If you are planning to ship a car, you may wonder how the delivery location affects the cost. The price of car shipping differs when relocating to or from a rural area. Understanding how to manage your budget will save you from unforeseen surprises. Having an understanding of the rural shipping policies will save you money. This guide will highlight the policies governing car shipping to rural areas and suggest ways to avoid spending excess cash.
Understanding the Cost Factors for Car Shipping
A tow away and a ship of a car comes with certain charges as a cost to do business. Apart from the distance involved, type of vehicle to be shipped, its current location and method of transport, these are the main factors that determine cost. While other aspects might be simple to deal with, the current location of the car significantly influences the overall cost.
Distance from Major Transportation Routes
Rural areas seem to be further from major highways and transport hubs. Most car shipping carriers follow established routes through large cities or heavy traffic zones. If your vehicle is situated in a more remote location, it may take longer due to added detours. Increased distance of the route usually
For instance, shipping a vehicle to a rural location where the carrier must deviate from the main highway involves greater use of fuel, thus increasing the cost.
Availability of Carriers and Routes
There are many car carriers traveling through major cities, further facilitating the availability of competitive prices due to regular routes. Shifting to rural areas, the sparse routes do not allow for frequent movement which greatly reduces the number of car carriers willing to take the shipment. In case a carrier is found willing to take the shipment, they will most likely demand a higher price due to the limited access to trucks heading to that location.
For instance, a shipping company may have to deviate from its designated path to transport a vehicle to some remote area which, in turn will add additional cost for service.
Complications with Loading and Unloading
Car shipping to rural areas may face certain infrastructural challenges. For instance, the access roads to your location may be narrow or poorly paved which makes it relatively hard for the truck to maneuver in and out of the area. In circumstances like these, carriers may need to use secondary means to deliver your vehicle, for example, by transferring it to a small truck or stopping repeatedly along the way to ensure that the vehicle is delivered safely.
This phenomenon termed as “re-delivery” or “re-routing” is not only challenging but also increases the cost of service. Other factors however, such as increased labor and the additional logistic efforts necessary to navigate through less accessible parts of country also affect the final price.
Extras for Shipping Expenses to Rural Areas
The factors given previously are not the only reasons why rural locations are expensive to ship to. Here are some more costs that may be incurred while shipping to rural places:
- Remote Area Surcharge
Exotic and unique locations are associated with a particular surcharge in price to most transport services. Because of the complexities related to fuel, time, and logistics, shippers impose a remote area surcharge for off-the-path locations. It’s important, however, to double check with your shipping company because it can differ a lot from one business to another.
- Door to Door Shifting vs. Terminal to Terminal Shifting
Shipping to rural regions may change the type of service you require. With door-to-door service, your vehicle is driven to the address you placed and delivered right there. However, if it is difficult to access the area, the shipper may suggest a terminal-to-terminal shipping strategy, where your vehicle is delivered to a terminal that is in close proximity to the location you are. From there, you pick the vehicle yourself.
In the less populated regions of the country, terminal-to-terminal shipping is generally cheaper than the door-to-door service. There is, however, the need to be considerate about the fact that having to drive to a terminal for pick/drop off is a hassle.
- Seasonal Changes
At a certain time, weather may raise or lower the costs. For example, if the region experiences extremely rural weather such as a heavy snowfall or rains, it can lead to delays which can further worsen the shipping costs. Also, there is an increase in market demand for car shipping during some seasonal summers which peaks expenditures during these periods. However, car shipping in offseason such as fall or winter can significantly reduce costs.
How To Decrease Offsetting Expenses To Rural Areas
Even though the shipping costs for rural areas is considered higher than the latter, there are a few ways to handle these expenses:
- Book Ahead
Advance booking gives customers the option to select the cheaper tariff available. Making last minute bookings tends to limit routes which increases the shipping fee.
- Choose Terminal To Terminal Car Shipping
In case the passenger vehicle shipment does not require a door to door service, changing the shipment method to terminal to terminal can greatly reduce the costs. Some of these include picking and/or dropping off the shipment at designated suburbs near major metropolitan areas to eliminate additional surcharges or fees typically associated with lower inaccessible regions.
- Combine Shipments
Consider checking with your car shipping company to inquire if they provide discounts for shipping multiple vehicles at once. Dual or multiple vehicle shipments may decrease the total cost per vehicle, particularly when the vehicles are being sent to the same place or nearby locations.
- Request Several Quotes
There can be huge variances in the pricing of different car shipping companies for rural area shipping. If this is the case, request estimates from various companies, and evaluate what services are included with the quoted prices in order to find the best priced option for your needs. Additionally, ask for any other costs that could increase the expenditure, and in this case, costs could include remote area fees or special handling costs.
Why Use Car-Transport for Rural Area Shipments?
We know that remote area car shipments can pose more challenges and Car-Transport is dedicated to providing affordable prices while maintaining quality service, making us your preferred logistic partner. With our dependable network of carriers, we can ensure shipment to those hard-to-reach places and we don’t hide fees or charges.
No matter if you are shipping to the booming city or a rural area, we provide:
– No Hidden Fees: Receive an accurate quote without any additional costs.
– Door-to-Door and Terminal-to-Terminal Shipping: Elevate your convenience while saving money with our flexible shipping options.
– Reliable Service: Restricting service outages at a location will not affect the safety and timeliness of your vehicle’s delivery.
Conclusion:
Understanding the process of shipping vehicles is inherently complicated, but planning beforehand makes it more manageable. Although there is an increased cost associated with shipping a car to a rural area due to distance, location, routes, the availability of carriers, and potential surcharges, careful planning can ease the burden.
If you need to ship your car to a rural area, reach out to Car-Transport. Our professional staff guarantees unmatched rates and reliable service which, combined, ensure your vehicle reaches the set location affordably.
