The location of your vehicle is one of the most essential aspects when it comes to shipping your car. As vehicle owners, we all want to be sure that our cars are moved from one place to another without any problem. This is the reason why the question is asked so often: Vehicle tracking is it a must in car shipping?
The importance of vehicle tracking in car shipping, whether it is a must, and how it helps both the customer and the transport company are what we are going to discuss in this article. Thus, let us also mention how 1st Car Shipping is making a difference in your shipping experience by giving you the option of vehicle tracking.
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Is Vehicle Tracking Mandatory in Car Shipping?
In short, the answer is no vehicle tracking car shipping is a must have in all cases. On the other hand, it is an essential feature nowadays that most of the trustworthy companies offer it as an available option and its users consider it as beneficial for their overall experience. Although in transport law,set does not require the real-time tracking, having access to it is in your favor, as it allows you to enjoy other extra features that will make your customer experience more pleasant.
Why Tracking Is Not Always Required by Law
Regulations on car shipping focus most on safety and efficiency in the transport of vehicles. The FMCSA just operates under the principle of safety for both the carrier and the public through licensing, insurance, and good driving practice but it does not mandate the use of tracking systems. Consequently, vehicle tracking is a way by which shipping companies differentiate themselves from competitors as they are not obligated to do so.
On the other hand, the feeling of not having control over the situation is what drives the demand for tracking services in the eyes of the majority of customers, especially those that are a long way from their cars or sent abroad.
Industry Trends Towards Tracking
The use of vehicle tracking has not been mandated by law, however, there is a trend going on in the auto transport industry where it is considered effective to use real-time tracking to improve the relationship with the customers. As the need for companies to be more transparent and offer convenient services is on the rise, some companies such as 1st Car Shipping provide tracking facilities as part of their service offerings.
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Benefits of Vehicle Tracking in Car Shipping
Even though in some cases it may not be necessary, tracking a vehicle can offer a variety of benefits to the customer as well as the car carriers. Tracking assists you in all phases of the car transport process. Let's examine the advantages of tracking during your transportation routine:
Real-Time Updates and Peace of Mind
The number one advantage of vehicle tracking is the feeling of comfort it brings to the car owner. If you are able to track your car while it is on the move you can follow its itinerary in real time, which is usually much less stressful since the correctness and the arrival of your car are some of the concerns that may arise. A vehicle tracking system saves the need to completely rely on transport company updates; it is very convenient to be given instant vehicle location through tracking.
Improved Communication and Coordination
Generally, vehicle tracking systems include automated notifications, which are timely updates about the vehicle’s whereabouts, the estimated time of arrival, and any detours or delays occurring on the way. In this situation, the need for the customer and the company to be in harmony, there are no more unnecessary phone calls.
During this time if you happened to be at the delivery point waiting for the car and wondering, when the car would arrive, real-time tracking would give you the exact time in advance. In case of a delay, the cooperating weather, the traffic, or the sudden route change that caused the delay will be automatically updated, thus, you can reschedule your activities.
Transparency and Security
Tracking is also instrumental in the raise of the level of transparency between the transport company and the customer. It keeps that both parties know the location of the vehicle as well as its condition during the delivery. Thus, if there is a dispute about damage or delivery, the tracking information can be used to confirm the condition of the car while it is in transit.
In many cases, real-time tracking systems are equipped with GPS functionalities that enable the user to have an up-to-the-minute location of the vehicle along the most secure and shortest way available.
Faster Problem Resolution
The scenario of a problem leading to a delay or miscommunication, the method of tracking the vehicle’s location is the quickest way to help a transport company solve the issue. Instead of waiting for a driver’s update or taking vague information for granted, tracking makes it possible to pinpoint the problem and thus find the solution correspondingly in less time.
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How Does Vehicle Tracking Work?
Vehicle tracking systems in car shipping utilize GPS technology to offer location updates in real-time. Such a system may be an installation in the vehicle, or it could be linked to the transport truck of the carrier.
Vehicle tracking systems mostly employ GPS (Global Positioning System) to find out the precise location of a car while it is on a trip. The system keeps changing the car’s location, thus producing a very nearby a trace of the trip.
Tracking Interface: The customers who want to know where their shipment is can do it by visiting the website or using the app on their mobile device. By this means, one can see not only the location of the vehicle on a map, but also, the estimated time of arrival (ETA), and the shipment’s progress.
Driver, and Vehicle Data: The system may, therefore, include such information as the driver’s name, the truck’s route, and the rest of the details, enabling you to get in touch with them, if necessary.
Depending on the company’s system, updates may be given either regularly (e.g., every few hours) or in real-time.
We at 1st Car Shipping provide the most efficient vehicle tracking systems that are very convenient to use, and give you continuous updates during the whole shipping process that starts from the pickup and ends with the delivery, thus ensuring your peace of mind.
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How to Request Tracking for Your Car Shipment
If your car is being shipped and you want to make sure that vehicle tracking will be accessible to you, these are the steps that you can take:
Step 1: Ask About Tracking During Booking
When you are arranging your car shipment, inquire the company about their tracking capabilities. 1st Car Shipping gives tracking as a part of our usual service, and our team will tell you how you can reach the tracking system for your vehicle.
Step 2: Confirm Tracking Details
When your shipment is confirmed, the company will generally provide you with a tracking link or the details of an app. This will enable you to get updated in real time regarding your vehicles location.
Step 3: Monitor Your Shipment
Once the on-going tracking can be put into action, the follow-up of your car’s route can be done in real-time. Make sure you are updating the tracking system as often as possible and contact the company when you are facing any kind of problem or worry.
Step 4: Contact the Company if Needed
Should you find, for example, that there are unusually long delays or switch in the information that the tracking data shows, get in touch with the car shipping company so that they may give you the accurate info. Furthermore, they will be able to send you the updates you need.
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Conclusion: How Vehicle Tracking Adds Up to the Car Shipping Process
Though vehicle tracking is not a legal requirement, it is a great help to the car owners and transport companies as it saves them a lot of trouble and offers them many benefits. By bringing transparency, better communication, and giving a feeling of security, tracking systems make shipping to be done with ease.
If you need a car shipping company that is trustworthy, offers vehicle tracking as a means to achieve security and transparency then 1st Car Shipping is the right company to go with. Any time you are not sure about your cars whereabouts, we are there to let you know through the live tracking of your shipment.
