How it works
What actually happens between your quote and your driveway
Auto transport has a reputation problem because a lot of companies keep the process vague. Here is the whole sequence, including the parts that are outside anyone's control.
Sequence
Six stages, start to finish
- 01
Quote request
You give us the route, the vehicle, its running condition and how flexible your dates are. Every one of those changes what a carrier will accept, which is why the form asks about them instead of just mileage.
- 02
Lane review and written quote
A coordinator reviews what carriers are currently accepting on your lane for your equipment type. You get a written quote that states the equipment, the pickup window it assumes and what is included.
- 03
Carrier assignment
When you approve the quote, we post and negotiate the load with vetted carriers. Once a carrier commits, you receive the company name, driver contact and the scheduled window. No deposit is requested before this point.
- 04
Pickup and bill of lading
The driver inspects the vehicle with you and records existing damage on the bill of lading. Take your own photos in daylight. Remove personal items, toll transponders and anything loose.
- 05
Transit
Carriers drive legal hours and often run multi-stop routes. Weather, road closures and inspection stops shift real windows. We tell you when something changes rather than repeating the original estimate.
- 06
Delivery and inspection
Inspect the vehicle against the pickup bill of lading before you sign. Note anything new on the paperwork at that moment — that document is what a damage claim rests on.
Roles
Broker, carrier — and why the difference matters
Velocity Auto Transport arranges transportation as a transportation broker. We do not own trucks or employ drivers. The carrier is the trucking company that physically hauls your vehicle, operating under its own authority and its own cargo insurance.
That structure is normal in this industry and it has a real advantage: instead of waiting for one company's own truck to reach your area, we can source from many carriers running your corridor. It also has a real obligation, which is where brokers earn or lose their reputation — vetting who we hand your vehicle to, and pricing the load high enough that a legitimate carrier will actually take it.
What we are accountable for
- Quoting a price that reflects what carriers are accepting on your lane
- Verifying carrier operating authority and cargo coverage before assignment
- Communicating the window, the changes to it, and the carrier's contact details
- Staying reachable while your vehicle is in transit
What no one can promise
- An exact pickup or delivery hour on standard service
- Weather, traffic, road closures or DOT inspection delays
- A price that ignores what the market is paying and still gets dispatched
If a company guarantees a specific date on standard service without a written guaranteed service agreement, treat that as a sales tactic rather than a commitment.
Preparation
How to have a clean pickup
Ninety percent of pickup problems come from three things: an inaccessible location, an undisclosed condition change, and a quarter tank rule nobody mentioned.
- Leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Enough to load and unload, light enough to keep the trailer under weight limits.
- Remove personal belongings. Carrier cargo insurance covers the vehicle, not the contents.
- Disable alarms and remove toll transponders. Both cause avoidable problems on a multi-day haul.
- Tell us about condition changes. If the car stopped starting since you requested the quote, that changes the equipment and the price. Telling us early is cheaper than telling the driver at the curb.
- Plan for access. Narrow streets, low branches, gated communities and tight lots may mean meeting the driver at a nearby wide lot. That is normal and does not make it less of a door-to-door service.
- Have a backup contact. Someone who can release or receive the vehicle if you can't be there.
Get a quote
Ready for a straight answer on your route?
Tell us the route, the vehicle and its condition. We review current carrier-market conditions for that lane and come back with a quote we can actually stand behind.