Learn how transport services compute car transport cost, including the various factors that may affect the final shipping price.
You may be wondering how much it ‘actually’ costs to transport a car. Some may look online and request ballpark estimates to determine whether it’s best to sell it and buy a new one or use car transport and just ride a plane or train. However, there is no easy answer on how much it is going to cost.
Why? Because there are some factors that affect the final price. To help you understand how the auto transport rate is calculated for open trailer, you have to learn the basic math and consider the factors that cause considerable changes in price.
In an open transport, the basic cost to ship a car is by computing the mileage multiplied by the vehicle size plus the broker fee. They compute your shipment on a ‘cost per mile’ basis that is set by the transport company. For instance, a small vehicle like a hatchback or sedan may cost 40 cents per mile, depending on the company’s policy.
So, to determine the number of miles, one should open a map to calculate the distance from point A to point B. Then, multiply it based on the vehicle size and you have the price. However, this is not always the case as there are factors that can influence the final price.
The vehicle transport industry relies heavily on the price of gas. If the price goes up, all transport costs go up as well. However, depending on the quality and size of the company, the fluctuation in the shipping rates will vary from one company to another.
The route, pick up and drop off locations also affect the cost of car transport. A main route (i.e LA to Miami) is a well-traveled route, making it easy to look for drivers to transport the car, and if there are more drivers, the lesser the cost. However, if you don’t live close to a terminal or in a city off from the main route such as Barre Vermont to Casper Wyoming, it costs higher as it is off main routes plus fewer drivers to ship the car.
The time of the year or the season also causes differences in auto transport price. During winter, people tend to stay at home, driving price quotes down. During summer, the weather is warm and does not hinder driving and more people tend to relocate during this time, so this can cause the price to go higher as there are more customers than drivers.
The size, make and model taken all together is one of the biggest factors for two reasons. One is the weight as heavy load causes the truck to burn more fuel. The second reason has to do with relativity and space, as an SUV occupies the same amount of space as 2 small sedans.
Customers that do not allow a flexible date for pick-up and delivery date will have to pay more. Expedited car shipping even costs a lot due to its short time frame. Since there are many delaying factors when driving such as weather, weight stations and traffic, delivery date and time is subject to delivery changes, perhaps by hours or days.
Several special needs may come into play that could affect car transport rate. This may include towing gear, if the vehicle is running or not, or if there are any modifications on the car than may require special treatment. By understanding these factors, you will understand how transport rate changes.
Wednesday, December 28th, 2011, 3:30 am | 
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