How To Speed Up Your Car’s Transportation

When it comes to car transport, the process can be very time consuming. Often, there are long distances involved which means car shipping can take several days, possibly a week or longer.

While there is a standard timeframe that is determined by numerous factors, it is possible to speed up the process by doing certain things. The following list includes things you can do if you’re in a hurry and want to receive your car sooner.  

Pick The Right Auto Transport Company For The Job

A great starting point when it comes to speeding up the auto transport process, is to find the right company for the job. There are plenty of auto shipping companies to choose from, so how do you go about finding the best one?

Why not check out some of the customer reviews? They’re a great way to gauge the reliability of a company. You’ll find lots of reviews online at the various online review sites such as Transportreviews.com and Trustpilot. You might also choose to visit the company’s Facebook and other social media profiles. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) will also be a good source of information. 

Things you need to look for include:

• Whether customers received their cars on time
• Whether there are reports of multiple delays or various car shipping problems
• What level of customer service was received

You’d think that shipping a car between 2 locations should take the same amount of time, regardless of the company who’s providing the car transport service. There are in fact, a number of things that can hold up the car shipping process, for example:

• The car shipping company’s location
• How many other cars will be transported along with yours
• Weather and traffic conditions
• The type of auto shipping service you choose   

Book Your Car Shipping In Advance

An auto transport provider is limited in the number of cars it can transport. If the company you choose is fully booked when it goes through your area, you’ll be forced to rely on a car transport company that has to make a detour to pick up your car. What this means for you is that the cost to ship a car is higher and the service will take longer. 

It therefore makes sense to arrange your car transport as soon as you can. In fact, the sooner you can do it the better for you. Book in advance and you’re giving the auto transport provider enough time to arrange the best value for money service.  

Communication Must be Clear

Before you contact a car shipping company, get the details straight in your head. You need to have a clear idea of what you want, where your car needs to be transported, the pick-up location and your preferred pick-up time. 

Changing your mind in the middle of the process only confuses things and will ultimately lead to delays. Miscommunication will further complicate matters. It could lead to missing paperwork and result in delayed or canceled auto transport. 

You can help make the car shipping process a smooth experience by understanding how the process works, what your responsibilities are, and what you can expect. 

If you’re unsure about anything, at any stage of the process, don’t hesitate to call the car shipping company so they can clear things up. When the lines of communication are open and transparent, the process should proceed as planned. 

Choose The Right Pick Up And Drop Off Locations

Door to door auto transportation is one of the most convenient ways to ship your car. However, there can be delays if you live in a more remote location or away from the most popular auto transport routes. 

While it’s very convenient that you don’t need to take the whole day off, you might have to wait for the carrier to reach you, depending on your location. The same applies to the drop off location as well. 

When an auto carrier has to take many detours, the process takes longer. On occasions, you might find yourself waiting longer if you opt for door-to-door. 

Another complication can be if you live in a narrow street. The trucks and trailers that transport vehicles are much larger than your standard truck and trailer. They need a lot of space to maneuver. In some streets, large trucks are prohibited from entering. Low hanging branches and power lines can also be a hindrance. 

In all of the cases above, you’ll have to agree on an alternative location for the pick-up and drop off which could add to the time it takes to ship your car.  

Give A Detailed Description Of Your Vehicle

If you provide the wrong information when booking your car transport it is almost certain to cause delays. Vehicles that are modified or larger than standard require special equipment for loading and unloading them onto the trailer. The same applies to vehicles that don’t run. If you don’t let the car transport company know these details in advance, you’ll have to wait while the carrier finds the right equipment or your transportation may even be canceled altogether.

If you’ve booked open car transport and your car is one of several that are being transported at the same time, all the other clients are also going to be affected by any delays if you’ve not made the transport company aware of your car’s true condition.

Such problems can be avoided very easily. Make sure you check your car’s condition before making the booking and report everything accurately.   

Opt For Enclosed Car Transport

There are two main types of auto transport when it comes to shipping a car across the country. One is open car transport in which cars are transported in an open trailer. This is by far the most affordable option, but your car is exposed to the elements and road grime. In addition, it can take a little longer because there are other cars that have to be shipped and therefore more drop off points. 

The second auto transport option is enclosed car transport. Your vehicle is transported in a trailer, often on its own, that is enclosed on all sides. Enclosed car transport is often much faster because fewer stops have to be made along the way. 

Pick For Expedited Delivery

Some auto transport companies offer expedited or express service. What this means is that the carrier makes no unnecessary stops along the way. Your car will be the only one being transported, so it’s bound to arrive quicker. Moreover, you’ll probably benefit from a more flexible pick-up date too if you choose this option.   

Choose Single Container Shipping

For those times when you need to ship a car overseas and you’re pressed for time, choosing a separate container for the trip will speed up the delivery. 

RoRo vessels tend to take much longer to load and unload. Sharing a container with other car owners could also lead to delays when the container arrives at the port.

A separate container is the perfect solution if you want to save time. No time is wasted figuring out which car belongs to which owner.

Another swift solution would be to choose air freight. It is possibly the fastest auto transport option, however, it’s very expensive and can be quite complicated.  

Prepare The Auto Shipping Paperwork In Advance

If you want a transport company to move your car, whether it’s from one city to another, across state lines, from one side of the country to the other, or internationally, documents are needed. If one of the required documents is missing, the shipper won’t be able to deliver the service you required, according to the law. 

If a shipping company agrees to pick-up your car without the right documentation, your vehicle may be detained or sent back by customs, when crossing state borders or entering another country. Should this happen, your delivery will be significantly delayed and you may have to pay additional storage fees. 

Other Factors That Will Affect The Speed of Your Car Shipping Service

Aside from the factors already mentioned, there are a few more that are kind of out of your control. There’s very little you can do about the following factors, simply take them into consideration when making your booking and be prepared to adapt. 

Traffic

It is in the carrier’s best interest to take the most efficient route when shipping vehicles, but sometimes, other things can get in the way. Bad traffic is something that can make a significant difference to the car shipping time frame.

Thanks to technology, such as Google Maps, it is possible to predict some of these holdups, but there will also be some that need to be dealt with as they happen.  . 

Distance

As with all transportation services, distance is a factor you have to take into account, and it’s not something you have any influence over. You can expect to pay more for longer distances. 

While it’s possible to speed up the car transport process by choosing faster shipping methods, the distance is something you can’t change. It has a massive effect on when you can expect your car to be delivered. 

Time of the Year

You may have heard a lot of people talking about seasonal fluctuations with regards to auto transport. Much like many other businesses, the time of year does affect the cost, speed of the service, and the overall car shipping experience. 

There are certain times of the year when it’s best not to book auto shipping services, unless it’s an emergency. Likewise, there are times when you can expect to get a great deal. 

Let’s run through the various seasons, so you can decide when is best for you.

The Beginning of the Year

January and February are not the best times of the year to ship your car for various reasons. 

It’s the time of the year when many people are returning home after the holidays. Bookings have also been backing up throughout the holiday period which makes the first few weeks of the New Year somewhat chaotic. 

In addition to the demand for auto transport services, there’s also the weather to contend with. Low temperatures, risk of ice, snow, and other inclement weather can cause problems with schedules. 

Snowbird Season

While temperatures are getting back to normal in March, it’s the beginning of the snowbird season. At this time of the year, snowbirds are making plans to head back up north where the weather is cooler. Prices will start rising and the demand for auto transport services is much higher. 

Summer Months

Summer is one of the busiest times of the year in the car shipping industry. It’s the time of the year when many people choose to relocate. Car purchases are also on the increase. College students choose to ship their vehicles because they’re heading home for summer recess or making plans for returning to college in the fall. Around July 4th, things can get very busy so it’s best to wait for a few weeks before you make any car shipping plans.

All of these things means the demand for auto transport services is typically very high.   

Car Transport in the Fall

September, October, and November are some of the best months to ship your car. The temperatures are moderate and there is less demand for car shipping services. For you as a customer, this means you get quicker service and good prices.  

Deep Winter

December is not a good time to consider shipping your car. There’s lots going on such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Snowbirds are getting ready to head south to enjoy the warmer weather. The weather can also be a little unpredictable which is going to impact the time it takes to ship your car. 

Location

If the pick-up and drop off locations are in areas with heavy truck traffic, it will be much easier to find a suitable carrier for your preferred shipping date.

If you want to know more about car shipping services, Sakaem Logistics is a car transport company you can trust. We’ve got years of auto transport experience and can offer a personalized service at an affordable price and with no hidden costs or surprises.

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