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THE TRUTH ABOUT AUTO TRANSPORT

By: Billy Turner

Most importantly I would like to say thank you for considering BT Auto Transport for your vehicle shipping needs. I would like to take a little time to explain to you exactly how the auto transport industry works, and to give you a rule of thumb as to how to choose an auto shipping company. Hopefully this will make you more comfortable with your decision, and help you feel that you are choosing the right auto shipping company to suit your needs, even if it's not us.

I would like to explain to you why this industry works in windows and not exact dates. For example, if you were to call in and say you would like your car moved from Atlanta, GA to San Bernardino, CA with a pick up date of July 3rd, we would tell you we could have the vehicle picked up within 5-6 days. The reason for this is that the truck that will transport this vehicle may be in Miami, FL at that time, and will be working a route from Miami to California. Your car would be scheduled on that route, but the driver makes several pick-ups and deliveries before reaching his final destination. If the driver has a scheduled pick up and the customer is unavailable, the dealership does not have the paperwork ready, there is inclement weather, or he just has a flat tire, he can lose up to 1/2 of a day in time spent waiting. Hopefully this will explain our estimated times and windows instead of pinpointed accuracy.

I would highly recommend that you always check the terms and conditions of any automobile shipping company that you consider. It is very important to check your refund options in the instance that the service is not provided. If the service is not provided within a set amount of time, in my opinion the company should not be paid. For this reason, if your vehicle has not been moved within our 14-day window, and you prefer to cancel your order at that time, you will receive a full refund, without hassle.

You should also check to see if the company has a transport authority and their own fleet of trucks. In my opinion this is vitally important. Most all companies, including ours, that own their own trucks will still broker cars to other carriers. The reason for this is, lets say one of our customers cars is in an area where our nearest truck is 800 miles away, but one of our approved carriers is 90 miles away, if we dispatch this vehicle out to our approved carrier, it will be picked up and delivered before our truck could be routed there. All of our transport companies are scrutinized by trained specialists within BT Auto Transport. It is very important that these carriers have been checked and approved, and we have a good working relationship with everyone inside that company.

Most carriers out there are good, honest, hard working people that have the customer's best interest at heart; unfortunately, there are some that are not. We do everything within our power know the difference, even going so far as to transport our own vehicles with these companies. Every carrier that subcontracts with us is checked to make sure they meet all state and federal requirements, and carry all the insurance required. They are also required to sign an agreement with our company stating that they will continue to meet all state and federal licensing requirements, and we are in contact with each insurance company to verify that no changes have been made to the policy. Another reason that I feel it is important to choose a company that runs its own fleet of trucks, and is not just a brokerage, is that such a company will know the actual cost of operating a truck.

To understand things such as fuel cost, maintenence, legal number of hours a driver can operate, Federal and State laws of transportation, and so on is extremely important. Whether the vehicle is placed on their own company truck, or another carriers truck, a company in this position will know what it takes to transport your vehicle and will be better able to assist with concerns, delivery schedules and pricing. This will guard you from companies that quote too low in order to get your deposit, and the vehicle never being picked up. You should be wary of quotes that are extremely less expensive than other quotes that you have received, in the same effect, the highest quote does not guarantee you better service.

Please be aware that you can always request a BT Auto Transport truck only pick up your vehicle, at no additional charge, although it may extend the transport window. Also any reputable transporter or broker will be more than happy to provide you with their federal licensing information, and instructions on where to verify this information. If you ask for this information and are met with resistance, the company you are speaking with is probably running without this licensing, and if anything were to happen to your vehicle, you would have no recourse.

Hopefully this will help you in making the choice to move your vehicle, and help you have a pleasant experience with whatever company you choose. Please feel free to call our office at (888) 772-0249, email us at info@btautotransport.com, or access our online chat if you have any questions, and one of our transportation specialists will be more than happy to assist you.

Sincerely Yours,

Billy Turner
Owner/CEO