Auto haulers are commonly seen on the road to make the most of their major assets, which would be the truck and the trailer. The more an auto transport company makes use of the truck, the cheaper their charges in transporting vehicles. With trucks spending time on the road, anything that may delay them like a flat tire, late customer or issues on paperwork can cause delays on pickup or delivery time.
Because of these potential delays, one should be skeptical of any auto shipper that gives you a precise, supposedly set-in-stone pickup time. Most auto shipping companies request a 3-day window for drop-off and pickup. Given that there are any delays, the company should notify you ahead of time.
There are different reasons for the cause of delay. One major frustration is road construction, as most highways and other highly traveled roads are often subject to constructions, causing delays and road hazards. The driver’s long hours of driving can also be a hazardous aspect, with a bunch of risky circumstances such as driver fatigue, night driving and unfamiliar roads.
To avoid long delays, you can schedule at least a couple of weeks beforehand so the transport company can schedule the pick-up. However, if your car is in an unfamiliar location, allot an additional week. Oftentimes, you can have your car within one week but do not expect too much in that short time period.
If you urgently need your vehicle shipped within the next 24 to 48 hours because of emergencies, you can still find an auto transport company to help you. If you can’t find a truck to pick up your car, they can arrange it so you can drop off at the nearest terminal. Just take note that you have to pay a higher rate for this express car transport service.
If you are promised an exact pickup time, make sure to put it in writing and add any remedy in case the car does not arrive on the specified date. Possible solutions may include a discount or no extra charges for cancellation or car rental reimbursement. Once your vehicle is picked up, the company will be able to guarantee a reasonable delivery date.
It is important that you have an accurate pickup date. Talk to your auto transport company about the option to drop off the vehicle at a terminal, which may involve additional fees. The terminal will keep your vehicle safe until the auto hauler picks it up.
The normal time may vary depending on your vehicle origin and destination and the number of vehicles on the carrier. It can also by affected by the number of vehicle shipments in a given area to be loaded. Generally, shipping from East coast to West coast is completed within 1 to 2 weeks.
The actual date for the delivery may differ due to the itinerary taken, road conditions, weather and other factors that may cause delay, just as stated earlier. Take note that no company offers a guaranteed date and time due to the above reasons. In addition, during peak summer months, your delivery may run late because of the number of auto shippers leaving at once and the inability of transport companies to accommodate the high demand.
The most important thing for customers to understand concerning the process of auto transport is that this is not like Fed-Ex or UPS. Be patient and make realistic expectations on delivery dates. Delivery dates are generally estimates and not guarantees as unforeseen problems may occur.