Calculate Car Shipping Rates
There are many different variables one must consider when calculating car shipping rates. The cost of shipping a vehicle or multiple vehicles is not as cut and dry as most people think. There are many different aspects of the shipping process that must be considered when determining the price of shipping your car from one location to another.
One of the biggest misconceptions about vehicle shipping is that no matter where you are going that there is always a set price or “price per mile” that is always a constant. An experienced car shipping company knows that routes and route demands can vary from day to day. This is the most important factor for pricing.
If the demand on a particular route decreases then that is going to have an effect on the pricing. Routes can fluctuate yearly, monthly, and even daily. It is even more important to make sure that you have an experienced shipping company that can explain to you not only the process but also the cost of your transport.
- Car Make And Model
A shipping company will always ask you to provide your vehicle’s make, model, year, weight, length, width, and height. That is because the size of your vehicle plays a part in how we calculate car shipping rates. For example, if we are transporting our car in an open-air carrier, the size of your car plays a role in how many other cars we can fit on the transport. This influences shipping costs. The average open car trailer handles nine to ten cars during transport. Of course, these would be average size vehicles that are considered standard sedans.
When you start adding vehicles to the trailer that are bigger than these average-sized vehicles, then you began losing space. For example, a standard open-air car trailer that is equipped for ten vehicles will never be able to fit ten regular-sized SUVs on the trailer at one time. So when transport companies are building their loads for their transport route, bigger vehicles will be more expensive to transport than smaller ones, simply because the bigger vehicles take up much more space.
Also, some trucks and SUVs cannot be shipped on an open-air carrier. That is another reason why companies always check make and model. They have to be sure that all the vehicles that they book for the load will actually fit on the trailer.
- Distance
The distance your car travels determines how much fuel needs to be used to transport your vehicle. The more fuel is needed, the higher the cost. Also, the distance your car needs to go also determines the number of man-hours needed to ship it. This is also included in the shipping price. The basic rule of thumb is that the further distance of the transport, the more expensive it will be to transport it. Although most longer routes will have a lower cent per mile for pricing, you will still be paying for more miles. Keep in mind, we cover all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii and we are well experienced in the norms and the demands on routes all across the United States.
It should also be noted that diesel fuel prices will have an impact on your car shipping rate. This is considered a direct cost. If diesel fuel prices increase then there is an immediate increase in car shipping rates.
- Accessibility
Car transport vehicles commonly travel on major highways or freeways. When transporting a car door to door, the car transport driver must leave the highway to travel to your drop-off location. This adds to the cost of shipping your car because of the extra miles traveled and the time it takes to get your car to your specific drop-off location. If either your pick-up or drop-off location is far from common routes of travel, it will add to the overall cost of shipping. Keep in mind that major routes or routes between major cities will always be less expensive than routes that are off the beaten path. This is because it is easier for a driver to pick up several cars in a single city than to have to pick up a single car in separate cities.
There is the possibility of having your car dropped off at a terminal, but there are extra terminal fees included in such a drop-off. We Will Transport It will be able to help you find the best way to ship your car. Although this is an option, this is not the recommended transport process. We offer door-to-door service and we actually prefer to pick up your vehicle from your location and not at a terminal.
- Flexibility
Your timeline for delivery plays a large role in how we calculate car shipping rates. If you have a more flexible car transportation timeline, we will have a larger pool of car transports we can pick from to move your car. This allows for a lower price because there is a bigger pool to pick from. However, if you have a very tight deadline, we are restricted to only a few shipping choices for your car. Basically, the more flexible the timeline, the more likely you are to get a lower rate. Keep in mind that transporting a vehicle is not like an Uber Service. This is a very detailed logistical process and there are so many factors that can slow down the process. For example, if a driver is picking up 9 different cars from 9 different locations, it only takes one delay at the first pickup location to have an effect on the other 8 pickups. The same holds true for deliveries as well.
- Shipping Method
There are three methods of car transport that can be used for your vehicle. There is an open-air carrier, enclosed carrier, and oversized. If you have a large SUV or truck, your vehicle may be too large for an open-air carrier. This would mean that it may need to be shipped on a trailer made for oversized vehicles. There is also the option of a drive away in the case of a slightly oversized vehicle. A professional driver would drive your vehicle to the drop-off location instead of transporting it on a truck. When you consider pricing for vehicle transportation, the cheapest method is going to be on open-air transport. An enclosed carrier is considered to be a premium transport method and prices are very expensive.
If your vehicle is worth more than $100,000, most shipping companies will suggest enclosed transport. Vehicles transported on open-air carriers are only insured for up to $100,000. Vehicles shipped in enclosed containers are insured for up to $1,000,000. Enclosed transport is more expensive than open-air transport, but it is a good option if you are shipping a more expensive vehicle. Keep in mind that open-air transports are safe and are the most commonly used transport method in the United States. High-end vehicles that are of a higher value will almost always need to be transported in an enclosed carrier for insurance purposes.
- Time Of The Year
In the car shipping business, there tends to be more demand for moving vehicles between the months of May and September. At this time of the year, shipping costs tend to be high. If you can ship your vehicle between the months of November and February, you may be able to secure a lower price. Once again, this is based on past trends within the industry. Seasonal moves such as the moves that most snowbirds make from the north to south for the winter and then back to the north from the south during the summer are always expensive routes unless you transport opposite of the normal demands for these routes.
If you are looking to ship your car and want someone to help you calculate car shipping rates, contact us at We Will Transport It. We will gladly offer you a free shipping quote and answer any of your questions.
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