When obtaining auto transport quotes online, you will find that most auto transport companies provide pricing for cars that are shipped by truck. However, an auto transport service may ship cars overseas as well. According to Ships and Yacht Information, auto-carrying vessels are made to transport around 5,000 foreign-manufactured trucks and cars into the U.S. each year.
In a 2008 interview with Mike Nelson, a highway transportation manager for Toyota, it was reported that the Japanese company transported over 1 million vehicles to the U.S. in 2008. The company charters as many as 30 ships for motor transport to the U.S. at one time.
Five ports in the U.S. receive Toyota cars and accessories – two of which are located on the East Coast and three of which are located on the West Coast. From those locations, vehicles are delivered either by rail or truck to the designated dealer.
Quotes for Shipping Imports
Most auto transport quotes include rail service for imports that are sold in the U.S. In fact, around 70% of the new vehicles sold will be transported by rail before they are shipped for final delivery by an 18-wheeler. Auto transport quotes generally factor in the distance for trucking autos from the point of pick-up. Auto transport quotes are typically lower when rail services are used for shipping cars a longer distance.
However, that being the case, you also have to look at some of the limitations placed on using rail services. Shipping cars by rail may not be possible if the destination is hard to reach or specialized equipment must be utilized to load and unload cars and trucks.
Air-lifting is Cost-prohibitive
When it comes to car transport, vehicles are not generally air-lifted as any auto transport quotes for this kind of service can be exorbitant. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will visit a site such as Auto Transport Quotes and find quotes that cover the air-lifting of cars. These kinds of auto quotes are left to companies that handle flying services for vehicles that are owned by billionaires or Arab sheiks.
To show you how expensive it can be to airlift a vehicle, you only need to refer to a July 2008 report in The Sun, a newspaper based in London. In late July of that year, it was reported that a Lamborghini automobile was transported by air from Qatar to London. The cost for the trip was around $40,000. The car was transported for a distance of 6,500 miles merely to get an oil change.
Most car deliveries, fortunately, enable a consumer to save on costs rather than incur them. Therefore, if you need to transport a vehicle, the best way to begin is by comparing quotes online. Check out auto transport quote platforms to get a full overview.
