c/auto-shipping

Open carriers are way safer than people make them out to be

I shipped my F-150 from Dallas to Denver last month and everyone told me to pay extra for enclosed. I went with an open hauler from Southwest Auto Movers for $850 and it arrived with zero rock chips or scratches. I found a study from the FMCSA that said less than 0.5% of open carrier cars get damage. Has anyone else had a good experience with open shipping, or am I just lucky?

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dianal94•2d ago

Pickup truck gate got crushed on the hauler, how do I handle the claim?

Last Monday I shipped my F-150 from Dallas to Nashville on an open trailer. When it arrived the tailgate had a big dent right in the middle like something fell on it. Driver said it must have happened on I-40 but he didn't notice until unloading. I took photos right away and signed the delivery note as damaged. Problem is the broker is saying I need to go through their claims process but the driver's company is pointing fingers back at the broker. I paid $850 total for the move. Has anyone else been stuck between the broker and the carrier like this? Who actually ended up paying for your damage and how long did it take?

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kelly258•7d ago

My dispatcher swore by open carriers, and he was right about my Mustang

I run a small side gig hauling cars between Texas and Arizona. My dispatcher, Ron, kept pushing me to use open carriers for a 2019 Mustang I picked up in El Paso. I insisted on enclosed because I was scared of rock chips, and it cost me an extra $420 plus a 2 day delay. The car arrived fine on an open trailer three weeks later with zero damage, and now I just listen to Ron. Has anyone else paid for enclosed and regretted it?

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the_holly•11d ago

How a $40 tarp cost me an extra 300 miles on my last delivery

I was shipping a Ford F-150 from Phoenix to Denver last month. The customer wanted it covered, so I strapped down my usual tarp like I always do. Halfway through New Mexico, the wind caught it and ripped one corner clean off. By the time I stopped, the paint on the hood was sandblasted from gravel dust. I had to turn back to a shop in Albuquerque, buy a better tarp with reinforced grommets, and reroute through the mountains to avoid more high wind. Took me an extra day and a half. Anyone else had a cheap tarp fail on an open trailer, or do you all just run enclosed for long hauls?

1 comments

daniel_walker•12d ago

Paid $89 for enclosed shipping on a Corvette, worst mistake of my life

So I shipped my dad's old Corvette from Phoenix to Dallas last month and figured the extra cash for enclosed transport was worth it. The carrier showed up 3 days late and the driver backed into a low tree branch, left a nice scratch on the roof. The company tried to blame it on preexisting damage even though I had photos from pickup. Ended up paying $250 for a local paint touch-up and the claim process went nowhere. Anyone else had luck with those cheaper open carriers instead, or am I just cursed?

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lane.cameron•14d ago

Open trailer vs enclosed for a 900 mile run, I finally picked a side

Had to ship a 1967 Mustang from Nashville to KC last month. Every quote I got was split between open and enclosed, about $650 difference on average. I went with open because the car is a driver, not a trailer queen, and the paint already has chips. Saved the money, car showed up in 4 days with zero issues. But the guy next to me at the pickup lot was shipping a 2024 Corvette enclosed and he paid almost double. Made me wonder if I got lucky or if open is just fine for most daily drivers. Anyone else run open on something they cared about and regret it?

1 comments

nguyen.tara•14d ago

Contractors quoting 3 week cross country runs now taking 6

I booked a Florida to Oregon move back in March and the contract said 14 to 18 days. My car finally showed up in Portland on day 39 after three different excuses about driver swaps and weather in Texas. Has anyone else seen quotes that far off this year or was this just a bad broker?

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king.wyatt•16d ago

Broker said 5 days, took 12, but the rate was still worth it

Shipped my F-150 from Denver to Boise last month and the broker quoted 5 days door to door. It sat at a yard in Salt Lake for a week because the driver kept pushing his pickup date. But I paid $850 versus the $1,100 the big carriers wanted, so honestly I'd do it again. Has anyone else found that cheaper brokers just pad the timeline to make up for the lower rate?

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keith_rodriguez•16d ago

Just found out brokers can legally hold your deposit for 45 days, check your contract

I was reading the fine print on a quote from a broker for a Tacoma to Phoenix haul and it said they can keep my $500 deposit for 45 days if the driver cancels for any reason. I've shipped 3 cars before and never saw that clause, has anyone else gotten burned by this or is it just this company?

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mila_flores8•20d ago

Old timer at the yard made me miss the paper Bill of Lading days

Was waiting for a pickup at the lot in Newark last week and this driver, must be 60, starts talking about how he used to carry a binder full of paper bills of lading. Said now everything is on a tablet and he can't even see the load details till the app updates. Made me think about how I've been shipping since 2012, back when I'd fax over the rate confirm and the driver showed up with a clipboard. Sure, it's faster now, but there was something about that paper trail that felt solid. Anyone else miss the old way or am I just stuck in the past? How many of you still print anything out for a haul?

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caleb_ross12•20d ago

Crossed 200 shipped cars and finally admit the spreadsheet matters

I hit 200 vehicles transported through my small operation last week, and it's the first time I actually sat down and looked at the numbers by route. Turns out the 150 mile runs I thought were my bread and butter barely break even after fuel and deadhead time. Anyone else find their 'good' routes are actually the worst when they do the math?

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miam75•23d ago

An old dispatcher in Ohio showed me how to strap cars right

He watched me load a sedan in Columbus and said, 'You're gonna lose that in a hard brake.' I switched to cross-strapping the front wheels instead of just the frame hooks, and my last 12 trips have had zero movement complaints. Anyone else pick up a trick from a veteran carrier that made a bigger difference than any pricey tool?

2 comments

william_henderson•23d ago

Is a broker really worth the fee after what I saw in Tacoma?

I was at the Tacoma port last Tuesday watching cars get loaded for an Alaska run. One broker was juggling three different transporters on his phone while the dock workers just stood around waiting for paperwork. Made me wonder if that 15% fee buys you actual speed or just peace of mind. Meanwhile another guy booked direct with a carrier and his Mustang was on the ramp in under an hour. Has anyone else seen the difference play out like that, or was I just watching a bad day for the broker?

2 comments

chen.casey•24d ago

Just realized shipping a car across state lines costs way more in summer

I sent a sedan from Phoenix to Seattle last June and it ran me $1,200, but a buddy moved the same route in February and only paid $800. Figured it's because more people move when the weather's good and demand spikes. Anyone else notice prices change with the seasons like that?

2 comments

briancarter•25d ago

Hit 50 cars shipped in 6 months without a single damage claim

I started doing auto transport back in February just as a side gig, honestly thought I'd get a dent or something by now. But I've been super careful with straps and blocking, plus I always take way too many photos of the load before I leave. Was just checking my log and realized I'm at 50 cars with zero claims. For a guy who's still learning the ropes this felt pretty big. Anyone else track their clean streak like this?

2 comments

emmaallen•25d ago

Stuck waiting 3 weeks for a simple brake controller install on my tow rig

I dropped off my truck at a shop in Phoenix for a basic brake controller install and they told me two days, but it took three full weeks because they kept ordering the wrong harness. The guy kept saying "should be here tomorrow" and I missed two hauling jobs because of it. Has anyone else dealt with shops that just can't seem to get simple let installs right?

2 comments

ray_hernandez•1mo ago

Used to pay for enclosed shipping every time, now I don't

After my last car got delivered with a tiny scratch inside the open trailer, I figured it was fine for local trips under 500 miles. My buddy showed me his car came from Texas to Ohio without a single mark on an open hauler for $600 less, so I gave it a shot last month and it worked out perfect.

3 comments

alicecooper•1mo ago

Rant: My classic Mustang got dented during shipping

I shipped my '67 Mustang from Dallas to Phoenix last month, paid extra for enclosed transport and everything. Got it today and there's a fist-sized dent on the rear quarter panel, driver caught a loose strap buckle slapping around on a bump. Anyone else had luck getting the broker to actually pay for damages like this?

2 comments

riveradams•1mo ago

Had a shipper tear into my loading method last month - changed everything about how I strap cars down

I was at a depot in Columbus tying down a Honda Civic for transport when the driver (older guy, 20+ years in the game) comes over and says my rachet straps were way too loose on the rear axle. He showed me how the angle was off by maybe 15 degrees and I'd been doing it this way for like 3 years without knowing. Now I always pull the straps at a steeper angle toward the frame rail and check tension twice before rolling out. Anyone else had a seasoned driver call them out on something small that actually mattered?

2 comments

cora_scott77•1mo ago

Just found out brokers can charge 30% more than direct carriers

Saw a breakdown on a shipping forum showing brokers sometimes take 30% of the total cost for themselves. Did anyone else not realize the markup was that high when they booked?

2 comments

derekjenkins•1mo ago

Broker promised enclosed shipping for $1,200 but my classic Mustang showed up on an open flatbed anyway

I booked with a broker out of Phoenix back in March. Paid a deposit specifically for enclosed transport for my 67 Mustang. Guy named Rick swore up and down it'd be covered. When the truck finally showed up three days late, it was open air. Rick claimed the enclosed carrier "had a mechanical" and they subbed it out without telling me. The driver didn't even have the right tie-downs. My driver side door got a nasty scratch near the handle. Rick refused to refund the enclosed premium. Said it's in the fine print. Is this just how it goes with brokers or did I pick a bad one? Has anyone actually gotten money back for a bait-and-switch like this?

2 comments

lauras83•1mo ago

I was strapping cars down wrong for 2 years before a trucker called me out at a lot in Phoenix

I always cranked the ratchet straps as tight as humanly possible, thinking tighter meant safer. Some old guy hauling classic cars told me I was putting too much stress on the suspension and showed me how to leave a little give. Has anyone else been making this mistake without realizing it?

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pat_coleman•1mo ago

The one stat about enclosed trailers that blew my mind last week

I was just browsing around on some shipping forums (you know, killing time during lunch) and stumbled onto a report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. It said that only about 10% of auto haulers run enclosed trailers, which honestly shocked me. I always figured enclosed was way more common than that, especially for expensive cars. The report broke it down by region too and apparently the Midwest has even fewer enclosed options than the coasts. I guess open transport is just way more efficient for the volume they move. But it got me wondering - how do people actually find a good enclosed carrier when they need one? Has anyone here had a bad experience with open vs. enclosed shipping?

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cora_scott77•1mo ago

I finally believed the online reviews about a broker after my car got held up in Ohio

I shipped my Honda from Dallas to Chicago last month. I saw this broker had good reviews but I figured they were all fake like most online stuff. My car got stuck at a yard in Toledo for 3 days because the driver had a family emergency. The broker called me every morning with updates, no BS. They even knocked $50 off the bill without me asking. Has anyone else had a broker actually come through when things went sideways?

2 comments

lane.cameron•1mo ago

I visited a shipping terminal in Newark and saw something wild with the carriers

Was down at the Port Newark terminal last Thursday watching cars get loaded onto a ship. Noticed about 1 in 4 vehicles had their doors left unlocked or windows cracked open. Some haulers say it's to prevent pressure damage, others call it a security risk. Which side are you on with this debate?

2 comments