One question I get asked time and time again is, “Are you a car transport broker or a carrier?” It’s always inevitably followed by my honest answer that I’m a broker, and then that familiar sharp *Click* from the customer hanging up having decided he’s heard enough.
So why should I use an auto broker, why not use a carrier directly? These are the 5 reasons to use a car transport broker:
First off, I’ll level with you: booking directly with a Carrier can be done, and sometimes it is successful. However, it is a time-consuming and risky endeavor for any individual to undertake.
Finding the right carrier, with the right credentials, the right insurance, the right schedule, and the right price? That is all brokers do: all day every day.
Pro Tip: Knowing about car shipping is essential before choosing between a carrier or broker. How auto transport works is explained here in detail.
How Do Auto Transport Brokers Work?
Brokers work with a variety of small and large car carriers. When a customer needs a vehicle to be shipped, a broker contacts one of its carriers to find a shipper. Auto transport brokers that have been in the business for a while, like AutoStar Transport Express, will have hundreds or thousands of carriers in their network.
Brokers are primarily useful for their flexibility. They don’t own trucks, so they aren’t tied to specific routes or regions.
Instead, they connect customers with hundreds of carriers across the country (often through load boards such as Central Dispatch) to match their needs, no matter what kind of vehicle they own, where it’s going, or when they need it.
1. They have a Network of Carriers
There are thousands of carriers out there circling up and down the nation. It would be a mammoth task for one person to look through these carriers to find one that happens to be in the right area at the right time, going the right way and that hasn’t already filled his load.
Brokers have all this information on their screens and can usually find a carrier the same day, and also do reliable background and credential checks.
2. Cheaper Price of the Transport
Because brokers fill up Carriers’ trucks faster than they can alone, you get preferential rates and it will save you money! In fact, most carriers will not deal directly with a customer if a car transport broker is not involved and if they do, they can charge you what they like.
3. Time of the Transport
Sometimes Carriers overbook, break down or run into other unforeseen delays… with a good broker, you won’t get stuck, as in the event of a problem with one Carrier, your auto transport broker will immediately arrange for another.
4. Customer Service
Many Carriers are solely focused on filling up their trucks and getting on the road and do not have the time or resources to focus on your total experience. Good Brokers on the other hand have their own dedicated customer service team who will answer your questions every step of the way.
5. Safety and insurance
Good auto transport brokers run checks on the carriers before dispatch. They should check the Carriers’ national ratings and check their insurance. Ask your car transport Broker what your Carrier’s rating is on the national network and insist a copy of the insurance packet is sent to you. If you’re in the hands of the experts, this won’t be a problem.
In need of a broker to transport your car?
Feel free to contact us, and we will help you find the right carrier to transport your car, at any time, to any place.
