How to prepare for your upcoming vehicle shipment
Are you shipping your vehicle for the first time and you’re not sure how the procedure works? No worries, we’ve got you covered. In this article we’ll provide you with all the information you might possibly need during the whole process of the shipment.
Let’s start with what you need to do and know before the pick up.
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Vehicle Preparation: Ensure Safe Transit
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Loose parts. Please make sure to remove any loose parts that can come off during the transportation, especially if you chose to use an open car hauler.
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Gas Tank Level. Due to DOT weight regulations, we recommend that your gas tank is less than a ¼ tank full. This amount allows the carrier to load the vehicle on and off without any issues while still maintaining the weight within permitted limits.
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Alarm Systems. Disconnect the alarm system before the vehicle gets picked up, or provide the alarm remote to the carrier. This will help to avoid any unexpected difficulties during transportation.
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Cargo Restrictions: Prioritize Safety and Compliance
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Prohibited Items. Firearms, ammunition, fire extinguishers and other dangerous objects are not allowed to be shipped inside the vehicle. Make sure you check your vehicle and remove these items before shipping.
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Toll Devices. Prior to transport, remove any pre-paid toll devices such as EZ Pass, Sun Pass, etc. Leaving them in the vehicle may result in unintended toll charges during transit. However, if such situation does occur, make sure to call us immediately.
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Personal Items and Security Measures
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Personal Items. Pack light and soft personal items. Only transport luggage or small boxes inside the trunk (maximum weight of 100 lbs). Infant car seats and spare tires with jacks are allowed. Do not over-pack the vehicle or place anything not permanently mounted or bolted, as this may require additional compensation or removal for safety reasons. If you need to transport extra items inside your vehicle, please make sure you advise your shipping agents about this in advance. Important
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Paperwork or Valuable Items. Avoid leaving important documents like your Title or personal papers as well as any valuable items in the vehicle. Remove them and keep them with you during transport for safety purposes.
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Keys. You must provide the carrier with keys to the ignition, trunk, gas cap, and any locked compartment. We also advise to have copies of your keys made and leave only the copies for the carrier(keep your original set of keys)
Now that you have prepared you vehicle for pick up, let’s go over the important things to know during the pick up.
Once the driver gets to the pick up location he must inspect the vehicle for any preexisting damage. This inspection has to be done together with the Pickup Contact Person after which a *Bill of Lading has to be filled out and signed. It is important that you take as many detailed pictures and/or videos as possible at the time of pick up and keep a copy of the Bill of Lading until the delivery.
*Bill of Lading is a vehicle condition report that shows the detailed condition of the vehicle at the time of pick up and is used to make sure the vehicle arrives in the same condition as it was picked up in. It is also used in case a damage occurred during transit and there’s a need to make a claim to the carrier’s insurance company.
At this point we can talk about how the delivery of the vehicles happens. The process is very similar to the pick up - the vehicle needs to be inspected by both the carrier and the Delivery Contact Person to make sure that there were no new damages done to the vehicle. How can you do that? Just take a look at the copy of the Bill of Lading from pick up and compare it with the current state of the vehicle. It is also convenient to have a damp cloth ready as well as a flashlight in case of a bad lighting situation.
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO NOTE ANY NEW DAMAGES IN THE BILL OF LADING OTHERWISE AN INSURANCE COMPANY MIGHT DENY THE CLAIM. Your vehicle is covered by the carrier’s insurance company during transit.
What happens if your vehicle is damaged?
No need to freak out here, such things might happen to anyone and we’ll make sure to guide you in the process of making a claim to the carrier’s insurance company. What you’ll need is the signed and filled out copy of Bill of Lading, some pictures of the vehicle from pick up and a Dispatch Sheet that you can request from your shipping agent at Pride.
Contact us and let us know about the issue so we can send you the carrier’s insurance file and inform you how you can make a claim. Please let us know if you have all the paperwork needed so we can make sure we help you out in the most efficient way possible.
Get in Touch
1007 Orange St 4th floor,
Wilmington, DE 19801, USA
Working hours:
9 AM- 5 PM EST