This is just one of the recent deliveries for our company, where we shipped a Chevrolet Equinox from Troy, MI to Vista, CA. The delivery spanned across 2,321 miles with open trailer, costing $1,550.00 per 2,321 miles for a total of $0.67 per mile.
The Equinox vehicle was operational at pickup. It was a business to business shipment from commercial pickup location to a commercial drop-off location, and this alters the nature of the shipment significantly, and is important to mention since the majority of our posts are consumer shipments.
The route
The 2,321-mile journey that begins at Troy ends at Vista through the Midwest, plains, and the Great Basin.
Troy is located in Oakland County, above Detroit. The drivers make their way to I-75 and continue on towards Toledo before continuing to go west along the toll road of Ohio and Indiana to Chicago.
From here I-80 takes care of the middle part of this journey. It passes through Iowa via Des Moines, goes through Nebraska via Omaha and North Platte, into Wyoming via Cheyenne, over the Wasatch and finally into Salt Lake City.
Here the direction changes and the road moves southward towards I-15, passing St. George and Las Vegas, Nevada. From here the truck descends into California and comes to Vista in northern San Diego County through Escondido on CA-78.
What changes on a commercial booking
All dealer transactions, fleet movements, auctions, leasing returns, and corporate relocation programs flow through the same logistics system that serves individual consumers, but what’s different about commercial shipping is everything else.
Access is not an issue anymore. The two most frequent issues when moving a consumer are a street that is inaccessible to a full-size carrier and nobody to accept the delivery. Commercial addresses typically have parking lots, docks, and employees to accept the vehicle during business hours. Both obstacles vanish into thin air.
Someone knows how to handle this kind of move. The receiving and releasing of vehicles is a standard procedure for a dealer or fleet operator. The condition report will be filled out properly, the keys will be there, and the dimensions of the truck are not a surprise to anyone.
The timing will be much easier to accommodate. Commercial locations work five days a week, not one particular day. That means a bigger pick-up window and, as we have previously explained, that equals a lower price.
Paperwork and payment are different processes. Commercial moves are normally invoiced, as opposed to cash payments made to the driver at time of delivery. In a company that moves vehicles on a regular basis, it’s a process versus a bunch of errands.
The volume makes the discussion different. A company that moves vehicles on a monthly basis is not the same customer as one that moves the vehicle just once. The lanes become predictable, and predictable lanes are more easily priced.
However, it’s the same network in both cases. Commercial moves are handled by the same vetted carriers with the same insurance check as anything else we move. It’s the same vehicle; the logistics are just better.
What $0.67 per mile reflects
There are three aspects which played in favour of this booking.
First and foremost is distance. The cost of pickup, loading and securing for a carrier does not vary with distance but remains constant; moreover, coordination and delivery also have similar fixed costs. Splitting this cost over 2,321 miles means that per mile cost becomes small.
Second is open transportation. The open trailer transports more vehicles in a single load and operates much more frequently than an enclosed trailer.
Third aspect is commercial access, which is the only aspect which is unique to this booking. Business operation during business hours and more flexible pickup time provide additional choices to a carrier which he will not have in case of residential shipment.
The corridor itself is another factor. Interstate 80 covering the north half of the country and Interstate 15 south to southern California are primary shipping corridors.
Open transport
The Equinox was loaded on an open trailer, which is normal practice for business and fleet transport.
It’s a manufactured crossover with a factory clear coat, and it goes enclosed if there is any chance that a rock chip would be an issue. On a business vehicle traveling from one business location to another, it’s the logical choice.
Ground clearance was not an issue. The Equinox is raised enough that ramp angle did not become a consideration at either end of the trailer. The Equinox was secured using soft ties over the tires, and no chain suspension was used.
Transport summary
- Origin: Troy, MI 48083
- Destination: Vista, CA 92081
- Distance: 2,321 miles
- Service cost: $1,550.00
- Cost per mile: $0.67
- Vehicle: 2020 Chevrolet Equinox
- Condition: Operable
- Trailer type: Open
- Booking type: Business to business
- Route: Troy, MI → I-75 south to Toledo, OH → Ohio and Indiana toll roads → Chicago, IL → I-80 west through Des Moines, Omaha and North Platte → Cheyenne, WY → Salt Lake City, UT → I-15 south through St. George and Las Vegas → Barstow, CA → Escondido → Vista, CA
