Your Guide To The Types of Car Transport Available

There are a variety of auto transport options at your disposal as far as trailers and trucks are concerned. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each one can allow you to make a better decision about how to transport your own vehicle. Keep in mind that there isn't necessarily a “best option” that's universal. Instead, it will depend on your own needs and particular set of circumstances. No matter which company you chose, visit the Better Business Bureau's website at www.bbb.org to see if it's credible or not.

Types of Trailers.

There are two main types of trailers available, which are open trailers and enclosed (closed) trailers.

• Open Trailers.

As the cheaper out of the two options, it's also the most commonly-used shipping method available. Your vehicle will be placed on an open transport trailer, leaving it more exposed to the elements, including the weather, on its journey. However, if you follow certain precautionary guidelines, you can significantly reduce the chances of your vehicle getting damaged along the way, which are quite low anyway. A quality shipping service will take all of the precautionary measures necessary to prevent any damage from occurring.

• Enclosed Trailers.

Even though protection measures are taken to try and prevent damage when your vehicle is shipped with an open trailer, an enclosed trailer unquestionably provides much more safety. Your vehicle will be much better protected from the outside weather and elements, making this an ideal choice if your car, for example, is particularly valuable. If you have an antique or a luxury vehicle, you should certainly chose this option, despite it costing a bit more.

Types of Transport Trucks.

There are two main types of car transport trucks that are available, which are either single truck trailers (also known as hot shot trucks) or tractor trailers.

• Single Truck Trailers (Hot Shots)

This is the method that's used if only one vehicle is being shipped, as the truck itself will not be capable of carrying many more. There are some that can carry up to three cars, though this is much more rare. More expensive than hiring a tractor trailer, a single vehicle trailer has the advantage of being able to reach locations that larger trucks may not be able to reach. In addition, it also often cuts down on the delivery time since the driver will not have to constantly load and unload vehicles, as well as it being able to be delivered through door-to-door transport. This is an option that should be considered if your vehicle is particularly valuable.

• Tractor Trailers

Less expensive, namely because the price is shared by various individuals who are all shipping vehicles on the same trailer, this is a great option if you have multiple vehicles to ship at once, don't have a big budget, or if you live near a city. However, it also takes longer to ship given the large nature of the trucks, and this option will usually only be able to do terminal-to-terminal delivery since it can't fit into small roads.

Make sure to discuss with your auto shipping company which service would be the best one for you. A-1 Auto Transport will work you to find an option that will be able to meet all of your required and specified needs!