Four Signs of an Efficient Carrier Transporter
You entrust a carrier or transporter with belongings that have value to you, or perhaps to someone else. When it comes to shipping a vehicle, you stand to lose a considerable amount of money if your items are not taken care of properly during transport. If your transporter does not have the experience and knowledge needed to haul vehicles safely, you could end up taking a loss when your vehicle is damaged or potentially ruined completely. If the transporter is careless and does not give your load the attention it needs, there may be no undoing the damage they cause.
Whether your professional name is on the line or you just need to ship something for personal pleasure, you have to find a carrier transporter with all of the following criteria:
1. All legal permits, licenses, and titles have been secured and are valid.
Never trust a carrier who has not secured the legal documentation required to legally transport loads across state lines. Ask for their Department of Transportation (DOT) number, and make sure it is valid. Make sure they have a valid state license all other legal documents required for safe and legal passage on the road. They will need insurance as well. The last thing you need is a delay in shipment because your carrier was pulled over on the highway and is not legally permitted to finish the job.
2. The vehicle being used to transport your items is safe for the road and in good working order.
One of the easiest ways to suffer a delay in shipment is to send your load on a truck that is not in good working order. If there are small problems, such as a flat tire, any professional carrier will be able to handle the issue and move on without much of a delay. It is a different situation when an engine with hundreds of thousands of miles decides to finally give out for good. Your load could be stuck halfway to its destination while the carrier figures out new transportation or you secure a new carrier to pick it up.
3. The vehicle or trailer is properly sized and designed for the type of item you are shipping.
If you want your item to arrive at its destination in the same condition you sent it off in, make sure it is being shipped in an appropriately sized and designed container. For instance, if it cannot be out in the rain, do not send it off on a flatbed without adequate tarp coverage.
4. Your transporter is experienced with the type of load you are shipping.
You should be a bit nervous if your transporter has never hauled the type of load you want to ship. Preferably, you want to find someone with experience with a variety of load sizes, weights, and shapes. Even if your item is entirely unique, they should have reference from the many items they have hauled in the past. This experience gives a transporter basic knowledge regarding methods of loading, unloading, packing, and securing loads.
Finally, make sure you ask if your transporter will be removing your load during transportation. Some carriers will take loads off to add new loads so they can maximize profit on a trip. You should know if this going to happen to a vehicle you need shipped.
You entrust a carrier or transporter with belongings that have value to you, or perhaps to someone else. When it comes to shipping a vehicle, you stand to lose a considerable amount of money if your items are not taken care of properly during transport. If your transporter does not have the experience and knowledge needed to haul vehicles safely, you could end up taking a loss when your vehicle is damaged or potentially ruined completely. If the transporter is careless and does not give your load the attention it needs, there may be no undoing the damage they cause.
Whether your professional name is on the line or you just need to ship something for personal pleasure, you have to find a carrier transporter with all of the following criteria:
1. All legal permits, licenses, and titles have been secured and are valid.
Never trust a carrier who has not secured the legal documentation required to legally transport loads across state lines. Ask for their Department of Transportation (DOT) number, and make sure it is valid. Make sure they have a valid state license all other legal documents required for safe and legal passage on the road. They will need insurance as well. The last thing you need is a delay in shipment because your carrier was pulled over on the highway and is not legally permitted to finish the job.
2. The vehicle being used to transport your items is safe for the road and in good working order.
One of the easiest ways to suffer a delay in shipment is to send your load on a truck that is not in good working order. If there are small problems, such as a flat tire, any professional carrier will be able to handle the issue and move on without much of a delay. It is a different situation when an engine with hundreds of thousands of miles decides to finally give out for good. Your load could be stuck halfway to its destination while the carrier figures out new transportation or you secure a new carrier to pick it up.
3. The vehicle or trailer is properly sized and designed for the type of item you are shipping.
If you want your item to arrive at its destination in the same condition you sent it off in, make sure it is being shipped in an appropriately sized and designed container. For instance, if it cannot be out in the rain, do not send it off on a flatbed without adequate tarp coverage.
4. Your transporter is experienced with the type of load you are shipping.
You should be a bit nervous if your transporter has never hauled the type of load you want to ship. Preferably, you want to find someone with experience with a variety of load sizes, weights, and shapes. Even if your item is entirely unique, they should have reference from the many items they have hauled in the past. This experience gives a transporter basic knowledge regarding methods of loading, unloading, packing, and securing loads.
Finally, make sure you ask if your transporter will be removing your load during transportation. Some carriers will take loads off to add new loads so they can maximize profit on a trip. You should know if this going to happen to a vehicle you need shipped.