Blog · 2026-10-20
How Dealers Pick a Vehicle Transport Company: What to Ask First
Pick a vehicle transport company by asking four things before the first load: who actually hauls the car, how they check that carrier, who you call when something changes, and what they put in writing. A company that answers all four straight, on the phone, with a real person, is worth a trial load.
Most desks don't shop for a hauler until their regular one falls through on a Friday. That's the worst time to pick. Ask these questions on a slow week and keep the answers.
Carrier or broker: who is hauling the car?
Some companies own trucks. Many, FCT included, match your car with a carrier running your lane. Either can work. What matters is that they tell you which it is, and that the carrier who shows up is the one they booked. Ask how they confirm the driver and truck before pickup.
FCT sends you the driver and carrier details before pickup. Dealers check them at the lot with the 5-Point Verified Handoff: match the names and license, photo the driver with the license, photo the truck and trailer with the plate, email both photos before the car leaves. If anything doesn't match, the car doesn't leave.
How do they check carriers, and is every load insured?
Ask it plainly: is every carrier vetted before it touches my inventory, and is every shipment fully insured? Get the answer in writing. You can also look up any carrier's DOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA website yourself. See car shipping insurance for what to ask about coverage.
Who do you call when something changes?
This is where most transport companies lose dealers. The quote comes from one person, dispatch is someone else, and when the truck is late you're in a ticket queue. Ask who your contact is from quote to drop-off, and what hours they answer. The FCT dealer desk is open Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM Eastern, and the same person stays on your order.
What do you get in writing?
- The pickup window, confirmed before the truck rolls.
- The expected delivery window.
- Condition at pickup and delivery on the bill of lading. See what a bill of lading covers.
- Any guarantee terms. If a company promises on-time delivery, ask for the terms. FCT puts them on the Dealer Guarantee page.
Can you see where the car is?
Ask how you track an order without calling. FCT clients log in to the client portal at fctorders.com with an email and a 6-digit code, see every order, watch the driver's location while the driver is active, and pull the delivery BOL.
Run a trial load
Don't move your whole program on a phone call. Send one dealer trade or one auction pickup and watch how it goes: was the pickup window confirmed, did the right truck show up, did you hear about changes before you had to ask. Keep your regular hauler and use the new one as a backup until it earns more. Send the first one through the quote form or call (980) 552-1101.
Frequently asked questions
What should a dealer ask a vehicle transport company?
Who hauls the car, how carriers are checked, whether every load is insured, who your contact is from quote to drop-off, and what you get in writing.
Is FCT a carrier or a broker?
FCT matches your car with a vetted, fully insured carrier running your lane, and stays your one point of contact from quote to drop-off.
How do I know the right truck showed up?
Check the driver’s name, carrier name and license against what the transport company sent, and photograph the driver and the truck with the plate before releasing the car. FCT calls this the 5-Point Verified Handoff.
How do FCT clients track a car in transit?
In the client portal at fctorders.com: log in with your email and a 6-digit code to see your orders, the driver’s location while the driver is active, and the delivery BOL.
Should I drop my regular hauler?
No. Run a trial load first and keep a second transport company as a backup for the weeks your regular carrier can’t make it.
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.
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