When it comes to giving a customer an auto transport quote, different car shipping companies will have methods of pricing their shipments that oftentimes will differ from other companies, even along the exact same route. There are a number of reasons why quotes vary from company to company, though many auto transport companies utilize the same basic principles when calculating an auto transport quote for a customer. The many variables involved in your price will almost always result in different prices and that’s why, in this article, we’ll discuss the most common way that auto transport companies arrive at the prices that you ultimately receive.
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. The reason why is because the distance for the auto transport quote 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 that the auto transport company takes for their deposit. Your auto transport quote should include their deposit, 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. 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. If you’re looking for an auto transport company to ship your vehicle, make sure to fill out our free instant online quote request form. If you like the price, or need further information, or if you have questions that need answered, give us a call at 800-930-7417 to speak to one of our live agents toll-free today.