Friday, November 13, 2009

An Overview of the Vehicle Shipping Process

Whether you’re an individual shipping your family’s car to your new home or a company shipping an entire fleet of vehicles, you probably have a few questions about the vehicle shipping process. Shipping cars is actually fairly simple and straightforward. This article will walk you through everything you need to know to get your vehicle shipment to its final destination.

Step #1: Get an online vehicle shipping quote

The internet has made it fast and easy to get a quote for shipping cars. Most shipping companies allow you to complete a short form on their website to get an instant quote detailing how much it will cost to ship your vehicle to its final destination. Rates are influenced by the type of vehicle being shipped, the destination of the shipment, and the mode of transportation you choose, among other factors.

If you don’t want to get your quote online, you can also call the shipping companies to get a quick quote over the phone. Comparing rates has never been easier!

Step #2: Choose your vehicle shipping company

Once you know the rates offered by the different companies, it’s time to settle on a vehicle shipping company to handle your shipment. In addition to considering the cost of shipping, you should also base your decision on these important factors:

• Level of experience—You don’t want to trust your vehicle shipment to just anybody. Make sure the company you choose has a strong background in shipping cars. Experienced vehicle shipping companies have specific procedures in place for loading, transporting, and unloading vehicles to ensure they reach their destination in excellent condition.

• Modes of transportation—Vehicles can typically be shipped either by ocean or by air. Ocean freight shipping allows for bulk shipments of vehicles and shipping of oversized vehicles (buses, RVs, etc.), and it’s typically much cheaper than air freight shipping, however air shipping is much faster.



• Destinations served—Not all shipping companies provide service to the same destinations. Make sure you work with a company experienced in delivering goods to your destination.

Step #3: Prepare your car(s) for shipping

Before shipping your vehicle, you need to do a few easy things to prepare it for transport.

• Remove accessories—If you’ve added any accessories to the exterior of the vehicle, it’s a good idea to remove them. This will prevent them from breaking off during loading and unloading, ensuring your vehicle doesn’t get damaged during shipping.

• Take personal belongings—It’s important to take personal belongings out of the vehicle for a few reasons. First, it’s the only way to make certain they aren’t lost or damaged. Second, you don’t want loose items shifting around in the interior of the car as they could damage the vehicle. Finally, your vehicle must clear customs when it reaches the country of destination. Personal items within the vehicle might slow down the process.

• Keep fuel tank low—Most vehicle shipping companies recommend keeping your fuel tank about ¼ full before shipping.

That’s all there is to the vehicle shipping process. Just follow these simple steps, and shipping cars will be fast and easy. For shipping quotes visit us on-line: www.amerijet.com

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