Florida Truck

Posted in March 23, 2010 ¬ 12:42 amh.adminNo Comments »

Florida Truck

Florida Truck
Flat-bedding a pick up truck from Florida to Michigan, approximate costs?

I would like to have my F150 ford truck, put onto a flat-bed truck and shipped to Michigan from SW Florida. Anyone have any idea what this might cost, etc?
My truck is a 1995, F150 XLT with a cap, Small V8, with 73,000 miles on rebuilt engine.

Any particular reason you are looking for a flat bed instead of a car carrier?

Reason I ask, is that if a flatbedder is hauling cars, he's usually desperate for freight. Most flatbedders looking for a load out of Florida *are* desperate for freight.....BUT, since they can only haul 2-3 cars on a flatbed truck, they usually require a higher rate, per car, to pay for fuel.

Most flatbedders who empty in FL deadhead to GA and pick up a better-paying flatbed load. If you found one willing to haul cars all the way up to Michigan, you'd bet the rate per car would be pretty steep. Fuel prices are ridiculous right now, and most companies and owner/operators aren't messing around with stuff that doesn't pay.

A car carrier on the other hand, can haul anywhere from 6-10 cars and can therefore haul them for a slightly cheaper rate per car. I used to haul cars out of Michigan to CA and Florida, and for a pickup truck with a topper, would probably charge in the vicinity of 1100-1200 dollars.

Google "auto shippers" or "auto transport" and see what comes up. You might find a better rate, especially this time of year since there are a lot of deals going on for snowbird transports from the south, etc. There is a company called "DAS" that is one of the largest shippers/brokers- they commonly have pretty decent rates.

Few things to be prepared for if you ship your car- Industry-standard shipping time can be anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks, if you pay standard rates. I have seen delivery times take longer, if there is bad weather or breakdowns en route. Beware of a broker that offers you a drastically cheaper rate than everyone else- no one wants to haul cheap cars so your car may sit longer waiting on transport if you "go cheap".

-If time is of the essence, you will need to pay a higher "express rate" and find a company that will *guarantee* delivery within a certain time.

-Do not pack any of your personal belongings in the vehicle. Take anything of value out of the car. The shipping company will not be responsible for any loss or damage caused by items shifting around the car during transport.

-A lot of auto hauling is done (on the industry side) through websites like Central Dispatch.com. You may pay one company (say, DAS for example) a rate of 1100 dollars, and DAS may not have one of their own trucks available to haul it. DAS will put your car up on CentralDispatch where an independent company will bid on your car to haul it. Therefore your car may not *actually* be transported by the company you initially paid for. This is normal and you should not end up paying any additional money.

-Sometimes you will not be expected to pay the whole rate upfront, but will be required to offer "cash on delivery" when you recieve your car in Michigan. Cash is typically the only payment accepted in these cases; call ahead and ask if you wish to pay with a cashier's check or money order.

-Be prepared to travel a short distance away from your home, to meet the driver and pick up your car. Few companies can *guarantee* door-to-door delivery unless you are willing to pay considerably more. Car carriers are full sized 18 wheeled semi trucks, nearing 14 feet tall, with extremely limited ground clearance (the trailers ride lower than a standard automobile and can get high-centered very easily). Every effort will be made to get your car as close to your house as possible, but if your house is in a typical residential area, it may be impossible. Generally if there is a shopping center, mall, or walmart near you, the driver can make arrangements with you there. With your permission he can even drive the vehicle to your home, pick you up and have you drive him back to the truck, for no extra charge.

Sorry this is so long ....like I said, I had a job hauling people's cars from Michigan to California and Florida, and these are some things a LOT of people were not prepared for! If you ship your car on a carrier- all of the above is industry standard! Good luck!!