Domestic Auto Transport: Your Expectations vs. Reality

Whether you’re moving your vehicle to a nearby state or across the country, hiring a service can seem overwhelming. Your greatest asset when aiming to streamline your process is the research that you conduct.

There’s probably a part of you that gets thrown off when you hear the word research.

That’s where we come in.

A1-AT aims to take the stress out of hauling by providing transparent information regarding the industry. Our thorough experience gives us the knowledge to teach you how to approach delivery the right way.

People looking to ship often hit a wall when their industry expectations don’t line up with reality. Don’t let this get you down! Sourcing accurate information on how moving works will help you possess an even-keeled approach when you initiate your booking process.

We understand that you’re looking for fast, on-time delivery. Let’s dive into how you can have your expectations met when it comes to the speed at which you receive auto.

When Can I Expect Delivery to Be Complete?

Several specific factors are going to influence when you receive your auto from a service. When you book what type of service you’re selecting are two of the main elements that will dictate when it arrives at point B from point A.

I Can Book at the Last Minute...right?

We recommend that you book your appointment at least a few weeks before you plan on handing your car off. The market is continually shifting as certain times of year end up being more demanding than others. Booking ahead vs. waiting until the last minute can limit the services you have available at your disposal and might even result in a company being completely unavailable.

While penciling in your vehicle drop-off date early is necessary, booking too early can become unnecessary. The ebb and flow that the industry presents directly impacts prices. Many services don’t allow you to book more than a month before your first available date. This 30-day restriction is in place, so a service doesn’t have to change your quote from the original price that they provide.

Booking your hauling 2-4 weeks in advance is your best bet.

Will the Service I Select Impact My Time?

Hauling pricing tiers will reveal the fact that not all services are created equal. Domestic moving is typically done through open or enclosed methods. Airfreight is available but less common due to its hefty price tag.

Open-carrier is the most popular domestic option due to its affordability. The tradeoff you get with the lower price that open-carrier provides is it's exposure to natural elements during transit. While you can let your imagination run wild with all the ways natural elements could damage a traveling facing the open air, a professional service will employ drivers with the experience to safely handle open-carrier cargo.

You might be under the impression that enclosed services are faster since they’re more expensive than their open-carrier counterpart. The truth is that open-carrier services are generally the fastest since they contain the highest level of market demand. Many requests for open-carrier translate to more truckers taking on these jobs along established routes.

Airfreight is the fastest and most expensive option. Supercars, high-value vintage, and other luxury autos are usually the clientele that airfreight attracts. Moving by air isn’t only fast—it’s additionally the most secure way to ship domestically. The enclosed option is the safest means to haul on the ground.

You might be curious how difficult it is to locate a professional service with the skills and experience to execute these methods.

With So Many Choices, Is It Easy to Find a Quality Service?

There are tons of services to choose from. This is both a good and bad thing. The glass-half-empty outlook is that there’s too much noise in the market to make an easy decision. You can overcome this hurdle by utilizing strategies that help you cut through the noise and find a service that meets your needs on every level.

It makes sense that everyone is looking to score the best deal. If a quote from a service seems too good to be true, you must investigate further. Companies will be better than others, but several organizations are scams. Many red flags can reveal whether a company is worth your time.

Watch out for the red flags below when consulting with a service:

• Low online ratings
• Guaranteed pickup or delivery time
• Online reports of scam audits

necessary legal info like DOT and MC permitting numbers are unavailable

• Unprofessional website

Search engines like Google make it easy to run a quick background check on the service you’re considering. Word-of-mouth recommendations is equally as valid!

How Much Protection Is My Vehicle Getting?

The expensive nature of auto emphasizes the importance of safe hauling. Earlier, we mentioned how moving via airfreight is generally the safest way to move. Enclosed method follows airfreight in the category of transit safety, with open-carrier leaving your car the most vulnerable to damages. Whether you’re writing a hefty check to move through airfreight or opting for more traditional methods like ground delivery, a quality service should always offer premium levels of protection.

You must verify the company you’re working with covers the auto they’re hauling through insurance. A professional agency will offer liability and cargo insurance covering potential damages to it that might occur during transit. While pretty much all organizations will offer liability and cargo insurance, you must verify that the insurance covers its true value. You can measure a firm's insurance policy’s effectiveness by asking them for proof of insurance.

You can take an extra step toward covering yourself by checking in with your insurance provider. There’s a possibility that your policy will cover any damages that occur during hauling.

How Much Am I Going to Pay for Delivery?

A multitude of factors will influence how much you end up paying for hauling. A few of these critical factors include the location where you’re moving, the type of service you’re selecting, and the timeframe that you request. High and low seasons, car modifications, and your auto size and weight are some additional factors that will impact the amount you pay to move.

How Does Location Impact My Price?

When we talk about moving to a certain location, we’re discussing the travel distance as well as the accessibility of its destination. Companies primarily charge a price-per-mile basis. Longer distance routes will incur smaller cents per mile charges while costing more overall. If your destination is in a less accessible area, your charges are naturally going to be higher.

Destination accessibility revolves around transit routes. Major cities like Los Angeles or Miami are two examples of accessible drop-off points since they are more common destinations than rural areas. Requesting a car drop-off in a rural area will result in a truck driver traveling further off of more established transit routes that connect to major cities like New York.

Will Expediting the Moving Make a Big Impact on My Quote?

The faster you want to move, the more money you’ll have to pay. Booking an appointment on shorter notice with the desire to expedite your delivery gives the firm less time to plan a proper route.

Will the Time of Year Affect My Price?

The time of year won’t have a major impact on the price you pay, but it will impact your cost to a certain extent. Winter hauling can be more expensive than summer due to potential weather hazards and higher demand in certain market segments. Recent retirees often move to warmer states during the winter, which can drive up your fees. These winter retirees are known as snowbirds.

How Much Will a Vehicle’s Specs, Condition, and Modifications Affect Prices?

Vehicle modifications may require special shipping and handling techniques, which can increase your expenses. Like car modifications, an inoperable auto will require more work during the loading and unloading process. Its size and weight are two of the necessary informational components that impact how much you pay. Larger ones will cost more to deliver since they take up more hauler space and hold more weight.

If you’re moving a large car with modifications across the country during the winter, you may have more room for savings than you originally anticipated.

How Common Are Discounts?

Discounts are standard within the industry. Consulting with a service can help you discover if you’re eligible for any discounts.

Discounts generally apply to:

• Military members
• Multi-car orders
• Students
• Seasonal orders (Spring, Summer, snowbirds)
• First Time Movers
• Online bookers

How Can I Acquire My Dream Service?

Understanding the realities of the industry is your first step. Finding a service that can make your scenario a reality is next. A1-AT can offer top-tier services at competitive prices 365 days a year.

Give A-1 Auto Transport a call at 1-888-230-9116 today to get started.