Door-To-Door Car Shipping

Author: Steve Palmer

Updated: 07/29/2022

Ideas and suggestions: steve@transportli.com

If you’re thinking of getting your vehicles transported from one place to another or door-to-door, you’re definitely going to want to know all there is to car shipping services. You might be thinking, what’s the best car shipping service near me or how do I get my vehicles transported? Since there are many car shipping companies located across the USA, it sometimes gets difficult to choose the best one among them. You can compare their prices, reviews, and experience in the field and then choose accordingly.

In this article, we’re going to talk about how car shipping services in the USA work, how open and closed shipping trailers differ, and what kind of rates you’re going to find transport services for nowadays. We’re also going to address some of the frequently asked questions you have relevant to car shipping services so sit back, relax, and read this article till the end.

Car Shipping/Auto Transport Services

Car shipping services are actually transportation services that various companies and organizations provide in order to ship your vehicles from one source to the destination of your choice. Car shipping has been around for ages. Car shipping services are utilized in different fields including personal shipping, business shipping among others. There are many car shipping services uses in the military as well. These services are used by the military for delivering their armored and other vehicles.

In the USA, finding the right door-to-door car shipping service can be a real pain. Making sure that your vehicles whether they’re sedans, pickup trucks, or SUVs are safe and sound and handled nicely, along with ensuring a good shipping price is something everyone wants. Whether you’re trying to ship vehicles across cities and states or just within a particular area, car shipping services can make the transport process, quick, simple, and easy. That’s why you should definitely contact the right car shipping service for such auto transport purposes.

Door-to-door auto transport services exist all around the globe as people need to ship their cars from one place to another. However, in the United States, many different types of car shipping companies exist. Some of them haul vehicles as rail freight, others use specialized trucks for shipping vehicles. Air transportation is also sometimes used, but it’s very expensive. Some companies offer international relocation, however, the cost can be quite high for such a service. Plus you will have to pay and taxes in the destination country yourself.

Most people go for door-to-door car transport because it is one of the easiest and the least expensive option available. If you have ample time available on your hands, choosing this option will save you a huge amount of money. Rail freight makes use of rail cargo to transport a car from one location to another. Although it’s expensive, it is one of the fastest methods to utilize in the US. However, one disadvantage is that not all auto transport companies offer this option.

The best way to find a suitable and reasonable rate is to get a free auto transport quote online. You can specify the destination as well as the date for the movement and get a quote. Once you have a rough estimate of what it will cost to move your car from one location to another, you can easily compare rates and then choose a viable option.

In the USA, car shipping services are incredibly popular. Whether you’re buying a new car and you want it to be shipped to your residential space or you’re moving and you want your vehicle to be transported safe and sound, car shipping services are easy and efficient. There are different types of car shipping services that you can choose from depending upon your budget requirements and choice. Let’s take a look at each of them.

• Door to Door Shipping – There are many different car shipping services which allow you to ship your vehicles from the location of your choice to the destination that you choose.

• Terminal Shipping – Some car shipping services also provide the capability of the terminal to terminal shipping, which is a much more cheap option in comparison to door-to-door shipping.

• Train Shipping – Very few car shipping organizations even offer the capability of transporting vehicles of compact sizes through trains that are routed a particular way.

All of these car shipping services are not only popular but very effective when it comes to vehicular transport. You can choose any of these and be incredibly satisfied with your shipped vehicles.

The most conventional and widely used car shipping service is trailer shipping. However, even in this service, there are different options that have vastly different advantages, disadvantages, rates, and security elements. Let’s take a look at each of them.

Open Trailer Shipping

Open trailer shipping is a type of car shipping service that organizations perform with the help of industry sized open trailers. Open trailers do not have any covering, or enclosure over the shipping object.

You might have seen open trailers carrying vehicles many times while on the road. Well, people usually choose open trailer shipping because it is cheaper however, it is a little less secure as well.

Closed Trailer Shipping

Closed trailer shipping is much more sophisticated in terms of shipping finesse. The security of the shipping process is much better as the entire storage is enclosed in a metal shipment container.

It is more on the expensive end but at the same time, it offers a lot of security and safety which is actually the primary aspect that we look for when transporting precious and luxury vehicles.

Which One to Prefer?

Well, it actually depends. If you’re a little on the lower end in terms of budget, you can go for open trailer shipping, however, if you’re willing to spend a little more on the enclosed trailer, you should definitely choose it to make your car shipping service experience completely safe, secure and perfect.

When it comes to auto transport companies (brokers and car shipping carriers), there’s the first main difference which is that carriers are responsible for moving around the vehicles in their trucks and trailers whereas brokers carry out shipping with the help of a network of carriers. However, that’s not it. There are many other differences between car shipping brokers and carriers that you might want to know about before you choose one of them for your vehicle transport.

• Flexibility – Brokers are usually much more flexible when it comes to schedule, shipping addresses, and other transport requirements in comparison to carriers who might be operating one or two trucks. You will have to check their shipping schedule and then book a consignment. Other than that, the service is just as efficient and reliable as a car shipping broker service.

• Wider Service – Brokers work with a network of carriers around the world which allows you to get your vehicles transported all around the USA across different regions. A carrier might only work within a region or two. This can be seen as a limitation but if your region is included in the mainstream area, chances of having it listed on the car shipping service areas are high.

• Low-Cost Service – Carriers operate on a smaller level and they directly provide you the car shipping services which are why they require lower costs in comparison to brokers. This is one of the prominent benefits of utilizing a car shipping service instead of opting for a broker.

• Efficient delivery ­– The thing about carriers is that they’re much more familiar with different routes and regions which allows them to deliver vehicles efficiently on their own without needing a car shipping broker.

It all depends upon your choice whichever you want to end up working with. You can even opt for a complete car shipping organization that offers both broker and carrier services and ensures perfect safe and nationwide delivery.

If you’re looking to transport your sedans, SUVs, or pickup trucks from one place to another across the country, you might be curious as to what kind of rates you’re going to get. Well, there’s never fixed rates for shipping. Gas prices and market shipping rates continue to move around all the time. That’s why the right car shipping companies would provide you with a quote.

The quote will depend upon whether you’re choosing a normal or a special route to move your vehicles across the USA and also the diesel rates as well as the company fees for security and safety. Depending on all of these factors as well as the weight of the vehicle to be transported, the total shipping price is going to be different. Usually, the prices of smaller vehicles are lesser in comparison to SUVs and Pickup trucks if you’re shipping them across the country.

There are many different unanswered questions when it comes to car shipping services. Let’s take a look at each of them in order to completely understand everything we should know about car transport services.

Q. What is the average cost for car shipping services?

A. In the US, the average shipping cost from one state or city to another is around $900 to $1,200. This can lessen or increase depending upon the routes being taken, the quote that you’ve received, and the rates of diesel across the country as well. So, make sure you take a quote before you set a budget for your shipping. For trips of 1,000 miles or more, the average rate quoted is $0.60 per mile, which is quite reasonable. Some companies offer discounts so the overall cost of shipping will vary from company to company.

Q. Is there a discount for military shipping?

A. If you’re shipping your car with a military shipping service or a company that offers discounts to former military workers, and you’ve served in the US military for a while, sometimes there is a 100% discount. However, if not a complete discount there will still be a smaller discount for your vehicle shipping.

Q. Do I need insurance for car shipping?

A. You do not have to get vehicle insurance before you get your car shipping through an auto transport company. The companies are legally obligated to keep your vehicles safe and secure and are responsible for any damage caused during shipping, for which they’ll have to pay if any kind of mishap takes place.

Q. Is it safe to get a car shipped without a broker?

A. It is generally safe to get your car shipping without a broker. However, if you have a bigger budget, you should definitely go with a broker. Working with a broker comes with a lot of benefits including flexibility as well as a wider delivery span and much more. But if your budget is smaller and the shipping distance isn’t too much, you can opt for a carrier for your car shipping needs. A reliable car shipping company would offer many benefits including friendly and responsive customer service, comparatively low prices, and timely delivery of your vehicle. Make sure you choose a licensed and insured company for all your car shipping needs especially for long-distance transportation.

Car shipping services are ultimately the best way of transporting your vehicles across the USA. Although alternatives are there, this service is cost-effective, reliable, and convenient. The companies make sure your car is safely shipped to the new location without any trouble. Moreover, there are discounts available to make the service even more affordable for a lot of people. In this article, we discussed car transport charges as well as other information that might be useful if you are considering using this service in the future. With this information, you’re going to be able to find the best car shipping company so that you can safely and surely transport your vehicle without any hassles. That’s exactly what we’re looking for. So, happy auto transporting!