When it comes to moving a car, multiple options are available, including open-carrier and enclosed shipping. A 2019 study notes that around 4,500 companies in the United States were involved in the auto transport industry, making approximately $12 billion that year.
However, towing a pickup truck requires careful attention to various factors that may not be as important in car shipping for smaller vehicles.
Transporting a truck all over the nation is fraught with potential points of uncertainty and difficulty. It's easy to miss the obvious when dealing with constantly shifting logistics variables like truck shipment prices and the evolution of shipping techniques.
You need to know the potential dangers and conditions for a smooth transfer and find a reliable auto transport company.
How To Ship a Pick-Up Truck
Here are some things you need to keep in mind while deciding on a truck shipping service.
- Know your truck’s size
- Know your truck’s weight
- Decide whether you’d prefer enclosed transport
- Insure your truck before shipping
- Empty your truck before shipping
Many parameters, such as the pickup truck's age, size, etc., will determine the optimal way of transport.
In the past, pickup trucks were primarily used by farmers and other agricultural laborers. However, in today's world, pickup trucks are driven by a wide variety of individuals, including some who just appreciate their appearance.
Pickup truck shipping is more challenging than regular auto shipping because of the variety of sizes available for this kind of vehicle.
1. Know Your Truck’s Size
It makes no difference if an automobile is a compact or a full-size sedan. We are certain that no vehicle, no matter how large, will go beyond the permitted dimensions and weight. All of these factors affect the size of a pickup truck. Moreover, the shipping rate for a big rig is usually greater.
Pickup truck transportation methods and shipping costs vary greatly depending on the particular transported items. Some compact pickup trucks may fit on a standard auto carrier. You should be able to determine your car's dimensions using only its brand, model, and year of manufacture.
2. Know Your Truck’s Weight
Flatbed shipping may be your only option if the vehicle is too big for a regular car carrier. These vehicles are hard to find and hence fetch a premium price. Customized work vehicles, such as pickups constructed for a particular job, need the use of flatbed carriers. Standard car carriers are sufficient for transporting most dealership-available trucks.
Because of this, accurate measurement is essential. Car shipping companies may transport pickup trucks of varying sizes. Transportation of massive items by pickup truck is feasible but often requires using flatbeds.
3. Decide Whether You’d Prefer Enclosed Transport
While enclosed transport has multiple benefits, it might not always be the best option for your pickup truck. Size and weight specifications for pickup trucks may vary widely.
Shipping companies may need to make particular arrangements to protect your modified big pickup truck, which might include things like wider tires or extra outside racks.
These modifications may not be available in enclosed carriers, and open transport may be a better option.
4. Insure a Truck Before Shipping
Yes, getting your truck insured before transportation is crucial. In addition, you must clean up the vehicle so the car transport driver may check for pre-existing damage. Insuring against potential losses justifies taking these measures.
The truck driver will still do the inspection if your vehicle is filthy, but it will take significantly longer and waste time.
5. Empty Your Truck Before Shipping
First-time truck shippers may not be aware of a short checklist to run through before loading their rig into a transport truck. To prepare the pickup truck for delivery, you must clean it out, take out any unnecessary goods and heavy equipment, and fill it up with the correct quantity of petrol.
When exporting an automobile, removing any valuables, such as jewelry or eyewear, is important, so they aren't at risk if the vehicle is damaged or destroyed.
Finally, ensure the vehicle has no more than a quarter of gas. You should strive to have precisely that much on hand. This is because the auto carrier driver will need that much space to maneuver your pickup truck onto and off the carrier safely.
However, there is too much fire risk with more than a quarter gas tank.
Why Ship a Truck
- Minimizes Stress on Your Odometer
- Protects Your Truck From Changing Road Conditions
- Protects Your Truck From Weather
If you need assistance transporting your truck, working with professional auto shippers is in your best interest. You may save the headache of organizing a cross-country road trip and yet have peace of mind that your vehicle will arrive at its destination in one piece.
1. Minimizes Stress on Your Odometer
Driving hundreds of kilometers causes excessive breakdowns in your truck. This lowers the property's value and forces you to do expensive repairs.
By shipping your truck, you may prevent having any unauthorized miles added to the vehicle's odometer. Insects and other pests won't be able to damage your windshield or tires while they're in transit.
Moreover, before you embark on this journey, you’ll have to familiarize yourself with the different driving laws and regulations. You can save your truck and yourself from all these hassles by shipping your truck.
2. Protects Your Truck From Changing Road Conditions
Not all trucks can withstand the rigors of long-distance driving or the deterioration of dirt roads. Instead of spending three or four days on the road, you may concentrate on business or other moving-related chores while the pros take care of the heavy lifting.
3. Protects Your Truck From Weather
Both local and international vehicle shipments might be affected by extreme weather. Natural catastrophes and severe weather, such as storms and floods, may cause significant delays. However, shipping your pick-up truck won’t have to worry about driving it through harsh weather — your vehicle’s guaranteed safety will help you sleep easy.
What To Do Next
The popularity of vehicle shipping services is increasing. The global vehicle carrier market will likely reach $1,059 billion by 2029, with a 2.7% annual growth rate.
So, if you want to ship your truck, regardless of the reason and distance, simply head to Carvaygo.
You’ll have multiple shipping options, so choose the type of transport you require:
We’ll take care of the rest with a free quote.
Sources:
Vehicle Shipping Services in the US - Industry Data, Trends, Stats | IBISWorld
Global Car Carrier Market | Trends, Growth and Forecast (2022 - 2031)
State Traffic Laws - FindLaw
