Loaded Car 1

Let’s preface this blog with a simple statement: auto transportation companies are not licensed to carry household items. Just like how your plumber isn’t licensed to install your cable, auto transporters aren’t licensed to ship any household items, which can make the entire thing problematic if you need to ship a few boxes full of stuff in the back of your car. There are certain loopholes that one can exploit to get around this, but you have to be careful because additional items in a vehicle being shipped add weight, and too much weight pushes the truck overweight. If the truck is overweight when they weigh in at a weigh station, the entire truck has to be searched for the extra weight and any additional items could be left stranded on the side of the weigh station, for anyone to come get (or leave to rot). Here are some great tips for avoiding this and keeping everything smooth if you need to put items in the vehicle.

  1. Items can ONLY be placed in the trunk

You can’t pack anything in the cab of the vehicle, since the cab of the vehicle has windows that you can see through and this includes inspectors at weigh stations. Since you’re not allowed to have anything in the vehicle anyway, putting stuff in the cab is kind of a dumb move, so most auto transporters will tell you to put items in the trunk of the vehicle instead. This is exploiting the “junk in the trunk” loophole that few auto shippers really care about unless you’re shipping a set of free weights ranging from five to fifty pounds. A few items in the trunk of the vehicle shouldn’t cause anyone concern and you should be just fine shipping it.

  1. Pay attention to what you’re putting in the trunk

Remember how we said overweight trucks are subject to inspection if they weight over the maximum? Keep that in mind. You want to only ship things that are light and fluffy – bowling balls, weight sets, TV’s and furniture need not apply. Keep the items you place in your vehicle light and easy to move – if it does need to be removed, you don’t want to sit there trying to pull it out for an hour. You should keep what you place in the trunk restricted to things such as linens, clothes, pillows and other fluffy, airy things.

  1. If it can break, don’t put it in your car

Items in the trunk of a vehicle being shipped might get around some loopholes, but it doesn’t mean your goods are going to be insured in any way. As far as the carrier’s concerned, that trunk is empty, even if it’s not, and therefore they have no obligation to insure items that aren’t your car because that’s not how insurance works. Your vehicle is fully insured from the moment the driver takes the keys from you. From there, any damage done to the vehicle is covered at the cost of the carrier’s insurance. But any items in the vehicle won’t be, and if they break that’s on you to get them fixed or replaced. If it can break, don’t put it in your car.

If you can follow these three simple tips for putting items in your car during transport, you should be just fine. If you’re shipping an SUV or a pickup truck, you’ll want to discuss your options for shipping items with the vehicle with them, since those don’t have trunks, per se. They’ll be able to help you out, and we at American Auto Shipping would love to do it for you! So please fill out the instant online quote request form on the left or call us at 800-930-7417 and speak to a live auto transport specialist now. If you feel that you have more goods than would fit in the trunk of your vehicle, you can visit this page and get free household moving quotes; from a no-bedroom studio to a ten-bedroom mansion and bigger, we can get you free household moving quotes from some of the best in the industry.

Dave Armstrong

The auto transport guru! With 10+ years doing just about every job in the industry, I’m here to answer your questions and give you the lowdown on all things car shipping.

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