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7790 people shipped using A-1 Auto Transport last week
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Value for Money ★★★★★ 4.9
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Dave loved the fast deliveryDave C.
★★★★★
Dave loved the fast delivery
My relocation to Chicago was fast, smooth and without any delay thanks to A1 Auto.
Courtney enjoyed the honest guidanceCourtney J.
★★★★★
Courtney enjoyed the honest guidance
Just what you need when trusting someone with your wheels! Kudos to this company!
Jeff enjoyed the fair priceJeff D.
★★★★★
Jeff enjoyed the fair price
Moved my ride hassle-free with these folks.Fair pricing, no surprises. Definitely recommend them!
Maria enjoyed the special care and safetyMaria L.
★★★★★
Maria enjoyed the special care and safety
Huge thanks to the movers – they were meticulous with my car. Love these guys.
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“A1 Auto Transport became synonymous with top-notch service delivery, unfailing punctuality and constantly preoccupied with customer satisfaction.

See Article— USA Today

The Difference Between Contract, Private, and Common Carriers

Published by Joe Webster.

The Difference Between Contract, Private, and Common Carriers

The auto transport industry is a bit more complicated than many people think, as there are a multitude of carriers in operation, all of which may not be accessible to a single person. All of the transport carriers that you may see while driving is not all necessarily part of the same service that you'll find on your typical auto transport website. There are actually three types of carriers, which are:

  • Contract carriers
  • Private carriers
  • Common carriers

Here's what differentiates each one from the other:

Contract Carriers

Contract carriers are those who have agreed to work exclusively for a single client. That's why they only deliver cars for that one firm. Some auto transport brokers brag about the fact that they, too, operate as carriers, and they have contract carriers with whom they work.

They are less prevalent now and will become even rarer in the future. Because of how auto transport brokers compare prices and availability across a wide range of carriers, this is the case. Only the largest auto transport brokers, often those with a national footprint, have any use for contract carriers.

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Common Carriers

Common carriers are the most common out of the three ones mentioned. They are carriers that are able to be hired by any auto transport broker for an agreed upon price. The majority of the common carriers have open transport trucks, and they are the most efficient and affordable way of transporting vehicles, especially if there is more than one at a time.

Common carriers have to have a full auto transport license, not to mention be fully insured and bonded. The vast majority of auto transport carriers that you might see on the highway are common carriers. Because they are so numerous, they are highly competitive with each other. This allows auto transport brokers to be offered attractive prices, which increases their own profit margins and allows them to, in turn, charge their customers an affordable rate. The reason why your vehicle can be picked up almost immediately at times is due to the abundance of common carriers on the road.

Private Carriers

While common and contract carriers are available to the regular consumer, private carriers are not. Private carriers are not used by auto transport brokers. Instead, they are mostly used by large organizations and companies that have a need to transport a high amount of vehicles. One such example would be automobile manufacturers. In order to make sure that the vehicles get to their dealerships, they haul them themselves directly from the production plant. It's rare that you will be able to ship your vehicle using a private carrier.

As already mentioned, your vehicle will most likely be shipped using a common carrier. Common carriers are able to provide as good of security and service as the other two types, which A-1 Auto Transport works hard to ensure!

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Joe Webster always knew the auto transport industry would be a great career option. And with decades of experience, Joe is now an established consultant for A1 Auto Transport.

Joe was born in Santa Cruz, California. During high school, Joe worked as a mechanic; a job continued to work part-time during his bachelor's degree.

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Testimonial
Mylene Rutllant
It’s my number one pick in auto shipping to this day.
★★★★★
...my choice in terms of auto transport has to be A1 Auto Transport. It’s in the name, but also in the quality with which they do their jobs. I’ve never had a problem with this company.
Testimonial
Luis Rodriguez
You have my full support and recommendation!
★★★★★
A1 Auto Transport... From the get go, they were very different from my past options. Their website was very professional and up to date, full of useful information. I requested a quote using their online form, and I got an email response within an hour. Surprisingly fast!
Testimonial
Cristine Benoit
I can safely say this is a legit company that will get the job done.
★★★★★
There are a lot of options for auto transport these days, which surprisingly makes it harder to find a good company. I received more than 10 offers to ship my car, but I couldn’t decide on any of them... Fortunately, I made the right choice with A1 Auto Transport.
Testimonial
David Osallo
We give A1 Auto Transport a big 10 out of 10!
★★★★★
We give A1 Auto Transport a big 10 out of 10! We chose them to move our car from California to Vermont, since we needed professionals.

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7790 people shipped using A-1 Auto Transport last week
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Transparent Costs

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A-1 Auto Transport is a disclosed agent for the following shipping companies:

CSI Logistics
435 Division Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07201
FMC 22206
Intl Cargo
45 Campus Drive
Edison, NJ 08837
NO. 17858N
Trans Global Auto Logistics, Inc.
3401 E Randol Mill Rd,
Arlington, TX 76011
NO. 018191NF
CFR Rinkens
15501 Texaco Avenue
Paramount, CA 90723
NO. 013055NF
ABC Worldwide LLC
2840 NW 2nd Ave #105
Boca Raton, FL 33431
NO. 025472F
ShipYourCarNow LLC
1160 South Rogers Circle Suite 1
Boca Raton, FL 33487
NO. 025646
Merco Air & Ocean Cargo, Inc.
6 Fir Way
Cooper City, FL 33026
NO. 021869F
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