When looking for car transport and car shipping companies, you clearly have two different options - you can either go through a broker or directly deal with the carrier. Brokers identify trucking companies in your area to pick up and deliver your vehicle.

Auto transport brokers are a breed unto themselves and though a few are scrupulously straightforward, there are a host of them who are up to many tricks. Whether you like them or not, there are occasions when you cannot do without them. It is indeed a fact that these people can provide you with the best deals in auto transportation with their vast experience and familiarity with the market conditions.

An auto transport broker is an intermediary between the shipper and those that do auto transport business. These are the people who arrange for the transportation of your vehicle recommending to you the services of various carriers who actually transport the vehicle. They are known to a vast network of auto transport carriers and know which carrier can efficiently handle your job.

Many people question the necessity to go through an auto transport broker and feel it is better to deal directly with the auto transport carrier. Please know that brokers are fully aware of the market conditions and they can assist you in finding a reliable auto transporter and mediate in the settlement of the insurance claims in case of loss or damages. Brokers have access to a vast carrier network and so they can find you a carrier according to your budget. A broker is well-placed to quickly and easily track down trucks in your immediate area and thus your pickup time is much sooner than if you directly approach a carrier.


When you ship directly through a car shipping carrier, instead of through a car shipping broker, you run a few risks. Car shipping is not a well-organized business and many times the trucks run late and sometimes even the trips are cancelled. . If a truck breaks down or fails to pickup the car, brokers can just find another one, saving you time and money and needless stress at the eleventh hour. Besides, when you receive a quote from a carrier, they will begin to pressurize you to book immediately. Not so with brokers. With a brokerage, you have all the time to study the quotes, compare the prices, and then react to the price and other factors and select the one best suited for you.

Yet another drawback about carriers is that they will give you a quote for terminal-to-terminal shipping. This means your car will be picked up and dropped off at a terminal, and lie there indefinitely till for more cars to your destination accumulate. This can take quite a few weeks but with brokers this may not be the case. With most brokers, the quotes are for door-to-door service, and the quote you get is the price that is applied. The price will include the cost of insurance as well as any other fees you may be required to pay.

Even most auto transport carriers are not favorably disposed towards directly dealing with the customers and wish to rely on brokers for much of their business. Since carriers do not have a huge budget for advertisement, they largely depend on brokers to generate business. In the final analysis, using a brokerage to handle your car shipping is much easier, safer and hassle-free