The global car carrier market will reach over $1 trillion by the decade's end, with a 2.7 percent annual growth rate. However, you should not take this decision lightly and do a thorough study before making a final choice.
Google is the most often used search engine when individuals are trying to find vehicle transport services. For example, "car shipping," "auto carrier brokers," or maybe even "auto transport brokering" might be entered into the search field.
Just one mouse click will bring up an extensive list of businesses. If you take a closer look at the list, you'll see that it contains auto transport carriers and vehicle transport brokers. On the surface, they seem to be the same: shippers or moving companies.
However, freight brokerage firms and carrier companies have many key differences. We'll examine both vehicle transport brokers and carriers in further detail here so that you can make an informed decision about which is right for you.
What’s the Difference Between a Carrier and a Broker?
- Brokers Usually Ship With Many Different Carriers
- Brokers Coordinate Shipments, But Carriers Typically Don’t
- Brokers Don’t Actually Deliver Shipments
When exporting a vehicle for the first time, figuring out the difference between freight brokers and carriers may be challenging.
Also, it has the greatest potential to make a difference. You might ruin your whole vehicle shipment experience by working with a broker while you believe you're working with a carrier and vice versa.
Brokers Usually Ship With Many Different Carriers
Shipping an automobile requires the services of a car transport broker. They transfer the orders they get to a car shipping carrier. The carrier owns the transportation equipment and employs its drivers to carry the vehicle. In return for supplying the carrier with the order, the broker receives a commission from the latter.
Car transport brokers have access to a wide range of carriers. As a result, they do not export any autos directly from their own fleet of trucks. Brokers are not professional movers or trucking companies — their job is to serve as a liaison between customers and carriers.
This is good news as truck drivers who have completed background checks, are certified, and have years of expertise carrying vehicles are exclusively employed by reputable car shipping businesses like Carvaygo.
Brokers Coordinate Shipments, But Carriers Typically Don’t
An automobile transporting broker's principal role is to help customers identify and assess the finest carriers for their unique requirements. It's another crucial function to handle or coordinate every vehicle shipment on behalf of their clients.
There are a lot of carriers to choose from when it comes to working with a broker, but a single carrier may just function in one or two locations in the United States.
If you just use the services of one carrier, you put yourself at their whims and whims alone. A breakdown on the truck's route to pick up your automobile means canceling your shipment.
Fortunately, if a moving broker is involved, they may easily arrange for some other carrier to collect your shipment instead. In such cases, the time frame for shipping a car is anywhere from one day to nine days, depending on the distance you’re shipping.
Brokers Don’t Actually Deliver Shipments
A brokerage firm does not have its own trucks or drivers. Therefore, it assigns your package to a service provider in a network of carriers. A carrier might be an owner-operator or a carrier corporation that carries the item directly, while a broker’s job is to be the middleman.
The most significant disadvantages of dealing with a broker would be that they do not have full control over collection or travel time (which might result in unforeseen delays) and that you will not have the chance to inspect your carrier or driver personally.
What Are the Similarities Between Auto Carriers and Brokers?
We've discussed the differences between vehicle transport brokering and transport companies. However, certain parallels exist between the two. Both have similar alternatives for transit, but we'll get to that in a little more detail below.
Carriers and Brokers Work With Auto Transport Customers
As they both deal directly with clients to plan automobile shipments, brokers, carriers, and auto transport management organizations have a lot of things in common.
Brokers and carriers are both roles played by certain vehicle shipping firms. This kind of company may transport automobiles and broker a transaction between the client and a carrier if a carrier is unavailable.
Some Companies Are Both Carriers and Brokers
Many firms sit somewhere in the middle between brokers and carriers. Broker carriers are licensed brokers who also operate their own fleet.
Even if a company doesn't use the term broker in its marketing, some carriers will deal with owner-operators, essentially serving as brokers, even if they don't.
Most organizations, whether they're vehicle transport brokers, carriers, or management companies, will market a "full-service" package.
Why Work With an Auto Transport Company?
- Auto Transport Companies Are Both Carriers and Brokers
- Arrange Every Aspect of Your Shipment With One Company
- Get Access to a Trusted Fleet of Carriers
There's a third alternative in your Google search results that you may notice. You may think of them as auto transport management firms. Every aspect of vehicle shipment is taken care of by a logistics firm. Your car is in capable hands from when you get your first quotation to the moment of delivery.
Auto Transport Companies Are Both Carriers and Brokers
Brokers and carriers are both roles played by certain vehicle shipping firms. This kind of company may transport automobiles and broker a transaction between the client and a carrier if a carrier is unavailable.
When you pick an auto transport management business, you receive all the advantages of dealing with a carrier and a broker.
Arrange Every Aspect of Your Shipment With One Company
You’ll have one point of contact for your vehicle’s whole voyage and receive updates en route. Most likely, an automobile transportation management organization will operate throughout the country.
This is essential if you want to transport an automobile across the country. To put your mind at ease, you'll know that a single organization will handle all aspects of your car's transportation, from pick-up to delivery.
Get Access to a Trusted Fleet of Carriers
As vehicle transport businesses can access a greater range of routes and drivers, you'll obtain the best available pricing. Knowing that you have a fully vetted driver will give you a sense of security.
What To Do Next
Contact our team of experts if you’re looking to relocate or need to ship your car from one location to another. With years of experience, we’ll be able to guide you through the process from start to finish as we offer open, enclosed, and even expedited shipping to match all your needs.
Sources:
Global Car Carrier Market | Trends, Growth, and Forecast (2022 - 2031) | market.us
How Long Does It Take To Ship A Car? A Complete Guide | Carvaygo Auto Transport
Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers : Occupational Outlook Handbook
