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Transporter experiences and recommendations


Guest colt45sa

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Guest colt45sa

I have made and extensive search for a reliable and honest transporter to carry a running, driving 1956 automobile fro NY state to FLA. What I am finding is that all those people you see running ads are brokers, not the actual carriers. Brokers quote you a price, then post to a board to find someone who will transport for the price they are willing to pay (the price quoted to you less their cut), and the horrors begin. I don't want a $200 'bump' from the quoted price once the car is picked up. I don't want a missed or ignored pick-up date as the seller will be inconvenienced. I am flexible on the pick-up date, although I want it to be specific when I am given that date. And I am flexible on the delivery time, 3 to 7 days.

If you have had a 'positive' experience, please post the 'carriers' name. You might want to post the name of the 'do not touch' carriers

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'Larry Schramm said:

Might try "Truly Vintage" in the services offered of this forum site.

 

 

Since 2008 on the AACA ... 

 

I just dropped off this 1946 Indian Survivor to Joe in Northern AZ yesterday ...

 

IMG_2421.JPG

 

I am in the Los Angeles, CA area this evening - picking up a 1955 Thunderbird headed to Indiana for Steve ...

 

Both customers are repeat ...

 

Website is @ http://www.trulyvintagetrailers.citymax.com/trulyvintage-feedback.html

 

Jim

Edited by Trulyvintage (see edit history)
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  • 1 month later...

Colt45sa I would like to address the issue of using a broker over a carrier. My husband and I have over 25 years experience in this business - 15+ as a carrier and 6 as a broker. As with any business you choose on the internet there are good ones and bad. If you google auto transport and you click on any of the first ones that pop up whose web address isn't their company name you are going to get one of those large conglomerates who sell your lead to whomever will pay for them. If you go down further and select a real company you have a better chance of getting a real company, such as mine. I am a true broker, much like an insurance agent. I work FOR you and my livelihood depends on me doing a good job for you. I will tell you exactly how this works. I give you a quote based on the route, the size of your vehicle, whether or not it runs, open or enclosed and truck availability. I do use that board you are talking about to help find out if that lane you are going in is active or not (such as trucks coming out of Florida from late March through April with snowbirds going home). There are a lot of things to base a price on. With that said, if you accept my price I then check with carriers that are already contracted with my company who are pre-screened extensively. In order to work for me they have to have been in business at least 1 year, have sufficient insurance (for 3 car we require $150,000 and $250,000 for anything larger), we check their DOT safety rating and it has to be satisfactory, we check the current status of their license, and they have to have a 95+ performance rating on that board you are talking about. Once they clear that hurdle they have to sign my contract stating they will not drive your vehicle, they will not drop it in a terminal for someone else to deliver, and that the trailer It is loaded on is the one that will deliver it. They must agree to top load any convertible as well. Once they are approved to move your vehicle I am on their ass daily to make sure they are where they are supposed to be and picking up and delivering on time or if they run into a delay I know about it and report to the customer. My customers also have the driver's name and number and are free to contact them. That "bump" you are talking about is my fee for doing all that, paying for that very expensive board, my 75,000.00 bond, etc. The deposit you pay is the amount that goes to your broker. The average broker fee is $100.00 but should NEVER be more than $200.00. Now you know how much a good broker actually does for you. Unless you personally know a carrier, know how to check their license, insurance, DOT safety rating, and their performance rating AND they are going exactly where you want then find a GOOD broker and let them work WITH you. NEVER EVER use the ones on google whose link doesn't match their company name and NEVER EVER click on one of their quote requests or you will be bombarded with 30 companies trying to get your business - those are the guys that buy those leads. Finally, before using any carrier or broker check them out on TRANSPORTREVIEWS.COM. That is the leading company for customers rating their experience with either. Here is a link to my rating. Feel free to check me out: http://www.transportreviews.com/company/american-dream-transport-services.asp. I'm not here trying to get business, just trying to educate on how to safely maneuver your way through finding a good transport company.

Edited by ADTAutoTransport (see edit history)
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  • 3 weeks later...

More info

This is info with the open 9-10 car haulers, when they say door to door, that seldom happens. In some cases, the cargo ins stops when you hit a residential street. When I was renewing my cargo with Lloyd's Of Lyndon, No coverage on salvage, inops and p/u or delivery on residential streets. That is where most claims are made.

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  • 1 month later...

I can give a VERY strong recommendation for Bill Squires.  He has brought a couple cars from the northeast U.S. to my house in Texas, both in-ops, including a '40 Ford last week.  He's a one man operation, so you work with Bill directly.  He advertises on the H.A.M.B. and there's a lot of reviews there that you can read.  No affiliation, just a very happy customer.

 

Bill Squires (owner)
Bill's Auto Works
(419)929-8048 shop NO TEXTS
(216)832-8697 cell NO TEXTS
billsautoworks1@aol.com

 

Bobby

League City, TX

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  • 7 months later...
Guest carshipping

I hear you when you say that you're not a fan of brokers.  You don't want to pay the broker fee and instead you want to work with a carrier directly.  Well, go ahead and call DAS, Reliable Carriers, etc. and ask for a quote.  These companies are the actual carriers, BUT I'm sure you'll pay more than if you did get quotes from brokers.

 

I will say that 75% of brokers are dirtbags.  I hear ya.  There are some great ones out there that will truly get you a great price, get proper dates, follow up and actually perform the task at hand for you.  If you do choose to go the broker path PLEASE do research on the broker first on the BBB, Transport Reviews and any other review site you can think of.  Then choose the company that doesn't take a deposit until they found the actual carrier for you.  These are the companies that will work until your vehicle is transported.  Yeah, they'll post it on Central Dispatch for truckers to see, but great brokers also make phone calls to previous truckers that has done route similar to yours and see they availability, etc..  They don't just set it and forget it.

 

Also, the reason you'll always find brokers online on Google and other search engines is because they are the ones that can gather customers from around the country and find them the haulers that do the routes.  Most of these truckers are a one man or a two man show.  They do the same route over and over again.  They are not nationwide and they would be bothered by phone calls from customers asking for routes they do not do.  It wouldn't be a good experience for the customers or the truckers.

 

At the end of the day... brokers needs truckers and truckers need brokers to keep full at all times and keep the wheels turning.  It is a never ending cycle.  Until someone has enough money to create a "Central Dispatch" that ONLY allows truckers and no brokers to deal directly with customers, this is they way the industry will be run.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I hear you when you say that you're not a fan of brokers.  You don't want to pay the broker fee and instead you want to work with a carrier directly.  Well, go ahead and call DAS, Reliable Carriers, etc. and ask for a quote.  These companies are the actual carriers, BUT I'm sure you'll pay more than if you did get quotes from brokers.

 

I will say that 75% of brokers are dirtbags.  I hear ya.  There are some great ones out there that will truly get you a great price, get proper dates, follow up and actually perform the task at hand for you.  If you do choose to go the broker path PLEASE do research on the broker first on the BBB, Transport Reviews and any other review site you can think of.  Then choose the company that doesn't take a deposit until they found the actual carrier for you.  These are the companies that will work until your vehicle is transported.  Yeah, they'll post it on Central Dispatch for truckers to see, but great brokers also make phone calls to previous truckers that has done route similar to yours and see they availability, etc..  They don't just set it and forget it.

 

Also, the reason you'll always find brokers online on Google and other search engines is because they are the ones that can gather customers from around the country and find them the haulers that do the routes.  Most of these truckers are a one man or a two man show.  They do the same route over and over again.  They are not nationwide and they would be bothered by phone calls from customers asking for routes they do not do.  It wouldn't be a good experience for the customers or the truckers.

 

At the end of the day... brokers needs truckers and truckers need brokers to keep full at all times and keep the wheels turning.  It is a never ending cycle.  Until someone has enough money to create a "Central Dispatch" that ONLY allows truckers and no brokers to deal directly with customers, this is they way the industry will be run.

DAS brokers out a lot of fright as well as Reliable. DAS is the worst carrier. I have seen while loading in their terminal in NJ and CA drop cars while loading on there enclosed car haulers. If you need a broker, I have about a dozen good ones that I have worked within the last 20 years.

 

Here is a good hint when shipping your car. Make sure that you have full coverage ins on your car and also install a GPS tracking system in your car. You can keep track of your car.

Ant questions, give me a call at 209-613-1199

Been in this trade for 40 years. 

Thanks

Dave

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When using a broker, ask them to send their docs and a copy of their cargo. They are only required to carry 10.000 in cargo unless that has changed lately. Pay with a credit card when doing a deposit. Something goes wrong, you can do a chargeback. When they do assign a truck for your vehicle, ask for their docs and call the ins company to make sure that they are current with their ins. And do not let them charge extra for the top load. Talk to the driver directly for that option. Not the broker. Also, no articles allowed in cars. 

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