Auto Shipping Glossary: Cash on Delivery
When you’re transporting a vehicle you’re going to be working with several different types of auto transport companies. If you go the right way – i.e., the best way according to most people – then you’ll be working with a broker throughout the process. But they won’t be the only people you’ll talk to during the course of your shipment.
Your broker will be your main contact during the shipment, of course, but their job is to find a carrier for you to transport your car and handle all the paperwork and make sure all the “I’s” are dotted and the “T’s” are crossed, as it were, and for this service they charge a modest fee – called a “deposit,” usually.
But the broker’s deposit is only one part of the total cost to transport your car – the rest of the payment will be made to the driver upon delivery.
Auto transport carriers prefer cash on delivery because it’s easier and it allows them to rely on the customer as opposed to the broker. You always want to ship with a broker that offers cash on delivery – it’s going to likely get your vehicle picked up more quickly and chances are it’ll be a bit cheaper as well, and it’s also more enticing for carriers.
Cash on delivery can be paid with either straight-up cash, a cashier’s check, or a money order – personal checks are never accepted by carriers, because if it bounces when they take it to their bank there’s no way to recoup that loss. Make sure to have your payment to your carrier ready when they deliver the vehicle; if you don’t have it ready, they could hold your car hostage, essentially, until you pay them for their services.
You can work with your driver if you cannot get to the delivery location on time, and some will do cash on pickup if they cannot get paid at delivery, so make sure to be up front and honest with your driver and they will be the same with you.
If you are interested in getting a quote to transport your vehicle, you can fill out our free online auto transport quote request form to get a free quote to ship your vehicle right away. You can also call our toll-free telephone number to speak to one of our helpful representatives, who can answer any questions you have as well as get you a quote to ship a vehicle and even help you place a reservation if you’re ready.
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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