Winter is the hardest time for car haulers since they have to account for dangerous driving conditions. Therefore, we’ve provided the following information to consider when transporting vehicles in winter.
Inclement Weather Affects Travel Time
- Transport through mountainous regions can cause significant delays, especially when the Department of Transportation mandates tire-chain requirements during snowy conditions.
- As a result, drivers can only run about 20-30 miles per hour. If caught operating without chains, carriers can be hit with steep fines.
- Depending on how bad conditions are, an additional two to three days may be required for transport.
- Time spent sitting in traffic is counted towards hours of service. Drivers must adhere to rules regarding consecutive driving hours and rest periods.
- Clear your load/unload area of snow and ice to allow for safe handling of vehicles.
- If possible, extend delivery hours or allow for weekend delivery times.
- Communicate with dispatchers to make them aware of any changes in hours of delivery or load/unload areas.
Maximize Your Loads
By maximizing loads, you can reduce transportation costs and avoid the risk of winter storms delaying your shipment.
- Passenger cars average eight to nine per load, depending on their size.
- 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
- Single cars exceeding a full truckload will have a much higher transportation cost on a per-unit basis.
Combined Purchasing Efforts
- When possible, combine purchasing efforts in an area to save time and money. A driver would rather have a few stops in one day than drive empty miles over a number of days.
- Look for opportunities to partner with other nearby companies to share the load and reduce your transit time.
Safe Delivery
Above all, ACERTUS dispatchers work closely with customers to apprise them of all options, provide accurate ETAs and ensure safe delivery. We do this by:
- Promoting safe driving practices and strict adherence to all DOT regulations. We do not tolerate cutting corners or utilize drivers who break the rules.
- Staying up to date on weather conditions across the country and advising our customers of possible transit delays.
- Staying in constant contact with our carriers and providing nightly shipment status updates to our customers.
If you have questions while transporting vehicles in winter, or any other season, connect with an ACERTUS representative.
