The Types Of Trailers Used In Auto Transport

By Geoff McAlister


Purchasing for the right auto transport company is daunting for many people. It's not a service that individuals use quite often so it's hard to know what features to look for. Even though there are a number of choices to make, let's focus on the kinds of trucks and trailers that can be used.

Truck Kinds

Auto transport is carried out by one of two types 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 clients to fill the empty slots. On the other hand, that means all expenses of operation are shouldered by the one vehicle being transported therefore they are more expensive. Their small size means residential street navigation is simple plus they provide your car right to your door.

Tractor trailers transport anyplace from three to 12 autos at a time based on the size of the attached trailer. The more cars, the less expensive the transport charge because costs of operation are distributed among several 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 autos headed in the same direction.An additional downside to tractor trailers is that they may not be able to travel in a few residential areas due to the tight streets. You may need to meet the car at a nearby parking lot to pick up your car rather than having it delivered to your door.

Trailer Kinds

The first decision about trailers is single-vehicle vs. multiple-vehicle. This choice isn't made by the customer but rather dictated by the truck. Hotshots have single trailers; semis have numerous.There may be cases where a semi transports a single vehicle, such as a vehicle will not fit on a typical trailer because of 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 costly ways to ship but might be necessary depending in your vehicle.When shipping on a multiple vehicle trailer, there is lots of debate about whether it is better to request a position on the upper deck or the lower deck.

Vehicles on the upper deck are more exposed to the environment whilst the lower deck may get oil or other fluids dripping from above. In the end, it seems to be about the same.Another choice is a closed trailer. Most automobile shipping is done in open trailers, leaving the car exposed to the elements. This is good for most cars but when you've an costly or collectable car, it could be worth the additional cost of a covered trailer.






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