The Basic Steps In Shipping A Car
The shipping of a vehicle means different things to different people. To some, it’s an object – simply a car, a boat, an RV, ATV, or motorcycle…to others, it’s a very personal thing like transporting a cherished family member.
A comfort level that is good for you is the first and foremost issue that surfaces when the all important process of selecting or choosing a Carrier for auto transport. Even more important than price.
Equipment: Does he have modern and safe equipments? Insurance: Is the carrier properly insured? License: Does the carriers have all of the proper licenses and permits necessary? Safety Record: His driving record is very important. Reputation: Does this carrier project a professional attitude?
Utilizing only Carriers that meet a strict code of ethics and conduct is vital, therefore your selection of Brokers that only use these types is very important. Shipping cars and vehicles is a very serious business and only companies and individuals that are very serious need to be involved.
In order to be properly insured most top companies today have liability insurance of at least $1,000,000.00 as well as a minimum of $250,000.00 in cargo insurance to not only cover your vehicle, but to provided coverage against liability for whatever exposure that may come along in the process of moving your vehicle. These amounts are indeed standard.
Required and mandatory licensing is very important. Being licensed through the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) and having all of the state and federal permits (including registration with the DOT) is not only expected but necessary. The minimum required will be a Motor Carrier Authority Number (a license), a DOT number (licensing) and each state requires permits (expensive) just to utilize their highways for transport.
Getting your vehicle there safely is very urgent, so a safety record indicating that your driver is a careful profession is critically important to you as a shipper.
All drivers/carriers build reputations and some are good, while others not so good. A driver/carriers reputation will certainly provide you volumes in terms of what to expect in regards to agreement, compliance with your contract, and the simple task of just getting along with you. Be careful here if you feel a bit uncomfortable. You might want to simply talk with another driver/carrier that makes you feel better about the entire process. You can find many review sites on the internet where you can review the performance and reputations of various transport companies. They are even complete with details and accounts of experiences listed by previous customers.
Don’t select a company or driver that uses worn out equipment, and if it looks worn out it probably is. Successful companies and drivers are not going to use “junk”. In order to provide safety and reliability successful carriers pride themselves in top equipment and you will be able to tell the difference.
The nice thing about requesting quotes from brokers is that only companies selected to meet or exceed the above listed descriptions will be contacting you. After all, you safety and total satisfaction is what it is all about.
Before requesting a quote be sure and read Campbell Shahan’s really great report on things you need to understand at auto transport where he points out the nice and the bad about auto shipping auto transport