follow this approach because it often leads them to hire wrong auto shipping companies that become the reason why vehicle is damaged during the process. The key to get your vehicle shipped safely is in hiring an expert auto shipping company. There are number of ways through which you can know the expertise and legitimacy of an auto shipper. However, recently the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched a free SaferBus App for users to help them hire reputable auto services.

The SaferBus mobile application is specifically designed to provide information about Bus companies. However, it is also useful to know the safety record of most auto shipping carriers. With the help of SaferBus Mobile application, you can easily verify DOT and MC number of the carriers you are choosing to transport your vehicle. Following are main features of SaferBus that provide easy access to companies’ safety information:

Authority and Insurance Status: The SaferBus mobile app prevents customers from the illegal interstate auto shipping companies. Customers should not hire the services of an interstate auto shipping company that does not have an active DOT and Insurance number.

Safety Performance Records: With the help of SaferBus mobile app, you can view the safety performance records of the companies registered with FMCSA. This data will provide an insight of company’s performance that will enable you to know the expertise of auto carrier.

File a Complaint: The SaferSys mobile application is developed by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to help people hire the right auto companies. The application is directly linked with FMCSA Consumer Complaint Database that allows customers to file complaint against the services of a company.

Thus, you should use SaferBus application for finding reputable auto carriers. In order to know more about SaferBus, visit the FMCSA website to know the FAQs related SaferBus app.

Tips for Hiring an International Vehicle Transport Company

If you have purchased a vehicle from another country, you need to acquire the services of an international auto shipper to ship your car at your required place. Definitely, you cannot afford to go there and arrange for transporting the vehicle to the desired location. Therefore, you should look for an alternative way of bringing your vehicle to the desired location. The best way is to hire the services of an auto shipper. The auto shipper will not only help you to ship the vehicle but also complete the important documentation of your vehicle on your behalf.

There are number of car transport companies in USA that can help you to import your newly purchased vehicle. Remember, many international auto shippers claim to have best auto shipping services but you cannot trust all of them. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct an appropriate research prior to hiring the services of an auto shipper. The key to hire a reliable auto shipper is to focus on hiring quality auto shipping services instead of searching for cheap services. When hiring an auto shipping company, you should consider the following important information:

Licensed

First off, the reliability of an auto shipper depends on its legitimacy. Therefore, you must try to verify its legitimacy with federal agencies that regulate US auto transportation. If you have hired the services of an ocean cargo, you must verify it with Federal Maritime Commission, which deals with ocean transportation. In addition, if you are hiring airfreight services, you must verify the auto shipper with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for verifying the legitimacy. Moreover, either you are hiring ocean or airfreight services, you must verify the auto shipper with Department of Transportation. If the auto shipper has an active DOT number, then it is licensed.

Read Reviews

You must also read the auto shipping reviews of past clients on the websites of auto shipping companies. It will allow you to know the experience of people with the overseas transporters. Moreover, by reading more and more auto transport reviews, you will be able to compare the companies from customer point of view. This will enable you to hire the company that has received maximum feedback from its customers.

Get Multiple Quotes

Another way of comparing international auto shippers is to get multiple quotes from various companies. By requesting quotes from different auto shippers, you will be able to observe the difference in their services and rates. Hence, it will allow you to identify the company offering compatible services.

How to Secure your Auto Transport Process

Nowadays, many people hire the services of auto shipping companies for relocating vehicles from one place to another. People prefer to transport car to distant locations by availing the auto shipping services because driving the vehicle to a far location is often tiring. Moreover, auto transport services are convenient, time saving, and cost effective. Therefore, if you want to ship your vehicle to a far place, then you must hire the services of an auto shipping company to transport car safely at your destined location.

When transporting vehicle with the help of an auto shipper, you must consider few very important points. Your utmost priority must be safety of your vehicle. For that, first off you will need to make sure that your vehicle is in right hands. It means you should make sure you hire the services of an expert and experienced auto shipper. Apart from that, you must:

Choose Enclosed Car Transportation

The interstate auto transportation is done by using open and enclosed car carriers. Both open and enclosed car carriers are extensively used for transporting vehicles. However, you are advised to choose enclosed car carriers for transporting vehicles. The open car carriers do not cover your vehicle fully and five to six vehicles are transported at a time  because of which chances are that you vehicle can be damaged. Therefore, you should choose enclosed car carriers because they offer more protection as compared to open car carriers. Although the enclosed car carriers cost high, but people, who know the worth of having a vehicle, will not bother about the cost of enclosed transportation.

Insure Your Vehicle Shipping Process

You must also consider the auto shipping insurance for securing your auto shipping process. Mostly auto shipping companies transport vehicles successfully, but yet you cannot afford to take a risk because accidents are the part of transportation. If your vehicle is damaged during the auto shipping process, then the auto shipping insurance will enable you to claim for vehicle damages.

It is observed that most of the people do not consider auto shipping insurance considering their own vehicle insurance covers their car. However, it is strongly recommended to check before you regret because mostly the car insurance does not cover your vehicle for auto transportation. Therefore, call your car insurance company and ask whether your car insurance is applicable for the car transportation. If it is, then no need to get a car shipping insurance.