| Just as there are companies that specialize in moving | | | | curves, and mountains. If one decides to drive to their |
| the contents of one's home from point A to point B, | | | | new home, he or she will have to travel these roads |
| across town or across the country, there are also | | | | they have never driven before, making the journey |
| companies who specialize in moving motor vehicles in | | | | more perilous than a trip across town. Within these |
| the same manner. | | | | long stretches of roadway, local traffic mixes into the |
| We have all seen the auto transport semi-trucks that | | | | equation, making the road even more dangerous. |
| are used to move cars between automotive | | | | When families land in a new town, they will have to |
| dealerships, and most of us have had to call upon a | | | | find restaurants and motels to stay the night. Many |
| tow truck at one time or another. What most people | | | | criminals prey upon people who seem out-of-place in a |
| do not realize is that they have other options. | | | | location. Travelers stand out in a crowd, and this |
| When someone needs to move a broken car to the | | | | makes them especially susceptible to criminals who |
| mechanic's shop, the towing service is usually the first | | | | target the weak. |
| service provider the individual will consider. Towing | | | | Many people find an auto transport company to be an |
| companies provide a valuable service to their clients, | | | | essential element of a safe move from one place to |
| but given the cost of hooking up a car to the tow | | | | another. For that reason alone, the cost of the auto |
| truck and moving it across town, an individual will | | | | shipping can be well justified. |
| seldom consider a tow truck service to be an | | | | Beyond the safety aspect, many automobile owners |
| economical means of moving a vehicle from one city | | | | would not want to add the potential wear-and-tear to |
| or state to another. | | | | their vehicles, in order to get their vehicles to their new |
| The Challenges Of Moving Vehicles Without | | | | home. |
| Professional Help | | | | Hiring A Private Driver |
| When one needs to move a vehicle several hundred | | | | Some people decide that the most economical way to |
| miles, people seek out methods of moving the vehicle | | | | get a vehicle across country is to hire a local driver to |
| that will not require a tow truck service, due to the high | | | | drive the vehicle to the new destination. On the |
| cost of transport. | | | | surface, this seems a logical option, but when the risks |
| This writer has moved vehicles twice over three | | | | and costs are considered, the option soon shows itself |
| hundred miles, once by tow strap and once by car | | | | to be a poor choice. |
| trailer hooked up to a pickup truck. | | | | For this option, an individual must find someone whom |
| * Tow Straps Are Only For Short Distances | | | | they trust to drive their car. The car's owner must |
| There is a very good reason why the packaging with | | | | provide this person the keys to the car, money for fuel, |
| a tow strap recommends that it should only be used | | | | hotel rooms and food for the trip, and they must |
| for short moves. The first twenty miles were okay, | | | | provide them money for the return trip home. The |
| and then the decision to move the car on the cheap | | | | vehicle's owner must also provide insurance for this |
| leads to a nightmare scenario. | | | | individual to drive the vehicle legally. |
| Moving down the freeway at 45 mph, with the lead | | | | This nickel-and-dime approach to saving money could |
| car only twenty feet in front of your own requires | | | | very well cost the car owner far more than it would |
| absolute attention to everything going on around both | | | | have cost them to hire an auto transport company to |
| vehicles --- remember, the back car provides the | | | | move their vehicle(s). |
| braking system for both vehicles. The need for | | | | Professional Auto Transport Services Provide A More |
| absolute attention grows more difficult with every | | | | Economical Solution |
| passing mile. When one adds the elements of freeway | | | | Auto transport companies bring a whole new element |
| traffic, rain, cold, and a lack of power or heat in the | | | | of safety and protection to the car's owner. From the |
| back vehicle, the job becomes even more difficult. | | | | time the Bill Of Lading (BOL) is signed at the pickup |
| * Car Trailers Should Not Be Hooked Up To Just Any | | | | location to the time the BOL is signed at the |
| Pickup Truck | | | | destination, the vehicle is usually insured at |
| The next time out, we rented a tow-hitch package | | | | full-replacement value, depending on the auto transport |
| and a tow trailer to pull behind a pickup truck. | | | | company. Some companies provide insurance with a |
| People may be surprised to learn that not all pickup | | | | deductible; better companies provide insurance on the |
| trucks are equipped to haul trailers. A standard pickup | | | | vehicles they transport with no deductibles. |
| truck package is designed to haul a few hundred | | | | Depending on the circumstances of available time, the |
| pounds of materials in its bed, but adding a trailer to the | | | | car's owner can choose to get door-to-door or |
| truck is beyond the manufacturer's original design | | | | terminal-to-terminal delivery. Door-to-door is often a |
| specifications. | | | | better option, but it does require someone to meet the |
| Pickup trucks that are designed for towing trailers | | | | truck driver to sign for the vehicle at both the pick-up |
| generally have a stronger engine, bigger transmission, | | | | and drop-off locations. Of course, door-to-door delivery |
| better cooling systems --- including oil coolers, and | | | | is sometimes controlled by the circumstances on the |
| improved braking systems. | | | | ground, which means that pick-up or drop-off might |
| The first 125 miles went well, and then the pickup truck | | | | need to be handled down the street at a shopping |
| began to overheat, and we were forced to stop | | | | center parking lot. |
| every twenty- to thirty-miles to let the truck cool down. | | | | It is recommended that vehicles should be operational |
| Those last 175 miles required us to adhere to a speed | | | | at the time of transport, but this is not an absolute |
| limit of only 40 mph, and we still had to sweat every | | | | requirement. Since non-operational vehicles require |
| mile wondering if the truck could hold up under the | | | | more physical labor to move and load, there will be |
| additional weight load. The last 50 miles were the | | | | additional costs for the transportation of inoperable |
| worst, as we slowed the truck to 30 mph to ensure | | | | vehicles. |
| that we were not going to destroy our truck in the | | | | Most cars are transported in open-air carriers, but it is |
| move. | | | | possible to contract an enclosed auto transport carrier. |
| When one takes the time to consider what might be | | | | Enclosed carriers can add additional protection to |
| required to upgrade their vehicle in order to ensure that | | | | vehicles, most notably protection from paint damage |
| it will survive towing another vehicle, the cost of the | | | | due to road debris, but they are more expensive to |
| expensive tow truck becomes even more attractive. | | | | contract. Open-air auto transport trucks can generally |
| Fortunately, the standard tow truck service is not the | | | | carry 8-10 vehicles, compared to the 4-6 vehicles that |
| only option available to consumers. | | | | enclosed auto transport trucks are able to carry. As a |
| Moving Home And Family To A New Town | | | | result, the use of an enclosed auto shipping truck will |
| Most people who need to move a vehicle from one | | | | result in a much higher cost of transport. |
| destination to another will be doing so because they | | | | Improved Safety And Reduced Cost Makes Auto |
| are actually moving residences and work locations. | | | | Shipping A Good Choice |
| When moving across the country, it frequently makes | | | | When one is moving their family 100 miles down the |
| more sense to hire a moving company to handle | | | | road, the do-it-yourself approach may be the ideal |
| moving the household goods from one location to | | | | solution for most families. But, when the move is even |
| another. In addition, many people would prefer to have | | | | more distant, auto shipping will prove to be safer for |
| a similar option open to them for moving their family | | | | your family and the cost of transport will be much less |
| vehicles. | | | | than any other option available. |
| There are many reasons, beyond its low-cost, for | | | | Once a family has decided to hire a moving company |
| which a family would consider hiring a professional | | | | to move their belongings and an auto transport |
| automotive shipping service to help them move their | | | | company to move their vehicles, the family will be able |
| cars and trucks to a new city. | | | | to enjoy their own journey to their new home. Riding |
| No matter where one might move to in the United | | | | on an airplane can be a real treat for the children, and |
| States, if that move covers a distance of more than | | | | where available, a long, leisurely train ride can provide |
| 100 miles, then the distance might include long stretches | | | | the family a scenic vacation trip to their new home. |
| of barren countryside, perhaps even hills, valleys, | | | | |