How Internet Digitalized the Auto Transport Industry

The Internet and the digital evolution are leaving their footprints on all walks of life and the auto transport industry makes no exception. The enormous technological change in the last decade or so has brought countless new possibilities and yet the transformation is still far from being completed. New digital solutions arrive with each passing day and bring more order and convenience to people who turn to car shipping companies.

Yes, the Internet digitalized the industry and there is no turning back. How exactly this was made possible and what are the improvements that we enjoy today thanks to the newest technologies? Read this text to see all the answers to these questions and more.

Customers Can Now Find Online All the Information They Need

One of the biggest advantages of the Internet is the possibility to find all sorts of information in just a matter of seconds. When someone wants to have his car shipped to another place, all he has to do now is Google the name of the moving company and he will discover all sorts of details about it. In the 1990s and in the beginning of the 2000s we couldn’t enjoy such a convenience and had to depend on the word of mouth.

Today we can go on the Internet to see in different social media groups and forums many online customer reviews of the company we consider. We can also check the traditional media archives to find out if there are any negative news stories concerning the auto mover in question. We can discover how long the car transport company has been operating on the market, what are its credentials and does it possess all the licenses needed. And we can also check the database of the Federal Motor Safety Administration and the Better Business Bureau to be 100% certain in our choice.

This way we can make a truly informed decision on which car shipper we should pick. And this is all possible with just a couple of clicks from anywhere on Earth, as long as there is Wi-Fi signal. The companies in this industry have adjusted accordingly and now offer maximum information and transparency on their websites. This helps them be more trustworthy in the eyes of potential customers.

Customers Can Now Get Instant Online Prices

Nowadays the car shipping companies provide free instant quote calculators on their websites. Thanks to this tool, people can be informed in less than a minute about how much it will cost them to have their vehicle transported. All they need to do is access the website of the company, find the application form, submit the needed info in the empty fields and click the Enter key. They can also discover the registration, testing and tax/duty costs this way.

The process is really easy, swift and safe. Because of that, it is possible to compare the quotes of many different companies in a couple of minutes and get the best fare on the market.

Customers Can Now Book Their Entire Shipment Online

But it is not just the pricing – today people can book online the entire shipment from A to Z. They just have to register their vehicle, pick the exact shipping dates and the type of transportation (door-to-door or pickup from a terminal, in an open-air or enclosed auto hauler, etc.). Then the only thing left to do is pay. Online again, of course.

Booking the shipment this way is a real blessing as it saves you precious time and money. On top of that, it spares you so many worries.

Customers Can Now Get Online Updates about Their Shipments

Is there anything more soothing when you are waiting to have your car delivered than being able to trace it all the way through the process? This is made possible today by auto transport companies who offer a bunch of online options to follow the shipping through their websites. The customers of today have the opportunity to be informed by tracking pages with instant status updates or via live chat for example.

Brokers and Carriers Can Communicate and Exchange Loads over Online Platforms

A growing number of online platforms, like Central Dispatch, are connected with dealers & shippers, brokers and carriers. This is part of a private load exchange for matching load with carriers that is based on real-time locations. There is a multitude of options for load matching technology but the trend is clearly pointing towards greater connectivity and integrations. This gives the companies in the transportation industry a golden opportunity to do more from just one platform and a single screen.

Electronic BOL is Available for Further Convenience

Today people can fill digitally their Bill of Lading (BOL) forms in a matter of minutes. They only have to use a specific app from their devices, like smartphones for instance. Once the cargo is checked, a customer approves the delivery by electronic signature directly on the app. Another advantage of this innovation in the car transport industry is that now the risk of losing the BOL diminishes as opposed to having it on paper.