Auto transport rates can vary greatly depending on what company you’re looking at shipping a vehicle with, because there are a lot of different factors that go into rating a piece of auto transport freight.
Auto transportation companies all operate independently, and there is no set rate for any specific route; rather, there are a lot of variables that go into each specific shipment, particularly the pickup and delivery cities, what type of vehicle is being shipped, the time of year, and – perhaps most importantly – carrier availability on the specific route.
Most times, auto transport rates are not set in stone for these reasons, as a large vehicle on a short route can cost more than a small vehicle on a longer route, depending on the pickup and delivery locations.
Some routes are busier than others, and as such prices tend to vary only slightly. These routes include Boston to Los Angeles, Chicago to Houston, New York to Miami – basically shipments that are going from one major metropolitan area to another.
Not all metro areas, of course, are made equally – areas with higher populations will likely be more popular than those that don’t have as many people in them, and geographical location is important too. Milwaukee and Minneapolis are not nearly as popular of transportation locations as Saint Louis and Jacksonville, mainly because they’re isolated up north and not a lot of people look forward to crazy winter weather for months at a time.
When searching for auto transport rates you’ll want to have all the pertinent shipping information on hand when you start. This will help narrow down your quotes and will also make them more accurate, as auto shipping companies can fill in those variables that we mentioned earlier and get a better quote for you.
Quotes are important, but they are not set-in-stone. Prices are typically subject to change because gas prices and carrier availability are subject to change; if gas prices go up, auto transport prices go up, and if demand for certain routes shift, your prices could also be affected.
This is why it’s important that you book with an auto transport broker right away. They are able to keep up on the pricing changes in ways that auto transport carriers cannot, and they are able to better regulate the prices that you will be paying in the long run. Not only that but they handle all the legalities and paperwork, and they also verify the legitimacy of the company that will be physically transporting your vehicle.
Their auto transport rates will reflect all charges and fees associated with your shipment, and this includes any fuel surcharges, toll expenses, maintenance, etc. Brokers should be your go-to company for all things auto transport because, more often than not, they’ll get you a better auto transport price and get your vehicle picked up much more quickly than booking with a carrier directly.
If you are interested in getting a quote to ship your vehicle, fill out our free online quote request form. You’ll get an instant auto transport quote that’s good for up to fourteen days. We make things easier for you as well by providing you our toll-free telephone number, which you can find at the top of every page on our website and you can call to speak to a live representative. There are no menus to sift through, just real live people ready to assist you with any and all things auto transport.
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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