subject: Can Auto Transport Guarantee Date Or Time? [print this page] Specific delivery dates and times that are set in stone would be a fortunate benefit for any consumer to count on, no matter what service they have contracted. But in the case of auto transport, it can be a difficult benefit to get. Car carriers and shipping brokers usually provide the consumer with a range of dates for pickup and delivery, rather than specific dates and times. This is because successful auto transport is dependent on a variety of issues that are beyond the control of the shipper.
Weather can severely impact an auto transport services ability to meet a specific pickup or delivery date and time. Snowstorms, floods, hurricanesno one can predict the exact intensity along specific roadways. Of course carriers keep a close eye on the weather and usually can reroute their drivers to alternate routes. But weather-related delays are common and should be expected.
Another impediment to a specific date and time for auto transport pickup or delivery is roadway construction. Again, most carriers should know about specific construction sites in advance. But they dont control the construction companies or their schedules. They may not be aware of extensions in construction projects, or of sudden changes in project schedules that shift construction to another section of road.
Finally, traffic itself can have a powerful effect on a carriers ability to meet specific deadlines. Who hasnt been caught in a traffic jam for an hour or more, making them late for appointments? An auto transport service is no more immune to the vagaries of city traffic than any other driver.
Some consumers will require that their vehicles be transported based on specific timelines, and if those timelines arent met, the consumers might lose moneyor business of their own. Those consumers who do require specific dates for auto transport of their vehicles should ask their carriers to add special clauses to their contracts that provide some protection if vehicles are not picked up or delivered within a specific range of dates. Rental vehicles, discounts, or cancellations of service are just some of the protections that can be requested of an auto transport service. The carriers can agree to the clause or not, leaving the consumers free to choose the carriers best able to meet their needs.
Auto transport contracts are usually available for review before a consumer needs the service. Wise consumers will review those contracts and request that their special needs be put in writingon paper is fine. Its just as good as stone!
