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When it comes to getting a shipping quote for moving a vehicle, there are a lot of variables that a company uses to calculate just what that initial quote will be. We have put together some information to help you understasnd where that shipping quote comes from. But rather than going into detail on everything that is done, we will go through the general concepts on which the process is based.
Overview of Automotive Shipping Quotes
When you get right down to it, a shipping quote is just an estimate of the probable expense for the transport company to move your vehicle, with a small margin of profit added in. The whole system is just an occasionally detailed, and, at times, rather arcane method of calculating the cost in time, resources, and effort.
Time, resources, and effort is not a bad way to describe it, but for purposes of this explanation I chose to go with a different set of categories:
The Cost of Auto Shipping
The Cost category is simply any cost in time, money, or resources associated with the transport of a vehicle. There is a wage for the Truck Driver, the cost of fuel and permits, and use of the Semi.
The Convenience of a Load
Convenience is just that: how difficult or convenient it will be to transport the load.
If a Semi is taking a car from Maine to Oregon, it is pretty convenient to take a second car from New York to Oregon, since the pickup is along the way for the first car, and the drop-off is pretty close to the same location as well. Convenient for the driver since he can, for all intents and purposes, carry 2 loads for the effort of one. Convenient for customers since each customer covers part of the cost so neither customer has to pay the full expense.
Alternatively, if the pickup or dropoff is located in an out of the way valley with 1 inconvenient entrance, then getting into and out of the valley will take more effort than just distance alone would indicate. Navigating mountain passes, awkwardly structured cities, poorly designed back country, or low quality roads would all affect how easy (or convenient) a load is.
Properties of the vehicle can affect it as well. This is why Balch Logistics has a requirement that all vehicles are in operating condition for the duration of the move. A car that dies 3 out of 4 tries when loading and unloading would certainly get annoying (and cost time) to ship. Though there are other things, such as an oddly sized wheel base, poor manueverability or limited responsiveness, or significant blind spots that can make loading and unloading a challenge.
Risk
Risk in Vehicle Shipping is much like the risk in Insurance, in fact, part of the risk in Shipping is the insurance. A more expensive vehicle on the trailer results in higher insurance costs for the load.
Also, while we are long past the days of Cowboys and Indians raiding Wagon Trains, or bandits and thieves attacking a merchant caravan, there are still people out there who would find an $80,000 vehicle a mighty tempting target. After all, people still rob little Mom-and-Pop stores for $300 out of the cash register...
But even leaving that aside, people with vehicles in better condition want them to stay in better condition. But in contrast, people with cars in worse condition are not as concerned about it. The owner of a $50,000 show car is a lot more likely to complain when they spot a half inch long scratch in their otherwise pristine paint job, where as the owner of a car that has been used (and shows it) likely will not complain about 3 or 4 new scratches among the 50 or 60 already on the hood.
There are a few other ways in which a higher value car will up the risk of a run.
All Together
It is through a combination of these variables that Shipping Quotes are calculated. The higher the cost, the higher the risk, and the greater the inconvenience of a load, the more you will have to pay to have it shipped.
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