When it comes to transporting vehicles long-distance, there are several different services to choose from. One of the most popular services is an auto transport broker. Auto transport brokers essentially act as vehicle logistics providers in that they arrange for the transport of vehicles using carriers.
Let’s dive deeper into the inner workings of auto transport brokers to determine if this is the right auto transport option for you.
What Auto Transport Brokers Do
Auto transport brokers utilize their network of carriers to transport vehicles from point A to point B. The size of their carrier network can range from a few to thousands, depending on the company’s size. For instance, RPM has a network of over 30,000 vetted and experienced carriers that we work with to fulfill both auto and freight transportation.
With a large and reliable network, auto transport brokers can meet various transport needs. Brokers aren’t tied to a specific type of shipment or even a specific geographical area. Instead, they work with customers from all areas covering different routes for different transportation needs.
Why Car Shipping Brokers Are Essential
Most people associate car shipping brokers with transporting individual vehicles for cross-country moves, but in reality, they’re so much more than that. The odds are that you’ve benefited from the services of a car shipping broker without even knowing it.
When You Need An Auto Transport Broker
Auto transport brokers can arrange vehicle transportation services for a wide variety of different industries, including:
- Original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
- Retail and dealerships
- Fleet management
- Rental car fleets
- Remarketing
- Auctions
- Personally-owned vehicles (POV)
Often, brokers specialize in a few of these areas to ensure that they can offer the best services. For instance, a broker specializing in OEM would look a lot different than a broker specializing in POV.
Is an Auto Transport Broker or a Carrier Best for You?
While it’s easy to conflate auto transport brokers with carriers, these terms refer to two things. Auto transport brokers arrange for the transport of vehicles — essentially acting as a middleman between the customer and the carrier.
Carriers, on the other hand, are the ones doing the hauling. Carriers often work with brokers to find loads, get support, and of course, make money.
How Do You Find the Best Auto Transport Brokers?
Auto transport brokers seem to be a dime a dozen — so how do you find the best one for you?
Do Your Due Diligence
You can start by performing a simple online search for auto transport brokers. Gather a few different potential contenders and visit their websites for general information regarding their services to make sure that they meet your needs.
Once you have determined that these companies offer what you’re looking for, you need to dive deeper into your research. Due diligence is particularly important during this step to ensure that you’re using a trustworthy and reputable company.
The best way to determine the trustworthiness of an auto transport broker is to check reviews and testimonials directly on their website and from other sources, including Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Make sure that this information is positive. You should also check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website for ratings and complaints.
Reach Out For a Quote
You can reach out to these companies for quotes after you have narrowed down your list to a few final contenders. Before you do this, make sure that you have the necessary information on hand to receive an accurate quote.
Specifically, you will need information about the vehicle you’re looking to ship (type, size, and weight), the origin and destination of the shipment, the ideal date of shipment, and the proposed timeframe.
Based on this information, each broker will provide you with a quote. From there, you can make your final decision based on the most competitive offer in addition to taking into consideration the most trustworthy and reputable service.
When it comes to auto transport brokers, you tend to get what you pay for. If one company is offering a price lower than the others, there’s a reason for this, and you should be wary of lowball quotes. After all, you are entrusting these companies with one of your most valuable assets — your vehicle.
Some Tips For Using Auto Transporters
Most people have never used an auto transporter before and really don’t know how it works or what to expect along the way. Here are some tips to help you with the entire process from start to finish:
- While it may be easy and convenient to conduct the entire booking and confirmation process online, it’s always a good idea to speak to an actual human being before moving forward with a vehicle logistics provider. Doing so will give you a good idea of the customer service based on their answers to your questions.
- If possible, it’s always a good idea to book your auto transportation services ahead of time. This is the best way to ensure that your vehicle is delivered on time. Furthermore, it may also help you get better rates since you’re not rushing things on a tight timeline.
- When determining the pick-up and drop-off locations, you need to be strategic if you’re using a door-to-door service. In an ideal world, you could just choose your home for each and call it a day. However, you need to ensure that there’s enough room for the trailer to be loaded and unloaded. It’s also helpful for these locations to be close to an urban area, airport, or main highway.
- Another thing that you need to be realistic about is your time frame. Some people want their vehicles transported across the country within a few days. In the real world, that’s unlikely to happen. Instead, you need to understand that brokers are dedicated to making sure that your vehicles get to their destination both safely and efficiently.
- Before you move forward with a vehicle logistics provider, make sure that they are properly insured. The road can be dangerous and unpredictable, so it’s important to have coverage in the event of any damage. While most providers offer insurance, the actual amount varies — so this is something to check on, especially if you have a high-value vehicle.
- Be sure that you read through the entire contract before you sign it. If you have any questions about the contract, reach out to your dedicated customer service representative for answers. Make sure that you 100% understand the obligations of the contract on both sides.
- Consider asking for extra features such as concierge service or GPS tracking. Concierge service provides you with exclusive and unlimited access to a dedicated customer service representative that you can contact about any questions or concerns. GPS tracking services allow you to track the exact location of your vehicle throughout its journey. This provides peace of mind as well as up-to-date information about the delivery time frame of your vehicle.
- Before your car is picked up for transport, make sure to inspect it for any signs of existing damage. Check all over the interior and exterior of the car, making sure to cover the root, paint, windows, and undercarriage. Take plenty of photos or even a video to act as proof of the initial condition of the vehicle.
- Before the car is picked up, other things that you should do include removing all personal belongings and removing loose parts that could be removed or broken during transit. For instance, you may want to remove bike racks, luggage racks, hood ornaments, decals, hubcaps, spoilers, and fog lights.
Conclusion
Using a vehicle logistics provider like RPM can make your life a lot easier. Using an intermediary makes it easier for you as the customer as well as the actual carrier. These companies handle all of the heavy liftings in terms of logistics and scheduling to transport vehicles promptly.
RPM understands that timing is everything, which is why we boast a 98% on-time delivery rate. We offer various auto transportation services ranging from full truckloads to singles, inoperable, and specialized hauls. So reach out to us today for a quote!
Sources:
How to Transport a Car to Another State | Moving.com
Brokers vs. Carriers in Car Shipping | Move.org
Top 12 Questions To Ask Before Shipping Your Car | MovingApt.com
