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If you’re considering shipping your vehicle across country you may be wondering how to choose the “right” auto transporter. When inquiring with companies you should ask if the transporter is an “auto transport broker” or an “auto transport shipping company who handles all the shipments that they are bidding on.
Something that you should be aware of is the fact that all auto transporters share a universal load board. This is a national inventory of vehicles that are waiting for shipment. This is where brokers list automobiles, along with the details of origination and destination, desired mode of transportation, and your requested dates for transit.
When a customer is looking for a transport from New York to California and the company that you receive that quote from doesn't have a carrier making that route during the desired move dates they post it along with the type of vehicle and what the payment for service is. If there is a truck waiting to be loaded in New York, a search can be done looking for vehicles going to California. This is how carriers are able to keep their trucks loaded and drop off locations within a few hundred mile radius. At this point several hundred auto transporters will see this and can contact the company that issued the quote if they have interest in this transport.
This is known as “brokering” in the auto transport industry. There are several companies, even some of the larger and well known names in auto transportation that have no trucks of their own. There are also some companies that won’t “broker” transports out. They will work with the fleet of vehicles within the company and only accept the transports that they are able to manage themselves.
When you’re shopping for an auto transport fee, we take several factors into consideration before giving you a quote. We look at the area, the type (size) of your vehicle and the desired transport dates. Brokers give fair quotes to ensure that your vehicles transport will be picked up quickly. If the price is too low then carriers will choose a vehicle that is offering to pay more for transport than yours.
Weight is also a factor with the transport carriers because auto transporters can fit more smaller vehicles on the transporter than larger SUV’s or trucks. The more vehicles they can fit on the trailer, the higher gross pay they will receive.
Competitive Pricing: Although there may be several factors that play a part when the auto shipping company is giving you a quote, keep in mind that they are working in your best interest. If they quote too low, it will be difficult to find placement for you. No transporter is going to pick your vehicle out of the many transports listed on the board if your shipping fee is considerably lower than that of the average similar transport. If you're willing to pay a little more, it is likely that your transport will be picked up quickly and the estimated time frame for pick-up and delivery will be accommodated. The more highly populated cities always ship quicker. If it’s possible, arrange your drop-off and pick-up in a more major metro city, your transport is more likely to ship faster.
Company Reputation: When a broker chooses to deal with a particular auto transport company we rely on more than the price. We understand that being satisfied with the services provided is as big a part of the whole picture as the price. You can be assured that we work only with those companies that stand behind there reputation and of course their paperwork.
Commission: Broker fees, or commissions are paid to the broker out of your transport charges. All parties must get paid out of your fee. The brokering company, the auto transport company which accepts the transport, and the driver. There may not be as much to go around as what you think. Some brokering companies charge upwards of 30% of the total shipping cost. You may want to ask the brokering company what their % of the commission is.
Availability: You may want to consider asking the brokering company what their hours of operation are. Some companies work only 6-8 hours a day, relying solely on the national board to find placement for your transport. When an auto shipping company is loading his truck, he can’t wait for a broker to call back the following day. There are several people waiting for their shipment to arrive. This may be a huge consideration for you when choosing an auto transport broker, and company.
Honesty:There is no room for excuses when hearing back from your auto transport company. There are many factors that can affect your auto transport, but the honesty of the company representative, or the diver shouldn’t be one of them. Time delays caused by weather or a brief mechanical breakdown are reasonable, but your contract should detail remedies for this, and other less common misfortunes that may occur during transport.
Deposits: Auto transport companies charge a deposit to ensure that you’re committed to getting your vehicle shipped and that your commitment remains with that particular transport company. There have been several occasions when the broker, and/or the auto transport company sends out a truck to pick-up your vehicle and you’ve changed your mind (either choosing not to ship your car, or placing an additional order with a different transport company). This is the prime example of why auto shipping companies charge deposits.
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