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Carrier – carrier is a company that owns trucks. Carriers actually move your vehicle. In some cases a carrier may have to bring other Shipping in to help out with over flow if they have to much business.
Broker – Brokers don’t own trucks. Brokers are middleman.
If you book your car with a broker(middleman) they will usually post it on a Transport load board as cheap as possible and the first real trucking company that comes along gets it. This is bad for you and the trucking company. It’s bad for you, the customer, because you are over paying the broker to Carriers your car, so that he can pay himself and the Transport company. Its also bad when you call the broker to find out where your car is and he can’t give you an answer. He has to call the Transport to find out anything about your car, this makes it more frustrating for everyone. It’s bad for the Transport because he is being under paid for the work he is doing. What happens when a Transport is underpaid? First thing is the quality of service goes down. Second, is the Transport has to get cheaper insurance to be able to afford to keep his business afloat. This effects you because the insurance coverage of your vehicle is not as good.
The way we solve this problem is putting you in direct contact with the Transport company. By going direct, you are paying the Transport more than if you go through a broker and you, the customer, are paying less because there is no middle man. There are some good brokers in the industry, but this industry has had so many fly by night brokerages go in and out of this industry, that its given the brokers a really bad name. Several of the large brokers charge the customer and never pay the trucking company. Then the trucking company holds the customers car until they get paid. In so many cases the customer ends up paying twice.
Pros and Cons of Auto Transport Carriers and Auto Transport Brokers
The benefit of using a broker for Auto Transport is selection. A broker has ties with individual pre-approved Auto Transport or know where to post the vehicle online for any Transport to select. When using a carrier instead of a broker, you would be responsible for contacting the Auto Transport individually for Car Shipping.
Fees and Cancellations
Brokers attempt to control the prices of the Vehicle Shipping market by offering Auto Transport rates lower that what the broker quoted in order for the broker to make a profit. This is how brokers make their money. Usually you will be expected to pay a nonrefundable deposit. The carrier will then collect the balance of the Transport costs when the vehicle is delivered through cash or certified funds. Many carriers, on the other hand, will allow you to cancel your order at anytime prior to pickup.
Guaranteed Pick-Up
Brokers cannot guarantee anything. They do not have control over every carrier. When comparing transit time you need to be careful to make an apples-to-apples comparison. A brokered move may have a shorter transit time from pick up to delivery but it may take more days to get the vehicle picked up. Make sure that you include all of the days in any comparison.
Door-to-Door Service
Depending on the carrier, the size of their truck, or the entry into your neighborhood, you might be asked to meet the driver at a nearby shopping center or other landmark for delivery. This is due to their inability to take big equipment into an area that is difficult to maneuver. Unfortunately, brokers cannot always assess the carrier's ability to take your vehicle directly to your door. Again, never assume. Ask the broker or Car Shipping carrier what their policies are to be sure.
As you can see, there are big differences between Car Transport brokers and Auto Hauling carriers that go beyond price. Before you sign any contracts or releases, make sure you are dealing with the type of company you prefer and, to ensure the safety of your car and a flawless transaction, check out each company thoroughly before making your decision. If you are ready to go, please fill out our Transport quote form to receive a quote for your move.
