Auto transporters are not often talked about in the online auto transport world - quite the opposite, in fact. Auto transporters are the actual carriers of the vehicles - they haul the vehicles from one location to the other. Their role in the auto transport industry is easily seen - without auto transporters, there would be no auto transport industry. So then why is it that the actual auto transporters are rarely talked about? The reason is that they have no need to market themselves on the internet - auto transporters utilize auto transport brokerages to find them freight, so they rarely need to go find it themselves. Auto transporters have neither the time nor money to market online, so they let others do that for them. But they are still the most important factor in auto transport, and in this article you’ll see just how auto transporters work for you.

Most auto transporters work out of their homes, with one person driving the rig and the other person doing dispatch. Small-time auto transporters like this are common, so most of the time while the driver is away he is living literally from city to city. It is not a glamorous life, so auto transporters like to keep it as simple as they can. Dispatchers will utilize a website called Central Dispatch to find freight to keep the rig going from city to city, making money.

Central Dispatch is an online load board dedicated to auto transporters and auto transport brokerages almost exclusively. Customers are rarely informed of Central Dispatch, but it is no secret. Auto transport brokerages will post their freight on Central, and then auto transporters - whether it be the dispatcher or the driver himself - will call the brokerages and let them know that they can pickup a certain load, and then add it to the schedule. Auto transport brokerages can also call auto transporters and see where their truck is, then find a load that they can work into the rotation.

Auto transporters on the road have a lot of expenses - it’s not just driving all day and sleeping at night. Fuel is incredibly expensive and takes its toll on auto transporters, especially when you realize that most auto transporters are driving rigs that are rather old by today’s standards, getting less fuel economy. Those trucks are expensive to buy and even more expensive to maintain, and a broken auto transport truck is a useless auto transport truck. Therefore, auto transporters are forced to keep the maintenance up on their rigs, making auto transport more expensive for you but ultimately being worth it.

Auto transporters typically keep their schedule booked at least a few weeks in advance - this way they can keep track of where they are and figure out their finances ahead of time, as well as maintenance schedules and the like, so they aren’t blind-sided by something unexpected. Most auto transporters prefer taking cash upon delivery, so if you have that option we recommend that you take it. Auto transporters appreciate cash in their pockets, and most will pickup COD loads from brokerages, as opposed to pre-paid shipping where they have to wait for their check to come in the mail.