Vehicle transport companies deal with numerous clients that purchase or sell vehicles at auctions and request help with shipping. Among these are many dealerships adding to their inventory and car rental companies looking to sell vehicles at auctions.

One factor that can impact the viability of auction purchases and/or sales is transportation costs. Maximizing loads and determining the best routes can help reduce your costs and improve your bottom line. When determining what types and how many vehicles to take to or purchase from auctions, consider load factors, weight and distance.

Load Factors

In general, most car haulers will average eight cars per load.

Passenger cars average eight to nine per load, depending on the size of the sedan.

For midsize vehicles such as minivans, the average load factor is seven.

For mixed loads of eight, the makeup can consist of four midsize vehicles and four cars, or five SUVs and three cars.

Most importantly, if you call for a shipping quote on a full truckload and then exceed the number of vehicles that can fit on that truck, the single car or cars left over will have a much higher cost of transportation on a per-unit basis.

Weight Factor

Per Department of Transportation regulations, the total weight cannot exceed a combined total of 80,000 pounds, which equates to 32,000 to 34,000 pounds of cargo weight.

The best advice we can offer is to contact an experienced vehicle transport company and let them know about the specific types of vehicles involved. The dispatcher should be able to advise you on whether or not the load will likely go over the weight limit.

Distance

As you might expect, the cost for a truckload moving freight to a major city or common truck lane will cost less than a shipment to a rural destination with smaller roads and more restrictions. Transit times will also be affected when traveling to and from a rural area. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Hours of Service Regulations currently stipulate driving a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.

To learn more about other considerations for cross-country shipping, read my previous article here. 

With the right knowledge, you can arrange efficient vehicle transport to save your dealership time and money, and get your new inventory on the lot quicker.

Martha Garcia-Perry is director of account management with MetroGistics.