There are numerous websites informing on and promoting vehicle transport services. We have compiled a summary of the types of web services available and some key websites offering these resources. We have also added comments to the listings on how effective and valuable their services are.
Government Services (ESSENTIAL)
Government websites will always end with .gov and not .com or .net. If some websites seem to look like or imply to be official government sites, but are not, be alert as they are already creating a wrong impression.
The main and most important website for vehicle transport is the US Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
For general information on transport go to http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/.
When following up on the status of an auto transport broker or carrier, you can enter in their main reference i.e. their MC#. Every company must have an MC#. You can use it on the following website to extract all the necessary information on its legal and insurance status: http://li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov/LIVIEW/pkg_carrquery.prc_carrlist
Multiple Quote Providers (TO BE AVOIDED)
Your vehicle is probably the second most expensive property you own, other than your home. It is imperative that you do your homework by searching through our directory, rather than utilizing multiple quote providers.
As a consumer, you risk your personal information and email being harvested and resold to any company willing to pay for the leads.
There is also no guarantee that leads are not resold multiple times, resulting in an avalanche of companies fighting to gain you as a customer.
It will not be in our interest or yours to list examples of these sites. However, these companies are easily identified by their false promises of up to 50% discounts and filling out a single form for any number of quotes.
We strongly recommend not using these sites.
Customer Complaint and Review Sites (IMPORTANT)
Feedback from customers is critical when keeping quality of service at a reasonable cost. There are several very good independent websites available that provide feedback from customers to those interested in shipping their vehicles. Keep in mind that the biggest companies may not always offer the best service.
We use three main websites as reference sites for our visitors. You can read more about these websites in our reference section.
The Better Business Bureau: www.bbb.org. (This website is essential in making sure companies are accredited.)
Transport Reviews: www.transportreviews.com. (Excellent website for customer reviews. Best currently available.)
Transport Rankings: transportrankings.com. (Another website with customer reviews. Not as good as Transport Reviews, but helpful.)
Brokering Services (IMPORTANT)
Brokers are by far the most listed companies under car shipping searches.
Vehicle Brokers charge a fee for their services, but they may save you money by bargaining for a good discount rate on your behalf with a carrier. They are also indispensable in helping shippers when they experience difficulties with auto transport carriers.
Vehicle Transport Brokers can never give you an unconditional guarantee on rates and dates. These are estimates and always must be confirmed with the auto carriers. Low rates offer less predictability than higher rates. These are the parameters all car shipping brokers work with.
Brokers ensure that the auto carriers they use are up to date with their authorization and insurance requirements. This can change daily and shippers have no resource to confirm this by themselves.
Most car shipping brokers use an internal rating system to ensure they use only the best carriers for shipping customers’ cars.
Should a truck fail to pick up your vehicle or complete a delivery, a broker can source any other truck to replace it without any extra cost and little delay.
Brokers depend on customer satisfaction ratings, as well as happy auto transport carriers. They tend to offer better service than carriers who specialize mainly in shipping cars.
Vehicle Carrier Companies (HELPFUL)
Carrier companies tend to be less worried about their web presence, as they often make use of contractors or brokers for their loads.
Using a car shipping carrier may save you a broker fee, but the vehicle carrier company may add it anyway.
The carrier may be better at confirming a pickup and delivery date, but there is no guarantee.
All auto Transport Carriers must be licensed and insured, but a shipper needs to do their homework to confirm this, no matter how honest a carrier may sound.
If a Vehicle Carrier experiences difficulties such as a breakdown or delay, the customer may have to start the car shipping process all over again.
If a vehicle is damaged, shippers will have to manage through the complicated claim process themselves often with limited cooperation from carriers.
Going direct with an auto transport carrier may seem attractive and save a shipper some money initially, but the risk in shipping your vehicle is high. It can quickly become a very costly experience.
Directories (HELPFUL)
Most auto transport directories are exclusive and limited to the number of companies they list.
Other than Carmoversdirectory.com, there are no fully reliable ways to determine the credibility of a company.
Visitors will receive a number and link to company websites for personal contact.
Visitors need to do their own research on how reliable and customer friendly the auto transport companies are.
Car Shipping Companies listed on these sites often pay a premium to be listed. Sometimes smaller but better companies cannot afford to be listed.