Vehicle Transport Methods – What Are Your Options?
Most people naturally ask one main question when it comes to transporting a vehicle or fleet: “How much does it cost?” Costs depend on a number of factors, most notably the car transport option used. So what exactly are those options?
Related: Auto Transporting for Car Dealerships – What Should You Know?
Here are the main car moving options offered by vehicle transport service providers, with the relative costs and pros / cons of each.
Flatbed Car Carrier
Flatbed carriers are trucks with a flat-level bed with no sides or roof. They are the least used type of auto carrier, more expensive than other options, and require longer wait times for shipping. So, why would anyone opt for this shipping method? Mainly because it tends to be a niche car transport method used for unique vehicles that can’t be shipped on regular open carriers.
Pros
Flatbeds facilitate niche shipping for vehicles too wide or tall for other carriers.
Related: Vehicle Delivery of Oversized and Large Cars, SUVS or Trucks
Cons
Flatbed carriers are the most expensive car transport option. The carriers are abnormally large, slow and use a lot of fuel. They also generally only carry one vehicle at a time – factoring into the higher costs.
Enclosed Car Carrier
Enclosed auto carriers ship vehicles inside a protective container. They are the best solution for moving high-value vehicles safely, while also offering protection from the elements.
There are two types of enclosed carrier transport options, namely multi-car enclosed trailers, and two or one-car trailers.
Pros
Protection from weather, dust, and road debris. Enclosed carriers also offer discretion for vehicles whose owners would like to keep them “under wraps”!
Cons
Enclosed vehicle transport carriers are more expensive than open carriers because they carry fewer cars while still being heavy, resulting in less fuel efficiency. They’re also in low demand (especially in South Africa), so the transport service provider can charge a premium fee.
Open Car Carrier
This is a common car transport method, usually used by manufacturer-to-dealer deliveries. Open auto transport carriers are the ones you often see on the roads, with cars stacked en masse (in a seemingly precarious way!) with no walls around them.
There are three main types of open car shipping carriers: two-level, single-level (usually used for luxury or sports car transport), and pickup trucks for short distances and local deliveries.
There are pros and cons for open carrier shipping, based on the type of vehicles needing to be shipped.
Pros
Open auto carriers cost less than other options, mostly due to their ability to transport multiple vehicles at once. They are commonly used worldwide for standard car makes and big manufactuers.
Cons
Open-air trailers expose vehicles to weather, dust, road debris, and the risk of break-ins if left unattended. Delivery times can be slower than other methods due to the mass-transportation factor – you might have to wait your turn while the vehicle transport service provider drops off other vehicles en route.
On-Wheels Car Delivery
This is a highly cost-effective method of vehicle transport, whereby professional drivers personally deliver vehicles from pickup to drop-off point.
Pros
Fast delivery times, lower costs, and accessibility to remote or tricky areas that larger carriers can’t reach.
Cons
Greater wear and tear, risk of vehicle damage or theft.
Here are a few things that can help you prepare for your vehicle or fleet to be driven by an on-wheels auto logistics company.
- Take notes of any pre-existing damage on the vehicle, so that you can quickly identify any new damage occurring to your vehicle on the trip.
- Have a mechanical inspection performed on the vehicle after delivery – this may incur extra costs, but mechanical issues that are identified both before and after the delivery will help prevent larger costs or insurance hassles in the long run.
- Finally, advise the auto logistics service provider of any “quirks” the vehicle may have, so the driver can take steps to minimise risk of damage.
Related: Reddot Group Serves All Our Customers Competently And With Care From Start To Finish!
Reddot Keeps Your Vehicles Safe and Delivers On Time!
Reddot Group Auto Transport is a highly-regarded black-owned company that strives to provide safe, secure, professional vehicle transport services all over South Africa and in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. We currently deliver to Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. We ensure a streamlined pickup and delivery process, and provide round-the-clock updates on your vehicle or fleet at all stages of the journey.
Sit back, relax and rest reassured – your vehicles are alright on the road with Reddot Group!
