Auto Shipping in St Joseph MI

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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.

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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, MI.

What is involved in relocating your vehicle from one place to another by using an auto transport business in St Joseph? To put it simply, it’s the act of transporting a car from one state to another by means of some type of car shipping method. This practice can be taken care of by making use of an open carrier, which is the most common option you’ll see on the road, or an enclosed transport where your vehicle would not be exposed to the outdoors. An open carrier is the most common, which also means it’s the most affordable for common vehicle transport needs. However, first you should know the difference between an auto transport broker and an auto carrier. In short, brokers facilitate the shipping procedure by hooking up customers with carriers, while the carrier essentially performs the job. In this article, we’ll review the distinctions between brokers and carriers, as well as some guidelines to help make your auto transport experience smoother.

Auto Brokers vs. Auto Carriers in St Joseph

When searching for car transport and car shipping companies in St Joseph, there are essentially two different options you can choose to book with: a broker, and a carrier. The main distinction is that a broker does not own their trucks that will be used to carry your vehicle from one point to another. The broker will find the ideal trucking service for you based on where you are and where your motor vehicle 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.

What Is An Auto Transport Broker?

An auto shipping broker is essentially the logistics management portion of the auto carrier. A broker will monitor market conditions and will have a community of car carriers to get in touch with for each customer they receive. A car transporter in St Joseph will be in contact with these brokers and rely on them to link up clients with their solutions. These broker firms will have access to a database of carriers from around the country and can arrange for your car to be picked-up practically anywhere, sometimes the very same day you contact them. One of the advantages of using an auto shipping broker is that they can provide you with a better variety of choices when it comes to auto haulers. They will also coordinate with the auto transport vendor throughout the shipping process and keep the customer current as to its progress.

Auto Carriers and How They Work in St Joseph

Going with a St Joseph auto carrier means the customer will be working directly with the person or firm that owns the truck that will be moving your vehicle. However, most carriers only serve a limited number of routes so that their services are cost effective. Normally, they don’t stray too far from these routes because of added fuel costs and the travel time it would take, which would slow down other deliveries. Dealing with a carrier company does not mean clients 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 most effective rate 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.

Steps to Take Before Transporting Your Vehicle

Take any personal items out of your vehicle.

Auto shippers in St Joseph are prohibited by the Department of Transportation to transport anything that would be considered a “household good”. This includes common products you may have in your car such as clothing, car seats or external GPS systems. It’s advised to remove these items from your vehicle prior to pickup to avoid any delays.

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

Be certain to maintain around a quarter tank of gas in your vehicle prior to transporting it. Your St Joseph auto carrier will probably have to drive the vehicle on and off the truck during the shipping process, and since it will be at a steep angle it’s a good idea to keep at least a quarter tank of gas in it. But, you don’t want to overfill your tank or leave your vehicle with a full tank of fuel during transporting. A full tank would add a great deal of weight to your vehicle, which could result in problems during the shipping process.

Perform an exam on your vehicle’s condition prior to shipping.

In order to better determine any scratches or dents on your vehicle it’s a good idea to clean it before examining the body. You’ll want to do a thorough inspection of your vehicle’s body before shipping to make sure you’re aware of any existing damages. It’s simple to document them by taking photos, which will also prove the condition of your automobile in the case that damage does occur during the transporting process.

Keep track of your Bill of Lading.

As soon as your St Joseph auto transporter arrives to pick up your car, both you and the driver will do an inspection to determine the condition of your vehicle. During this time you can determine any dents, dings or scratches already on your vehicle’s body. Once that process is complete, the client will be given a Bill of Lading. This document simply acknowledges that the auto carrier is taking temporary control of your vehicle. It will also guarantee that both you and the auto transport carrier are in agreement on any existing damage on your car. 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. This process ensures that both the customer and auto carrier are in agreement on the condition of the vehicle.

Knowing insurance liabilities when transporting your car.

Your insurance company may have protection built into your policy that provides for damages that may take place in the auto hauling process. Auto transport St Joseph companies should already have liability coverage built into their services, which typically covers anywhere from ,000 to 0,000 worth of damages. The cost of this insurance is built into the overall price of your vehicle transportation and is supplied by an outside company that the car hauler does business with. Usually, this is enough to cover any issues that could occur during the transportation process, but it’s a good idea to verify with your insurance company as well.

Locating the Best Auto Carrier in St Joseph for Your Needs

To make sure you’re acquiring the best car shipping provider in St Joseph there are a few details you should acquire regarding your auto transport company. Clients should only do business with transporters who are 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. Make certain to look over the terms and conditions of the shipping agreement and take some time to educate yourself on the overall auto transport process. Finally, you can check out third-party reviews online and find out what past clients are expressing about the auto haulers services.

St Joseph Transport Options: Open vs. Enclosed Trailers

Most people think the open transport auto carrier solution is the always the cheapest. You could compare this option to flying economy class on an airplane as opposed to first class. It’s the most frequent way for people to take a flight. The very same can be said about open transport. Approximately 4,000 open auto carriers are traveling throughout the country and are available for service. Even car dealerships contract a transport company to send a car the most cost effective way possible. Open carriers will be more cost effective than just moving one vehicle by itself using flatbed shipping, for example.

Selecting The Right Auto Transport Service in St Joseph

Before making a decision on whether you utilize an open trailer or enclosed trailer, first think about how much protection 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 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 billed an satisfactory rate. 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 guarantee you’re not only getting the best deal, but also the perfect service.