ATV Preparation and Methods for Transport

Auto transport companies often transport more than just cars and heavy equipment. Companies like A-1 Auto Transport offer safe transport for all types of vehicles, including ATVs (all-terrain vehicles). A professional auto shipping company should be able to give you all of its requirements for shipping any vehicle that you need to be transported. In this article, we will look through everything you need to know about having your ATV transported by a professional company.

What is considered an ATV?

It stands for an all-terrain vehicle. It is defined as a motorized off-highway vehicle with lower-pressured tires and a seat that the driver straddles. These vehicles also have handlebars for steering control. Other names used for ATVs are four-wheeler, quadricycle, quad, etc.

Manufacturers divide ATVs into two categories. These categories have different features from one another, so when purchasing, you must ensure you are getting the right one for your needs.

• Type 1
  • Manufacturers build type 1 ATV models with the intention of only one rider being on it. This means that there is no room for a passenger, and it is not safe to have one on board.
• Type 2
  • Manufacturers build type 2 ATV models with the additional seat position behind the driver. This seat allows passengers to ride on the ATV safely with the driver.

ATV models are built for age and size appropriateness. There is no such thing as a “one size fits all” when it comes to purchasing. The information about your specific ATV will become important when you start the quoting process with auto transport companies.

Popular sizes include youth and adults. The youth sizes have more minor features and go slower to help ensure safety for younger riders. The adult models are larger sized and go faster.

Getting a Quote for ATV Shipments

When you call a professional auto transport company to get a quote for your shipment, it will go a lot like a quote for a vehicle transport would go. A few factors will play into the price of your quote. When you call in for an ATV shipping quote that you have the make and model of the ATV available and the size. This can help the specialist, on the other hand, find out the exact weight of your ATV style. You will also need to supply the origin and destination of the ATV. Anything across state lines is a weighed transaction.

Knowing what kind of transport you want to use will also help expedite the quoting process. If you wish to create a shipment, you must decide if you are doing this yourself or having the shipping company do this for you. If you aren’t creating it, figuring out if you want an enclosed trailer or an open trailer will adjust your pricing as well.

How do I prepare for transport?

The purpose of preparing is to ensure that it is safe during transport. If proper preparation has not been completed on your end, it is possible any damages caused during transport will not be the liability of the transport company. This is why these companies give you a list of preparations before shipment.

When getting ready to transport, you must follow a few rules. The first steps help minimize the risk of gasoline vapors building up during transport, ensuring safety for your ATV and the driver.

Make sure you turn off the fuel valve. Turn on the ATV and run the engine until it no longer remains running. Doing this will help empty the fuel line. If the transport will be over a long distance, make sure you drain the fuel tank completely. You will also need to ensure that the fuel valve and tank vent cap are turned off to help prevent any gas vapors from leaking.

If traveling during winter and using open transport, the salt from the road can be problematic for ATVs. These salts can often cause corrosion, ruining the ATV. To help guard against this, spray the axles and suspension with a silicone water dispersant spray or cover the ATV while it is on the trailer.

Secure ATV on a Trailer

If your ATV is being shipped via trailer, your transport professional will be responsible for securing the ATV down to the trailer. There is a sure way in which it must be positioned on the trailer, which helps keep the weight centered during transport.

• The transport professional will begin by setting the parking brake on the ATV
• Tie-downs are used to secure the ATV to the trailer because ropes can stretch during transport.
• They will always use four straps when it is possible. They will NEVER transport with less than three tie-downs present.
• The tie-downs should be cinched tight enough on the ATV that it looks like it is load-bearing.
• If any length of tie-down remains, the professional will loop it and tie it so that it does not drag the ground off of the trailer.

Crating for Shipment

One method of transport is often used for motorcycles. Large wooden crates offer extra protection when shipping an ATV, and some transport companies may not allow you to ship it without one. You can create the ATV yourself or have the transport company do this for you.

What is a wooden shipping crate?

Wooden shipping crates are boxes that are secure methods of transport. They include places for secure tie-downs and often have a pallet on the bottom for easier moving. The majority of shipping crates are ISPM-15 compliant for international shipping.

A wooden shipping crate is a method of transport that allows for secure transport of cargo such as motorcycles and ATVs. The crates are also constructed to help tie down and secure such cargo so that it will not shift during transport. The bottoms of the containers are composed of pallets so that forklifts or pallet jacks can be used to load and unload the cargo.

What is ISPM-15 compliance?

ISPM-15 is a mark of compliance that ensures the wood has been treated per the regulations set forth by the International Plant Protection Convention. The ISPM-15 mark means that the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 has been met. These treatments help keep foreign insects and other objects that could travel through wood out of the countries they do not belong in.

Much like removing the foreign soil from the undercarriage of a car before taking it over international borders, using the ISPM-15 wood offers the same types of security. Wood that has been treated and has the symbol of ISPM-15, means that it has been heat-treated to the core and treated with Methyl Bromide.

Finding a Crate for Shipping

It may be a cheaper option for you to come up with your crate if you decide that the best way to transport your ATV is to use the original crate, which is often the best shipping method. If you do not have the original crating for the ATV, you can check with local dealers to see if they have any that might accommodate your ATV. Those are the two cheapest methods of finding a compliant wooden crate.

If you will spend a little more and have a crate that you can keep for future shipments, you may want to look into building your own or buying a professionally made one. Depending on the size needed, crates can cost quite a bit.

Open and Enclosed Transport Options

Maybe creating just isn’t an option that will work for you. Professional auto transport companies have two different kinds of transport trailers to accommodate your shipment. These types of transport are open-air and enclosed transport trailers. The reason and type of shipment might be what helps you decide which method is best for you.

How can open-air transport benefit?

Open-air transport is a cheaper method of auto transport for both automobiles and ATVs alike. These open-air transport trailers can accommodate multiple vehicles at one time, making it a more affordable option for transport.

An open-air transport trailer can haul multiple vehicles of multiple different types. These types of trailers are a cheaper shipping method because the cars on the trailer share the transport costs. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a downside to these methods of transport. Vehicles and ATVs on an open-air transport trailer will be exposed to various weather elements and possible debris from the roadway.

Choosing Enclosed Trailer

Enclosed atv shipping trailers are the crème de la crème of transport. These types of trailers often come with a white-glove service that offers extra special treatment for your transport. Enclosed trailers help protect the vehicles that it is shipping from the elements and possible road debris. If you have a lot of money in your ATV or it is a brand new model, it might be worth checking into enclosed transport.

Other Things to Consider During Hauling

When you are looking for a professional auto transport company to ship your ATV, you need to vet them as if they are shipping your automobile. The same principles apply when looking to see if a car transport company is legitimate. There are just as many scammers for ATV transport as for vehicle transport.

What should you check when looking into a relocating company?

When you begin looking for shipping companies to get quotes from, you must check their credentials. These credentials include licensing, insurance, reviews, and ratings. The Better Business Bureau accredits many companies.

• Licensing
  • Every auto transport company should have a US DOT number and FMCSA number. These numbers allow you to look up and track the safety information about the company and its fleet.
• Insurance
  • Any company that transports any kind of vehicle must have at least the federally required minimum liability coverage. The company should be willing to share the information with you, even during the quoting process.
• Reviews
  • Checking the reviews of past customers and their experiences with the transport company can give you a lot of insight into the company. Sites specializing in being a user review platform, like Yelp, help you find out on a more personal level how the company treats and interacts with its customers.
• Ratings
  • A great way to check into the legitimacy of a professional auto transport company is by checking with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB is an excellent place to see what the company looks like from their perspective. The BBB gives companies ratings on a grading scale based on multiple factors.

Choosing the Right Relocating Company

When you need to have one or multiple ATVs shipped, you must ensure you are getting a fair price and impressive service. A-1 Auto Transport has been in the auto transport industry for over 30 years, transporting vehicles of every size, make, and model from state to international borders. When you get a quote from our transport specialists, you receive accuracy based on the information you provide.

When you make your final choice for an auto transport company, make sure you find one that offers total transparency and peace of mind with every shipment they make. Please don’t go with a company because they are cheap, because you will find out that you get what you pay for. Your ATV is important to you, which means it is essential to A-1 Auto Transport. When you ship with us, you ship with family. Call A-1 Auto Transport today for a free, no-obligation quote for your ATV transport.