Do It Yourself

Shopping for the right car transport company is daunting for many people.  It’s not a service that people use very often so it’s difficult to know what features to look for.  Even though there are a variety of choices to make, let us concentrate on the kinds of trucks and trailers that can be used.

Truck Kinds

Auto transport is completed by one of 2 kinds of trucks: tractor trailers or hotshots.  A hotshot is a small truck similar to a pickup.Because hotshots are small they transport only one vehicle at a time.  This means they are available faster because the shipper does not have to find other customers to fill the empty slots.  However, that means all expenses of operation are shouldered by the one car being transported therefore they are more costly.  Their small size means residential street navigation is simple and they provide your car right to your door.

Tractor trailers transport anyplace from 3 to twelve autos at a time depending on the size with the attached trailer.  The more vehicles, the less expensive the transport charge because costs of operation are distributed among a number of customers.  To be affordable, the trucks need to run as near to capacity as possible.  Which means the car transport company needs a significant lead time between a customer’s call and the shipping date to ensure that they can find several vehicles headed in the same direction.An additional disadvantage to tractor trailers is that they might not be able to travel in a few residential areas because of the tight streets.  You might have to meet the car at a nearby parking lot to select up your car rather than having it delivered to your door.

Trailer Types

The first decision about trailers is single-vehicle vs. multiple-vehicle.  This choice isn’t made by the customer but instead dictated by the truck.  Hotshots have single trailers; semis have multiple.There can be instances where a semi transports just one vehicle, such as a vehicle won’t fit on a typical trailer due to size, modifications, or other characteristics.  In this situation it has to be shipped on a flatbed along with whatever other cargo the driver picks up.  This is one of the more expensive ways to ship but may be necessary based in your car.When shipping on a multiple vehicle trailer, there’s lots of debate about whether it is better to request a position on the upper deck or the lower deck.  

Cars on the upper deck are more subjected to the environment while the lower deck may get oil or other fluids dripping from above.  In the end, it appears to be about the same.Another choice is a closed trailer.  Most car shipping is done in open trailers, leaving the vehicle exposed to the elements.  This is good for most cars but if you’ve an expensive or collectable vehicle, it might be well worth the additional cost of a covered trailer.