More often than not, when shipping a vehicle, you will receive a range of time/days indicating the vehicle’s arrival at the final destination. Customers often wonder what contributing factors would go into delaying the transport of their vehicle. Unfortunately, there is a quite a variety of components that can cause the delay, many of which are completely unavoidable and unpredictable.
Weather Conditions:
The most inevitable of these factors would be unforeseeable weather conditions. Whether, the vehicle is making the journey across country, or even across the ocean, weather can be extremely unpredictable. Anything from snow which can cause road blocks, to a hurricane which can halt or delay a ship’s progress, there is simply no way to avoid these acts of God. In some cases, alternate routes may be available, while in other situations, the transport driver may be forced to simply wait out the storm.
Weigh Station Lines:
Another inescapable issue can be long weigh station lines which can delay the transport of a vehicle across country. Because these wait times cannot be predicted or avoided, the transport driver could be subjected to dealing with longer than average delays.
Flat Tires or other transport maintenance issues:
Although auto transport companies strive to keep their transport vehicles in exceptional condition, flat tires and other mechanical issues are unforeseeable and can cause temporary delays, especially depending when on route they are discovered and remedied. While a flat tire may only push back arrival time a couple hours, a more serious mechanical issue in a rural area could cause a longer set-back.
Customer Reliability:
Unfortunately, sometimes the delay can be attributed to the customer. If a drop off is scheduled, and the customer arrives late, it can easily throw off the entire transport schedule by hours or more. Also, incorrect paperwork presented at pick-up can slow down the process and delay the vehicle being released.
Although, no one can have a direct influence on weather related or other unforeseeable circumstances, make sure to hold up your end of the deal by being prepared and on time, and be aware that a range of dates for arrival allow for a more accurate prediction. Be wary of an auto transport company that provides the exact time and date of arrival because these often lead to tenuous expectations.
