How Non-Running Vehicles Are Loaded and Unloaded Onto Carrier Trucks

Being that carrier trucks are the most popular method in which vehicles are transported in the auto transport industry, car carriers have to constantly load and unload vehicles each and every time. While ideally, auto transport companies would have to load and unload cars that are operational, in some cases, they have to deal with ones that are non-running. This could be due to a vehicle being an antique, a classic car, a collectible, or simply one being transported for future repair or scrap metal. The process, though, isn't as difficult as one would think.

Here's how they do it.

The Tools

The main tool that's used to load and unload an inoperable vehicle is known as a winch. A winch is a device that can either pull in or wind out a rope or cable. It is done through either the use of a hand crank or a machine. Virtually every carrier uses a winch.

If a driver has to load a vehicle onto their trailer, they will attach a rope cable to the vehicle and then use a winch to slowly pull it in. You would think that winches would all be machine-operated and automatic these days, but they aren't. While some carriers do have machine-operated winches, a surprising amount of them still have ones that are only hand-operated.

If they have to use a hand-operated winch, the tool that they use with it is a crank. A crank allows them to have enough torque to be able to move the vehicle onto the trailer. The same goes for unloading it. The larger the vehicle, the harder that this can be!

Does It Cost More?

Because of the extra work involved in the entire process, it does cost a bit more but nothing that'll break the bank.

Each auto transport company is different, so you'll have to speak to them directly, but for the most part, they'll charge between $100 to $200 extra to ship a vehicle that can't run. Some may try to charge you more, but you should try and negotiate with them.

You also have to consider that if an auto transport carrier is picking up multiple vehicles from different locations, having to spend extra time loading and unloading non-running vehicles can delay the process for them.

Vehicle Safety

Even though there are extra steps to take in this particular process, your car will not be damaged at all. Auto transport carriers have a considerable amount of experience in loading and unloading non-running vehicles and do so with an emphasis on safety. There should be no scratches or dents on your vehicle of any sort! If there are, you will surely be covered by insurance.

A-1 Auto Transport would be happy to assist you with transporting any of your vehicles that are non-running! Contact us today and get in touch with a representative that can assist you with the process. Don't forget about our FREE QUOTE!