When it comes to vehicle shipping, it’s important to know exactly what you’re looking at from the get-go. There are literally thousands of vehicle shipping brokerages out there, and thousands more vehicle shipping carriers. Knowing which vehicle shipping company is which will go a long way to helping you understand exactly the way the vehicle shipping industry works, which will ultimately help you make better decisions about your vehicle shipping and lead to an overall better vehicle shipping experience.

First off, there are two types of vehicle shipping companies: brokerages and carriers. Vehicle shipping brokerages are important because they help you, the customer, keep track of everything during the vehicle shipping process. Not only that, but they help you find a good quality vehicle shipping carrier, and they make all the calls that are required when searching for a good vehicle shipping carrier. The vehicle shipping brokerage also handles most of the money for you as well as all the paperwork that goes along with interstate vehicle shipping.

A vehicle shipping brokerage is usually located in an office, whereas the vehicle shipping carriers are actually driving the trucks that are moving your vehicle. Granted, most vehicle shipping carriers actually have a dispatch office, but many vehicle shipping drivers utilize truck stops and weigh stations to gather information and contact their customers. When a vehicle shipping brokerage finds your vehicle shipping carrier, they’ll give you the driver’s information and they will also give the vehicle shipping driver your contact information; that way, you can talk directly with the vehicle shipping carrier about your pickup and delivery locations.

Many vehicle shipping carriers cannot go into downtown areas or cul-de-sacs because of vehicle size restrictions; therefore, many vehicle shipping brokerages will tell you to be prepared to meet the vehicle shipping driver in a larger parking lot, such as a Wal-Mart or some other such superstore.

Because the vehicle shipping brokerage doesn’t deal with you or the vehicle shipping carrier directly, it is important to give your vehicle shipping brokerage as many details as you can about the pickup and destination locations and the size of the vehicle. Shipping a large pickup truck is much more difficult for vehicle shipping brokerages than a small sedan, so they need to know exactly how large or small your vehicle is, especially if it has had any aftermarket alterations such as a lift or oversize tires.

The vehicle shipping carriers are not licensed to carry any household items; vehicle shipping brokerages will tell you this as well, but many provide provisions for such things as blankets, clothes or pillows, as long as they are tucked away in the trunk of the vehicle when the vehicle shipping carrier is transporting the vehicle. Most vehicle shipping carriers allow for no more than fifty pounds of added weight; those vehicle shipping carriers have to abide by highway weigh stations, and if they are overweight it will cause not just you, but the vehicle shipping carrier and the vehicle shipping brokerage headaches as well. Make sure that your vehicle is completely clean prior to the vehicle shipping carrier pickup the vehicle. This will ensure that there are no unforseen problems before, during or after transport.