Auto Transport Compared to a Tow Truck

If you have ever needed to move a motor vehicle, you either used a towing company or an auto transport. What is the difference between an auto transport and tow truck? Which one is more affordable? Do you need a tow truck or will an auto transport do the job?

A tow truck is usually a local company that hauls broken down vehicles or wrecked vehicles from the side of the road to a repair shop or back to your house. A tow truck company usually uses tow trucks. These are big trucks with a flat bed that is attached to the truck and the bed can move to load vehicles.

An auto transport company is usually a truck of any size, one ton pick-up to a semi truck. The truck usually pulls a separate trailer. The vehicles are loaded on the trailer and if they do not run, then a winch is used to load them. Auto transport companies usually pick up vehicles at houses or businesses to be transported to people or businesses. Most of the transported vehicles are personally owned and being shipped long distances or being moved from one business to another.

Auto Transports can do the same job as tow trucks, but sometimes it is easier for a tow truck to do the job. Auto Transporters usually carry more than one car at a time. Tow trucks usually only carry one vehicle.

What are the charges to the customer by auto transporters or tow trucks? The untimely demise of my transmission made it a necessity to find out. My vehicle would not move and it needed to be moved from the shop's parking lot, I was lucky enough to drift into. Here is what I found.

Since my vehicle only had first gear and no reverse or any other gears, it was only fitting to call a tow truck. For approximately a 35 mile trip, I received quotes of $125 and up. The break down of prices for the companies consisted of a hook up fee and so much per mile. The hook up fee for a tow truck started at $50. I did not think that was too unreasonable if some miles were included. Most of the companies charged $2 a mile to tow the vehicle.

Shopping around for a more reasonable rate, I started calling auto transporters. Auto transporters charge more for inoperative vehicles, but that did not seem to be a problem since the vehicle could be driven onto the trailer. Word of caution, most transporters would have charged the inoperative fee because the vehicle would have to be pushed to park it.

Auto Transporters charge between 50 cents a mile to $2 per mile. If the vehicle is being transported locally, the cost is usually $2 a mile. If the vehicle is going a long distance the cost per mile goes down to about 50 cents a mile. I owned a transporting company and this was the general rule then, as well.

A local company hauled my vehicle approximately 35 miles for $75. This was a good deal for me and the hauler was happy as well.

Shop around for a way to move your vehicle before choosing a company. Sometimes when vehicles break, people are taken advantage of because it is an emergency. Prepare yourself for the inevitable ahead of time.

Remember to ask if you can leave your vehicle where it broke down for a day or two. Have phone numbers with you of people that might be able to take you home. Then, once home start calling tow trucks and repair shops. You will need to know where you are taking your vehicle before you call someone to move the vehicle. If you remain calm, you will get more accomplished and better deals. Take it from one who, unfortunately, knows.

Source: Personal experience and owner of an auto transport company