Auto Shipping Delivery Times
Timeframe Flexibility also plays a role in the final cost of your auto shipping. Some transporters will offer different options for pickup times, and they may put a fancy name on it like "The Silver, Gold, or Platinum shipping Package". The biggest difference between packages is typically the amount of time alloted for pickup. For example, the silver package might require a window of 1-10 days from the day you place your order, where as the "platinum package" will guarantee a pickup within 72 hours. The difference in pricing between packages can be substantial. If you inform your transporter that you are flexible with your timeframes, you may be able to knock your price down some. You can request to be a "filler spot", meaning a auto transporter is in the area and does not have a complete load of vehicles, so he will take "filler cars" at a lower rate rather than traveling with empty spaces.
Pickup and Delivery Location is the biggest determining factor in the final cost of your auto shipping. Mileage, time, and difficulty of location are taken into accountability when determining your auto shipping cost. The closer your pickup and delivery locations are to major cities and highways, the easier it is for the carrier, resulting in a lower transportation cost. If a carrier has to drive 100 miles off of his highway route in order to pickup a auto, that is a 200 mile round trip just to get that auto and get back on his route, so the price for that shipping will be more expensive. There are also certain areas where prices will fluctuate depending on the time of year, due to the supply and demand of vehicles in those areas at that time. For example, many people living in the Northeastern part of the U.S. move down south, usually to Florida, when the winter comes around. If you are transporting a car from Florida up to the Northeast area at that time, you will be able to get a substantially lower rate than usual. When the carriers reach florida, there is nowhere near as many vehicles being moved back up north during that time, so there is more of a demand for vehicles and they will take vehicles at a lower rate so that they can fill up their truck.
