Car Shipping in South Houston TX
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Are you on the hunt for reliable auto transport services in South Houston? In this guide we’ll give you an overview of the auto shipping business, how it operates and how to make the best decision. In order to be sure you get the best auto shipping rates and the very best services, it’s a good idea to do a little bit of research first. For the most part, auto shippers will offer “door-to-door” services, which means they’ll pick it up at your location and take it to another of your choosing. When making a decision on an auto carrier service, it’s essential to first know the difference between an auto transport brokerage and an auto hauler. The primary difference 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.
South Houston Auto Brokers vs. Car Carriers
Choosing an auto transport company involves some due diligence and understanding how the business works before making a decision. The process can be challenging if you don’t know where to start or where to get accurate information. This article will include the basics and the role that shippers, carriers, and brokers play in the process of moving a vehicle.
Auto Brokers and Their Purpose in the Auto Transport Industry
Auto transport brokers don’t have their own transport carriers and typically are not the companies that will move vehicles. A broker acts as an intermediary who will find the very best auto carrier based upon on routes, your location and the kind of service you require. Brokers already have an established network of shippers who have routes that run all over the country, which will offer the customer more choices and a better chance to find the best one for them. Working with a single carrier means they may not run the route you require, possess the necessary equipment or the suitable licensing to transport through the states required to get your vehicle where it needs to go. Essentially, a broker does the leg work of locating a carrier that meets these set of guidelines and can sometimes get a more competitive price by creating competition between carriers on behalf of the shipper.
Getting the Best Auto Hauler
When you choose to seek out a South Houston auto carrier you’ll be interacting with the company who actually owns the truck used for transporting motor vehicles. However, most carriers only serve a limited number of routes so that their services are cost effective. They do not divert too far from their designated routes because this would mean sluggish service to all customers and even higher prices. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be paying less when working directly with a South Houston auto carrier either. All services cost money, particularly with auto shipping due to changing fuel rates, so there isn’t a whole lot of wiggle room in many cases. An auto transport broker will already be set up to contact multiple transporters in order to find the most effective price and most efficient performance for the customer, so interacting directly with an auto carrier may not make a tremendous difference for the better in price or service. In fact, carriers often times aren’t simple to find, as brokers handle that side of their business for them.
Guidelines for Shipping Your Car
Take any personal items out of your car.
No car hauler in South Houston is authorized to transport household goods, as per restrictions put forth by the Department of Transportation. This includes common products you may have in your car such as clothing, car seats or external GPS systems. It’s a great idea to sweep your vehicle for any of these goods and get rid of them prior to pickup.
Leave your gas tank a quarter of the ways full.
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 positioned 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 fuel level is too low it may not be able to start. Conversely, ensure 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
To ensure you have evidence of the condition of your motor vehicle prior to using a South Houston 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. Then, take photos using your phone or camera to document the condition of your car, even if its body doesn’t have any damage. That way you have documentation of its condition in the event any incidents arise during the vehicle transport process.
Find out what’s in your Bill of Lading.
You will be given what’s known as a Bill of Lading once your South Houston car carrier arrives to retrieve your vehicle for transport. This Bill of Lading contains the details of your vehicle transport agreement and will confirm that it is being placed in the temporary care of the auto transport company. At this time, both the consumer and driver of the auto carrier should do an inspection of the vehicle in order to document any existing damages. So the customer 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 inspect the condition of your vehicle. Any new harm that may have occurred throughout the transport process, although rare, can be identified easier this way.
Evaluate your insurance coverage options.
You should check with your auto insurance provider to find out if they provide any coverage for your vehicle in case it is damaged during the hauling process. Even so, any auto transport South Houston service should already have liability coverage already built into their prices, which generally covers anywhere between ,000 and 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 fees. This should be enough to cover anything that could happen to the typical vehicle, unless you’re transporting a top quality or collector’s car.
Getting the Best Auto Transport Service in South Houston
In order to guarantee you’re receiving the best service from your South Houston car carrier you can always do a bit of research on their history first. You should only use an auto transport service that is licensed, bonded and insured. You can find out more about the business 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. You can also review the company’s terms and conditions to get a better idea of the type of service you’re getting. A small bit of investigation as to overall auto transport process goes a long way as well.
Difference Between South Houston Auto Transports and Enclosed Auto Carriers
An open auto transport carrier is open to the weather and elements, just as your car would be if you were driving it down the street yourself. If you’re looking for this type of car carrier transport, you need to be mindful that your vehicle will be open to all those elements. If you’re shipping a custom, classic or collector’s vehicle, then you may want to opt for an enclosed auto carrier. It is the opposite of an open car carrier shipping service. In an enclosed car carrier, the cars are housed in a covered truck. Enclosed carriers usually can only carry a few vehicles at the same. In most cases up to five motor vehicles.
Know Your Auto Transport Options in South Houston
Prior to making a decision on whether you employ 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 probably 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 car that you use every day for standard driving needs, then an open trailer would probably be a good fit for you. 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 looking into the auto shipping process and the car carrier in South Houston that you’re planning to do business with, that way you know all your bases are covered.