It is not too long ago that we completed the delivery of a 2014 BMW 435i from Plano, Texas to Owings Mills, Maryland, covering a distance of 1,374 miles on an open trailer at a cost of $1,298.00 or $0.94 per mile.
This particular 435i was operational upon pick-up. Owings Mills is one of our destinations that we are familiar with, as we just delivered an Acura RDX from Owings Mills to Sugar Land, Texas. The comparison of these two shipments will be interesting for this corridor.
The route
This 1,374-mile journey will take the truck through the mid-South region and up over the Appalachians to Maryland.
Plano is situated north of Dallas. The drivers head over to I-30 towards the east, which takes them past Texarkana and then into Little Rock, Arkansas.
Thereafter, the drivers move over onto I-40, taking the load to the east via Memphis and Nashville to Knoxville, Tennessee. There the load heads further north via I-81 to Bristol, Roanoke and Winchester.
Finally at Hagerstown, the drivers move into I-70 towards Baltimore where they join the Beltway (I-695 & I-795). Owings Mills is located northwest of Baltimore, Maryland.
The same corridor, both directions
Here is what both shipments look like together:
Owings Mills to Sugar Land, moving south: 1,465 miles, $1,200.00, $0.82 per mile
Plano to Owings Mills, moving north: 1,374 miles, $1,298.00, $0.94 per mile
Notice how the northbound shipment is shorter but costs more overall, as well as per mile, just as we noted when describing the phenomenon of directional pricing.
The direction influences the cost here since more cars relocate from the Northeast and mid-Atlantic towards Texas/Sun Belt than in the opposite direction. It is easy to fill southbound decks. With the northbound shipment, carriers will try to fill the return leg of the run depending on which side of the route is in lower demand compared to truck availability.
However, there are some limitations to this comparison. It is not the exact opposite direction case since Sugar Land is out of Houston, and Plano is out of Dallas; therefore, the routes in Texas differ a bit. Plus, the two shipments were booked in different time frames. As we have discussed on the recent Camry move, weekly lane situation is capable of changing the rates itself. Use it as an example of directional pricing but not an experiment.
What is clear from it is quite helpful. In this large corridor, the per mile charge was different in both directions by around 15 percent. This is roughly the magnitude of the influence that direction has on pricing, and it explains why the quotation to come back is not the quotation to go out.
See also: Shipping a 2015 Toyota Camry from Gardena, CA to Bastrop, TX
What $0.94 per mile reflects
These two considerations lie underneath this number.
The first is distance. Being a total of 1,374 miles means that there will be a decent amount of road in which the costs associated with pickup, loading, securing, and delivering can be spread, thus putting this far below the per mile cost of a short haul.
The second is direction. In terms of filling out the northbound portion of the route, this is the tougher half.
The type of truck is neutral. A BMW 435i is a midsize coupe that has one standard position.
Open transport
The 435i was transported on an open trailer, which is perfect for an upscale performance coupe that has its original finish.
As we stated in moving a BMW M235i, even the presence of a sporty badge doesn’t automatically require an enclosed trailer, since ground clearance and replacement cost can dictate an open trailer choice. Finish and destination did too.
There is one thing to consider with this kind of car. This generation of BMW cars usually runs on low-profile tires mounted on big wheels, and curb rash of a wheel is one of the most common types of damage to be caused and missed.
Transport summary
- Origin: Plano, TX 75024
- Destination: Owings Mills, MD 21117
- Distance: 1,374 miles
- Service cost: $1,298.00
- Cost per mile: $0.94
- Vehicle: 2014 BMW 435i
- Condition: Operable
- Trailer type: Open
- Route: Plano, TX → I-30 east through Texarkana → Little Rock, AR → I-40 east through Memphis and Nashville → Knoxville, TN → I-81 north through Bristol, Roanoke and Winchester → Hagerstown, MD → I-70 east → I-695 / I-795 → Owings Mills, MD
