Limited Pick Up or Drop Off Windows When Shipping Your Car

If you’ve ever gotten you’re car moved then you are well aware that there are no guarantees regarding dates. There is simply too much that can go wrong with the weather, with other customers, even with the truck. So when you are having your car shipped it’s best to be flexible with your pick up and drop off dates.

Unfortunately it isn’t always easy to be flexible. But there are a few options that can make moving your car fit into your schedule better.

First thing you can do is leave the keys with a neighbor/family member/friend on pick up or have a neighbor/family member/friend accept the car on your behalf on drop off. Pick up is less of a responsibility than drop off because on drop off your neighbor would have to sign an inspection sheet saying the vehicle was received in good condition and that the carrier is released from any liability. This is definitely a job that the owner of the vehicle is best suited for but a neighbor is a good secondary option. Just let the carrier know that a neighbor will be accepting the car.

If you don’t have a neighbor who can do this job for you, you could leave the keys with the car or have the carrier leave the keys with the car when he drops it off. This may seem like an unsafe option but it happens a lot more than you would expect. Some carriers may refuse to drop the car off without a person to sign the inspection sheet at drop off just because if something were to happen before you got to your car the driver would be under the most suspicion and he would have no way to prove that he did in fact drop it off in good condition. Whether this is an option at all is up to your carrier. Just remember that there is some risk involved and that the carrier cannot be liable for anything that happens between when they pick the car up.

Another option is to put the car into a storage facility. The upside is that you don’t have to worry about security, your car is protected and insured, and you can pick your car up anytime. The downside is that you have to pay for this service. The fee is usually pretty small, around 10 or 20 dollars a day. If you have a very valuable vehicle make sure it is stored inside.

There is always a way to make the transport of your vehicle happen. Be as flexible as possible and your broker will help you make shipping your car seamless.