Although American Auto Transport can move just about any kind of vehicle that you need moved, some vehicles are easier to move than others. Our intention here is to help you understand how pricing and availability can vary based on what sort of vehicle that you need transported.

There is a huge variety of vehicles to choose from in today’s market place. Their sizes and shapes are just as varied. While this is a benefit to consumers, it creates problems for auto transporters.

To understand why this is the case, first consider what kinds of vessels are used to do the actual transporting. Auto transport is typically done by using tractor trailers. There are two main types of tractor trailer transports for auto shipping: the open carrier and the enclosed carrier. Each has its own pros and cons, but both can easily and safely get the job done.

Open Trailer Transporting

Open Trailer Transport is the most common type of auto shipping available. As the picture above demonstrates, vehicles are loaded onto different levels of a double-decker trailer. The trailer is then hauled by a full sized tractor truck on its way to more pickups or deliveries.

One thing that you might notice about the cars on this trailer is that most of the vehicles have been loaded at an angle. This may seem a bit curious at first, but this is the most efficient way to carry a payload. The vehicles on this particular trailer are angled such the driver can fit the greatest amount of vehicles on his trailer. By angling the ramps, more vehicles can be loaded end over end, delivering the most “bang for the buck,” so to speak.

Also, notice that this trailer does not have any sort of enclosure for the vehicles that are loaded onto it. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it serves to distinguish it from the enclosed trailer transport which we’ll talk about in a moment. But in general, vehicles transported via open trailer arrive in the exact same condition as vehicles transported otherwise, even though the load is exposed to the elements.

In short, open trailer transporting is an effective way to most effective way to transport your vehicle. Open trailers can haul a larger payload of vehicles per route and will therefore cost you less. You should use open trailer transport in most of the following cases:

• If you’re transporting over a large distance
• If you’re transporting an everyday driver
• If you’re looking for an affordable price
• If you’re looking to have your vehicle picked up on short notice
• If your vehicle is under 7’ and has at least 4” of ground clearance

Enclosed Trailer Transporting

Enclosed trailer transport is yet another way to transport your vehicle, although it is a less common method of transporting than open trailer. This kind of transport is done by hauling an enclosed trailer with a capacity of roughly 4 vehicles via a tractor trailer.

The enclosed trailer method of auto shipping is a more protective, but more expensive, sort of auto transport. Enclosed trailer car shipping differs from open trailer car shipping mainly in the degree of protection from the elements that it affords. As where open trailers have minimal or no protection from weather and road hazards, enclosed trailers completely protect their payloads from external interference.

The loading process also serves to differentiate enclosed trailer transport from open trailer transport. Whereas vehicles loaded onto open trailers are driven up a ramp and then positioned at different angles, enclosed trailers use hydraulic lifts to load and unload, and all vehicles are positioned at a 0 degree angle. The method of tie down is also slightly different; vehicles loaded on open trailers are tied down via chassis straps. This allows the vehicle to be completely immobile, even if positioned at an angle, for the duration of the trip. Vehicles shipped enclosed are secured by a soft tie-down method, which serves not to strain the chassis.

Enclosed trailer auto shipping is typically only recommended for specific vehicles or under specific circumstances. Enclosed trailers only have enough space for a payload of around 4 vehicles. Thus, the costs of enclosed shipping make it less attractive to the average Joe looking to move their vehicle from point A to point B. Furthermore, it usually takes longer to arrange enclosed shipping as there are less of these types of vessels available. But certain types of vehicles, like exotic sports cars or other high end vehicles, and best shipped enclosed because of the loading and tie-down methods. Any type of vehicle that would otherwise have its interior exposed to the elements is also a good candidate for enclosed shipping for obvious reasons.

We recommend using enclosed trailer car shipping under these conditions:

• If you have an exotic vehicle
• If you have a vehicle that has its interior exposed to the elements
• If your vehicle has less than 4” of ground clearance
• If you’re willing to pay a high premium for only a moderate improvement in service
• How Different Types of Vehicles Affect Pricing and Availability

It’s important to note that availability on a given trailer is largely dependent on what kind of vehicle that you need to transport and what kinds of vehicles are already loaded on the trailer. Smaller vehicles, such as Honda Civics, Toyota Corollas, Mini Coopers, and others, are almost always easier to move than larger ones. Even though these vehicles are usually not much smaller than vehicles that a driver might consider problematic, they can more easily be fitted to just about any space that the trailer has. Thus, you’ll be able to get your smaller vehicle picked up more easily. Chances are that it will cost less as well.

Transporting a larger vehicle, such as an SUV or van, can also be moved on a vessel such as the one pictured and described above, but there must be sufficient space. Pricing can also vary upon what other potential vehicles a driver can pick up. Assume, for example, that a driver can pick up 10 Honda Civics or 5 Honda Civics and 3 Ford Explorers, it makes more economic sense to pick up the 10 Honda Civics. So, in some cases, there may be availability for certain types of vehicles and not others depending on the makeup of a particular load. One way to avoid a denial of service is to pay a premium for larger vehicles.

Extremely large vehicles, i.e. vehicles over 7’ tall, are always more difficult to transport and will always cost more. Do not expect to have vehicles like these picked up quickly, as although it is possible, it is not likely given the availability of trailers that can do the job and lack of potential profitable loads. In short, you will need to have some time to have these sorts of vehicles transported.

Getting the Best Price for your Auto Shipping Service

If you want the best price for your auto shipping service, there are some easy ways to do so. The first way is to be flexible. Setting up a load can sometimes take a week or so, and if you let us know ahead of time, we can work with you by setting up a load that is tailored to your kind of vehicle. If you have a large SUV, chances are that we won’t be able to pick it up the next day unless you pay a premium. However, if we’re given adequate time, we can create a load that will account for the size of your vehicle and the timeframe that you need it shipped in for little or no extra cost.

Another way to save money is to ship a smaller car. If you have the option to ship a larger car and a smaller one, shipping the smaller one will always be easier and cost less.

In short, American Auto Transport wants you to know as much about auto shipping as we do. We feel that it is important that you know what to expect if you’re expected to make an educated decision about which auto shipping service to use. Many companies make this information difficult to learn about, but we prefer to be open and honest with what the car shipping service is all about. If you would like more information on auto shipping, call American Auto Transport at (954) 745-8950 and speak to one of our transport experts about moving your vehicle today!

Again, we urge you to be educated about what you’re getting into. Our philosophy is that you know about what we do, so call American Auto Transport at (954) 745-8950 if you have any questions or comments about auto shipping!