Vehicle transport is a service that private customers and businesses utilize daily. Whether you are relocating or going for a long vacation, shipping your car to another state is always an option. Other options include driving the car yourself or hiring a driver, pulling it on a trailer, or loading it on a cargo train, if available in your state. Shipping a car internationally can be done by air transport or marine vessel.
What is car shipping and why would you ship a car to another state?
Car shipping a niche service, a branch within the enormous logistics industry also known as auto transport or vehicle shipping. It refers to the process of transporting a vehicle from one location to another. This vehicle could be a standard sedan automobile, a pick-up truck, SUV, minivan, sports car, luxury automobile, classic car, motorcycle or an RV.
Car shipping service is commonly used when individuals or businesses need to move a vehicle over any distance, especially when driving the vehicle is not practical or feasible. The vehicles are transported via specialized car carriers.
What types of car shipping services are available?
Now that we know what car shipping is, we can define the different types of services commonly provided by most car shipping companies. Car shipping services are split into two categories – shipping by time frame and by type of car carrier.
Car shipping by carrier type
Open air car carrier
Open auto transport carrier is the most popular, and also referred to as the standard mode of transporting vehicles. This is open air trailer that does not have any sides or roof and the vehicles are visible and exposed to the elements.
Enclosed car carrier
Enclosed auto transport is more specialized and usually reserved for high-end automobiles. It is a fully covered trailer, it could be hard sided or soft sided, and provides complete protection from the elements.
Car shipping service by time frame
Standard delivery
Standard delivery refers to time frame that does not rush a service for either pick-up of the vehicle or delivery. This generally means the pick-up time frame is between one and five days and the delivery time depends on the miles, as well as weather conditions, traffic and other elements that can delay the delivery. In short, dates and times are always only estimated.
Expedited delivery
Expedited or express car shipping service is premium service that speeds up the process. This could mean that the pick-up or delivery are requested on or by a specified date, and sometimes time. This always increases the car shipping price.
In the auto transport industry all of these services are provided door-to-door. Whether you are a private customer or a business, this means the vehicle will be delivered to your door, or as closely to any address as legally possible. A customer can choose any address, anywhere in the country for delivery, as long as the location is accessible to a a car carrier, the car will be unloaded at that address.
