Factors considered in quoting your auto transport
- Size and Weight of your vehicle
- The distance your vehicle is traveling
- Your schedule
- Your locations
- Season of the year
Size and Weight of your vehicle
Everything about the transporter carrying your vehicle is regulated including: height, length, weight and hours of operation per day. These items determine how many vehicles fit onto a carrier. Size and weight are two big factors in determining a quote for your vehicle. An auto transporter can carry more small, light cars than large heavy cars. A two door smart car is a lot less expensive to ship than a large four door SUV. Three small cars fit in the space of two SUV’s.
The distance your vehicle is traveling
Distance is another key factor in determining the cost of shipping your vehicle. It’s straightforward the further the transporter travels the greater the cost. Driver time and fuel burn are the two biggest components of the carriers distance cost.
Your schedule
Schedule flexibility gives us time to find you a cheaper rate. This allows time to post your vehicle on CentralDispatch and time to negotiate a better contract rate with a number of carriers. Vehicles that must be shipped within a day or two of booking can be more expensive depending on the amount of immediately available transport. This limits the options to negotiate a better price for you.
Your locations
The distance traveled between origination and destination impacts the total cost of the vehicle transport. Living in or near a major metropolitan area and/or close to an interstate will lower the cost of transport. Far off the highway in the middle of Nebraska will be more expensive.
Season of the year
Typically if you are going with the flow of traffic it will be more expensive that going against. For example, the annual migration of snowbirds heading to Florida in October and November. Transport costs for vehicles moving North to South will be more expensive than those moving South to North. Bear with me while I explain. During the snowbird season a lot of vehicles are moving South. With plenty of vehicles to choose from carrier’s naturally seek out vehicles paying more. On the run back North there are fewer cars available for transport. Carriers will move cars North at a discount. They do this so they don’t have to run empty and lose money on the return trip. They will be happy to take something at a discount just to cover their fuel costs. This cost/direction equation reverses when snowbirds head North in March and April.
All of these factors contribute to the price you are quoted. Call us today. Put our 31 years of experience to work for you.
