Saturday, March 17, 2012

Auto Repair Articles ? What Credentials Do I Need to Check before ...

Mar 16 2012

Depending on which type of transportation you have chosen to ship your vehicle, this will dictate what kind of paperwork you will want to review before you sign on the bottom line. If you select to have a private driver for your vehicle, you will definitely want to see his or her valid driver?s license. Talk with your local law enforcement, explain what you are doing, and ask if there is a way for you to find out if the individual has any kind of moving violations or accidents. Also, you want the driver to give you three local references for whom he or she has performed the same services.

Auto transport companies have their own set of valid paperwork. With this type of company you want to modify the written agreement that waives the annulment fee if your vehicle is not picked up within a certain time frame. You want to see a copy of the insurance policy that covers all damages to your car. Experts say that 99% of car transport companies are reputable and legitimate. Many take orders over the phone or on the Internet. However, if you find an establishment that wants you to send money via Western Union right away, more than likely it is a scam.

A frequent practice amongst sham car transport companies is to pretend to be appropriately insured and licensed. All such companies require USDOT authorization, as well as a bond. A company that appears to hide credentials, and which does not have appropriate motor carrier (MC) authority, cannot legally be in business as an auto transport carrier.

Check the Motor Carrier (MC) authority number for any car transport or van line company that you do business with. If this is not clearly displayed on the company website, or seems to be otherwise hidden, it?s a signal that the company is not being transparent. You can examine the credentials of a company using the FMCSA Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER). Search for a company by its USDOT number, MC number, or name.

Look for a phone number listed for the site and call it. Most of the reputable auto transport companies use toll free or local numbers to allow customers to reach them. Fake sites often list either a non-working phone number or no number at all. Also look out for a physical address or the location where the company is located. Check them out on Google or Yahoo maps to verify if this address actually exists. Bogus sites generally do not list any mailing address.

Anyone with whom you want to do business should give you a signed written estimate. The estimate must clearly have the name of the shipper printed on the estimate. While everything seems to look in proper order, you still want to check with your local Better Business Bureau to make sure there have been no serious complaints about the company. You would be well within your rights to ask for at least three references you can contact who have dealt with the transport or moving company within the past year.

For more on Car Shipping or Vehicle Transport please visit MetroGistics.

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Source: http://autorepairarticles.com/2012/03/16/what-credentials-do-i-need-to-check-before-shipping-an-auto

mia amar e stoudemire m.i.a. stoudemire adrianne curry blake shelton adam levine

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