Cross country transport

[HalcyonDays]

COVID-19 has made everything more difficult.

I am trying to bring a car across country 3200 miles west to east. For a variety of reasons my usual transporter of choice is not available. I do have the opportunity to have the car transported on one of those large multicar enclosed trailers. The estimate is that it will take twelve to fourteen days for the trip. The broker who is arranging the move, has received good reviews from a customer that used his services for a local transport, but not for long distance transports where the broker was not also the driver of the truck. The broker has been doing transports for 45 years, mostly very high end cars and so does not want to give a reference for this type of service. He says he does not want to bother his clients, by having someone call them.

I feel the broker is reputable, although I have very little evidence to form this opinion. The question is should I be concerned that the car will be on this trailer for two weeks?

[McMimmcs]

If he won't give a reference move on! Post his name on here and solicit opinions .

[CA Victoria]

I used Sweet Spot Transport, Ron Stewart @ (954) 243-2295 in January. He brokered out to Gorban. It was my first experience and would use Ron again. Great communication, fair price. Knows his business.
I don’t remember the site I read, but if I remember they are rated by the insurance claims. I understand not giving out customers names and numbers......
Give Ron a call, he took time to explain everything to me.

[frank55a]

If he is insured and your car will be insured (check with your insurance company) I don't think I would worry to much. Also for your records just in case, I would take a number of pictures of the car as it is being loaded and up loaded so you can see all surfaces. If he has a large multicar enclosed trailers as you say then I am sure yours will not be the only car 12-14 days seems reasonable to me as he probably has to make several stops to pick up and drop off other cars along the way.

[trulyvintage]

Multi car carriers seldom do direct transport - whether it be open or enclosed.

Your vehicle is a package in the mail.

The priority is keeping a trailer full.

That involves transferring from trailer to trailer which means your vehicle
is driven on & off multiple times and often stored outside in a yard.

Generally - this is how damage occurs.

There is no substitute for direct transport from door to door.



Jim

[CA Victoria]

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These guys pretty much went door to door. No storage yards or transfers.
Enclosed trailer.
Mid west to Ca, 2000+ mi in 4 days. With drop offs.
The driver documented the cars condition with lots of pictures.

[trulyvintage]

Originally Posted by CA Victoria

These guys pretty much went door to door. No storage yards or transfers.
Enclosed trailer.
Mid west to Ca, 2000+ mi in 4 days. With drop offs.
The driver documented the cars condition with lots of pictures.

A transport broker knows little if anything about actual vehicle transport.

They are salesman.

Only the driver of the vehicle pulling the trailer your car is transported
on or in knows exactly what is going on.

The best way to transport your vehicle is to drive it yourself.

If that isn't possible - you should trailer it yourself.

If that isn't possible - you should hire someone that drives the truck
that pulls the trailer who you deal with directly - that person should
transport your vehicle directly from pick up to drop off.

I have been doing this since 2006.


Jim

[77Birdman]

I know there are some guys - a couple that frequent here- that are reputable and busy. Perhaps one of them you called first. But there are other large company's that do the same. I have used Reliable to move motorcycles and have always had good luck, never a car though. Being a multi car transport I would not expect a 4 day turnaround. I would not be comfortable with a broker and would deal with the transport company personally. Also, as mentioned as long as your insured and proof that the transport is insured than roll the dice. Good Luck.

[1931 flamingo]

Jim (Truly Vintage) is a great guy to do business with if he's available.
Paul in CT

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by trulyvintage

A transport broker knows little if anything about actual vehicle transport.

They are salesman.

Only the driver of the vehicle pulling the trailer your car is transported
on or in knows exactly what is going on.

The best way to transport your vehicle is to drive it yourself.

If that isn't possible - you should trailer it yourself.

If that isn't possible - you should hire someone that drives the truck
that pulls the trailer who you deal with directly - that person should
transport your vehicle directly from pick up to drop off.

I have been doing this since 2006.


Jim

I have always done as suggested above. I drive when I can, I trailer it myself when I can.

But if I cannot, I deal directly with the person driving the truck that is towing the enclosed trailer with my car in it. They picked up at my door, they dropped at the door of the place at the other end, they kept in contact with me all through the journey.

I found my drivers through the following website service:
http://www.uship.com/vehicles/?r=712947

It is not easy to separate the brokers from the people driving the truck. The person you talk to on the phone will ACT like they are driving. You need to be careful, and you need to ask lots of questions.

.

[Synchro909]

There's a reason Model As have wheels. Why not drive it? Take your time and make an adventure holiday of it. If your wife won't be in it, I'm sure you would have no problems finding a friend who will go along. 4-500 miles in a day is quite doable

[HalcyonDays]

Well I did take the plunge and the car arrived today.

With COVID-19, the Canadian border closing it took a while and a leap of faith to arrange the transport.

The A400 made the journey safely from Peachland, BC Canada to Maine, the shipper did everything he said he would. I would recommend him if you need to have something imported from Canada and you cannot be there yourself.

[McMimmcs]

Are you going to tell us his name ?

[Pat/Ohio]

A400!!! Where's the pictures? We want pictures!!! LOL!

Glad it all went well...congrats!

Pat

[jg61hawk]

I know you are completed now but here is a great source:

Todd Meyer in NJ. He is a one man show....great guy and very safe and reasonable.. 908 770 0372

[trulyvintage]

As asked above ....

Who did you end up using ?


Jim

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Just to add an interesting side-twist to a similar transportation story, I have a customer who had a 1930 Coupe picked-up in Florida yesterday by Roadrunner Auto Transport to be dropped off at my shop today. The transport driver arrived over an hour late after the scheduled pick-up time. I was told by the Model-A owner that the transport driver being unfamiliar with a Model-A received two separate instructions on how to start and drive a Model-A prior to loading. I spoke with the transport driver today (-a person in which English is definitely not his native tongue!!) on a couple of occasions about his estimated delivery time. During our second telephone discussion he said he would be arriving approximately an hour after our scheduled close time. The next conversation said he is saying it might be 2-3 hours after our closing time. I said that it would be better for him to deliver when we open on Thursday morning. Now he wants my permission for him to drop it off in my parking lot tonite after-hours. "It'll be ok there don't you think??" I guess all I could think of after hearing that request was 'Wow!'.

You definitely get what you pay for, ...and I also feel you definitely don't get that kind of a request from qualified Model-A transporters such as Bill, Jim, Brandon, and others here.

[Redbird]

I have used Reliable (the big orange trucks) on my last 4 cars of which one was my Model A from California to Texas in the winter.

[Chris in WNC]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

There's a reason Model As have wheels. Why not drive it? Take your time and make an adventure holiday of it. If your wife won't be in it, I'm sure you would have no problems finding a friend who will go along. 4-500 miles in a day is quite doable

Yes it's do-able, but not something I'd recommend.

I drove 495 miles two days in a row returning to Florida from Dallas in 2008.
Driving a Tudor with Mitchell O/D.
Exhausting.

No doubt there are some hard-cases in my age demographic who don't mind doing it, but I will plan future long trips on a 300-mile-per-day schedule.......

[Chris in WNC]

how do I delete double postings?