Truck transportation can be challenging due to its immense size and the experience required to ship these heavy-duty vehicles. Therefore, the first thing you need to think of is to find a trustworthy auto transport company that can handle the challenge.
Although you will assign the shipping process to a reliable transport provider, it is still essential to understand all the details of this process. This knowledge allows you to evaluate the service you will receive and avoid any risks related to your part of the preparations.
The Client’s Responsibilities
Finding an authentic transport company
Choosing the right company is critical to successful truck transportation; keep in mind that by making the correct decision, you will have peace of mind while your truck is in transit. A suitable company must meet the following criteria:
- They must have a valid MC number (Motor Carrier Number); since the Department of Transport regulates the auto transport industry, all auto transport companies must be licensed by (DoT) to operate legally.
If the company doesn’t have an authorized MC number, there is no doubt it is a deceitful company. Legitimate companies will always provide customers with their MC number when requested; they may also make it available on their website for everyone to see.
- Check if the company offers an insurance plan. Auto transport companies may provide the insurance service separately. However, don’t go with a company that won’t insure your truck during shipping; make sure the insurance coverage is real and legal.
- Truck transportation requires an experienced team and comprehensive resources. You must perform a background check and look into the company’s experience through its successful delivery track record.
Preparing your truck for transport
Auto transport companies will ask you to prepare the truck before handing it to them; these preparations can help minimize many shipping risks.
- Check for any leaks: existing leaks require extra attention and special precautions to ensure safe truck transportation. Therefore, telling your transport provider about them is essential.
- Document your truck condition: even though auto transport companies offer insurance coverage, the truck owner has to inspect their truck’s interior and exterior condition and write down all details, including existing scratches and minor damages.
- Remove all personal belongings: the items may damage the truck’s interior. Another reason to take all personal items out is the weight they add to your load, increasing the cost of transportation.
The Auto Transport Company’s Responsibilities
Pick the suitable equipment for your truck transportation
Trucks come in different sizes and shapes, and choosing the best trailer type is indispensable to successful transportation. Trailers’ options include:
- Flatbed trailers: this type of trailer is widely used; it is found anywhere on the roads; flatbed trailers are opened to the air with no protection for shipped vehicles. It has two main advantages; the easy loading process thanks to its stable bed and various capacities, making it an excellent tool for transporting numerous types of trucks. Read about the pros and cons of flatbed trucking.
- Removable Gooseneck trailers: this type is often used in large truck transportation that can’t be loaded on flatbed trailers, but because of its huge size, drivers can’t drive it on narrow roads. Therefore, auto transport companies will need to plan the travel routes using main streets only, which means the distance will be longer, resulting in extra costs.
- Drop deck trailers: also called step deck trailers, allow an easy loading for trucks because their bed can drop down to the ground. After loading, the bed backside will be locked upwards to add more protection to the shipped trucks.
Read more about the types of trailers and trucks used for shipping cars.
Examine the truck capacity
To guarantee safe truck transportation, auto transport companies will ensure the shipping equipment is fully prepared to load a truck on the trailer.
- Examine the brakes: it is known that heavy shipping equipment can burden the braking abilities. Auto transport companies always check the brakes and ensure it’s in the best operational condition.
- Evaluate both the truck and trailer tires: trucks are considered heavy loads, and if the tires aren’t in the best condition, it may cause a negative impact or even some damage.
- Verifying the ramp readiness: ramps play a significant role in the loading process. A suitable ramp will ensure a secure load for the truck; that is why inspecting the ramp strength is important to determine its ability to support the loading perfectly.
Conclusion
While choosing a trustworthy transport company is essential, accurate preparations can be equally important to guarantee successful truck transportation. Although hiring a professional auto transport company means you don’t have to worry about most of the above, reviewing everything yourself is still recommended to ensure your truck will be shipped safely.
Tempus Logix transports all types of heavy-duty vehicles of different sizes. The company can offer many trailer types according to the transportation requirements to guarantee a suitable process in a timely manner. No matter where your heavy-duty vehicle is and where you want it dropped off, professional agents will organize the process by following local and national regulations and keeping you informed about every step.