Vehicle Shipping in St Joseph IL

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 St Joseph, 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 St Joseph, IL.

Are you looking for the absolute best St Joseph auto transport? Then you’ve come to the right place and we’ll help you fully understand the transport procedure every step of the way. In order to be sure you get the best auto shipping rates and the very best service, it’s a good idea to do a little bit of research first. The majority of shippers will provide “door-to-door” service, which means they pick your car up from one place and deliver it to another place of your choosing. When making a decision on an auto carrier service, it’s necessary to first know the difference between an auto transport brokerage and an auto hauler. The primary distinction is that brokers simply arrange for transport, while carriers are the ones actually handling the physical delivery. Some agencies act as both a broker and a carrier, but we’ll discuss the two distinctions further in this article.

What is an Auto Broker in St Joseph?

First of all, every customer should know what it means to be an auto transport broker as opposed to a carrier. Before choosing between an auto broker and an auto transport company in St Joseph it’s essential to have a good understanding of the distinctions between the two, as well as how the business works. If you’ve never used an auto transport service before, the process might seem challenging, but in this article we’ll give you all the details you need to make an educated decision.

What Is An Auto Transport Broker?

Brokers are essentially the logistics management partner to an auto carrier and consumer. A broker will track market conditions and will have a network of car carriers to contact for each customer they acquire. A car transporter in St Joseph will be in contact with these brokers and rely on them to link up consumers with their services. An auto shipping broker will have connections with carriers around the country and will find one who travels the route and has the best prices for the client. One of the advantages of using an auto shipping broker is that they can offer you with a better variety of choices when it comes to car haulers. These brokers also keep in touch with the client throughout the shipping process and will keep them posted as to the progress of their car shipping service.

Choosing a Qualified Car Carrier

When you choose to seek out a St Joseph auto carrier you’ll be dealing with the company who actually owns the truck used for transporting vehicles. With a few conditions, most auto transport carriers only serve a minimal number of routes. They do not divert too far from their designated routes because this would mean slower service to all customers and even higher prices. Dealing with a carrier company doesn’t mean customers will pay less. A service costs what it costs. Whether that is time, equipment and effort to drive or to find and deal with customers, it all costs money. An auto transport broker will already be set up to get in touch with multiple transporters in order to find the best price and most efficient performance for the customer, so working directly with an auto carrier may not make a huge difference for the better in price or service. Auto carriers aren’t generally easy to locate and contact, since a lot of times they rely on brokers to connect them with consumers.

Car Shipping Advice

Ensure all personal items are removed from your vehicle.

No car hauler in St Joseph is permitted to transport household goods, as per regulations put forth by the Department of Transportation. This includes things like personal GPS devices, external DVD players, DVDs, CDs or any typical household item that you’ve stored in your vehicle. It’s well-advised to remove these items from your vehicle prior to pickup to prevent any delays.

Leave a quarter of a tank of fuel in your gas tank.

Keep an eye on your gas gauge before transporting with a St Joseph car carrier. Just to be safe, make sure your gas level isn’t too low and keep only about a quarter of a tank in your car. Your car may be driven briefly just to load it onto and off of the vehicle trailer and you don’t want to leave your fuel level too low. Alternatively, you don’t want to ship your car with a full tank of gas either. A full tank will add substantial weight to your vehicle and could throw off the stability of the transport and result in problems.

Take pictures of any existing damages on your car.

To make sure you have proof of the condition of your vehicle prior to using a St Joseph auto carrier it’s a good idea to search for any dents, scratches or other damage that may already exist. Cleaning your vehicle first will make it a lot easier to identify any dents or dings. Next, take some pictures of videos of your car in order to offer proof of its condition if needed afterwards. That way you have records of its condition in the event any incidents arise during the vehicle transport process.

Understanding your Bill of Lading.

The client will be offered a Bill of Lading once your chosen auto carrier in St Joseph comes to pick up your vehicle. This is simply a document that acknowledges the business is picking up your vehicle for shipping and will also show any existing damages to your vehicle prior to picking it up. It’s a wise course of action to examine the vehicle with the driver to make sure you are both aware of any existing damages. Any current damages will be recorded in the Bill of Lading, which is then signed by both the driver and consumer. Once your vehicle is delivered, you’ll be presented with a Bill of Lading that you can use to check for any new damages to your vehicle that may have taken place during shipping.

Understand your insurance coverage.

Inquire about your auto transport carrier’s insurance liability coverage before shipping, which every carrier should already have. Any St Joseph car hauler should already have liability insurance, which is incorporated into the total cost of your shipping. The overall insurance coverage typically ranges between ,000 and 0,000. Each auto hauler commonly uses a third-party insurance company that handles the liabilities on their end. Also, you can check with your own insurance policy to see if it covers damages that can take place during the shipping process.

How to Locate the Best Auto Hauler in St Joseph

There are several ways you can make sure that you’re getting the best service from the auto carrier in St Joseph that you’ve chosen. Every qualified auto hauler should be licensed, bonded and insured. Yet another way to check their service record is by obtaining their MC number or USDOT and doing a lookup with the Better Business Bureau. Ensure to look over the terms and conditions of the shipping agreement and take some time to educate yourself on the overall auto transport process. It’s also a wise course of action to read any third-party critiques of the company to see what past customers are saying.

Difference Between Open Transport & Enclosed Carriers in St Joseph

Going with a St Joseph auto transport service you’ll be able to ship your vehicle just about anywhere in the country, and you’ll also be able to pick how your vehicle is shipped. While most auto transport companies will move the vehicles by way of a tractor trailer, depending on the company you choose, you may have the option to go with either open-air or enclosed transport. While both approaches use a truck for transport, they do have their differences.

When a car shipping business says it uses open-air trucks, it uses the type of car carrier that most people relate to car transport. Open air auto carriers will feature two rows of cars, one on top and one on bottom, and are normally around 75 feet in length. There are no sides and no roof on the trailer, so the vehicles are open to the elements at all times.

Searching for Auto Transport Companies in St Joseph

Prior to making a decision on whether you utilize an open trailer or enclosed trailer, first think about how much safety your car really needs. If it is an antique or collector’s car, you’ll perhaps want to err on the side of caution and use a fully-enclosed trailer to move your vehicle. However, if you’re simply transporting an average vehicle that you use every day for typical driving needs, then an open trailer would likely be a good fit for you. A good game plan is to get multiple quotes from car shipping carriers or brokers, that way you know you’re getting the most equitable rates. By putting in a bit of time to research the St Joseph auto transport company, the process being auto transporting and the rates included in your service you can ensure you’re not only getting the very best deal, but also the best service.