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Vehicle Transport in Charter Oak IA

transportation checkboxesAnswers 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.

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Affordable Prices
Competitive pricing with no hidden fees

Unlike other vehicle shipping companies in Charter Oak, 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.

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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 Charter Oak, IA.

Have questions, need a quote, or want to schedule a transport – just give us a call at (888) 654-1785

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Hauling a motor vehicle is not a really complex process, although it may seem that way from the outside, especially if you’ve never done it before. Shipping a car, truck, motorcycle, or any other type of vehicle is just a matter of discovering the right information and getting in touch with the appropriate people, which is this case is an auto transportation company in Charter Oak. Sometimes when you reach out to a transportation company you’ll be speaking with what’s called an auto transport broker, rather then the auto carrier themselves. They both offer the same options, which is to facilitate the moving of your vehicle, but a broker simply arranges the transport while a carrier essentially supplies the transportation. The method is mostly the same regardless of where in America your trying to ship your car to. The main data you’ll need prior to transport is your vehicle’s make, model and year. You should also plan ahead if you have a tight timeframe you need your vehicle shipped in or a certain date it has to arrive by. One of the most important distinctions to understand is the difference and similarities between an auto transport broker and a carrier.

How to Tell the Difference Between Charter Oak Auto Carriers and Brokers

You’ll basically have two choices when looking for an auto carrier in Charter Oak. In short, an auto shipping broker reaches out to car haulers who will actually perform the moving of your vehicle. The broker will find the ideal trucking service for you depending on where you are and where your automobile needs to go. A carrier, on the other hand, actually owns their trucks and they send one of their trucks to pick-up your vehicle.

How an Auto Transport Broker Sets Up Transportation Options

An auto transport broker is simply the professional hired by you, the shipper, who aids in the process of procuring an auto transport company in Charter Oak. This means the customer, or shipper, does not actually deal directly with the auto carrier who will be in charge of picking up and delivering your motor vehicle. The auto transport broker acts as a liaison between the shipper and carrier, which means they can shop around to find the most reliable shipping solution for their customers. They’ll find an automobile carrier who travels the route and is within realistic distance to your location, so it can end up making the entire shipping process quicker. Essentially, they will be your point of contact during the entire shipping process until your car is shipped to its destination.

How to Identify an Auto Carrier

An auto carrier typically employs a large double deck truck to move multiple vehicles at once, which you’ve probably seen on the freeways at times. These vehicles are driven by certified CDL drivers who are qualified and licensed to haul motor vehicles. Sometimes, the driver of the truck is also the owner of the rig, so they decide on their services and which routes to travel. These drivers are the ones who are considered auto carriers and will be responsible for picking up and delivering your car or truck. Sometimes a carrier may also act as a broker, so if they’re not able to transport your vehicle, then they will find another driver who can do the job. So even if you think you’re dealing directly with an auto carrier, you might be choosing a different carrier service in the end. Most of the time when customers deals directly with a company, rather than an intermediary, they think they’ll be gaining a better rate, but that’s not automatically true with Charter Oak auto transport. A broker shops multiple auto transporters and is already organized to contact all these vendors, so they’ll already know the best option for your auto transport demands.

Car Shipping Advice

Take any personal items out of your vehicle.

Most people are unaware of a Department of Transportation Code that prohibits auto transport services in Charter Oak from shipping personal products included in vehicles. Typical household items that might be in your vehicle such as a car seat, GPS device or an umbrella should be removed prior to your vehicle being shipped. So it’s a good option to check your vehicle and take away any of these items before the truck comes to pick it up.

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

Since your automobile will have 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 vehicle may be placed at an angle on top of an auto carrier, meaning fuel could shift from one side of the gas tank to another, and if the fuel level is too low it may 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 automobile during shipping.

Record any body damage on your vehicle

When using a Charter Oak car hauler you should always perform a quick inspection of your vehicle’s condition before it gets loaded on the trailer. A simple way to do this is by washing your car off and making sure there’s no dirt left on it so that way it’s easier to identify dents and dings. This will make certain you are aware of any existing problems and can accurately determine if any new damage happened during the transporting process. It’s ideal to record the condition of your car by merely taking pictures of it on your cell phone as proof, just in case there are any problems during transporting it.

Learning about your Bill of Lading.

When the Charter Oak car carrier comes to pick up your vehicle you will be given a Bill of Lading. This Bill of Lading consists of the details of your vehicle transport agreement and will validate that it is being placed in the temporary care of the auto transport company. Both parties can do an examination of the vehicle at this time to document any damages that are on the body. So the client and driver can come to an agreement as to the vehicle’s condition, and that way there won’t be any misunderstandings once the vehicle is delivered. An additional Bill of Lading will be given to the customer once the vehicle arrives at its destination, which will verify the condition of the vehicle matches what it was when it was picked up. Any new damage that may have occurred throughout the transport process, although rare, can be identified easier this way.

Your car should be insured against damages.

Your insurance company may have protection built into your policy that provides for damages that may happen in the auto hauling process. Auto transport Charter Oak companies should already have liability coverage built into their services, which typically covers anywhere from ,000 to 0,000 worth of damages. The customer won’t have to shell out extra for this insurance, since it should already be built into the auto hauler’s rates. This should be enough to cover anything that could happen to the typical vehicle, unless you’re transporting a top end or collector’s car.

How to Find the Best Auto Hauler in Charter Oak

It’s usually a good idea to do a bit of research on any company that you’re doing business with before making a commitment. There are plenty of auto transporters in Charter Oak to choose from, so how do you know which one is the best? First, you can obtain the company’s MC number or USDOT number. The auto carrier should always be licensed, bonded and insured. By obtaining these numbers you’ll be able to look up the auto hauler on the Better Business Bureau’s website to find out more details about them. Lastly, review the terms and conditions of the auto transport services you’re getting and it’s also a good idea to do a bit of research on the auto transport process in general. This way you’ll have a general knowledge about how auto transporting functions.

Open Vehicle Carriers vs. Enclosed Transports in Charter Oak

Going with a Charter Oak 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 firms 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 methods use a truck for transport, they do have their differences.

When a car shipping company says it uses open-air trucks, it uses the type of car carrier that most people relate to car transport. This type of truck is normally between 75 and 80 feet in length and it hauls a two-level trailer with a row of cars on the top and a shorter row of cars on the bottom. There are no sides and no roof on the trailer, so the vehicles are exposed to the elements at all times.

Get the Most Out of Your Auto Transport Provider

In order to choose the right auto transport method for your vehicle, think about how much protection your car will require. 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 demands just fine. As always, 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. Merely put a little time towards investigating the auto shipping process and the car carrier in Charter Oak that you’re planning to do business with, that way you know all your bases are covered.