UCR ROADSIDE ENFORCEMENT STARTS FEBRUARY 1st 2013

Posted on by High | Posted in Blog, car shipping, Transport News, Transport Tips, Vehicle Shipping AgentTagged , , , , , , , , ,

All carriers (for-hire, private and exempt) as well as brokers, freight forwarders and leasing companies operating interstate (state to state) and international commerce are subject to UCR registration. Starting February 1st officers will check the www.safersys.org website to verify you are registered and have been for 2011, 2012 and 2013.

The violation is 392.2UCR – “Failure to pay UCR fees” of 49 CFR and it has been added to the ASPEN system. For citations and traffic summons consult your state statutes and department regulations.
Go here and get registered! http://www.ucr.in.gov/

High End Transport

The Auto Transport Industry is Changing! Are you Ready!

Posted on by High | Posted in Blog, Transport Tips, Vehicle Shipping AgentTagged , , , , ,

The broker bond is increasing to $75,000 in July 2013. All brokers must comply and must have a 3 year history in a relevant business or certified training. This will cause many small and financially unsound companies to go out of business. Our biggest concern is that carriers are going to get stuck with bill of ladings that will never be paid and broker bonds that are already maxed out.

As you already know High End Transport, Inc. pays its carriers within 2 business days of delivery. This means that we don’t use your money to pay OUR bills. We pay you first then wait sometimes 30, 60, 90 or more for the shippers to pay us. Be careful about which brokers you choose to pick up vehicles for, especially when we get closer to that July 31st deadline.

Another thing changing is severe penalties of $10,000 for EACH violation for BROKERING WITHOUT A LICENSE and UNLIMITED liability for payments. ANYONE brokering transport without a license including carriers will now be subject to those penalties.

If you would like a copy of the bill or the “cheat sheet” with the things that apply to our industry please email me. The team at High End Transport, Inc. values Carriers as partners in the Auto Transport Industry and we look forward to our continued relationship.

Auto Transport Makes Top 10 Complaints for BBB

Posted on by High | Posted in Auto Auctions, Automotive News, Blog, car shipping, Exotic vehicles, Go Green, Luxury Vehicles, Miami, South Florida, Transport News, Transport Tips, Vehicle Shipping AgentTagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Auto Transport Makes Top 10 Complaints for BBB SE Florida!
So why doesn’t it make Top 10 Inquiries? Every month in the “New Trends @ BBB” you will see Automobile Transporting Services listed under the “Top Ten Complaints.” Rarely do you see it listed under the “Top Ten Inquiries.” Collectively we as consumers do a good job of policing industries. For the most part we can rationalize that a company can’t be 100% perfect but if a company has multiple complaints over and over we steer clear! What does it take to get consumers and businesses checking every vendor or company they are about to work with on the BBB first? I can’t answer that question but I can tell you why you should.
Auto transport has had its share of “bad apples:” brokers who have taken orders to move customer cars but never get the job done and carriers illegally brokering your transport to a “buddy” who never picks up the car. This can be financially devastating to a person who is moving and doesn’t have a vehicle, maybe starting a new job with no transportation etc. Also, if you just bought your car from a dealership or an online company you would like to receive it before you have to make your first payment! There are several ways to check out an auto transport company before you lose:
1. CHECK THE BBB! Make sure they have some type of “A” rating anything lower is not a good sign. They have not been verified as a legitimate company. They don’t respond, resolve or care about customer complaints or they just have so many complaints something is not right!
2. Ask for their “MC” number and verify it with www.fmcsa.dot.gov . If they are broker their broker status should say “Active.” If they are a carrier or a contract carrier their status should be “Active” and the truck picking up your car MUST have the same name and MC number on the side as the company you hired. No Exceptions No Excuses it’s a federal regulation period!
3. Google the name of the company! Just like employers Google new hires you should Google anyone you are about to do business with. Find their reviews, complaints and kudos all over the internet and make an educated decision. If something makes you uncomfortable ask them about it, sometimes the issue was a misunderstanding but you can judge by the auto transporters response.
4. Insurance – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration changed in 2011 and NO LONGER REQUIRE CARGO CARRIERS TO HAVE CARGO INSURANCE! Good brokers deal directly with the carriers’ insurance company to avoid fraud. The broker will provide you with an insurance certificate in their name for the carrier dispatched to pick up your car. If you are getting the insurance directly from the carrier you need to turn around and contact the insurance company and request the information from them directly. Insurance can lapse and since the FMCSA is no longer requiring cargo (your automobile is considered cargo) then you need to be on top of this issue.
When transporting a personally owned vehicle (POV) the toughest part is that consumers are entering into a very commercial transaction. This is not like moving your household goods (which have better consumer protections). Knowing the process is the key! Do your inspections with the carrier when the car is picked up and delivered and note any transport damage on the final inspection. Understand that you are not reserving an entire truck to yourself and there may be 2-9 other customers involved in the load. You will have pick- up and delivery windows and sometimes those change because of delays with cars before you, weather, traffic, weigh stations, DOT stops…..you see where this is going right! The only thing guaranteed in auto transport is that something will change!
Check out any company and understand the auto transport process and you will have a better and safer experience. It’s a green decision to transport your car. Every carrier you see on the road with 10 cars is 10 less cars on the road. It’s cheaper than driving it yourself, paying for fuel, hotels, tolls and giving up all of that time out of your wonderful life. Transport just transport smart!
Melissa Carbonell
Marketing Manager
High End Transport, Inc.
[email protected]

Dude! Where’s my car!!!!!!!

Posted on by High | Posted in Auto Auctions, Automotive News, Blog, car shipping, Exotic vehicles, Transport News, Transport Tips, Vehicle Shipping Agent

It’s not just media hype that every transport magazine and vehicle logistics magazine have multiple articles on the future problems in trucking.   The truth is there are multiple factors plaguing the industry.

Issue 1:  When the market peaked in 2007 there were an estimated 13000 plus car haulers sharing the business. Prices were low and timeframes were fast.  Now in 2011 we are lucky to have 8000 experienced car haulers on the road.

Issue 2:  Many of the experienced drivers have moved on to other careers and have no interest in returning to car hauling.    It takes experience to prevent damage to vehicles and it requires a relatively fit person to handle the physical parts of the job.  This is not a job that any and all truckers can do.  Because each vehicle is different and needs to be tied down, unloaded and loaded in a particular way training new drivers will not be an easy task for this side of trucking.

Issue 3: The trucking industry in general is in high demand and demand for drivers and equipment is causing many companies to offer better benefits and better pay.  Truck Makers and trailer manufacturers have more orders than can be produced in a reasonable amount of time to solve the problem.

Issue 4: All of the above and the price of fuel have caused the price of transport to skyrocket.  We saw this happen in 2008 but it was only due to fuel costs.  Now we have a major truck shortage and demand for transportation increasing and higher fuel prices.  It’s a triple whammy!

So where does that leave the Salesperson or Manager trying to get their cars from another city or state.  We hope it doesn’t leave him/her waiting too much longer but we do want to set the right expectations.  Add a few days more for getting the vehicle picked up and add a few dollars more to be priced right in the new market.  Remember it’s not about paying less and waiting for a spot, there are no more cancellation “spots.”

Where does that leave High End Transport, Inc.   We hope it keeps us where we are and growing, providing good communication with dealers and their customers.  Delivering vehicles in a timely manner for a reasonable market rate and balancing the everyday price and delivery time shifts to bring them to your attention as soon as possible.

More support for the FMCSA ban on cell phones for truck drivers

Posted on by High | Posted in Blog, Transport Tips, Vehicle Shipping Agent

The American Trucking Association is supporting the new proposed ban on cell phones for drivers.  I understand that safety is a priority but I am not sure how this is going to work.   Scenario:  Truck driver is following his GPS gets to address but its not right.  How does he call for directions?  He can’t pull into anywhere, trucks just can’t fit everywhere.  This is going to get tricky and I think we are going to need some leniency in those types of cases.  I do agree that there is no need to be on a cell phone when you are on the interstate.

Automakers Report Big February Sales Gains

Posted on by High | Posted in 5 tips for choosing an auto transport company, Auto Auctions, Auto shipping, Automotive News, Blog, car shipping, car transport, Exotic vehicles, Go Green, How do i ship my car, How to choose and auto transport company, South Florida, Transport Tips, Vehicle Shipping Agent

Automakers Report Big February Sales Gains: U.S. auto sales rose in February, with all major car companies reporting double-digit gains. General Motors Co. led the way with a 49% jump from a year ago, followed by Toyota Motor Corp., with a 42% gain. Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. had gains of 32% and 22% respectively, while Hyundai Motor Co.’s sales rose 28%. Chrysler Group LLC and Ford Motor Co. showed smaller increases, with Chrysler’s rising 13% and Ford’s 10% – Associated Press

Brutally Honest about choosing an Auto Transport Company

Posted on by High | Posted in 5 tips for choosing an auto transport company, Auto Auctions, Automotive News, Blog, car shipping, Exotic vehicles, F Class, Go Green, How do i ship my car, How to choose and auto transport company, Luxury Vehicles, Mercedes- Benz C Class, Mercedes-Benz, Miami, Miami Heat, Nascar, NBA, S Class, should i buy a new car, South Florida, tips for transporting my car, Trade-in, Transport News, Transport Tips, Vehicle Shipping Agent

5 Easy Honest steps on How to choose an Auto Transporter

When that first thought crossed your mind that you needed to ship your car, you probably thought I have no idea where to begin.  Little did you know there are thousands of auto transport companies.  There are brokers, carriers, carriers that pretend to be brokers and brokers that pretend to be carriers and then there is always the guy down the street with a tow dolly that will be more than happy to drag your car behind his truck to wherever the blue skies take him.  Where do you begin!

  1. NEVER get 10 auto transport quotes for free!  Unless you have self destructive behavior, enjoy Chinese water torture or are confined to a prison cell with a phone and nothing else to do, Don’t Do It!  The calls, emails and non-stop harassing are just not worth it in the end!  The time you spend dealing with 10 (really 12) different transport companies will cost you far more money in the end.  It’s probably the most embarrassing and unprofessional side of our business.  Many companies have several names so they can buy the same leads from the lead company’s and pull you which ever direction they wish.  For your own sanity please don’t “click here!”
  2. Carrier or Broker or carrier or broker or……  Any company trying to scare you from using either a carrier or a broker is a company you do not want to do business with CROSS THEM OFF THE LIST NOW they are fear mongering!  There are good brokers and good carriers in fact most manufacturers who need to move thousands of cars choose carriers and most dealerships that need to move hundreds of cars choose brokers, they just choose good ones.   Just follow Step 3 to check them all out.
  3. Check everyone out, it’s easy.
    • First – check the BBB.  Make sure they have some type of A rating   A+, A- or just A but nothing lower that’s not a good sign that means they do not respond and do not care if a customer complains.  http://www.seflorida.bbb.org/BusinessReport.aspx?CompanyID=92003496&source=ctc
    • Second– check Transport Reviews.  This site only reviews Auto Transport Companies so that helps.  Try to look for companies that do not pay for reviews and do not participate in the mass quote program (remember Step No. 1).  5 out of 5 stars is the only acceptable rating.  If a company has a few bad reviews that is normal but they need to be able to offset those with more good ones.  http://www.transportreviews.com/company/high-end-transport-inc.asp
    • Third- check their license on FMCSA.  If they are a broker their broker status should say Active.  If they are a carrier their carrier status or contract status should be Active.  If they are a carrier or a contract carrier then the truck that shows up at your door should have their name and MC number on the side NO EXCEPTIONS NO EXCUSES it’s a federal regulation period.http://li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov/LIVIEW/pkg_carrquery.prc_getdetail?pv_apcant_id=484771
  4. Insurance –IS IT COVERED?   Disclaimer: I am not an insurance agent and your final decision should be made after speaking on the phone with one because every transaction is truly different.  After several years I can tell you what has happened in the past from experience.  INSPECTION REPORTS ARE EVERYTHING when you are trying to file a claim.  It is the consignee’s and Consignors (You and Yours) responsibility to note any damage except normal wear and tear on the bill of lading (inspection report).  Although it might have happened I have never witnessed a driver throwing rocks at the cars on his trailer trying to make nicks and dents, so the insurance company presumes these are road hazards or weather related damage and they are usually not covered.   Open transport is more cost effective but does require some risk on your part.  Most dealerships choose open because they can easily fix minor nicks and scratches .  There is a cost difference to go enclosed so if it’s an everyday car its your personal choice.    We always recommend checking with your own insurance to see what’s covered while the vehicle will be in transport.
  5. Understand the transport industry so you understand the process.  Although you are a VERY important customer please know that you are not reserving an entire truck to yourself and there will be 2-9 other customers involved in that load.   You will have pick up windows and delivery windows and sometimes those change because of delays with cars before you, weather, traffic, weigh stations… you can see where I’m going with this right!  The only thing absolute about transport is that something will change! Most companies can give you a very good idea of about how long the process will take and if you are paying a fair rate it usually happens that way.

I’m pretty sure I was as blunt and as honest as I could be without scaring you from transport.  It’s a green decision to transport your car.  Every carrier you see on the road with 10 cars is 10 less cars on the road.  It’s cheaper than driving it yourself, paying for fuel, paying for hotels and tolls and the time out of your wonderful life!  Transport just transport smart!

Cell phone laws are about to change for truckers. What does that mean to you?

Posted on by High | Posted in Automotive News, Blog, car shipping, should i buy a new car, Transport News, Transport Tips, Vehicle Shipping Agent

Melissa Carbonell-High End TransportOh how we all love our “Status Updates!” What will we do without them? Unfortunately, we may soon find out. The Department of Transportation is close to implementing large fines for drivers who use hand-held devices.
The fines for individual drivers and carriers could be as high as $11,000 and for multiple offenses the driver could lose his CDL (Commercial Drivers License). Now obviously SAFETY FIRST but we still have to be practical because at the end of every delivery there is a sale. That customer service of being able to update dealers and customers on delivery is critical to making that sale. The drivers will be able to use hands free technology and should be able to communicate with us directly. They will not however have every pick-up and delivery persons numbers saved so calling for directions when they are in the area will be tricky. We will change some of our process to incorporate more detailed pick-up and delivery information.
We are still about 45 days away from a decision from the FMSCA but its’ safe to assume things will change. We will continue to provide status updates to our dealers and customers. Our commitment to you is that these changes will only be positive, you will be safer on the roads and so will your customers and you will continue to receive the same fantastic service!
Melissa Carbonell, Manager
High End Transport, Inc

America’s cars are getting old! Like the rest of us

Posted on by High | Posted in Auto Auctions, Automotive News, Blog, Go Green, should i buy a new car, Trade-in, Transport Tips, Vehicle Shipping Agent

America’s cars are getting old! Eventually the cost of maintaining those older vehicles just doesn’t make sense anymore. In 2009 RL Polk released a study that estimated the average age of a vehicle on the road was 9.4 years! This will mean that at least 50 million cars need to be replaced very soon.

Replacing these older vehicles with newer models probably under warranty will give these buyers a laundry list of savings. Let’s start with the all important GO GREEN savings, newer vehicles will probably fall under newer emissions laws and have better fuel economy too, GO GREEN! The cost to maintain and repair a vehicle that age can outweigh by thousands of dollars the cost of just buying newer. The PEACE of Mind of having a reliable vehicle is priceless.

Aside from the old vehicles just needing to be replaced we have a population growth factor. Over 2 million new drivers need cars each year. That includes new residents to the U.S. and general population aging.

The market is no longer saturated with too many vehicles. Due to the decreases in manufacturing during the recession the inventory will be lighter than previous years. Make sure you are among the first to make those purchases because demand is expected to rise by 25% by 2012. The auto industry is poised to have a boom in 2011 and 2012. So take a look around your driveway and your garage, size up those vehicles do some number crunching. Let me know where you calculate peace of mind and start shopping.