Never Place Personal Items in Transported Vehicle

A word today about placing personal items in a vehicle scheduled for transport.

It would seem like a “no big deal” sort of thing, right?  Your vehicle is being transported to a new city, and just before it is picked up by the carrier, you put a few personal items in the vehicle for safe transport along with the vehicle?  Who’s to know? Who’s to care?

It turns out there are some very good reasons why you shouldn’t do this and why most vehicle transport companies prohibit the inclusion of personal items in a vehicle being shipped.

First, it is against FMCSA regulations for auto carriers to transports personal possessions within the vehicle.  Carriers literally can be fined for doing this.

Second, insurance companies will not cover the loss or damage of personal items within a transported vehicle.

Third, there are strict weight limitations that vehicle carriers must adhere to.  The additional weight inside the vehicle may cause an overweight situation. When that happens, the carrier must either risk fines for being overweight or they must refuse to take the vehicle. Considering the severity of the punishment, most carriers will refuse the vehicle.

Fourth, extra weight can cause damage to the undercarriage of the transporting vehicle during the loading and unloading process.

Add it all up and it equals some very formidable and logical reasons why people should never store personal belongings inside a vehicle scheduled for transport.

AUTO TRANSPORT BY AIRPLANE

When it comes time to transport your vehicle, or vehicles, to another city, you are faced with several decisions.

One, which carrier do you work with and trust to do the best job.

Two, by what means do you want to transport your car or truck?

We have discussed the first question in an earlier blog posting.  Your best bet is to go with a professional broker who can find you the best deal and can cut through the red tape and get the job done efficiently and professionally.

As for the means of transporting, you have several choices:

• Open transport by truck
• Closed transport by moving van
• Transport by air

The first two options are for those who are not in a particular hurry to move their vehicle.  Often times car transports are booked far in advance, so making reservations in advance is the best advice, and of course booking during non-peak seasons is also helpful.  Transporting in an open auto carrier means an added possibility of small damage to the body of your car because of thrown rocks or weather-related events.  Transporting by closed carrier is more expensive but safer for your vehicle.

The last option is easily the best option if money is not a consideration.  Transporting your vehicle by plane is fast and efficient.  Yes, it does cost extra money, but it also guarantees that your vehicle will be in the new city almost immediately and that it will arrive with an almost zero chance of damage.

Transporting by air is in fact the preferred method for most pro athletes and entertainers who have the resources to pay for the extra cost, and who like the convenience of having their favorite vehicle delivered quickly.

A QUESTION OF INSURANCE DURING AUTO TRANSPORT

Inevitably the question of automobile insurance coverage comes up when we are arranging to have someone’s auto transported.  Most people are mistaken in believing that since they have car insurance that it automatically covers the transportation of their vehicle. That may not be the case, and we urge you to check your own coverage policy to find out what is covered and what is not.

The second mistaken impression that people have is in believing that the auto transport company has insurance and so there is no worry about their vehicle.

Yes and no! Yes, all reputable auto transport companies are required to carry insurance; that requirement comes from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. However, the law requires that carriers carry minimal insurance. The key word is ‘minimal.”

Make sure you read the contract carefully before signing on with a carrier. If their insurance, or your own insurance, do not cover all damage to your vehicle, then make sure you purchase additional insurance before transporting your vehicle.

We at Pro Sports Auto Transport can help you with any questions you might have about auto transport, and we can make the arrangements necessary to make sure that the transportation of your vehicle is a pleasant experience.

REASONS TO USE AN AUTO TRANSPORT BROKER

Why would you use a broker like Pro Sports Auto Transport rather than deal with an individual auto carrier company?

Think about it for a second. There are literally thousands of auto transport companies in the United States.  Each has specific routes that they specialize in; they improve their profit margin by setting up routes and taking business based on those routes.

You, as a customer, would have to call many, many companies in order to find the best price quote and guarantees. You would literally have to make hundreds of calls to find the best deal… or…

You could call us and let us do the work for you. We have an established network of auto transport companies that we work with. We know their routes; we know their rates; we know who is reliable and who isn’t.

In other words, we not only save you time, but we also save you peace of mind. If you think about the fact that we specialize in arranging transport for professional athletes and entertainers, and that their vehicles are usually worth in the neighborhood of $100,000 or more, it is pretty obvious that we know what we are doing.

Why not turn your vehicle over to Pro Sports Auto Transport the next time you need a transport.  Rest assured you will receive excellent customer service and all of your worries will be alleviated.