How to Avoid Shipping Delays When Transporting a Car

For vehicle shipping companies, timely and safe delivery is always a priority. But sometimes, despite the carrier’s diligence, some unpredictable situations may occur, causing your car's shipping delay. Unfortunately, shipping delays are common in the auto transport industry because many variables are included in the process, which external and internal circumstances can impact.

Numerous factors can cause a shipping delay for your car, such as bad weather conditions, getting stuck in traffic, mechanical failures, accidents, road closures, detours, holidays, seasonal fluctuations, miscommunication, inaccurate information flow, unreliable carriers, etc.

Some of them are unpredictable and unavoidable, and you can’t do much when they occur, but others are controllable and can be prevented. Shipping delays always bring anxiety and frustration, so let’s see what we can do to avoid them. Here are some of the most common factors and tips for preventing shipping delays when transporting a car.

Weather and Traffic Conditions

Weather conditions often dictate the pace of car shipping and delivery time. Car shippers travel large distances across the states with various climates, so it can be challenging to predict the weather and driving conditions in other parts of the country. Wet, snowy, or icy roadway surface or reduced visibility due to bright sunlight, fog, or smoke, often force truck drivers to lower their speeds, affecting the slow transits on the highways. The more extreme weather conditions, such as severe winter storms, hurricanes, and wildfires, could hold back a carrier truck for several hours or even days.

The transport industry is strongly affected by traffic conditions. The expected traffic flow disruption is the most common cause of shipment delays. Unexpected events on the road, such as traffic jams, accidents, major construction works, debris in travel lanes, roadblocks, and detours, can cause traffic to move slowly or even stop for hours.

Car deliveries can also be delayed by a massive increase in traffic and shipment volumes, especially around holidays and seasonal peak periods. With thousands of people driving or shipping their vehicles simultaneously, roads quickly get clogged, causing the inevitable shipping delays. Read our blog about the snowbird season to learn more about seasonal fluctuations in auto transport.

Bad weather and traffic conditions are often unpredictable, and when they happen, there's not much you should be able to make sure your vehicle is safe during the shipment. So instead, choose the hauler company with a tracking system that enables you to check the status of your car at any moment.

Vehicle Haul offers both online tracking and tracking via telephone and email. In addition, our dispatch service is available 24/7/365 to provide you with all the information and updates about the shipping status and delivery of your vehicle.

Mechanical Issues

Mechanical issues are another common reason for shipment delays in the auto transport industry. The shipping trucks travel long distances, sometimes thousands of miles across the country. Being on the road can cause notable wear off on their parts and result in mechanical problems and breakdowns.

When it happens, the roadside failure disrupts the truck’s headway and causes an inevitable shipment delay. The time to resolve the issue could vary depending on the severity of the malfunction and the shipper’s experience and competence. On such occasions, you would prefer an experienced and professional hauler capable of resolving the problem quickly, with only a slight delay.

The hauler of your choice must be diligent and accurate in maintaining its trucks regularly to spot issues timely and prevent mechanical problems and failures. Vehicle Haul is very careful in selecting its trucks – all of our trucks are a new generation. Before each shipment, our trucks go through a detailed inspection to ensure everything works correctly, and the shipping will be safe and timely.

Miscommunication and Misunderstanding

Establishing good communication between customers and car shipping companies is the first condition for successful transport arrangements. The entire shipping process depends on exchanging precise information, such as pick-up and drop-off dates and times, route and destination details, vehicle size, transport options, etc. Any inaccurate information, even in the smallest detail, any erroneous information can lead to misunderstanding, further complications, problems in transport, and delays.

To avoid delays, communicate your order clearly and precisely. Provide accurate information about your vehicle and destination, and obtain the shipping details and terms of car transport. This will prevent misunderstandings and avoid potential delays. Read our blog and learn how to avoid common auto shipping problems.

For this reason, you should entrust your shipment to a company like Vehicle Haul with customer service always available for communication, well-informed, and able to address all of your inquiries and guide you through the whole shipping procedure. Contact us anytime for all information and details.

Vehicle Haul – Your Most Reliable Partner in Every Situation

We saved the most crucial advice for the end. You need to engage a well-established, reliable hauler for your car shipping process. Many auto shipping companies are out there, but not all of them are credible to entrust your precious vehicle, especially when it comes to unpredictable shipment delays. Read our blog and learn how to find a credible car shipping company in 2022.

You must deal with a reliable hauler company capable of handling this kind of logistic challenge. A professional and experienced hauler company will be able to avoid further complications in these situations and make strategic moves to navigate delayed shipments.

With over 15 years of experience in the transportation industry, millions of covered miles, professional drivers, and an expert logistic team, Vehicle Haul is your most reliable partner in every situation. By engaging the services of Vehicle Haul, you can be sure your vehicle is in the safest hands and will be delivered to you as soon as possible. Learn more about Vehicle Haul services and our many car shipping options to help you transport your car quickly and safely.