Saturday, July 31, 2010

Car Shipping Tips



Make use of this video to understand the important car shipping facts you need to consider before ordering to ship your car.

Open Car shipping Vs Enclosed Car Shipping


On viewing this video, you will understand the differences and safety measures incurred between open car shipping and enclosed car shipping.

Wi-Fi signals leading to auto breaking

Car Burglary
Wi-fi signals from laptops and iPhones helps to access many things while moving but it also has the possibilities of attracting burglars.

According to Credant Technologies devices like iPhones and particularly laptops that use Wi-Fi require up to 30 minutes before going into "sleep" mode. During this time, burglars detect using a specific scanner which just costs about $50.
A group of people were caught recently for stealing laptops in this fashion. Hence better take some time to turn off your Wi-fi, every time you leave your laptop, iPhone or iPad in your car.

It may look improbable that your automobile will become a target because of an open laptop, please be cautious to switch off the Wi-Fi signal before leaving your vehicle for long periods of time.

Auto Shipping Insurance

Car insurance
People never buy vehicles without insurance. When you are relocating and you need to ship your car to a different country or state – your vehicle might incur scratches or damage. Your car might not be damaged during shipping but you have to be prepared if it happens.
Please check these steps to ensure that you are receiving proper insurance:
  • Get every detail in writing.
  • Check if the company has an up-to-date insurance certificate. Ask questions such as: Will your car be covered for any damages while shipping?
  • Does auto insurance cover the vehicle both during loading and unloading? Will the coverage be the same even the car is in transit?
  • Do not load any personal items on your vehicle as they will not be covered for damage or theft in transit.
  • Before the vehicle is shipped, the shipper will thoroughly check it and you should be available there to debate any inconsistencies. Please don’t forget to thoroughly check your vehicle before signing the condition report once it’s delivered. Once you sign the report, the shipper will be relieved from any damages if you find later. If you’re receiving your car during night, be smart to inspect the car in a bright area because some damages might not be visible during nights.
  • If you find that any damage had occurred during shipment, mention it in the bill of lading and ask the driver to sign it. Inform the auto transport company about the damage and start claiming the damage reimbursement process.
  • If your auto shipping company does not pay your damage claims, you can contact Better Business Bureau. You can even contact the Department of Transportation for filing complaints and get a court judgment against such auto shippers.

You can notice that licensed and bonded car transport companies will definitely carry proper insurance to reimburse damage claims. Please note the above mentioned steps while you are looking for car shipping.

Friday, July 30, 2010

How to prepare your vehicle before shipping?

Auto shipping is an act of transporting a vehicle from one place to another. However, certain factors have to be taken care before shipping your car. Whether you are an expert, there are still things to consider when preparing your vehicle.
Most important factors:
  • Completely wash your vehicle
  • Clean inside your vehicle
  • Some carriers may need to move your car, hence fill a quarter of the gas tank atleast.
  • Don’t insert any luggage or personal things on your vehicle before shipping
Optional factors:
  • Disable your vehicle alarm.
  • Secure your vehicle’s customized accessories
  • Choosing enclosed car shipping for certain things so that moisture doesn’t go inside.
  • Check your vehicle’s condition to ensure that it’s in good condition
  • Let your career know the defects in your vehicle

Important tips before shipping

car transport
Car Transport
Car transport is an act of shipping a car from one place to another. However, there are many factors in shipping a car that many are unaware of. Whether you are new or a seasoned expert in shipping your car, there are still a lot of factors to be noted in the car shipping process. One such factor is the last minute car shipping tips before you start shipping.
Important tips before shipping your car:
  • Budgeting- Budgeting is the most important step to be noted before shipping. When finding the best auto transport company for lesser dollar value, your need to focus on finding a trust worthy company. Please allocate some time to conduct a research on the web and consult with your neighbors and friends. Please, make sure that you have all the information needed before asking questions.
  • Vehicle Preparation- Preparing your vehicle is the second important step before shipping. Whether you may be relocating to a new home or moving on a long vacation, avoid trying to insert items into your car. Many auto shipping companies put an extra charge for vehicles that weigh above a predetermined weight.
  • Shipping Date- One of the most important aspects of the car shipping business is to know that your vehicle will be arrived on the date promised. All car transport companies guarantee our pick up so that you need not wait for your vehicle to arrive.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

What is car shipping?

 Car Shipping

car shipping
Car Shipping
Car shipping is an act of transporting a car from one location to another. However, there are many issues in shipping a car that many are unaware of. The first would be the idea of shipping your car on an open carrier or in an enclosed carrier. Open carriers are giant trucks with six to ten slots for vehicles. Enclosed transport is when your car is loaded into a container that protects it from weather and different road hazards. Typically, your car will be safer on an open carrier, and most car shipping occurs on these trucks.

Another major issue in car shipping is door-to-door shipping or terminal-to-terminal shipping. Door-to-door shipping means the truck will come to your house and pick up the vehicle, right in front of you. The most preferred option is door-to-door shipping and it is by far the safest and most convenient method to ship your car because you can see the vehicle loaded onto the truck, unless in terminal-to-terminal shipping, you need to drop your car at a place and leave your car there until a truck comes and pick it up.

Car shipping is a simple process once you knew the terms involved. The two terms which we discussed here are the most important terms you need to know before shipping your car. Open carrier, door to door is the most preferred method and most of the companies offer it. Check the car shipping quote and shop before ordering a shipment and check for the reliability of companies before booking an order.

Truck Driving Championships - Alabama

auto transport

The Alabama truck driving championship is an exciting family event which is held each year in May at the Bessemer's Debardelaben Park. This event brings trucking industry's best drivers against one another in a test of road knowledge and driving skill.

The championships recognize the association's best drivers in eight different classes, and each company can send up to two drivers in each class. To compete in this championship, a driver must be accident-free for the past 12-months and work for an association member company.

The competition is scored by points given in each of four different areas. A written exam can earn up to 40 points, a personal interview is worth a maximum of 10 points, a pre-trip inspection earns up to 50 points with 10 bonus points available, and the all-important skills course is worth a maximum of 300 points. Contestants earning the most points in each class are declared champion.

Winners in each class who qualify can then go on to represent Alabama in the National Truck Driving Championships sponsored by the American Trucking Associations in August. Classes include straight truck, twins, three-axle van, four-axle van, five-axle van, sleeper birth, flatbed and tanks.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Vehicle registration plates of Alabama

Alabama has issued license plates for motor vehicles which were operated on highways since 1911. Some municipalities issued their own license plates motor cars as well as for horse-drawn vehicles prior to that date. The earliest surviving example was a bronze plate, "No. 1", which was issued for a two-horse dray for the city of Bessemer.
Later, the state issued plates of 4 and one half inches wide and not more than 12 inches long, with the letters "ALA" arranged vertically on the left and 3" tall numerals with 1/2" strokes.
Later in 1916, Alabama switched its license plates from porcelain to stamped tin plates. In 1917 the issued year was stamped on the plates and in 1919 the plate’s size was increased by 6" x 15". A code for the vehicles weight class was added in in 1922.
In 1942 Alabama started using a code for each county and assigned numbers 1, 2, and 3 to the most popular counties like Jefferson, Mobile and Montgomery and numbering the rest in alphabetical order. During the World War II in 1943, the state issued window decals alone due to metal shortages. In 1951 a heart shape and the phrase "Heart of Dixie" was added to the state's license plates, adopting a slogan which was created by the Alabama Chamber of Commerce. The law has never been replaced, and the symbol still appears on all standard-issue plates though it may be small.
Since 1980, Alabama uses a registration system based on the first letter of the registrant's last name and registrations starts from January and expires in November.

Image First issued Design Slogan
1971 Black on reflective mint green with embossed 72 Heart of Dixie
1972 Red on reflective white with embossed 73 Heart of Dixie
1973 Black on reflective white with embossed 74 Heart of Dixie
1974 Black on reflective yellow with embossed 75 Heart of Dixie
1975 Blue on reflective white with embossed 76 Heart of Dixie
1982Red on reflective white Heart of Dixie
late 1987Blue on reflective white Heart of Dixie
January 1993 Blue on reflective white Heart of Dixie
2006 God Bless America and Heart of Dixie
January 2, 2009Reflective with Alabama Gulf Coast graphic Sweet Home Alabama and Heart of Dixie

Monday, July 26, 2010

Freight transport in Alabama

Alabama Freight Transportation

Freigh transport
Freight Transport

Since Freight transportation fuels the state’s economy, the Alabama Department of Transportation has started a study of freight transportation to identify the opportunities for improving the public road network and to facilitate freight movements and improve operations and safety. Private sector freight operators are important users as well as priority clients for the State’s road network.
The committees which were organized earlier have been working on Freight Study, with appropriate modifications and representation. The Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) plays a very important role in providing information and comments reflecting the opinions of special groups that use transportation.

For this study, the SAG was reformed to include members from the private and public freight companies, development and regulatory agencies and planning organizations which directly involve in freight transportation. The SAG has strength of 70 members which will meet at specific times to review the results and comments on the items important for freight transportation.
Highway Emergencies
"*HP" is a cellular telephone network which provides direct access to Alabama’s state trooper posts. By dialing "*HP" (or *47) for Highway Patrol, motorists can contact Alabama’s state trooper posts to report about accidents, highway emergencies, suspected drunken drivers or other major hazards.

Alabama state troopers have brought this valuable highway safety initiative to Alabama with the cooperation of cellular phone companies at no cost to the caller. The “*HP" network provides a faster method of reporting highway incidents and hence the response time of the troopers are reduced and emergency action can be taken in a more timely manner.

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