November 1st, 2012 - Check Out A Company's Auto Transport Crede...

It's important that you know who you're working with, especially if things go wrong. So for both peace of mind and protection, it is a good idea to do a little bit of research on your prospective auto transport company. American Auto Transport wants you to be able to check the credentials of whichever company that you decide to go with, so we've created this guide to aide you in your endeavors.

Why Should I Check A Company's Licensing Information?

There are a number of reasons that you might want to check a company's licensing information. First of all, you want to make sure that the company you're working with is licensed. Working with unlicensed auto transport companies is illegal, so confirming their status is important for obvious reasons. You'll also want to know what kind of licensing your auto transport company has, as this can be important for fact checking. Some companies, for instance, insist that they have their own trucks or aren't brokers, etc. If you have their MC number, then you can either confirm or deny what they've told you.

To do this, you'll need a company's Motor Carrier (MC) Number. Many companies provide their MC number on their website. If you don't find the MC number there, give them a call and ask for it. Be very careful of companies that hesitate to give you their MC number, as they probably do not want you to have access to their information!

How do I Check A Company's Licensing Information?

Once you have the MC number, you can go to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) website to check their information by clicking HYPERLINK "http://li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov/LIVIEW/pkg_carrquery.prc_carrlist" here. From here, you'll be able to view a transport company's licensing status.

To see what kind of authority a company has (common carrier, contract carrier, or broker,) you can simply check the AUTHORITY TYPE table.

Auto Transport Done the Right Way

Here at American Auto Transport, we believe that the best way to gain our customer's trust is to be open and honest. We have the integrity to lay all of our auto transport knowledge out in the light of day so that our customers know what we know. After all, the best way to make good decisions is to have adequate knowledge. So learn about auto shipping and make the right choices for all of you auto shipping needs. Choose wisely, choose American Auto Transport! Call us today at (866) 327-7863 and make your car shipping reservations with the best auto transporters in the country today!

October 30th, 2012 - Best Deals Auto Shipping Rates

If you are looking for a good deal for auto shipping, now is the time to act! It will soon be that special time of the year when the Snowbirds flock down south for the winter, and this means that we'll have increased availability and lower prices along the outbound routes! For those who aren't aware, the Snowbird season takes places during the Fall / Winter seasons and is a migration out of the North and into the South. During this period, we move a great deal of vehicles from the North to the South and a great deal less from the South to the North. This leaves us with a glut of drivers with empty trucks in the South, naturally making shipping much cheaper and more available. So, if you're looking for a good deal on auto shipping, now is the time to act! Prices for northbound routes tend to be around 50% less expensive during this time of the year than any other time, so move your vehicle for less today! Call American Auto Transport at (866) 327-7863 for more pricing and information on getting the best deals in auto shipping. Truth be told, the months between September and April is the best time to move your vehicle to just about anywhere in the nation. The summer months are the auto transport industry's busy on-seasons. Transporting during the summertime is generally more expensive and less available than any other period in the year. But as the summer comes to an end, demand for auto shipping drop significantly. So for the best deals, always try to ship during the off-season. The following is a short list of the best times to ship from region to region for the cheapest rates: Northeast - Fall / Winter (Snowbird Season) Northwest -Fall / Winter Midwest - Fall / Winter (Snowbird Season) West Coast (Southern California) - Fall / Winter Southeast - Spring / Summer (from the Northeast / Midwest) Southwest - Spring / Summer (from the Northeast / Midwest) Alaska / Hawaii /Puerto Rico - Year Round (Fixed Rates) Keep in mind that these are general trends. Particular routes may vary in pricing and availability based on demand, but for the most part these are the prime times to ship to a given region. American Auto Transport wants to help you get the best deals possible. This is why we encourage our customers who are thinking of shipping vehicles some at point in the future to act now! Do have a spare vehicle that you want to give to a family member or friend? How about a project car that you've been meaning to start working on but have to tow home? In most cases, the best time to move your vehicle is right now! For more information on auto shipping and seasonal rates, call American Auto Transport at (866) 327-7863 and speak to an auto shipping professional today!

October 26th, 2012 - Basic Auto Trasport Pricing Explained

Pricing for auto transport is one of the more mysterious aspects of auto shipping for customers and auto transporters alike. Customers are often confused by the wide range of price quotes that they receive, and some auto transporters are also somewhat mystified as to how to price certain moves. Thus, our goal for this article is to explain pricing as to help you make the best choices in auto transport. It is first necessary to establish that auto shipping prices are based on the market. Aside from the actual costs of production, which includes mileage of the journey, the total weight of a drivers payload, the locations of pick up and drop off, etc., the market determines the price. At any given time, there is a certain supply of drivers and trailers and a demand for auto shipping. Exactly where the supply of drivers meets the demand for auto shipping is where the price should be. Certain seasons of the year affect the supply of drivers and trailers and the demand for vehicles in different regions. Understanding how the marketplace works should give you an idea of how much your auto shipping should cost. What may seem to you as being a wild fluctuation in price from one month to the next is in reality a totally rational occurrence. Take, for example, car shipping from the Northeast to the Southeast. This is one of the busiest routes in the industry at certain points in the year, and is one of the slowest at others. The reason for this has to do with the Snowbird season. The vacationers that leave the colder regions of the country to the warmer ones during the winter are known as Snowbirds. The Snowbird Season is always accompanied by increased rates and decreased availability for the route Northeast-Southeast Route (I-95 Southbound.) Supposed you need to move your vehicle from New York to Florida during the month of November. You should expect the price for this route to practically double from just a month or so before. We'll often here from customers that are upset because we cannot honor a price from the previous month during the snowbird season. But take a moment to consider why this is the case. Previously, it was explained that auto shipping prices were based on supply and demand. Each year during snowbird season, the demand for auto transport skyrockets. American Auto Transport alone moves double or triple our normal volume along the snowbird routes during this season. Demand greatly outstrips demand at this time, and the scarcity of drivers leads to a rise in prices. Conversely, the Southeast to Northeast routes are extremely cheap during this time because there is a glut of drivers with empty trailers that need to go back to the Northeast. If you view the price fluctuations through the supply and demand lens, then the rationality behind it becomes apparent. Knowing this, one needs to be weary of auto transporters who claim to offer relatively low prices in the face of a majority of relatively high ones. The simple truth is that auto transporters do NOT control the price, the marketplace does. If you encounter an auto transporter who claims to be able to move your vehicle for $400 from New York to Florida at the height of Snowbird Season, you should know right away that he is being disingenuous. One way to gauge what an accurate price for auto shipping is to average out all of the quotes that you receive. Deviating from the mean price by more than $100 or so is a recipe for disaster. Again, despite what other auto transporters tell you, deals that seem too good too good to be true usually are. One way to imagine the auto transport industry is like stock brokering. Like stock brokers, auto transporters generally do not have control over what they are selling. Stock brokers don't sell stocks directly; rather they act as an agent for you and buy a stock from a stockholder on your behalf for a commission. Auto transporters operate the same way; rather than sell you their own service, they arrange auto shipping with a service provider on your behalf. Now imagine that you want to buy a stock. You, as a consumer, cannot simply walk into the New York Stock Exchange and buy the stock yourself. What you need to do is hire a stock broker to buy the stock for you and then take a commission. This is a similar situation to that of auto shipping. Drivers do not work directly with their customers, rather they have an auto transporter do that work for them and then the transporter takes a commission. Suppose the stock that you want to buy costs $500 a share. If you want to buy that stock, then you'd better have $500 plus the cost of the commission to do so, as a stock broker has to buy that stock for you from the stock holder. This is also true of auto shipping. If you want to move your vehicle from one place to the other, then you'll need to pay the price that the market determines or your vehicle won't be moved. Now, there are some cases where an auto transporter will offer you a below market price, you'll take him up on it, wait a few weeks, and then have your vehicle picked up. If this has happened to you and you're reading this, you're probably thinking "A-Ha! You can move a vehicle for below market price! I knew it all along--this is collusion!" Trust us on this one: the auto transport industry does not collude. What most likely occurred was a case of falling prices. When the reservations were initially made, the cost of transport was higher. Over time, however, that price fell and the vehicle was able to be moved. So if you do decide to go with the lowest price, understand that a) you will have to wait until the cost of shipping falls to have your vehicle transport, or b) your vehicle simply won't move at all. On the other hand, paying a premium for auto shipping can help you get a quicker service. At the end of the day, what moves vehicles are incentives. Just like anyone else in the market place, a driver wants to do what is in his best economic interest. Suppose there are 3 of the exact same model of vehicles priced at $300, $325, and $350, and the drivers costs total $250. He only has one spot left on his truck and he must choose only one to move. He'll obviously select the highest priced vehicle to load on this trailer. It doesn't matter what his costs are, he wants to do the job that makes him the most money. If you amplify the complexity of this process, you'll have the auto transport market place in a nutshell. Money moves cars, not promises. From this, one can extrapolate that those customers and auto transporters that offer the best incentives to drivers are those who get their vehicles picked up first! American Auto Transport hopes that this has given you a better insight as to how the basics of auto shipping pricing work. We want you to know as much as possible about auto shipping so that you can make the best choices. By making the best choice, you get the best bang for your buck and you promote the companies that operate the right way. So when you're thinking about selecting an auto transport, be wise. Remember to choose a transporter that is open and honest with you. Choose an auto transport who wants to work with you and for you, not against you. Choose a company that you can trust. Choose American Auto Transport. Call us today at (954) 745-8950 and make your auto shipping reservations with the industry's best.

October 26th, 2012 - Can I Pack and Transport My Vehicle With B...

Auto transport is supposed to make your life easier. And when you work with American Auto Transport, it always is! This is why we let our customers pack personal belongings in their vehicles! This way you can save the cost of parcel services and bag checking. However, it is important to know what the limitations of packing belongings in your vehicle are so that we can keep your vehicle and other vehicles on the road safe. One of our customers' main concerns about auto shipping is whether or not personal belongings can be shipped along with a vehicle during auto shipping. In short, American Auto Transport can provide our customers with such a service. However, you must follow a particular protocol. First, it is important to note that transporting personal belongings with your vehicle shipment is not technically allowed. But so long as the total weight of the goods is under 100 lbs., it should not be any problem. So the first rule of transport protocol is to keep the weight down. The second rule of protocol is to keep your goods either in the trunk or below the window line. To ensure the safety of our drivers, our drivers' payload, and other vehicles traveling on the road along side your vehicle, your items must be secured properly. The way to secure these items is to keep them in the trunk or below the window line! The third rule of protocol is to let us know about any and all items that you plan to ship along with your vehicle. It is important for us to know this information BEFORE HAND so that we are able to inform the driver. The nature of shipping requires our drivers to know the total weight of their payload beforehand, so if you plan to ship your belongings with us, please inform us. As a side note, you may NOT ship any sorts of alcohol, explosives and flammable items, drugs, or firearms in your vehicle during shipping, regardless of their weight. So if you need auto shipping as well as the shipping of a small amount of personal items, American Auto Transport can help you get the job done! American Auto Transport is committed to offering the very best possible service for you, and that includes making it more convenient to ship your vehicle with us. So use the best auto transport company in the nation. Use the most trusted brand in the industry. Use American Auto Transport! Call us today at (866) 327-7863 and learn more about car shipping with the finest auto transporter in the nation!

October 24th, 2012 - Auto Shipping Versus Selling

If you're moving and looking to sell your car, you may want to take a moment to consider all of your options. Auto shipping may be a decent alternative to buying a new car if you can find a fast and affordable service. American Auto Transport can provide this type of service for just about any circumstance! So before you sell your vehicle, consider shipping it instead. American Auto Transport often hears from customers that are considering selling their vehicles rather than shipping them. Often, the reason for this is that the cost of shipping is too much and that it is just more economical to sell the car and get another one. However, in most cases, this is simply not the case. Shipping with American Auto Transport is as inexpensive and easy as auto shipping can be. We move thousands of vehicles all over the nation every year, and we're proud to say that shipping with is in nearly all cases cheaper than driving! So if you want to keep your car, but don't consider driving to be possible or economical, then shipping with American Auto Transport is the perfect choice for you! Of course, selling your vehicle means that you'll be without transportation until you can buy a new vehicle in your new location. But have you taken the time to consider the differences in regional pricing? Some vehicles have greater or lesser values depending on which region they're in. So it is quite possible that the car you've sold in Florida could be worth a few thousand dollars more in California. Additionally, buying a new car can cost you more than you'd think. After taxes and registration, you could be spending an extra $300-500 by buying a new car. Transporting with American Auto Transport, you'll only pay a flat fee for all of your shipping costs, so there are no surprises! And driving your vehicle to your new location can add unnecessary mileage to your car, which eventually translates into maintenance costs. So instead of driving or selling, use American Auto Transport for all of your transport needs! American Auto Transport wants to make sure that you make the right choices when making auto transport decisions. This is why we share our knowledge and expertise with all of our customers. To make the best choice, one must have all the relevant knowledge. So do your research, and if you decide to use auto transport, use the best service in the industry! Use the most trusted name in auto shipping, use American Auto Transport! Call us today at (866) 327-7863 for more pricing and information on vehicle shipping today!

October 24th, 2012 - Hassle Free Car Shipping

Using American Auto Transport means that you won't have to deal with the hassles of auto shipping ever again. We have gone to great lengths to ensure that shipping your vehicle prevents much of the problems commonly incurred in auto shipping. So if you're interested in transporting a vehicle, get the job done the right way. Use American Auto Transport for all of your auto shipping needs!

There are many hassles associated with auto shipping, but all of these can be easily avoided if the company that you're working with knows what they are doing. Luckily, American Auto Transport has all the knowledge and experience to circumvent the hassles and inconveniences of auto shipping. The average auto transport company has a lifespan of about 1.5 years, and we feel that this is amount of time is simply not enough to truly know how this industry works. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you work with a company that has a proven track record.

Most of auto transport's hassles are caused by a shoddy work ethics, inexperience, and lack of the proper tools. So to avoid these hassles, it is of utmost importance that you select a reputable establishment. American Auto Transport feels that we are just such a company. We have one of the most hard-working, dedicated staffs in the entire auto transport business. There are very few shippers out there that have the commitment to the job that American Auto Transport does; we are willing to do anything and everything possible to make sure that your vehicle is moved on time and at cost.

Further, our staff is amongst the most experienced in the industry. The average employee at American Auto Transport has about 5 years worth of auto transport experience, so there is virtually no situation that an American Auto Transport employee has not encountered. So let the professionals do the job, use American Auto Transport for your hassle free car shipping!

Because American Auto Transport has been in business for so long, we have the necessary tools to get the job done the right way. Whereas most auto transport companies have to place your order on the National Dispatch Board, American Auto Transport has direct connections with drivers for all major routes. This means that we can be certain about when and with whom your vehicle is shipped.

If you are looking for an auto transport company that consistently provides hassle-free auto shipping, then you've come to the right place. We have all the tools and experience to get the job done the first time around, so don't hesitate to use the best. Make the smart choice and get your vehicle transported without the worry. Use the best, use American Auto Transport for your hassle free car shipping!

October 24th, 2012 - Understanding Pick Up and Drop Off Dates F...

Considering car shipping, but need to pick up or drop off your vehicle within a narrow window? While this is possible in many cases, there are some cases in which it can be difficult. The purpose of this article is to explain how pickup and drop off dates are determined and when it is possible to have your vehicle picked up on a particular date. Car shipping is often times not what people expect it to be.  We provide our services to a number of different customers on each trip, and we must often come to arrangements that work for everyone. This sometimes means that we are not able to pick up or drop off your vehicle on exact dates. American Auto Transport's standard service provides for pick up within a two day window if we are given proper notice. If given a week's notice of your car shipping needs, we're able to find the right carrier for you to do the job within two days. In our experience, this is sufficient for most of our customers' needs. There are some cases where a vehicle needs to be picked up on one particular day without exceptions. American Auto Transport can do this in some cases, but this depends on a few factors. Location is one of these factors. If your vehicle is being picked up in a major city, it will be much easier to have it picked up on a particular date rather than a window. This is because it is easier to assemble a load that can be tailored to your needs. Another factor that can make the difference between picking your vehicle up on a particular day and picking it up in a window has to do with the type of vehicle. Some vehicles are easier to pick up than others, and this naturally makes a difference in the timing aspect of car shipping. If you have a small or midsized vehicle, like a Toyota Corolla, Honda Accord, etc., it will be much easier to pick it up within a tight window. Larger vehicles, like the Chevy Suburban, Lincoln Navigator, etc. are more problematic. Not all drivers are willing to pick these up without advanced notice, so keep this in mind when making your car shipping reservations. Delivery dates are yet another aspect of car shipping that is sensitive to timing. In most cases, delivery dates for car shipping can only be determined within a window. There are a number of reasons for this. First, the nature of driving keeps deliveries within a window. Drivers are required by law to drive between 8-10 hours per day. These hours are to be recorded in a log daily. This naturally limits the speed with which a vehicle can be delivered. Second, the driver will have to make deliveries in addition to yours. There are occasions when a delivery may take longer than anticipated, and when this happens, other deliveries will be subsequently delayed. Finally, drivers may encounter delays on the road. It's quite possible a truck to encounter mechanical problems along the way, and when this happens, your delivery may be delayed. For these reasons, American Auto Transport does not guarantee delivery times. There are simply too many factors involved for us to make legitimate claims to when exactly your vehicle will be delivered. This does not mean, however, that we cannot provide a window. Roughly 95% of our customers receive their vehicle within the window that they're initially given, but keep in mind that there are things that can happen on the road that might delay your delivery. The situations and solutions described above are our standard practices. However, under certain circumstances, it is possible for American Auto Transport to have your vehicle picked up or delivered within a one-day window. Suppose you're in a situation that requires your car to be picked up on one day and one day only. Although American Auto Transport normally provides a two-day window, if you have a small of midsized vehicle leaving from a major city, we can provide a same day service. We can expedite certain vehicles from certain locations for a small premium (between $100-200) to ensure that your vehicle is picked up exactly when it needs to be, but you must provide us with at least 24 hours notice. Now suppose that your vehicle can be delivered on one day and one day only. American Auto Transport can in some cases have this done for you, as well. Although, as stated above, it is nearly impossible to pin down a particular date for delivery, we can have your vehicle stored until you are available for delivery. If this is the case, you will need to let American Auto Transport know about a week or so in advance of pickup so that the appropriate arrangements can be made. Also keep in mind that you will have to pay for storage on a daily basis if you were to choose this option. American Auto Transport prides itself on its commitment to customer satisfaction. This is why we always try to give you as many options as possible for car shipping. If you need to have your vehicle picked up or dropped off on a particular date, then go with a company who can get the job done right! Call American Auto Transport today at (866) 327-7863 and find out more about the pricing and availability of car shipping from the best!

October 24th, 2012 - Trucks Used for Auto Transport

One of the most commonly asked questions by our customers is what kinds of trucks that we use to transport your vehicle. The simple answer is that we use a number of different transport vessels to get your vehicle moved. Exactly what kind of vessel we use depends on what kind of vehicle that you need shipped, its dimensions, and what kind of service that you need. This article will explain the nature of our different auto transport services so that you'll know precisely what is most appropriate for your auto transport. We have a vast network of carriers throughout the country, and this makes it possible for us to offer a variety of auto transport services at excellent prices. We have access to 10-car haulers (the standard transport vehicles,) 3-car haulers, flat bed trucks, enclosed trailers (both hard-sided and soft-sided,) lowboys, and even freighters for overseas shipping. This collection of transport vessels is sufficient to transport nearly every conceivable type of vehicle that needs to be shipped, so no matter what you need moved, American Auto Transport can get the job done! If you have a car or mid-sized truck or SUV, then American Auto Transport can assign a standard 10-car hauler to have your vehicle moved. This is the most common type of transport vessel and should be sufficient for most auto transport jobs. Larger vehicles, such as vans, or large trucks and SUVs, can be shipped on 3-car haulers and in some cases flatbed trucks. Inoperable vehicles are also shipped on these types of carriers. And the largest of vehicles are typically shipped on lowboys. These include extended cab duallies, trucks with extra long beds, etc. We also offer enclosed trailer transport for your most prized vehicles as well. If you have an expensive sports car, or a vehicle with low clearance (3" or less from the ground,) then you might want to look into shipping via enclosed trailer. We are able to offer both hard-sided transport, which resembles a typical trailer that one would see on the road, and soft-sided trailers, which are trailers with retractable canvas sidings. These enclosed trailer options should be sufficient to cover all of your enclosed transport needs. And if you need auto shipping overseas, American Auto Transport can provide vessels for that as well. We are one of the nation's largest auto transporters to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and we can provide some of the best service in the nation for overseas transport. We have the option for below-the-deck shipping or enclosed container shipping for all of our overseas jobs! So no matter what kind of vessel that you need to transport your vehicle, American Auto Transport can provide it. Our transport services are as flexible as you need them to be, and because we move so many vehicles, they're also inexpensive. So use the best auto transport company in the nation for all of your vehicle shipping needs. Use American Auto Transport! Call us today at (866) 327-7863 and make your auto shipping reservation with the finest auto transport company in the industry!

October 23rd, 2012 - International Auto Shipping

International Auto Shipping or  shipping cars from international ports is a somewhat common request for auto transport companies all over the nation. The problem is, however, that there are very few companies that have the means, know-how, and patience to ship vehicles internationally. American Auto Transport is one of those few companies that have the capabilities to ship vehicles to some international ports. Perhaps our most popular international shipping destination is to Puerto Rico. We take a large share of all Puerto Rico auto shipping jobs because we are one of the few companies that can do the job. This large market share is also believed to be the result of our relatively cheap prices for this route. However, keep in mind that while Puerto Rico auto shipping is easier, cheaper, and more readily available with American Auto Transport than just about any other company in the nation, it is still a time consuming process. Make sure that you give us at least a 1 œ to 2 week notice before you plan on having your vehicle shipped to or from Puerto Rico. Auto shipping to and from Guam is another type of auto shipping that American Auto Transport can provide. Much like our services to and from Puerto Rico, auto shipping to Guam is easier and cheaper with American Auto Transport than it is with just about any other auto shipping service in the industry. But again, it is important to keep in mind the complications of auto shipping to Guam, regardless of what company you choose to use. There is a substantial amount of taxes and paperwork involved in shipping both to and from Guam, so be sure to give us at least 2-3 weeks of notice before you plan on having your vehicle transported to Guam. American Auto Transport is one of the premier international shippers in the auto transport industry, and as such, we have an important obligation to live up to. We know how difficult it can be to arrange for international shipping, and it is our responsibility to create a viable solution to international auto shipping. This is why we aim to keep our international shipping prices low and to keep the process as simple as possible for all of our international shipping customers. So if you are interested in the best possible service and cheapest possible rates for international auto shipping, then you need not look any further now that you've found American Auto Transport! So call American Auto Transport today at (866) 327-7863 and have your vehicle transported internationally with the best company in the industry today!