Help with Car Shipping
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Help with Quote
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How does car shipping work?
To ship a personally owned car, you will almost always book with a nationwide "broker" who has access to a network of "carriers". Many carriers are small companies running the same route back and forth. The brokers job is to monitor routes and seasonal rates, providing you with a competitive price that will get your car shipped on-time. The broker will list your shipment on a load board where carriers go to search and fill their trucks.
What is the benefit of comparing quotes?
There are so many reasons! For starters, you'll get an accurate range of shipping rates, but the lowest isn't always the best. You want to find a company who will work for you to get your car assigned to a carrier and shipped according to your specific needs. Most Brokers use the same load boards, so we suggest you only choose one shipping broker, or else you may end up competing with yourself, because the carrier will always pick the highest paying shipment.
How is pricing calculated?
Generally, rates are calculated by monitoring current routes, seasonal changes, carrier availability, and more. Pricing is more affordable for smaller fully operable vehicles, and when pickup/dropoff is closer to the major interstate highways. Sometimes, if you can meet the carrier closer to a major hub, you could save a lot. While most shippers give you an initial automated quote within seconds, we appreciate the brokers who exceed expectations by taking time to analyze your route and specific needs.
Why should I use carship.com?
The authority to operate within the car shipping industry is managed by the USDOT. However, like many industries, there are a lot of companies who operate without proper authority. The companies you'll find here on carship are fully licensed and bonded/insured. Scammers will give you low-ball pricing, ask for more money later, and when there are issues or vehicle damage you will have no recourse. Avoid this headache, and pick carship if you want your car shipped professionally for a fair price.
Why is my city or zip code missing?
Our service covers the shipment of vehicles throughout the United States including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Our zip code database is updated regularly and should cover all cities and zip codes. If your city can not be found, be sure to check the spelling, and that you are entering the primary city name, not an alternate or neighborhood. If the zip code is new and not yet in our database, simply pick a nearby zip code for the quoting process.
Are rates based solely upon distance?
The short answer is NO. The car shipping industry does not follow a standardized system. Generally, rates are estimated by comparing your route with similar shipments during the same season, and will change based upon carrier availability, your car, and more. Companies providing you with quotes here on carship are professionals who maintain relationships with many carriers, therefore by comparing quotes and services you are more likely to get your car shipped more affordably and on time.
What about short hauls and local towing?
Carship is a service for long distance transporting, typically outside the limits of a local towing company. While we do not target short hauls, search engines like Google consider our target keywords to be "close variants" to terms like "towing". Therefore, we do sometimes receive quote requests for shorter routes, and when possible our shippers will assist when and where they can.
Why is my vehicle missing?
Our car database is updated regularly, but sometimes newer or rare vehicles may be missing. We only show car makes and models that were made during the selected year. If your car is missing, simply try the previous year or select a similar sized model for the quote process. What is most important for the quoting process is the car size, because the shippers often needs to consider the weight and dimensions in order to determine how much space it will take up on a car carrier. For example, large trucks can take the space of 2 smaller vehicles and must also be loaded on top of the carrier.
Why does it matter if my car is operable?
Unlike local towing services, large car shippers can fit up to 10 vehicles at a time. The vehicles often need to be moved around as the carrier is picking up and dropping off vehicles at multiple locations. This makes the handling of inoperable vehicles more labor intensive and therefore will likely cost more money to ship.
What if my move date might change?
Try to pick the earliest date your car is available for pickup. It's best to avoid major holidays. The date range you pick will be used for the quote process, but can always change later when you're ready to ship and book with a shipper.
Why is my full name required?
Every quote is personalized and accurate. When you're ready to ship, your quote will easily be turned into a shipping order with your full name. If you happen to enter the wrong name, you can always change it when you book with a shipper. We never share your personal information with anyone other than the car shipping companies providing quotes. Please review our privacy policy and terms of service for more detailed information.
Why is my email address required?
A copy of your quotes will be sent to this email, and we may send a follow up survey. While some shippers estimate your rate instantly using an automated quoting engine, most shipments require a manual review to ensure accuracy and they will provide a detailed breakdown of services. We know many people are concerned about online privacy. Rest assure, we transmit your data using the latest encryption. Additionally, all shippers in our network must agree to provide the proper opt-out or unsubscribe links in all correspondence.
Why is my phone number required?
First, to verify you're a real person and not a robot, we may send you a confirmation code on the next step. We do this as a courtesy to the shippers who are taking time to review your details and provide an accurate quote. You can expect to receive some automated quotes within 1 minute after submitting this form, but most shipments require a specialist to quickly review your details and provide a rate. Additionally, the ship specialists could have questions and/or may follow up with you in an attempt to earn your business. All companies in our network must agree to follow our privacy and opt-out standards or else risk being removed from our platform. Therefore, if you receive an unwanted call, simply tell the car shipping company to take you off their follow up list.
Why do we ask for your phone to be verified?
In addition to verifying you are a real person, this helps protect the privacy of everyone while complying with the FCC's TCPA rules and FTC regulations. Rest assure, we transmit your data using bank-grade encryption, and we never share your information with any party other than the car shipping companies generating your quote.
Who will text or call me with the code?
We have built an automated system to deliver your verification code. The phone number appearing on your caller-id will be . If you choose the "Speak via phone call" option, a voice assisted response will speak the 4-digit code to you after you answer.
How long will it take to get a code?
Your verification code will be queued immediately after you click the "Send My Code" button. If it takes longer than 30 to 60 seconds, you may want to double-check your phone number and try again.
Why is my phone number invalid?
CarShip.com is a service for shipping vehicles across the United States, therefore we only accept US based phone numbers. If your entry still shows an error, clear the field and type it in again manually.
What happens if I enter the wrong code?
For security purposes, we allow you to try 3 attempts at verification. If you are unable to verify at this time, your quote request may be reviewed manually during normal business hours.
How do I pick the best shipper?
Well, that depends on you. The lowest price is not always the best option. For example, do you need a guaranteed delivery date, or is your calendar flexible? Do you want to protect your car with an enclosed carrier, or is an open carrier sufficient? Do you prefer door-to-door delivery service, or can you pick up the car at a nearly terminal? Each shipper will offer you their own unique level of service.
Once I pick a shipper, how to I stop the others from trying to earn my business?
Every shipper on our platform is committed to full customer satisfaction. Each company should include a simple unsubscribe button in their emails for you. Additionally, if any company calls to follow up, simply answer the phone and tell the representative that you chose another company. After that, all communications are required to stop.