Can You Get A Car Shipped To You?

For most people, the first thing that comes to mind when they hear “Car Shipping” is, transporting a vehicle from them to another place. However, the curious minds of clients have managed to score this into the frequently asked question; “Can you get a car moved to you”. There are always two sides to a coin. You can ship your ride to a specific destination and, yes, you can also get your ride shipped to you. It works both ways. Car shipping companies like ours; A-1 Auto Transport, exist to offer what the market demands. After all, the customer is always right.

However, while it remains true that both sides of the coin exist, it entirely depends on several factors specific to different auto transport companies. While it is easy to ship cars from you to other destinations, it is not just as easy for the reverse.

Factors Influencing Shipping Service

Some factors dictate the possibility of that happening. Let’s have a comprehensive look at each.

Location & Address

Location in terms of destination is a critical factor in shipping a car. It dictates other parameters like the cost of fuel incurred, how much time the transport will take, the mode of shipping depending on the terrain of the area, and the mode of delivery. That is from the point of view of shipping your car from you to another location.

In regards to getting your ride shipped from you, the address of your location is primal. For most auto transport companies including A-1 Auto Transport Inc., you can only ship a car from a location within the 50 states in the U.S. to you. This applies to both local and international shipping. If you live overseas and you wish to ship a vehicle from an auto shop in the United States to you, it can be done.

The location also matters from the perspective of the size of the company…

The Size Of The Transit Company

The size of the auto transport company is often most directly proportional to the ‘muscle’ it has to provide its services. When the question, “Can you get a car shipped to you” arises, the size of the auto transport company matters in terms of location. A large company will most likely have branches across the 50 states of America. Most hauling companies will only ship a ride to you from a location they serve, and most likely have a branch in.

Some of their branches in different states act as terminals for delivery. A car transportation firm will want to cut down on the cost of providing their service, without compromising quality. Most small companies neither have branches in most states in the U.S. nor do they ship cars from locations they don’t serve from. A small shipping company on the east coast might be able to ship your ride from the East Coast to the west coast, but may find it difficult to ship a car to you on the East Coast from the West Coast.

Partnerships And Affiliations

Auto transport firms can ship a car to you from far-off states and towns because they have affiliations with ride manufacturing companies, storage facilities companies, and partnerships with other shipping companies. It is for this reason that you can get a car shipped to you by a specific auto shipping company straight from the manufacturer. Lack of such partnerships and affiliations limit the extent to how possible it is to get a car moved to you.

Licensing

Auto transport companies need licensing to operate in various states all over America. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is responsible for granting this license to the car shipping company. For this reason, the question; “Can you get a ride moved to you” depends on whether the automotive shipping company is licensed by FMCSA to operate in the state where the vehicle you want to be shipped is. If a ride hauler is pulled over and found not to be licensed to conduct commercial hauling services in a certain state, it would mean confiscation of the hauling vehicle and the car being shipped. Clearance can take several business days, not to mention the hefty fines that will leave a huge dip in your credit card.

Parting Shot

You can get a car hauled to you only if the above is in order. That is:

1. The ride being shipped is within the United States.
2. The car shipping company serves the location from which the vehicle is being picked up.
3. The vehicle shipping company has relevant partnerships & affiliations.
4. The car shipping company is licensed to operate across states.

Still have questions? Talk to us.