Some people have concerns that when they hire an auto shipping company their car will be driven by a stranger. Most people will choose to hire one of these companies when they cannot move their vehicle from one location to another. Will anyone be driving your car when you have it shipped using an auto shipping service? Will you be required to hand over your keys to the shipping company? Here are some answers to your questions.
Who Will Drive My Car When It Is Being Shipped?
Odds are someone will end up driving your vehicle when you are having it shipped. The good news is that the company shouldn’t have to drive it very far. Most auto transport companies will have to drive your car onto the carrier when it is picked up and then off of the carrier when it is dropped off. In some cases, it may be necessary to drive the car from a storage location to the carrier. It may also be necessary to unload the vehicle during the transporting process in order to make room to fit other cars. Other than that, your vehicle should not be driven during the transportation process.
Will You Be Required to Hand Over My Keys?
In most cases, you will be asked to give your keys to the driver of the transport carrier. This is so the vehicle can be moved onto and off of the carrier. However, if your car is inoperable and cannot be driven the company will have to use heavy equipment to get your car on and off of the carrier. This will most likely result in an increase in the shipping costs.
Protecting Your Vehicle
Although your car will be driven by someone else during the shipping process, the amount that it will be driven should be very low. You can protect your vehicle by noting the mileage and the condition of the vehicle before you hand it over to the transportation company. The company will also provide you with a bill of lading, which should show the mileage at the time you dropped the car off. Compare the drop-off mileage with the pick-up mileage to see if there are any major discrepancies. If there is something wrong with the car or if there seems to be a large mileage difference be sure to bring that to the shipping company right away. Check the signed contract to see what courses of action you have if you experience a problem with your vehicle.
