In part 1 of this blog entry we covered the basics of what you can expect to occur when arranging for the shipment of your vehicle. In part 2 we will now discuss the things you need to look for when signing your pre pickup inspection sheet, also known as a Bill of Lading, and the condition you can expect your vehicle to arrive in.
Once the vehicle transporter arrives to pick up your car, you and the driver will do a walk around inspection of your vehicle. Any blemishes or pre-existing damage will be noted on an inspection form which you will both sign showing acknowledgement of the condition your vehicle was in when it was picked up. The carrier will then load your vehicle, secure it to the car transporter and depart. If you’ve elected to ship your vehicle on an enclosed carrier, you can expect to receive your vehicle in pretty much the same condition it was in when you released it. (Note: Open & Enclosed Carriers were discussed in a previous blog entry, please refer to it for any questions you may have concerning these two different forms of auto shipment)

If you’ve elected to ship your vehicle on an open carrier, which is the most common and affordable form of auto shipment, then you can expect your vehicle to arrive in about the same condition it would be in had you driven it yourself. It will be dirty, especially in the winter months if the auto transporter encounters any snow or ice. The shape and surface area of car transporters causes them to create a vortex around them which can essentially cake your vehicle with debris. This should not alarm you as it is completely harmless, but don’t be surprised if your vehicle arrives dirtier than you expected! Also, because your vehicle is on an open carrier, it is exposed to the same hazards and “Acts of God” that it would be had you driven it yourself.

The term “Acts of God” is something we will discuss in the third installment of this blog entry along with a term that is equally as important: Driver neglect and equipment failure. Those two terms encompass 99.9% of all the damage claims I’ve ever encountered in the auto shipping industry with the other 0.1% being vandalism or theft. Stay tuned for the final installment of this three part blog entry where everything we’ve discussed becomes clearly defined and real-world examples are shared.