Article  Car Shipping: Ways to Make it Simple Car shipping is something that many people have to consider during moves, relocations or when buying a vehicle in a distant location. Rather than adding expense to a move by traveling back to pick up the vehicle, using a professional shipping company really takes all the stress and worry out of the process and leaves you free to focus on what you need to do. In general, private car shipping is exactly the same as the types of shipping used by automobile dealers and car companies. Individual vehicles are loaded on specialized vehicle transport trailers and driven to the respective drop points, staying within a given time range for delivery. The vehicles are loaded on the trailer in reverse order of the drop off, so the first vehicle on the trailer will be the last off and vice versa. This type of systematic loading means that your vehicle is never removed from the trailer during transit, keeping it safe and secure on the carrier. There are two basic types of car shipping trailers used by auto transport companies. The most common type of trailer is an open trailer, which has an industry standard and approved design and features, but doesn't have any sides or a roof. In basic terms your vehicle is exposed to the same weather conditions as it would be if you actually drove it yourself, just without all the mileage and wear and tear on the engine and tires. Vehicles transported in open trailers will often arrive somewhat dusty or rain spotted, depending on the weather they experienced on the trip. The other option to consider is an enclosed trailer. These types of trailers have sides and a roof, basically like transporting your vehicle in a garage. This is a good option for those transporting very high end cars, classic or collector cars or other very expensive types of vehicles. Enclosed transportation may be slightly more expensive and you may have to wait longer for the truck to actually fill with vehicles; therefore, transportation times may be slightly longer. In general most car shipping trailers hold between seven and ten vehicles. The number of vehicles on the trailer is really irrelevant to the vehicle owner but will make a difference to the driver. Vehicles are secured in place with wheel locks and straps that prevent any type of movement on the trailer and keep the vehicles securely in place. No additional items can be packed in the cars as this violates the terms set in place for transporting vehicles by the United States Department of Transportation. Upon loading the vehicle onto the trailer the driver will provide a Bill of Lading which you, as the customer, will have to sign. There will also be information on the delivery of the vehicle as well as information and numbers to call regarding the timing of the delivery. Since there are any number of possible delays that can occur, car shipping companies don't provide a specific date but rather a possible range of dates. In the event that the vehicle has not arrived by the end of that time window there may be a possibility of the company offering a discount to the customer for the inconvenience. Typically the company will also call and let the vehicle owner know if such as delay is anticipated. Common causes for delivery delays include impassable roads in the winter, breakdowns of the trucks or other unplanned events. When you aren’t able to drive your car to a destination for whatever reason, car shipping provides a great alternative. Just make sure you contract with a trusted company and your vehicle will follow you wherever you go. Category Auto Aftermarket Author Admin Add To Favorites Print This Article Email Article To A Friend Post Comments   Rate This Article (0) 1 - Poor2345 - Good678910 - Excellent Added On 2009-11-13