Auto Shipping Glossary: Auto Transport by Rail
Auto transportation services via the railroad were once common in the auto shipping industry, but unfortunately things change. Over time, costs of running cars for individual customers along the rail lines slowly became cost prohibitive, as more and more auto transport trucks began popping up after the completion of the Interstate Highway System.
The auto shipping industry has undergone numerous changes over the years, but by far the largest was the shift from transport by rail to transport via overland transport truck, as it completely changed the paradigm of the industry. As more and more trucks came onto the scene, and politicians failed to really regulate anything or try to stop the encroachment of the transport trucks, economic Darwinism began to prove true as more customers started using trucks to transport their cars.
But why? Transport by rail was part of the general freight moving industry for years, but prices for freight forwarding started going up as the economy began to worsen. This led to a chasm in the auto shipping industry that many companies were having difficulty filling, but this ended when transport by truck became a more widely accepted method of transport. Auto transport by rail slowly began to take a backseat until it became clear to everyone in the industry that auto transport by rail is slower and almost cost prohibitive for many customers and shippers alike. Auto transport by truck, on the other hand, was growing by leaps and bounds, and the more it grew, the cheaper the service became.
That’s why, in today’s car shipping industry, transport via overland trucks is much easier to find and much cheaper over the cost of rail, and also why you’ll find it so difficult to actually find an auto transport by rail company that can help you get your vehicle moved. Routes where rail service are available are few and far between, whereas most routes with a truck will have a vehicle picked up in seven days.
Auto transport by truck allows you more freedom, as you don’t have to take your vehicle to the train station or some type of depot and have it wait to be picked up and loaded onto the freight car. With transport by truck you watch as your carriers loads or unloads your vehicle, and you have much more control – and a much larger presence – at both pickup and delivery, which gives you peace of mind. Satisfied? Call us or fill out our free online quote request form to get your free car transport quote today – transport by truck, not by rail.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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