Auto transportation is anything but a precise industry. Often times, simply getting auto transportation quotes can be a major undertaking, and customers often find themselves overwhelmed at just how many different auto transportation companies there are and the many different prices that they receive from the different auto transportation companies. Understanding how auto transportation companies arrive at their quotes can go a long way to understanding the way that the industry works. In this article, we’ll break down some of the pricing methods that auto transportation companies utilize so you can better understand the auto transportation quotes that you receive.

The first step that auto transportation companies take is to look at where the vehicle in question needs auto transportation from and to. Auto transportation quotes from, say, New York to Arizona will be much higher than from New York to Florida. In auto transportation, the mileage of the route is the key factor in the price. Auto transportation companies often have mileage charts that the representatives use to calculate prices for regular sized cars, and most of the time these auto transportation cheat sheets, as they’re known, are perfect.

However, not all routes are busy all the time. The second step that auto transportation companies take when compiling prices is if the route is busy or not. Auto transportation through barren states such as North Dakota, or hard to reach places such as Wisconsin, tend to be more expensive because the auto transportation drivers don’t want to go out of their way for little compensation.

The third step that auto transportation companies take is the size of the vehicle. Most vehicles that auto transportation companies ship are small sedans, regular sized pickup trucks, and standard SUV’s. These sizes are pre-calculated by the auto transportation companies; however, larger vehicles and things such as boats or recreational vehicles need to have special auto transportation carriers to haul them, so the pricing needs to be different to reflect the larger vehicles. Because these larger vehicles need special auto transportation trucks to haul them, and special auto transportation trucks are relatively difficult to find, more money is required for a quick pickup time.

Once the auto transportation company figures out exactly where you are coming fro and going to, whether or not the mileage prices have to be adjusted based on the locations, and whether or not money needs to be added because it is a large or special vehicle, the auto transportation company will then apply any discounts, if you are eligible for them. Not everyone applies for discounts given by auto transportation companies; many auto transportation companies give out military discount and multiple vehicle discounts, but it’s always best to check with the auto transportation company you book with regarding any discounts they may or may not have.

As you can see, there is a lot that goes into your auto transportation prices, but there’s good reason. If those auto transportation companies didn’t have these pricing methods, chances are that your vehicle would never move. The more accurate the price that the auto transportation companies give, the easier off your auto transportation experience will be.