Transporting your vehicle requires a little bit more than simply loading your vehicle onto a shipping vessel. There are a couple of rules and regulations that one must follow in order to ship their vehicle properly. The following is meant to help you both stay in compliance with federal shipping laws and to facilitate the vehicle shipping process.

Vehicle Weight

In order to ship your vehicle on a carrier along any federal road, the driver of that truck must be in compliance with the pertinent federal shipping laws. Of course, there are a litany of rules and regulations for transporting, but many of these are not particularly relevant to you as a customer. However, one rule that is of relevance to those in the business of vehicle shipping has to do with weight restrictions.

Weight restriction rules were designed as a means to maintain the integrity of the federal highway system. In a nut shell, this rule stipulates that certain classes of vehicles must not exceed certain weights, and the shipping vessel that your vehicle will be loaded onto is no exception. Therefore it is imperative that your vehicle is not heavier than it should be, as an overweight transport vessel will be fined and these fines will be passed onto you.

When preparing your vehicle for transport, it is imperative that you keep your vehicles weight down. This means that you should remove your personal belongings whenever possible. It is technically illegal to ship your personal effects along with your vehicle, but if you absolutely need to ship something along with your vehicle, we can accommodate you, but you must keep the total weight of all of your belongings under 100 lbs. Keep in mind that the shipping of goods inside of your vehicle is NOT a right, but rather a privilege, so try to keep the weight down as much as possible and DO NOT EXCEED 100 lbs. of excess weight.

Cleaning your Vehicle

If your vehicle is dirty, it may be a good idea for you to clean it before shipping. The reasoning behind this has to do with the inspection. Before your vehicle is loaded onto the shipping vessel, the driver will conduct an inspection of the vehicle. This inspection is similar to the process instituted for car rental, i.e. your vehicle will be inspected for any scratches or dents and this information will be recorded before shipping. If your vehicle is dirty, it may be difficult to see these flaws, so be sure to keep your vehicle is clean.

Similarly, it may be important for you to clean your vehicle once the driver arrives. Although your vehicle will generally arrive in the exact same condition in which it left, there may be a dust film that has accumulated on the exterior of your vehicle. As inspections are performed on delivery as well, it is important that the driver is able to clearly see the exterior of the car. So make sure that you can either rinse your vehicle off on delivery or have your vehicle delivered to a well lit area such that you can easily inspect it. It is your responsibility to make sure that your vehicle is accurately inspected on both pick up and delivery.

Operability

Whether or not your vehicle is operable can make a huge difference. Inoperable vehicles are much more difficult to load and offload and require special tools to get the job done. It is important that you know your vehicle's operability status before making your car shipping reservations. If your vehicle is non-running, it must AT LEAST roll and steer in order to be shipped. Some carriers also need the vehicle to be able to break as well, but we can generally accommodate your vehicle even if it doesn't.

It might also help to define what precisely is meant by operable and inoperable. In a word, an operable vehicle is a vehicle that can be loaded onto or off of a carrier under its own power and an inoperable is one that cannot. Keep in mind that an operable vehicle does not have to do any more than that. If you have an inoperable vehicle that you can easily make operable, it will be in your best interest to do so as you will save both time and money.

Selecting a Pickup and Drop-off Location

American Auto Transport offers door-to-door service, thus it is necessary to provide us with both a pickup and drop-off address or location. These locations do not necessarily have to be your property, but it is important that a driver be able to easily access either location.

Make sure that you have a good idea of where you would like your vehicle picked up or dropped off at least 24 hours beforehand. Keep in mind that, depending on where you live, a driver might not be able to safely maneuver his truck into your area. Steep hills, low hanging tree, and narrow streets are just a few indications that you may need to meet the driver somewhere else. Nearby lots are always good options for drivers, so make a note of the closest lot in case a driver cannot pick up from your driveway.

Fuel

For most auto transports, the amount of fuel in your tank is not of too great importance. However, if you have decided to ship personal goods in your vehicle, it may be a good idea to use or drain as much excess fuel as you can. The optimum amount of fuel for transporting is a quarter tank, as this reduces the net weight of the vehicle significantly but still allows the vehicle to be driven if necessary. If you're planning on packing things in your vehicle, it may be a good idea to reduce the fuel level to a quarter tank.

Keep in mind that the preceding guide is meant only to sketch what the standard procedure for vehicle preparation. It is important to speak to an auto shipping expert before preparing your vehicle for transport. So call American Auto Transport today at (866) 327-7863 to learn more about auto shipping from the experts!