Car Transport Services: A Broker vs. A Carrier
When it comes time to ship your vehicle across the country, you want to know that your car will be safe. Putting your car in the hands of an auto transporting company that you don't know can be a little scary. When transporting a car, you're not just thinking about the car. The transport is probably because you are moving or switching jobs or retiring. This is why your vehicle's safety should be the least of your worries and choosing between a broker and a carrier can determine your "worry factor."
Whether you choose a broker or a carrier, both will make sure your car gets from one place to the other. However, that is all they have in common. A broker will resell the job of transporting a car to another company. Although you will be paying the broker, they will not be the ones physically moving the car. They will call different carriers and sell the job to them. A carrier will in fact transport your car.
There are pros and cons to choosing both types of car transport services so don't make your decision just yet. The best benefit of choosing a broker is that they take out most of the work for you. Most will already have a list of pre-approved carriers or they will post the job online and let any carrier select it. If you decide to use a carrier, you will probably not choose the first one you find. You will have to call and research each carrier to make sure they are a reliable company. Also, many drivers for most carriers only do one route, meaning a customer will have to call several to find a driver that does the route he needs and make sure the driver is available for the day needed.
The way a broker makes money is by finding carriers that will transport your car for less money than the price they quoted you. Most of the time your deposit is nonrefundable. Carriers will often let you pay part of the deposit and they will collect the rest when your car has arrived at its destination. Many carriers will also allow you to cancel the service anytime before the car has been scheduled to be transported and you can receive a refund. However, you need to check with the carrier or broker to see their policy. Each company is different.
Both carriers and brokers can offer a guaranteed pick-up. For brokers, there is often a truck in the area from one of the many carriers they work with. Depending on your location, carriers and brokers may not be able to guarantee direct door pickup. Auto transporting trucks are very large and might not be able to maneuver around your street. You will instead be asked to meet the truck at a nearby location.
No matter which car transport service you choose, you always need to find out as much information as possible. Never assume that you can get refunds or have the privilege of door-to-door service. Both have their advantages, but the most important aspect to look for is reliability. You need to know that your car will arrive safely at its destination.
About the Author
www.ABCAutoTransport.com is an
auto transport Florida
service that caters to clients all over the country, even Canada and Hawaii! Our drivers perform
car transport services
in 10-car carriers, available both open and closed, with door-to-door delivery.
