How to pick an auto transport company for RV transport services
How to pick an auto transport company for RV transport services
Most auto transport companies offer RV transport services but choosing the best one is a different story. When you need an auto transport company for RV transport services, you have to be very careful that you pick the best one otherwise, your RV will likely take a beating. To avoid that, there are specific things that you need to look for in an auto transport company and if these signs are not present, you better go look for other companies.
Let me present here some surefire tips that will guide you in choosing the best auto transport company to ship your RV. Remember, not all companies are created equal and there are certain things that you need to look for in order for you to know that you are getting the best in the business. Here are some tips:
1. Pick a company with enough experience with RV transport
RV transport is a bit different from auto transport and that's why when choosing a carrier to ship your recreational vehicle, you have to make sure that the company you pick is capable and well experienced for the job. You have to ask them if they have the gadgets necessary for this kind of job and that their drivers have done this before. Remember that you RV will be your home in your new destination and you cannot just afford to hand it over some newbies who doesn't have a clue on how to handle it.
2. Pick a company with solid reputation
Aside from their experience, the company must have the reputation to back it up. If the company have the experience but have line of unsatisfied customers behind them, you don't want to be added to their roll do you? In order to pick a company with solid reputation, you have to go online as search on forums and blogs for independent customer reviews. This is not difficult to do because it can be done at the comfort of your own room. Google for specific company names and for sure you will come up with all sorts of reviews; good and bad.
You can also ask friends and relatives who have previous experience in this matter and see if they have certain recommendations. Try to put the company names on a list so that you can write down what you have learned so far.
3. Pick a company with proper authority to transport
After you have listed some company names with the right reputation and experience, now's the time to check if they are operating legally. You would certainly want to avoid dealing with companies that are not duly authorized by the DOT (US Department of Transportation) because that means they are not legit. Ask for their DOT number and check if it is in the www.safersys.org database. If it is in the database, then you can be sure that you have a legit company.
4. Pick a company that has a decent insurance coverage
Just like anything that will hit the road, there are risks involved in RV transport and you need to be prepared for it. You don't want to end up shouldering the repairs of your RV in case mishaps do occur and that is why it is important that your carrier have insurance coverage. You should avoid those who will cover you with their personal insurance policy instead, you should be looking for those who will give you a commercial insurance coverage.
5. Pick a company that has a decent customer support
A good carrier knows that their customer wants and deserves to humanely treated and that is why they would bother to have an excellent customer support. Most of the time customers are first timers and they would have a lot of questions which need to be addressed without making them feel stupid and a good customer support could really help in this. You can judge a good customer support by the way they answer your questions when you contact them. If the company had not been helpful during the initial contact, then you can be sure that they will not be useful when you have problems. Dump them right away.
6. Pick a company with a tracking system
Waiting for your RV to arrive is as boring as waiting for paint to dry. If the carrier have a GPS tracking system in place, you can better spend your time by tracking your RV online and finding out where it is in a given time. Having a tracking system is will help you make an educated guess as to when your RV will be arriving and that's why you should pick a company that has it.
After you have taken the pains of choosing an auto transport company to perform RV transport services for you, make sure to prepare your RV for transport. Some auto transport companies have specific guidelines on how to prepare your RV and you would do well to follow it.