Vehicle Transportation in Shelby MT

Answers To Your Questions
Friendly straight forward advice

Do you have questions such as what size auto carrier do I need or how much does this cost? Call us now to get all of your questions answered.

Affordable Prices
Competitive pricing with no hidden fees

Unlike other vehicle shipping companies in Shelby, we never charge hidden fees. Our pricing includes everything that you will need to transport your vehicle from point A to point B – all at extremely competitive rates.

Dependable Service
On time delivery and pickup

Don’t settle for slow response or late deliveries. For over 10 years we have shipped vehicles on time, when and where our customers need them. Call today to see why we’re the best budget auto transport company in Shelby, MT.

Are you trying to figure out the process of moving a vehicle from one location to another utilizing an auto transporter in Shelby? In essence, auto shipping consists of a car carrier company relocating the vehicle from one place to another for a client. Customers have the option to choose between an open carrier, which is the most common, or an enclosed carrier that better protects your vehicle. An open carrier is the most common, which also means it’s the most inexpensive for typical vehicle transport needs. However, first you should understand the difference between an auto transport broker and an auto carrier. In short, brokers assist in the shipping procedure by connecting customers with carriers, while the carrier essentially performs the job. In this article, we’ll evaluate the distinctions between brokers and carriers, as well as some guidelines to help make your auto transport experience easier.

What is an Auto Broker in Shelby?

When looking for car transport and car shipping companies in Shelby, there are basically two different options you can choose to book with: a broker, and a carrier. In short, an auto shipping broker reaches out to car haulers who will actually perform the moving of your vehicle. A broker will find trucking companies in your area to pick up and deliver your vehicle. A carrier, on the other hand, actually owns their trucks and they send one of their trucks to pick up your vehicle.

How do Auto Transport Brokers Work?

A person or group acting as an auto transport broker won’t own the fleet of trucks used for shipping. Brokers facilitate auto transportation by hooking up customers, referred to as “shippers”, with the carriers that provide the particular services requested. The advantage of using a broker as opposed to a carrier is that you have much more options because of their existing network of auto carriers. If you deal directly with an auto transport carrier, they may not have the required equipment when you need it, or may not have licensing in all the states needed to move your vehicle where it needs to go. Basically, a broker does the leg work of locating a carrier that meets these conditions and can sometimes get a more competitive rate by creating competition between carriers on behalf of the shipper.

Selecting a Qualified Car Carrier

An auto carrier, as opposed to a broker, is the individual or company that owns the moving trucks and will be responsible for shipping your automobile. Working directly with a car carrier will not require a broker, but it may be challenging to find the best carrier since many of them count on brokers to connect them with customers. A customer would be responsible for finding and dealing with the Shelby auto transporter, or a number of of them if you are shopping around. In this case, the customer assumes the role of the broker and deals with the auto transport directly. It’s important to keep in mind that some carriers may not be able to transport a motor vehicle since licensing and legal requirements differ from state to state. Auto carriers can range anywhere from a one person operation to a company with multiple drivers and a fleet of auto shipping trucks.

Things to Consider Before Shipping Your Car

Secure your personal items outside your vehicle.

Auto carriers are forbidden from relocating anything considered a household good, which is a rule mandated by the Department of Transportation. This means auto transport in Shelby will not be allowed to deliver vehicles with your personal objects inside of them. Some good examples of household goods that might be in your vehicle are DVD players, GPS systems or car seats.

Only leave around a quarter of tank of gas in your car.

Since your vehicle will need to be driven onto and off of the transport trailer, you ought to make sure your vehicle isn’t super low on gas. Also, your car may be positioned at an angle on top of an auto carrier, meaning gasoline could shift from one side of the gas tank to another, and if the fuel level is too low it might not be able to start. Conversely, make sure you don’t have a full tank of gas in your car either, since it would add a great deal of weight to your vehicle during shipping.

Pay attention to any existing damage on your car.

In order to better identify any scratches or dents on your vehicle it’s a good idea to clean it before examining the body. This will allow you to plainly see if there are any dents, dings or scratches that are already existing on your vehicle’s body, which means you won’t mistakenly believe the damage took place during shipping. It’s simple to document them by taking photos, which will also prove the condition of your vehicle in the case that damage does occur during the shipping process.

Knowing your Bill of Lading.

When the Shelby auto transport arrives to start the shipping procedure, you and the driver of the carrier can do an inspection of your vehicle’s condition. This inspection will document any current damages on your vehicle, which generally includes scratches, dents and dings. Once that process is complete, the client will be given a Bill of Lading. This document simply acknowledges that the auto carrier is taking short-term control of your vehicle. It also confirms the condition of your vehicle, so both the customer and auto transporter can agree on any current damage. When the car arrives at its intended location, the customer will be presented with another Bill of Lading. This will confirm that the vehicle has been delivered and will allow the customer to inspect that vehicle again to determine if any new damage has occurred. So this process essentially safeguards both the customer and the auto carrier so that there will be no confusion upon delivery.

Your car should be insured against damages.

You really should check with your auto insurance company to find out if they offer any coverage for your vehicle should it be damaged during the hauling process. Even so, any auto transport Shelby service should already have liability coverage currently built into their prices, which commonly covers anywhere between ,000 and 0,000 worth of damages. The client won’t have to shell out extra for this insurance, since it should already be built into the auto hauler’s charges. This should be enough to cover anything that could happen to the common vehicle, unless you’re transporting a high-end or collector’s car.

How to Locate the Best Auto Hauler in Shelby

You’ll have a wide variety of auto transporters to choose from when looking for the best service for your vehicle shipping requirements. Thankfully, you can do a little bit of research on your end before making a final decision on which auto transport Shelby service to go with. Initially, you can obtain the company’s MC number or USDOT number. A dependable auto carrier service should be insured and licensed. You can use these numbers to look up the auto hauler with the Better Business Bureau in order to find out their reputation. In many cases it’s a good idea to review the terms and conditions of your service agreement with the auto transporter just so you comprehend the process a little better.

Understanding the Difference Between Enclosed Transport and Open Transport Solutions in Shelby

Shipping your vehicle by using an open carrier option is often the most cost-effective and common. There are more carriers of this type than an enclosed version, and you’ve probably seen them many times on the highway. The abundance of these carriers and their reputation helps contribute to the cheap price tag. So, generally, this is the most affordable way to ship a car. An auto carrier that is going from your area and journeying through to your destination will take that vehicle and add it to a group of up to 10 others heading in that same direction. This lowers the cost of shipping as it is divided by the all the vehicles onboard.

Researching Auto Transport Companies in Shelby

Prior to making a decision on whether you employ an open trailer or enclosed trailer, first think about how much safety your motor vehicle really needs. The most common cars shipped using an enclosed shipping option are antique or classic vehicles. On the other hand, if you have an average or older model vehicle, then an open-air trailer should suit your needs just fine. As usually, try to get at least three or four quotes for car shipping services so you can be sure you’re being charged an satisfactory rate. Simply put a little time towards investigating the auto shipping process and the car carrier in Shelby that you’re planning to do business with, that way you know all your bases are covered.