How To Prepare Your Vehicle For POV Shipment: Our Top Tips & Advice

If you’re preparing to ship internationally during a move, and you’re not sure how to prepare your car or truck and ensure that it reaches its destination safely, you’ve come to the right place. In this article from A1-AT, we’ll answer common questions about shipment, and provide you with all of the information you need to move safely and securely.

What Is POV Shipment? Explaining The Basics

What is a POV? The term “POV” stands for Privately Owned Vehicle, and it’s a term that’s not used very frequently. A POV is a vehicle that is leased, borrowed, or privately owned by a person who uses it to conduct official business operations for a company or organization.

The driver receives compensation from the organization for the use of the autos– including gas, maintenance, insurance, and other expenses. This term is most frequently used in the military. Military officers may, in many cases, have a POV.

This is where shipment comes in. If an officer receives Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, the military may choose to haul to the new destination for the officer. This can also happen in private businesses and organizations but is less rare.

If you have a POV and you are having it moved– either across the US or to a different country – there are a few steps you should take to make sure that the process goes smoothly.

How Should I Prepare The Interior?

You should clean the interior, remove all valuables, disable the alarm/security systems, and remove any custom or loose items. Let’s take a deeper look at these recommendations now.

• Clean the interior – Cleaning the interior is a good idea, as it will help you learn more about the condition and identify any damage or other issues with your car. You also don’t want to have heavy objects banging around while it is being hauled, since these could damage your vehicle.
• Remove valuables – You should remove any valuables, personal documents, and other such items from it. While it’s unlikely that it would be broken into or be subject to theft, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
• Disable alarms & security systems – If applicable, any aftermarket alarm or security system should be disabled, as this could lead to issues operating the auto if the system is triggered during transit.
• Remove custom/loose items – Thinks like bike racks and roof racks, GPS units, removable stereos, and other such items should be removed from it before it’s moved.

How Should I Prepare The Exterior?

It’s important to clean the outside, document mechanical problems or leaks, fill your tires, check your battery, and drain most of the fuel from your vehicle. Why take these steps? Find out more now.

• Clean its exterior – A thorough washing will remove dirt and debris, and make the condition more obvious when you take photos and document its condition before shipment.
• Document mechanical problems – If your auto has any mechanical problems or you notice any other issues like leaks, you should document these, and you may want to consider having them fixed before you move.
• Fill your tires – Properly inflated tires will ensure that it is operational and can be driven onto a flatbed for loading, or onto a RORO (Roll-On, Roll-Off) ship for international transit.
• Check your battery – Your battery should be charged and your electrical systems should be in good shape to ensure that the POV can be operated and driven when necessary for loading and unloading.
• Drain fuel – Most companies will require you to drain your motorcar to about ¼ or ⅛ of a tank. This helps reduce weight and also reduces the risk of a fire if there’s an accident or issue during the process.

How Can I Document The Condition?

The best way to document the condition is by taking photos of the interior and exterior. Using a camera or a smartphone, you should take detailed pictures of every part of the vehicle.

By doing so, you can note any current issues with the car like scratches, dents, dings, damaged bodywork, and other such cosmetic problems that already exist. This allows you to easily recognize any new damage that may have been caused during the process and take appropriate action, if necessary.

Do I Need To Buy Insurance?

We recommend consulting with your organization or company to determine if insurance coverage is necessary for your shipment. In most cases, hauling via truck will not require any additional insurance, since trucking companies will have a liability insurance policy that will compensate you if the POV is damaged or destroyed.

However, this is not always true of maritime moving. If it is delivered in a cargo container, you may only get compensation of up to $500 if it’s damaged in transit due to the controversial “Carriage of Goods by Sea Act” (COGSA). We recommend consulting with your organization and your POV transit provider to learn more about your coverage, and to determine if it’s a good idea to take out additional insurance.

Need Services? Work With A1-AT

At A1-AT, we can help you move domestically by truck, or overseas via maritime delivery. With our reliable, experienced partners, we can ensure it arrives at its destination safely, on time, and at a reasonable cost. Give us a call at (888) 230-9116 to get started, or contact us online for a quote.