Auto Shipping in College Park MD

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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 College Park, 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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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 College Park, MD.

The auto shipping business can seem daunting at first, but by doing a tiny bit of research you can make the best choice possible for transporting your car or truck. In order to transport a car, truck or motorcycle it’s really just a matter of having the proper information and contacting the right College Park auto transport service to manage the job. Sometimes, you’ll end up getting in touch with what’s called a broker rather than an actual auto carrier. Both of these businesses fundamentally make sure your vehicle is shipped safety and swiftly to a new location. No matter where in the country you’re shipping your vehicle, the process is essentially the same. You’ll want to ensure you have your vehicle’s info handy, such as the make, model and year, as well as the exact location you wish to ship it to. It’s also essential to have a general timeframe in mind if you’ll need your vehicle transported by a certain date. One of the most significant distinctions to understand is the difference and commonalities between an auto transport broker and a carrier.

How to Tell the Difference Between College Park Auto Carriers and Brokers

Before choosing an car hauling service you should have a basic understanding of the industry and how it works. The process can be daunting if you don’t know where to begin or where to get correct information. We’ll cover the basics of auto shipping as well as the role that car carriers and auto brokers play in supplying clients with transport services.

Auto Brokers and Their Role in the Auto Transport Market

Auto transport brokers don’t have their own transport carriers and usually are not the companies that will carry vehicles. Brokers facilitate auto transportation by connecting customers, referred to as “shippers”, with the carriers that provide the particular services requested. Brokers actually have an established community of shippers who have routes that run all over the country, which will offer the customer more options and a better chance to find the ideal one for them. Working with a single carrier means they may not run the route you require, possess the necessary equipment or the proper licensing to transport through the states required to get your vehicle where it needs to go. Basically, a broker does the leg work of acquiring a carrier that meets these requirements and can sometimes get a more competitive price by creating competition between carriers on behalf of the shipper.

How to Find an Auto Transport Carrier in College Park

When you work directly with an auto transport supplier that means you will be interacting with the actual person or firm that will be moving your automobile. The auto shipping carriers are the owners of the trailers that are used in shipping the cars and are the owners of the business. Every car carrier in College Park has to be licensed and insured, but it’s a great idea to do some research just to make sure. These car carriers will serve a specific number of routes and locations in order to provide efficient service and remain profitable. Many carriers basically rely on auto shipping brokers to connect them with the proper customers who will match the routes they take, which means more effective service. You’ll end up having to pay about the same rate whether you go with a carrier or broker, however, as fees are based largely on fuel rates at the time. There ës a fair amount of competition between different auto carriers, so at times you can obtain promotions or discounts they’re offering. As a result, you can take advantage of the situation in order to get a good bargain.

Preparing Your Vehicle to be Shipped

Secure your personal items outside your car.

All College Park auto haulers are banned from transporting what would be deemed “household goods” by the Department of Transportation. You really should do a quick check of your vehicle and remove these items prior to shipping. For example, car seats, umbrellas and clothing should be taken out of your vehicle before it’s loaded onto the truck.

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

Even though your car or truck will not be driven much during the shipping process, it may be required during the loading and unloading process. Also, your car may be placed at an angle on top of an auto carrier, meaning fuel could move from one side of the gas tank to another, and if the gas level is too low it might not be able to start. Alternatively, 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 shipment.

Document any body damage on your vehicle

It’s a good plan to wash your car prior to shipping and make sure there is no dust or mud stuck on it. 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 incorrectly believe the damage occurred during shipping. It’s effortless 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.

Recognize your Bill of Lading.

You’ll be given what’s known as a Bill of Lading once your College Park car carrier arrives to retrieve your vehicle for transport. This Bill of Lading contains the details of your vehicle transport contract and will verify that it is being placed in the temporary care of the auto transport company. Both parties can do an assessment of the vehicle at this time to record 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 confusion once the vehicle is delivered. The client will receive one more Bill of Lading during the delivery process, which will again examine the condition of your vehicle. Any new harm that may have occurred throughout the transport process, although rare, can be determined easier this way.

Evaluate your insurance coverage opportunities.

Even though the College Park auto hauler should have liability insurance built into their services, it’s a good idea to check with your own insurance company as well to see if they would cover any damage that occurs as a result of moving your vehicle. Generally, the auto transport service you’re using will already have insurance built into the price tag of their services, so there won’t be any further costs involved. The average liability coverage ranges between ,000 and 0,000 in coverage, which would be sufficient for the vast majority of problems that could occur. These auto carriers generally have their coverage through a third-party and is already built into the price you’re paying for shipping.

Getting the Best Auto Transport Service in College Park

There are a number of ways you can make sure you’re getting the absolute best service from your chosen College Park car carrier. First, only do business with an auto hauler who is licensed, bonded and insured. You can find out more about the firm by getting their MC number or USDOT number. These numbers can then be used to look up the company’s record with the Better Business Bureau. It’s also a good idea to quickly review the terms and conditions of the service arrangement so that you have a general idea of what in entails. A small bit of research as to overall auto transport process goes a long way as well.

Knowing the Difference Between Enclosed Transport and Open Transport Options in College Park

Shipping your vehicle by using an open carrier solution is often the most affordable and common. There are more carriers of this type than an enclosed version, and you’ve probably seen them many times on the highway. These auto carriers are around in abundance, so it helps keep down the expenses involved in shipping. In general, this will be the most inexpensive method of transporting your vehicle. An auto carrier that is going from your area and traveling 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 reduces the cost of shipping as it is divided by the all the vehicles onboard.

Choosing The Best Auto Transport Service in College Park

Before deciding on whether you utilize an open trailer or enclosed trailer, first think about how much protection your vehicle really needs. If it is an antique or collector’s car, you’ll most likely 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 common driving needs, then an open trailer would probably be a good fit for you. As usually, try to get at least three or four quotes for car shipping services so you can be sure you’re being billed an satisfactory rate. By putting in a bit of time to research the College Park auto transport company, the process being auto transporting and the rates included in your service you can make certain you’re not only getting the best deal, but also the best service.