Plain-English definitions of every vehicle transport term: bill of lading, double brokering, deadhead, cargo insurance, MC number, enclosed transport and more.
The legal contract and condition report signed at pickup and delivery. It documents existing damage and proves the vehicle changed hands.
Never skip the walkaround. The pickup BOL is the baseline any damage claim is measured against, which is why TankWorldWide captures photos and digital signatures at both ends.
A licensed intermediary that arranges transport with a motor carrier but does not own trucks.
Brokers must hold FMCSA broker authority and a $75,000 surety bond. A broker is not a problem; an unlicensed one is.
The company that physically hauls your vehicle with its own trucks, authority and cargo insurance.
The carrier's policy that covers damage to the vehicles on the trailer while in transit.
Typical open-carrier limits run $100,000 to $250,000 per load; enclosed specialists often carry $500,000 or more. Always confirm limits exceed your vehicle's value.
Miles a truck drives empty between loads. Deadhead risk is why pickups far off major interstates cost more.
The moment a specific truck and driver are assigned to your vehicle and a pickup window is committed.
Pickup and delivery as close to your addresses as the truck can legally and safely reach.
An 80-foot rig cannot enter most cul-de-sacs or low-clearance garages, so expect to meet at a nearby wide street or shopping center.
When a load is illegally re-sold to another carrier without the shipper's knowledge, breaking the insurance chain.
It is the single biggest fraud risk in auto transport. Verify the truck and driver that show up match the carrier on your dispatch sheet.
Shipping inside a hard-sided trailer that protects the vehicle from weather and road debris.
Costs roughly 40% to 60% more than open transport and has thinner capacity.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the federal agency that issues operating authority and tracks safety records.
A premium service level that commits to a specific pickup date rather than a multi-day window.
A vehicle that cannot roll, brake and steer under its own power, requiring a winch-equipped truck.
Expect $150 to $250 in additional cost and a smaller pool of eligible carriers.
A specific origin-to-destination route, such as Los Angeles to Dallas. Dense lanes price lower because trucks run them daily.
The Motor Carrier number issued by FMCSA that identifies a company's interstate operating authority.
The standard multi-car open trailer used for roughly 90% of vehicle shipments in the U.S.
The range of days during which a carrier expects to collect the vehicle. Tighter windows cost more.
The seasonal migration that tightens capacity southbound October through December and northbound March through May.
Dropping off and collecting the vehicle at storage lots instead of your address. Cheaper, but adds storage fees and handling.
Days on the truck once loaded, generally 400 to 500 miles per day of driving plus other stops on the route.
A federal identifier tied to a company's safety record, inspections and crash history.
A powered cable used to pull a non-running vehicle onto the trailer. Required for most auction and inoperable pickups.
Get an itemized quote in under a minute — no phone number required.
Get my instant quote