When students head off to college, it’s a heart-wrenching time for parents but nothing adds to that stress more than considering their child taking that out-of-state journey on their own.
Many parents want to accompany their son or daughter on the first trip to help them get settled in and to avoid the young adult driving a long distance for likely the first time. The challenge, then is getting their car there; this is where college student car shipping plays an integral role.
Reasons To Use College Car Shipping
As a college student moving to a campus away from home, the trip is likely the first long-distance trek you’ll take on your own. Usually, parents want to go with their child on the first trip to check out where they’ll be staying, help them settle in, and prolong the “letting go.”
The problem, then, is how to get your car to the campus to enable you to work, run errands, or just break away from studies. Car shipping services make transporting a vehicle for students simple and straightforward and ensure the auto arrives at the campus safely and promptly.
Here are tips and helpful hints on transporting your auto as the ideal option when moving away from home to attend college.
Safer than driving
Many of the tens of thousands of car accidents that occur each year are due to driver fatigue, a percentage of which results in fatalities. Some college students wait until the last moment before heading off to their new school, leading often to a mad dash to make it for move-in day and pre-semester activities.
Driving hurriedly without breaks leaves you at risk of becoming one of the statistics.
Auto transport gives you the chance to take a flight, allowing you to arrive on time and participate in all the fun. You’ll have peace of mind that the auto will be delivered to your campus conveniently, with no hassle, safely and soundly.
Your only worries will be finding your way around the campus, class schedules, and making new friends. Visit https://www.collegebasics.com/blog/shipping-car-to-college/#sidr-main for tips on shipping your car to college.
Preparing for car shipping
Ideally, you want to book the auto transport in advance to ensure the car arrives at close to the same time you do. Carriers won’t drive straight to your destination when you schedule shipping.
The driver is not only limited in the amount of time driven in a day and the number of miles, but they also have many stops along the way.
The transport will be a door-to-door delivery, but it’s in the driver’s best interest and likely the campus’s preference if you meet the driver at a more convenient location with a large parking area for easy unloading. As the customer, you’ll find drivers very flexible in meeting at a safe, open location that you choose.
Many drivers are also ok with cars carrying roughly 100 pounds of packed personal effects either in the trunk or out of sight in the back of the vehicle. The thing to remember is these items won’t be insured so stick with what would be the least valuable for hauling.
Affordable car shipping
As a student, your budget is tight, considering buying books, picking up groceries for your apartment or dorm, and possibly owing rent for your new place. You may be spending savings until you can find a job to fit your college schedule. This means auto transport needs to fit within this restricted budget.
Fortunately, the open transport method is relatively accessible and affordable for many budgets. These trailers haul multiple vehicles at once with the least stress and optimal safety. Not only is this a cost-efficient method of transport, but students also get discounts when following the provider’s instructions.
When dropping off to a terminal and picking the car up from a storage location, the cost is less than the “door-to-dorm” choice, but it could be challenging trying to locate the storage area, being new to the area, and having to find a way to get there.
Delivery dates
Many variables play into how quickly a car can be delivered to your campus. Some car shipping carriers estimate a time frame between “1 to 7 days” for arrival. Most students will want their auto as soon to they arrive. The process is faster and easier when the college is located.
Moving from one major city to another will likely fall in line with common driver routes, making the time frame reasonable. Many car shipping carriers travel through major cities making it easy to access a trailer to ensure prompt arrival. Go here for guidance on shipping your car to your new school.
If the school is in a more rural or remote area, you may see delays with delivery. These regions usually fall outside a standard route for carrier drivers. Also, the driver will need an extended delivery window, a duration of possibly several weeks, if the university is a further distance, cross country.
The best way to avoid major delays is to book in advance to ensure a spot on a carrier to arrive within your desired time frame.