Vehicle Shipping Solutions for Service Members: What You Need to Know

Car shipping companies offer invaluable services for many people, but are especially useful for service members, especially when it comes to moving due to a PCS transfer (permanent change of station).

When that happens, finding the right car shipping service is going to be key, as you don’t want to give your vehicle or the rest of your inventory to the wrong service provider. So, here’s what you need to know about vehicle shipping solutions for service members.

1. Look for companies that specialize in military car shipping services

There are many car shipping carriers out there, but not all of them specialize in working with service members and military vehicles, weapons, and inventory. However, many of the ones that don’t specialize in that and lack the necessary safety protocols and equipment will still often respond positively to inquiries into whether they can provide such services or not.

So, the onus usually falls on the customer to research a particular carrier and see if they have the right equipment and tools for their particular vehicle, as well as the right storage space, security measures, and licensing to safely store their weapons and inventory.

2. You can check for discounts for service members

On a positive note, not only are there car shipping carriers that do specialize in working with service members, but the ones that do will often have special discounts and promo deals for service members, too. This is a great extra incentive to look for the right service instead of settling with the first carrier you find.

3. Check for proper carrier licensing and insurance

Service members are often used to everything being done by the book, but back in the civilian world, many businesses and service providers tend to skirt some of their responsibilities. In the case of some car shipping solutions, this can even include things such as lacking licensing and even insurance.

Needless to say, such services should be avoided by anyone, especially service members. Any car shipping carrier that lacks a Motor Carrier (MC) number issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) or a United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) number should be avoided.

4. The government will cover a portion, if not all, of your transportation expenses

The government offers its Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation (MALT) to service members and to cover their transportation expenses in the case of a PCS transfer. This can often cover even a personally owned vehicle (POV), although there can be exceptions, so this should be checked on a case-by-case basis.

When such coverage is provided, however, that monetary allowance can cover most of the transportation expenses, or often even all of them. This doesn’t mean that service members shouldn’t still look for affordable car shipping services, as some shipping solutions can be a tad overpriced. However, given the quality requirement for transporting service members’ vehicles, that government allowance is a good way to get the proper service you need.

5. Look for experience

Any reputable car shipping carrier ought to have experienced drivers, but that’s not often the case. Fortunately, you can always ask to check the driver’s professional history before signing with a particular carrier.

6. Make sure full vehicle inspections are included

Full vehicle inspections before loading and unloading the vehicle are a must for most customers and are always strongly recommended. Such inspections guarantee that the carrier will accept the responsibility for any accidents that may occur during the transportation of your vehicle.

7. Services with good customer service and communication are invaluable

Customer service is always important, but when it comes to shipping the vehicles of military service members, it becomes even more crucial. This doesn’t just include having a phone line for answering side questions, it often includes offering adequate communication about the service beforehand, as well as giving access to car tracking data during transit.

Conveyance is a complicated business niche with many factors and features that need to be considered. This is even more true for the transport of the vehicles and inventory of service members. Fortunately, not only are there reliable car shipping companies for this kind of job, but there are even companies that offer great discounts for service members, in addition to the government potentially covering the transportation costs of even personally owned vehicles.

Still, cost is secondary to security, and the main priority here should always be to find a car shipping company that offers the best possible service.