Services Provided By Car Hauling Companies

Services Provided By Car Hauling Companies

While it may seem on the surface that there is only one main service provided by firms(moving your vehicle), the truth of the matter is that there a variety of options available to anyone needing an auto move. To further explain your options, here is a rundown of the numerous services that are offered by a full-service company.

Pickup & Delivery

Car hauling involves two major points of service to customers: pickup. Within those services, you have two main options to choose from, which differ in both price and method. In some cases, you may also find that the timeframe for delivery is faster with one versus the other.

Terminal-To-Terminal: The most basic and inexpensive method for hauling is called terminal-to-terminal. The way it works is that you drop off your vehicle at a terminal or depot in your area and the agency delivers it to a terminal in the area you’re shipping to. It’s ideal for customers shipping to and from major cities or metro areas that tend to have terminals, but it does require you to both drop-off and retrieve your car from the terminal yourself.

Door-To-Door: It is slightly more expensive than moving through a terminal, but it also provides the ultimate service as far as convenience and ease of transport. As the name implies, your auto is picked up from its current location and delivered to another location you specify, typically your home address. It eliminates the need for you to deliver or pick it up since the carrier covers every mile of the process for you. It can also be quicker in some instances since you don’t have any extra work to do on the front or back end of the shipment.

Types of Carriers

The two main types you’ll need to choose from are an open-air and an enclosed carrier. While both essentially provide the same service in terms of delivery route, some key differences are important to understand.

Open-Air Carriers: Open-air refers to a carrier being open, or exposed, during the process. These are the most common types and are the type you may commonly see on the road hauling anywhere from eight to 12 cars at once behind a semi truck. You can easily see them being hauled and it’s the most cost-efficient method since the per car cost is less with several being hauled at once.

Enclosed Carriers: Enclosed method costs slightly more than an open-air carrier because fewer cars are moved at once, usually no more than two at a time. It also offers more protection since it is enclosed on all sides, protecting it from weather, road hazards, and other debris that could potentially damage it. These are typically the preferred option for higher-end autos and they’re also more convenient if you need door-to-door or faster delivery service.

Insurance Coverage

Insurance should always be included in the price of dispatching. By law, any company that is legally authorized to haul must have a minimum amount of insurance that covers you in the rare event that your vehicle is damaged along the way. Having said that, it’s also important to note that some agencies provide more coverage than others, which can be especially important if you’re hauling a high-value or luxury vehicle. If you’re unsure of the coverage amount, be sure to ask and the mover should be more than happy to explain their coverage limits, as well as their policy for handling damages.

Storage

Every enterprise may not offer short-term storage directly through their operation, but at the very least, they should be able to arrange for storage if you need it. If you know ahead of time that you may need it stored before or after delivery, be sure to address this with them when you’re getting an estimate. Naturally, it’s better to have storage and moving arranged with the same one, so you should seek out a company that provides both if you know or anticipate that you might need storage. Major carriers that are well-established in the industry should be able to accommodate short-term storage requests in any area that they ship to or from.

International Delivery

International and overseas methods are services offered by many corporations, some of which specialize in international and others that offer it among their other services. While it’s always important to make sure an enterprise has ample experience with the type of service you need, this is doubly true for international options since there are extra steps involved as far as required documentation and registration that you’ll have to contend with.