How far in advance should I book my transport?
The more lead time you allow in your moving plans, the more money you will save shipping your car. If immediate pickup is required, we can generally have a truck out there in 5-7 business days, and if you’re located in a major city, same-day pickup can be arranged for an additional fee. Remember, the more time you give us, the more we can save you on your transport.
How long does it take to ship a vehicle?
This is route and distance dependent. Some routes can take as little as two to three days, while many cross-country trips can take as long as 14 days to be completed. A good rule of thumb is to figure 325 miles per day so, if your total transport mileage is 3100 miles, it’ll take roughly 10 days to get there. Trucks have a lot of interruptions to deal with, they have to stop at all weigh stations, can only drive a certain number of hours, etc. But don’t worry, when a car is picked up, it will be delivered as quickly as practical. Your assigned agent or the truck driver will contact you if anything changes regarding your estimated delivery time or date.
Do I need my own insurance for the transport?
No, your personal insurance is not required during transport. All of our trucks carry a minimum $100,000.00 insurance policy, as required by law, in case of damages to the vehicles they are transporting and must provide ASG with a certificate naming ASG as additionally insured. As long as your vehicle is up on the truck, it is fully insured through the truck’s cargo insurance policy. If you do have insurance on the vehicle, your personal insurance will become “secondary” to the truck’s insurance. Alternative/additional insurance is available through our AFTA GAP Insurance policy on a per shipment basis, ask your agent for details.
How can I get my vehicle ready for transport?
Do not put valuables in your car like laptops or GPS devices. Shells and bed liners in pickup trucks must be bolted down, or else they may fly off. All CB and radio antennas must be retracted/removed, or else they may be damaged during transport. Make sure that you have less than a quarter tank of gas in the vehicle; this makes the vehicle lighter and safer for the trucks. If you’re shipping to an international location this is equally important, or else you could be assessed a de-fueling charge.
Can I have personal belongings in my vehicle?
Carriers are not licensed to carry household goods, their insurance is for your vehicle, not any contents you place in the car. It is illegal for one of our carriers to transport your car with personal property. Trucks have many restrictions put on them, and one is weight. If you have boxes of personal belongings sitting in your car, it could push the weight of the truck over its maximum, causing considerable delays.
I’ve heard about door to door transport.
Door-to-door transport is where our truck will come as close to your house as possible within the local road restrictions to pick-up or deliver your vehicle. This is in contrast to terminal-to-terminal shipping, where you are required to drop your car off at a terminal and wait for a truck to come pick it up there. Door-to-door is much safer and more reliable, as the car doesn’t leave your sight until it’s on the truck. Also, you are present to note any damages that the car may have prior to pickup, as well as sign the bill of lading (as stated in this document). Terminal-to-terminal is cheaper, but puts your car at risk as most terminals are actually just open lots where you drop your car off and hope it’s insured and secured. ASG does not use terminal services.
Do I need to be present?
Someone representing you must be present when the vehicle is picked up and delivered. Upon pickup, you and the driver will sign a “bill of lading,” which is essentially a contract from the Transporter stating that you’re releasing the car to the trucking company for the purposes of transport. You will also go through a pre-pickup inspection of the vehicle with the driver, noting any pre-existing damages the car may have as well as the overall condition of the vehicle. If you can’t personally be there, then you must find someone else who can represent you and sign the legal bill of lading and inspection of the vehicle for you. Please let us know if someone other than you will be there when the truck comes to pick up the vehicle, so all parties are aware of who will be signing documents. If no one is present, or we don’t know who the signer will be there may be delays getting your vehicle picked up.
Are pick-up and delivery dates guaranteed?
When you book with Auto Shipping Group, we will do our very best to accommodate the dates that you have provided for us. Generally, instead of giving you an exact pickup date, we’ll give you a pickup window. This allows some extra time for the truck to get to your delivery location. Generally the truck will be there on the date provided, however in our industry things can change quickly. If a change occurs, either your assigned Auto Shipping Group consultant or the truck driver will contact you to notify you of the changes.
Can you ship inoperable vehicles?
Yes! The main thing to remember about shipping an inoperable vehicle is that it must be winched or flat bedded onto the truck. In the event that a vehicle is or becomes inoperable there is a $150 charge.
