Auto Transport | Door to Door vs. Terminal to Terminal
Overview of the Auto Transport Industry:
When you search online for car shipping it can be a confusing, intimidating, and complicated process full of websites promising free Auto Shipping Quotes, but empty of information on the process. Here at uShip we want to educate you on the industry so you can make the best educated decision when choosing how, when, and with whom to ship your car.
1. Types of Car Transport Companies out there:
Lead Aggregators are websites designed to look good and get your information. These sites sell your information to different broker. Expect sales calls from brokers.
Brokers are facilitators, the middlemen of the industry. They represent 95% of the companies you find on the internet and don’t actually ship cars, but post their shipments for individual carriers to do the shipping. Brokers usually pay your deposit with the rest of the money going to the carrier at delivery. Brokers are great for communication, but the responsibility for shipping your car ultimately falls on the carrier.
Carriers are the trucks you see on the highway; typically single drivers, partners, or husband/wife teams that are the backbone of the industry. They can transport vehicles with individual trailers, enclosed or open trailers, 3 car haulers, or large multi-level car carriers. These drivers rarely sell their services and rely on load boards and brokers to fill their trucks. They are regulated by the DOT and MC rules.
2. Types of services
- Door-to-Door Car Transport - Transport from the sender's premises directly to the receiver's premises.
- Terminal-to-Terminal Auto Shipping - Transport from a designated drop off location to a designated pick up location.
3. How do you choose the service option right for you?
Consider your budget as well as your timeline when deciding on your auto transportation. Although, terminal-to-terminal shipping may seem less expensive at first, the extra costs and convenience may make door-to-door a better shipping option for you. Make sure to check out our breakdown of the different types of trailers and trucks that TSPs use to transport vehicles. Each type has pros and cons, so it is good to know the difference and how each will affect the way your car during shipping.
4. Payments:
Almost all companies, whether broker or carrier, will require a deposit before they pick up your car. As we said before, with brokers the deposit will be their payment with the rest going to the carrier. Typically a deposit will be anywhere from $150-$200 with the remainder paid on delivery. Every company is different and most are willing to work with you on payment. Paypal, all major cards, Safepay, Money Order, or cash can all be used. As with any transaction, make sure that you get everything in writing, email, or in the contract.
5. How uShip fits it to this:
uShip is the world’s largest and most trusted transportation marketplace. We use our online auction to connect our customers with Transport Service Providers in a way that hasn’t been used before. For the first time customers will know who will be shipping their vehicles and be able to pick their Transporter based on customer feedback along with price.For example if you feel that Initial Logistics seems like a good fit, you can just look at their profile page and see what others are saying about their services.