ACERTUS deals with numerous clients that purchase or sell vehicles at auctions and request our help with shipping. Among these are many dealerships adding to their inventory and car rental companies looking to sell vehicles at auctions.
One factor that can impact the viability of auction purchases and/or sales is transportation costs. Maximizing loads and determining the best routes can help reduce your costs and improve your bottom line. When determining what types and how many vehicles to take to or purchase from auctions, consider load factors, weight and distance.
Load Factors
In general, most car haulers will average eight cars per load.
- Passenger cars average eight to nine per load, depending on the size of the sedan
- For midsize vehicles such as minivans, the average load factor is seven
- For mixed loads of eight, the makeup can consist of:
- four midsize vehicles and four cars, or
- five SUVs and three cars
Most importantly, if you call for a quote on a full truckload and then exceed the number of vehicles that can fit on that truck, the single car or cars left over will have a much higher cost of transportation on a per-unit basis.
Weight Factor
Per Department of Transportation regulations, the total weight cannot exceed a combined total of 80,000 lbs., which equates to 32,000 to 34,000 lbs. of cargo weight.
Haulers may be able to accommodate more than one big truck (e.g., dually’s, stake trucks), but because of the total weight, the carrier will only be able to take one.
The best advice we can offer is to call, e-mail or live chat with one of our experienced dispatch team members available seven days week and let them know about the specific types of vehicles involved. The dispatcher will advise you if the load will or will not likely go over the weight limit.
Distance
As you might expect, the cost for a truckload moving freight to a major city or common truck lane will cost less than a shipment to a rural destination with smaller roads and more restrictions. A car hauler can legally operate around 500 to 600 miles a day per the DOT.
The considerations mentioned above are general industry guidelines, but our expert dispatch staff can provide additional help with model-specific questions.
Our knowledgeable dispatchers can provide one-on-one, no-obligation feedback or suggestions on what types of vehicles and how many will make a full load, and provide an ETA for you. Our dispatch team is ready to assist as trusted business advisors to help maximize load factors and minimize your transportation costs.
