Why Every Dealership Needs a Backup Car Hauler

Every dealership should have a backup car hauler because even a great regular carrier will be booked, slow or out of range at some point. Setting up a second transport company before you need it means a time-sensitive trade or auction car still moves the same week, instead of waiting for your usual truck.

Most stores have a hauler they like, and they should keep them. The problem isn't the regular carrier. It's the week the carrier is full, the trade that has to happen today, or the unit sitting three states away where your usual truck doesn't run.

When the regular hauler can't make it

• Busy weeks. Month-end, big sales and auction weeks fill the same trucks everyone uses.
• Same-week deals. A customer is waiting on a specific unit and the trade can't sit until next week.
• Out-of-area cars. Your buyers find the right car at an auction or store your regular carrier doesn't serve.
• Specialty units. An exotic or high-line car that should ride enclosed when your usual truck is open only.

What to look for in a backup

• Vetted, insured carriers. Every carrier checked before they touch your inventory, and every shipment fully insured.
• One point of contact. The same person from quote to drop-off, not a ticket queue.
• Coverage where you buy. Your home lanes plus the rest of the country, open and enclosed.
• A simple way to send a car. One call or one message with the pickup, drop-off and VIN.
• A check at pickup. A clear process for confirming the driver and truck before release. See our guide on stopping carrier fraud at pickup.

Set it up before you need it

The worst time to find a new transport company is the afternoon a deal depends on it. Save the number, send one test move on a normal week, and make sure your desk knows who to call. When the regular truck falls through, the order goes out in one message instead of an afternoon of phone calls.

How FCT fits as a backup

FCT is the call dealers make when their regular carrier falls through, when a deal needs a car moved fast, or when the unit is going somewhere their usual truck doesn't run. We've been moving cars out of the Charlotte area since 2012, cover dealer trades and auction pickups anywhere in the continental U.S., and the dealer desk is open Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM Eastern.

Frequently asked questions

Why does a dealership need a backup car hauler?

Even a reliable regular carrier will sometimes be booked, slow or out of range. A backup keeps time-sensitive trades and auction cars moving that week instead of waiting.

Do I have to drop my regular hauler?

No. Keep the carrier you trust. A backup is the number you call when they can't make it, when a trade has to happen today, or when the car is outside their range.

What should I look for in a backup transport company?

Vetted, fully insured carriers, one point of contact, open and enclosed options, coverage where your buyers shop, and a clear check of the driver and truck at pickup.

When is the FCT dealer desk open?

Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM Eastern. Call (980) 552-1101 for anything time sensitive.

Need a car moved?

FCT gives dealers one point of contact from quote to drop-off. Request a quote or call (980) 552-1101, and a real person gets back to you.