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Should I Use a Driveway Service to Transport My Car?

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Home  |  Car Transport   |   Should I Use a Driveway Service to Transport My Car?

There are many times when you might need to get a vehicle from one destination to another but it’s not feasible for you to drive it yourself. In this instance, it may be suitable to look at car transportation services. As more and more people have turned to online car buying, the demand for auto transport services has increased. There are also more options available than ever before. Traditional car transport companies use fleets of trucks and trailers to haul vehicles from one place to another. Today, there is another full-service transport service available known as driveway auto services. Driveway auto services are different from traditional car shipping because a professional driver physically drives your vehicle from one location to another rather than shipping it on a trailer. 

The Pros and Cons of Using Driveway Auto Services

Like any other auto transportation service, there are pros and cons involved with using a driveway transport service. It is important to learn about the advantages and disadvantages so you decide which option will best suit your needs. For some, a driveway auto service may be the perfect choice while others might prefer traditional auto transport. 

Pros of Using Driveway Services

  • Faster Shipping- Since your car is being driven by an actual driver as opposed to being placed on a trailer, it will be delivered much faster than traditional transport services. Your car is picked up at an agreed upon location and driven directly to its destination. There is no waiting for other cars to be loaded and unloaded and there is no stopping along the way to deliver other vehicles. Your vehicle will be driven directly to its destination as quickly and safely as possible. 
  • It is delivered directly to your door- Since there is no need for a large trailer to have to navigate to your location, your vehicle will easily be delivered directly to your door. No matter your location, you don’t have to worry about picking up your car from a terminal or pick-up location. 
  • You may have the option to transport personal items- With traditional transport services, you are not allowed to transport personal items inside your vehicle. However, since your vehicle is being driven by an actual driver, this may be allowed. You will need to discuss what is and isn’t allowed to be transported inside the vehicle with the actual driver prior to pick up. In many instances, you will be permitted to fill your trunk with personal belongings and you might even be permitted to transport a pet. 

Cons of Using Driveway Services

  • It is more expensive- As you might expect, this personalized service does typically cost more. Since you aren’t splitting the costs like you would if multiple cars were being shipped, it will be a more expensive option than traditional car shipment. 
  • Wear and tear on your vehicle- Perhaps the biggest drawback to driveway service is the fact that you are putting additional mileage and wear and tear on your vehicle. This is something to consider if you are transporting a luxury or antique vehicle. 
  • Risk of damage to your vehicle- Granted, your vehicle will be exposed to the outdoor elements if it is shipped on an open trailer but it is subject to additional damage since it will be driven on the open road. You always have the possibility of a flat tire, a cracked windshield from flying debris, or the risk of an accident. For this reason, this is typically a better option for those who are transporting a car a shorter distance as opposed to a cross-country drive. 

It is important to consider all of these factors when deciding whether or not driveway service is right for you. It is also important to thoroughly research the shipping company to make sure they are properly licensed and insured. Doing your due diligence can help protect your vehicle. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Honest Answers to Your Car Shipping Questions

Yes, we always ask for your specific pickup and delivery addresses, if the carrier can get right to the addresses you provide, they will. If the addresses that you give us are not safely accessible for a Multi-car carrier, however, you will need to make arrangements with the driver to meet at a nearby location where the carrier can safely get in and out.

People do it all the time (rarely for free) but the official answer is no.

Not what you wanted to hear, we know, but that is the honest answer.

We are not licensed to broker the shipment of household goods and, likewise, no car carrier that operates in the USA is licensed to transport them from state to state either. Despite what you might be being told by other car shipping companies you may speak with.

Remember, at the end of the day we're all salespeople, and the true answer to this question is not a great selling point.

You will hear a lot of companies tell you that you can put up to 100 pounds of items in the trunk, but that is not entirely true. That fact is that items of that amount are fairly common and the department of transportation is probably not going to split hairs and fine the trucker over items of that amount, provided they are not over their weight limit. They could fine them, however, if they see a vehicle stuffed full of personal items so the car carrier will most likely try to negotiate something with you to cover themselves against any costs they could incur. It's not something we can build into your contract though.

We have a short and helpful video on this topic in our user videos.

Only in rare cases and car carriers will usually charge a premium to make it happen.

All dates given by car carriers are typically estimates and projections.

For this reason (and to keep your cost down) we ask that you build in some flexibility and give us the earliest possible date you would be WILLING to release the vehicle, even though it may not be your preferred date.

We'll put you in direct contact with your car carrier and the driver will also typically call you the afternoon or evening before your pick up and delivery (they won't just show up unannounced, and if they do we want to hear about it). However, car carriers are out on the road battling traffic, weather and any number of other factors that can and do throw them off of their pickup and delivery projections from time to time.

If the projected dates we give you come and you are unable to make contact with your carrier, please call our office immediately so that we may help resolve the situation.

The average transit time from pick up to delivery on any vehicle going coast to coast will average 7 to 10 days. From there you can figure your transit time based on how far your vehicle is traveling, i.e. from either coast to the Midwest might average 3-7 days.

Yes!

Even better, we do not even ask for payment until we have you confirmed for pickup by a safe, reliable, fully insured, direct car carrier. If for any reason you do not ship your car with the carrier that we arrange for you, there is no fee.

The fees paid directly to the carrier however, (in most cases, their fees are not paid until your vehicle is delivered) are not directly controlled by us, so any requests for a refund of the carrier's portion would need to be addressed with the carrier directly.

Of course! And you are always backed by our Damage Free Guarantee policy.

Part of what you pay us for is to verify that the car carrier that we put you on is covered by the proper amount of insurance and that everything is up to date.

There is never any additional cost to you for this coverage, and their insurance is always primary.

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