When it comes to giving a customer an auto transport quote, different companies have different pricing methods.
There are a number of reasons why quotes vary from company to company despite most using the same basic methods. The many variables involved in your price will result in different prices. In this article, we’ll discuss the most common way that transport companies calculate the prices that you receive.
How distance will affect your auto transport quote
The first thing that auto transport companies use for giving an auto transport quote is the pickup and destination cities. Your auto transport quote depends heavily on where you’re shipping from and to – an auto transport quote from, say, California to New York, will always be more expensive than an auto transport quote from Texas to Arizona.
This is because the distance from California to New York is much higher, which means that the auto transport carrier has to travel further, which means more costs for fuel and boarding. Different auto transport companies have different prices per mile that they give in their auto transport quote, and as that forms the basis of your overall quote it will differ based on their rates.
From there, it depends on how much the auto transport company takes for their deposit. Your quote should include the deposit, and does if you get one from us. But sometimes your auto transport quote won’t differentiate between the truck price and the broker’s deposit, so if you are unsure as to how much your auto transport quote is, you should always ask a representative.
Vehicle size and its effect on prices
Many auto transport companies utilize a website called Central Dispatch to aid them in their accuracy; Central Dispatch is a website designed for brokers and carriers to find loads for one another, and many times an auto transport company will compare different prices for your route on Central Dispatch, so they can see average rates along your route, which will often help keep your prices lower.
if your vehicle is over-sized or not a common vehicle, your auto transport quote may be higher. This is because many auto transport trucks cannot fit something like a limousine or a lifted pickup truck onto their truck, so the auto transport company has to find a specialty truck to move your vehicle, which would increase your auto transport quote.
It is always important to have accurate dimensions for a large vehicle when finding an auto transport quote – this ensures that the auto transport quote you receive is accurate and will allow the auto transport company to give you the best auto transport quote they can.
There are other variables as well, but those are more selective, and depend much more on what you are shipping and when you are shipping and where you are shipping from and to as well. The ones listed here are the most common factors in determining your shipment, though, and you can discuss your shipment in more detail with an agent to understand more about that company’s quoting methods and the different services they provide.
Shipping times and seasonal variations
Another major factor that goes into every auto transport quote is when you’re shipping your vehicle. Auto shipping is a seasonal industry, meaning that there are peak times and non-peak times.
For instance, the summer months are when the industry is booming. More people are shipping cars, more carriers are on the road, and the weather allows carriers to get just about anywhere. Winter tends to be the off-season; fewer people are shipping, which means fewer carriers, and the weather can shut down routes, particularly in the north.
During the summer months, prices on popular routes increase, while prices on non-popular routes decrease. Popular routes see a lot of freight, which means that brokers have to price their freight accordingly. Higher prices on popular routes get vehicles picked up more quickly than lower prices.
During the winter months, though, prices on popular routes decrease while prices on non-popular routes increase. This is because carriers huddle close to the major routes to get what loads they can.
Of course, this can change depending on a number of different factors. But this is the way it usually works.
The Same Day Pickup APP and what you can do with it.
Some people need to get their vehicle picked up in within 24 hours and that is what the APP is for. Our APP works like popular taxi or ride share apps, on the whole. You enter in your information which includes your name, address, phone number, pickup and drop-off locations, Year/Make/Model of the vehicle and any other notes you want the person picking up the vehicle to be aware of. Once you submit the info it will make your vehicle available, and carriers in your area will offer you bids. You have two minutes to accept a bid; once you do, your credit card will be charged the deposit fee, and then you pay the rest of the balance at delivery to the driver. Once you have completed this step then you will be able to see the status of your vehicle from pickup to drop-off and also have the ability in the app to call your driver or the dispatch department of the company that you are having your car shipped with at the push of a button.
No other companies offer a service like this, so make sure to download the app if you need same day shipping services and give us a try. You can download at the GOOGLE PLAY STORE for Android or the APP STORE for the IPhone.
Get a guaranteed auto transport quote from American Auto Shipping today
If you’re looking for an auto transport company to ship your vehicle, look no further than American Auto Shipping. We know what it takes to get a vehicle priced at a rate that both you and the carrier will like.
Take a minute to fill out our free online auto transport quote request form. If you do, you’ll get an instant price to ship your vehicle right away. Quotes are valid for seven days only, as prices can change quickly in this industry.
You can also contact one of our representatives any time at 800-930-7417. They can answer questions, give you a quote, and more. So no matter what you’re looking for in your shipment, trust American Auto Shipping to deliver.