Now That Is A Loaded Question
With all of the information that is available on the internet, we can not only give your great answers, but also provide very good reasons to back them up.
First you must understand the reasons for the variety in prices throughout the industry of shipping vehicles. And believe me there are several.
Fixed Costs: You must first purchase the truck and trailer, around $500,000.00 or more. Then add the cost of insurance at $10,000.00 - $25,000.00 per year, plus the cost of a driver, maintenance, tires, depreciation, and fuel (which is currently running over $4.00 per gallon. Consumed at a rate of around 3 - 5 miles per gallon). You can't forget the cost of licensing, permitting and other unmentioned costs. You start to get the idea of how expensive it really is.
Marketing: The owner/operator of an auto transport rig must now find customers in order to make any money. This can typically cost several thousand dollars per month.
Pricing in the auto transport industry will run the gamit from top to bottom. From those who practice the Walmart strategy of offering low discount pricing in order to encourage high volumes of business to those who would rather charge top prices and not move their trucks unless they obtain them. The auto transport industry certainly has many schools of thought represented when it comes to pricing. There is a price that will meet with your approval somewhere between the top prices and the bottom as you search.
The secret to first discovering the range of prices is to compare several. After doing that, either call or wait to be called (if you provide a phone number). You can also simply provide an email address and most brokers will be happy to forward information in a prompt manner.
Shipping a vehicle is one area of business where being smart really pays off. The American Trucker has a reputation for being an independent spirit. This translates into a wide variety of pricing for the same job when compared among several carriers. It doesn't mean anyone is wrong or right. It just means that there are several prices available. So do your homework.
Just a word about differences in business methodology. Some brokers expect a deposit up front and some don't. Both are correct, they just don't agree and that's perfectly OK. Most want final payment in the form of a cashier's check or money order, and that is the norm for trucking.
Searching Google is one of the best and easiest ways to get pricing. Simply search under auto transport quotes or auto shipping quotes and select one of the many that come up. Provide them with your information and submit. With quotes in hand you will be ready to talk with a broker. This is the time to ask all of the questions you may have concerning your auto transport. Broker's that truly want your business will be happy to provided answers at this point.
Brokers that provide you with quotes will only be selecting the good guys in trucking. This pre-screening done by them is an additional service done for you as an enhancement of your auto shipping experience.
With all of the information that is available on the internet, we can not only give your great answers, but also provide very good reasons to back them up.
First you must understand the reasons for the variety in prices throughout the industry of shipping vehicles. And believe me there are several.
Fixed Costs: You must first purchase the truck and trailer, around $500,000.00 or more. Then add the cost of insurance at $10,000.00 - $25,000.00 per year, plus the cost of a driver, maintenance, tires, depreciation, and fuel (which is currently running over $4.00 per gallon. Consumed at a rate of around 3 - 5 miles per gallon). You can't forget the cost of licensing, permitting and other unmentioned costs. You start to get the idea of how expensive it really is.
Marketing: The owner/operator of an auto transport rig must now find customers in order to make any money. This can typically cost several thousand dollars per month.
Pricing in the auto transport industry will run the gamit from top to bottom. From those who practice the Walmart strategy of offering low discount pricing in order to encourage high volumes of business to those who would rather charge top prices and not move their trucks unless they obtain them. The auto transport industry certainly has many schools of thought represented when it comes to pricing. There is a price that will meet with your approval somewhere between the top prices and the bottom as you search.
The secret to first discovering the range of prices is to compare several. After doing that, either call or wait to be called (if you provide a phone number). You can also simply provide an email address and most brokers will be happy to forward information in a prompt manner.
Shipping a vehicle is one area of business where being smart really pays off. The American Trucker has a reputation for being an independent spirit. This translates into a wide variety of pricing for the same job when compared among several carriers. It doesn't mean anyone is wrong or right. It just means that there are several prices available. So do your homework.
Just a word about differences in business methodology. Some brokers expect a deposit up front and some don't. Both are correct, they just don't agree and that's perfectly OK. Most want final payment in the form of a cashier's check or money order, and that is the norm for trucking.
Searching Google is one of the best and easiest ways to get pricing. Simply search under auto transport quotes or auto shipping quotes and select one of the many that come up. Provide them with your information and submit. With quotes in hand you will be ready to talk with a broker. This is the time to ask all of the questions you may have concerning your auto transport. Broker's that truly want your business will be happy to provided answers at this point.
Brokers that provide you with quotes will only be selecting the good guys in trucking. This pre-screening done by them is an additional service done for you as an enhancement of your auto shipping experience.
