The process of transporting cars to dealers is a multi-step process that involves several different parties along the way. The process also involves a great deal of planning and consideration to protect hundreds of thousands of dollars in cargo.
Where Do Car Dealerships Get Their Cars From?
Many people don’t think about where car dealerships actually get their cars from. It’s easier to assume that they just magically appear on the lot one day. In reality, the process is much more complicated than that.
How It Used to Be Done
Comparatively speaking, cars haven’t been around for that long, but they have certainly come a long way from the original version patented in 1886. Since the car originally came from Europe, it had to be shipped overseas using ocean vessels. However, as cars became more popular and manufacturing began in the United States, transport companies used rail to ship cars to car dealers throughout the country.
Unfortunately, rail transport was an expensive and lengthy process due to limited rail infrastructure. This led Alexander Winton to invent the first auto carrier in 1898. This auto carrier was essentially a cart with two wheels in the back and a flatbed on the top. Since this carrier could only transport one car at a time, it wasn’t a very effective solution, either.
So rail transport continued to be the primary method of vehicle transport within the United States, however, some innovations made it more effective. In the 1950s, the two-level vehicle-carrying rail car was invented. By the 1960s, there was a tri-level vehicle carrying rail cars.
Around the same time, methods of auto transport over the road were being developed. The 1960s brought auto carriers that look similar to the ones we see on the roads today. These carriers were able to ship up to eight cars at a time with proper planning and consideration.
How It's Done Today
These days, things are done a bit differently, although there are some similarities involved. So let’s assume that a car in 2017 was manufactured overseas since 48% of all vehicles sold in the United States that year were imported.
If a car is coming from overseas, it cannot simply be driven over to the manufacturer by truck. Instead, it has to impart on a multi-step journey that involves multiple modes of transportation.
In order to get the vehicles to the United States, they will be placed on a cargo ship. There are cargo ships that are designed to hold up to 8,000 vehicles at a time with multiple decks to maximize capacity, although most ships hold between 4,000 and 5,000 vehicles. These cargo ships are designed to allow cars to simply be rolled on and rolled off the ship.
These ships then set sail for American ports, namely ports located in Los Angeles (CA), Long Beach (CA), New York (NY), Savannah (GA), Seattle (WA), Houston (TX), Charleston (SC), Miami (FL), and Norfolk (VA).
Once the vehicles have arrived stateside, they are then rolled off the cargo ship and placed in a storage lot until they can be picked up for additional transportation. Depending on the distance they travel to the dealership, the vehicles will either be transported by rail or by truck. Trucks are used to transport vehicles shorter distances whereas trains are used to transport vehicles longer distances.
Although you’ve likely seen vehicles transported by trucks before, rail transportation is more common than you’d think. In fact, 75% of cars and trucks purchased in the United States were transported by rail at some point in their journey to the dealership. If a vehicle is going to be transported by rail, it will still be picked up by an experienced driver to be taken to a railroad auto ramp.
At the railroad auto ramp, the vehicles will be loaded onto auto racks that can safely store vehicles in either two or three levels. These racks have ramps that allow the vehicles to be driven on and off of the train. A double-deck trailer is used for larger cars like trucks, large SUVs, and minivans. Tri-level racks are used for smaller vehicles like sedans and compact cars.
After the train has reached its destination, the vehicles are unloaded and stored in a storage lot where they wait to be picked back up by another auto-transport company. On the vehicle’s final leg in its journey, it is loaded onto a trailer, secured by the auto transport service driver, and then driven to the dealership.
Once it arrives at the dealership, it is inspected for any damage incurred along the way and it is washed and thoroughly detailed to get it ready to sell.
The Trucks
In most cases, the trailers used to transport cars from manufacturers to dealers are open transports. This means that they are open on the sides. Furthermore, most of these trailers are double-deckers that can fit up to 12 vehicles depending on the sizes, shapes, and skill of the driver.
Arranging the vehicles on the trailer can feel like a game of Tetris since you’re trying to maximize the number of vehicles you can fit onto a single trailer within a single shipment.
The Drivers
A transport services driver plays a key role in the final leg of the transportation process. They do much more than simply arrange the vehicles. They secure the vehicles and keep them safe throughout the journey — keeping in mind that they are hauling hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise (based on the average new car price of $40,000).
For this reason, these drivers need to be qualified, certified, and experienced. Drivers must possess a current commercial driver’s license or a CDL. In order to receive a CDL, you have to be at least 21 years of age, submit an application, pay a fee, provide proof of identity, provide proof of residency, submit a medical examination form, pass a vision test, pass a knowledge exam, and pass a road skills and driving examination.
Even if you have a CDL license, that doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll be able to transport vehicles. Vehicles are considered high-value cargo that’s usually reserved for the most experienced and qualified drivers. Companies are going to want to work with drivers who have years of experience and clean safety records.
For this reason, the average salary for car haulers is high at nearly $90,000 a year since they are some of the most qualified and experienced.
How Long Does It Take for a Car to Go From Factory to Dealership?
This amount of time depends on how far it has to travel. For instance, car brands that manufacture vehicles within the continental United States will require significantly less travel time compared to car brands that manufacture vehicles overseas. A majority of cars these days are manufactured overseas, but three large manufacturers still maintain their operations inside the United States.
The first domestic manufacturer is General Motors — the parent company of Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC. The second manufacturer is Stellantis North America — the parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and RAM. The third manufacturer is Ford Motor Company — the parent company of Ford and Lincoln.
Many manufacturers are located in the Midwest. For instance, the largest plant in the United States is Ford’s plant located near Kansas City, Missouri. The second-largest plant is Ford’s plant located in Dearborn, Michigan. Believe it or not, but there’s actually a strategy to where car brands choose to place their plants.
The Midwest is more than just corn and friendly faces, it’s also located in the middle of the country. This means that it has relatively convenient access to both the East Coast, the West Coast, and everywhere in between.
So taking Ford’s Kansas City plant as an example, it would take about 24 hours on the road to drive from Kansas City to Los Angeles on the West Coast. A great truck driver would be able to cover this distance of 1,500 miles within two to three days.
It would take about 18 hours on the road to drive from Kansas City to New York City on the East Coast. A great truck driver would be able to cover this distance of 1,200 miles within about two days.
Of course, these are just examples but generally speaking, most cars can be transported from the factory to the dealership within a few days. However, these transports can be delayed due to issues involving the weather and shipping capacity.
The Dangers
A road is a dangerous place when you’re transporting multiple cars on a double-decker trailer. Since these double-decker trailers are completely open, the vehicles are exposed to the elements and other dangers of the road.
For instance, the vehicles might be exposed to rain, wind, and hail. The vehicles might also be exposed to road debris.
Finally, the vehicles are likely to get dirty on the way and will need to be washed once they arrive at the dealership.
Official Rules for Transporters
While there’s no official “rulebook” for transporters, there are guidelines that transporters should follow when hauling vehicles from the manufacturer to the dealership. There are also federal regulations that all commercial drivers are required to follow.
So here’s what you need to know so that you can safely transport vehicles on the road:
Weight of Cargo
At the federal level, the maximum weight of the cargo, tractor, and trailer cannot exceed 80,000 pounds for 40 foot and 20-foot trailers with a tri-axle. For a 20 foot trailer, the maximum weight is 70,000 pounds.
Additionally, there are weight regulations imposed at the state level. Most states have a limit of 20,000 pounds for single-axle trailers, 34,000 pounds for double-axle vehicles, and 42,000 pounds for tridem-axle trailers.
Trailer and Vehicle Height
There are no restrictions related to vehicle height at the federal level, but many states have imposed their own restrictions. Most of these restrictions set a height limit between 13 feet, six inches, and 14 feet.
As a result, most carriers set their own height restrictions of seven feet for the vehicles they’re willing to transport.
Driving Hours of Service
The federal government sets limits on how many hours drivers can spend on the road. Also known as Hours of Service or HOS, these restrictions are designed to promote driver safety by reducing fatigue.
Property-carrying drivers, including transporters, are limited to 11 driving hours a day. They are also limited to 14 hours on duty. Drivers must take a 30-minute break after driving for eight cumulative hours without at least a 30-minute break.
They may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. However, a driver can restart this period by taking more than 34 consecutive hours off duty.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for transporters who are licensed, qualified, and follow the rules — look no further than RPM. RPM offers vehicle shipping services for manufacturers and retailers thanks to our network of more than 30,000 independent carriers.
We transport thousands of vehicles a month, making speed and safety our top priorities — so reach out to us for a quote to add your vehicles to our list of shipments.
Sources:
How to Get a CDL (Commercial Driver License) in 2021 | Driving Tests
The 15 Top-Producing American Car Plants | Motortrend
Summary of Hours of Service Regulations | FMCSA