Bryant auto transport

How car shipping works if you have never done it

Most people ship a car once or twice in their lives, so here is the process without the jargon.

1. You get a price. Enter both ZIP codes, the vehicle, and the first day it is available. The figure covers the whole trip from one address to the other.
2. A carrier is assigned. We are a broker, which means we do not own the trucks. We match your shipment with a licensed, insured carrier that is already running your route, and we check its credentials first.
3. The driver calls you. This is usually the day before, to settle a time and a place the truck can reach.
4. Pickup. You and the driver look the car over together, write down its condition, and sign. The car is driven onto the trailer and secured at the wheels.
5. Delivery. The same inspection happens at the other end. You sign, take the keys, and that is the whole job.

Why use a broker? A carrier with one truck can only serve the roads that truck drives. A broker can place your car on whichever truck is headed your way this week.

Pickup and delivery in Bryant

Bryant sits on I-30 between Benton and Little Rock, about 20 minutes from downtown Little Rock. Carriers leave the interstate at Reynolds Road.

• Reynolds Road. The main commercial strip has shopping-center lots that suit a big truck, but traffic is slow at rush hour and when school lets out.
• Subdivisions off Highway 5 and Springhill Road. These are newer neighborhoods with sidewalks and cul-de-sacs. The truck waits on the collector street and you bring the car out.
• Highway 5 toward Little Rock. Parts of it have narrow shoulders and few places to pull over. Loading happens in a parking lot, not on the roadside.
• Alexander and Shannon Hills. We cover both. Roads are older and narrower, so expect a meeting point.

On Friday nights in the fall, Bryant Hornets home games draw big crowds, so avoid an evening pickup near the high school.

Moving into a new home in Bryant

Bryant has grown quickly, and many shipments here are tied to a family moving into a newly built or newly bought house.

• Closing dates slip. Set the car’s delivery window for after closing, not the same day. If the date moves, let us know right away.
• New streets confuse GPS. In a subdivision’s latest phase, the street may not be on the map yet. Send the driver a dropped pin or meet at the entrance.
• Construction blocks access. Concrete trucks and trailers park along unfinished streets on weekdays. Early morning or a nearby finished street is easier.
• You may arrive first. Plan on a rental car for a few days, because the truck’s schedule and your flight will rarely match exactly.

Hand-me-downs, first cars, and college cars

A lot of family car logistics end in a shipment: a grandparent in another state passing a car to a new sixteen-year-old driver, an older sibling’s car going off to college with the next one, a first car bought from an uncle three states away.

These tend to be older vehicles, so tell us about any quirks, such as a weak battery, a slow leak in a tire, or a door that sticks. A car that will not start can still be shipped with a winch if we know in advance. The carrier does not need the registration to be in your name, but call your insurance agent so the car is covered from the day it lands in your driveway.

Questions worth asking any car shipper

If you are comparing companies, a few questions sort the good ones from the rest. We are happy to answer all of them.

• Is the price all-in? Ask whether anything can be added at pickup or delivery, and under what conditions.
• Are you a broker or a carrier? Either is fine. What matters is that they say so plainly.
• Can I check your license? Every broker and carrier has a USDOT number you can look up on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website.
• What happens if my dates change? Life moves around a move. Find out before you book how changes are handled.
• Who do I call during the trip? You should have a phone number for a person, not only a web form.

Sample routes from Bryant

Distances and typical transit times to a spread of cities in every direction.

Mileage is approximate. Transit times are typical ranges once the vehicle is loaded, not guarantees. Weather, traffic, and other stops on the truck can shift them.

Bryant car shipping questions