Car haulers and car owners have one thing in common when it comes to auto transport–we all want to hold on as tight as possible to that precious vehicle. The importance of car(go) securement may seem obvious and even easy, but there is a lot of care and experience involved when it comes to keeping such precious cargo–your car–secure.
And this significance isn’t just for truckers and transporters; this year has also been an active one for federal safety inspections focused on cargo safety.
Top-notch auto transport, from truck to trucker, comes together–securely–through a combination of knowledge, skill, experience, and sometimes even excitement.
If you are interested here you can find some interesting vehicle shipping industry statistics by IBIS World.
Handle With Care
Securing an automobile for transport is a specialized skill that involves a lot of knowledge, experience, and hard work. More than just simply backing up to a loading dock, car haulers have to be hands-on almost every step of the way. At Montway Auto Transport we believe that the special care for our clients’ vehicles will pay off in long-term.
After the car has been driven onto the trailer, the truck’s hydraulic ramps lift and tilt the car into optimal position. Then the trucker gets to work strapping it in with a series of tiedown ratchets and wheel straps.
The trucker starts with at least four tiedowns, two each at the front and rear of the car, to keep it from moving at all. Sometimes there are special mounting points on the vehicle, but most often the car is secured by the chasses and over and around the wheels.
A car can move side-to-side, forwards or backwards, and even vertically–a carrier is one place you don’t want your car bouncing or rocking! Immobilization is of utmost importance, but placement is key to keeping every car pristine. That’s why reputable car shippers like Montway only work with experienced auto transporters who have exceptionally high service and satisfaction ratings.
Motor Carrier Mathematicians
According to the North American Standard Inspection Program, every year, around four-million commercial motor vehicle inspections are conducted every year. Federal focus has been on safety across all areas of transportation infrastructure, so it comes as no surprise that this year, inspections have been especially intense when it comes to how cargo is carried.
Safety is a major concern–to protect the cars of course, and others on the road. That’s why there are so many rules and regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on U.S. cargo securement, especially when it comes to transporting vehicles.
Did you know car haulers need to have a pretty good grasp of physics? He or she has to figure out how the car(go) will be affected by gravity when the truck slows down, speeds up, and turns, and even the impact of the wind! In fact, the tiedowns have to be able to withstand force equal to at minimum of fifty percent of the vehicle weight, which is why this job is not just a labor of love.
“Our industry is not a regular job, it’s a whole science” — Montway Dispatch supervisor.
Special Securements
Car haulers have a lot of experience providing special care and consideration for each customer and car. Every vehicle has its own sensitive areas and stress points, but experienced auto transporters know just how and where to strap-in every vehicle size and shape.
On older cars, such as popular classics from the 50s and 60s, the metal may be weaker or even partially rusted, so truckers know to avoid putting any extra weight on those parts. In this case, the trucker would use special canvas straps to hold the car, and possibly extra tire strapping.
Sometimes cars need to be shipped with parts that cannot fit inside the car, like Roadsters or Hotrods. They have to be secured as well using straps or cargo nets.
For oversized and overweight loads, such as a M35A and MRAP military vehicles, appropriate equipment must be sent to accommodate and secure the extra size and weight. In these cases, chains can be used (due to the durability of the vehicles), attached to the frame, as well as stronger and wider straps and larger ratchets that can take the extra pressure.
Labor of Love
Montway has shipped vehicles of every size and shape imaginable. Now you’ve seen not only how and why securement is so important for auto transport, but also some examples of the ways Montway makes sure every auto travels at its very best.
It’s a big responsibility, but we’re not only up for it, we enjoy doing it. Our car haulers have done the hard work of learning how to care for this special cargo because they love the experience, the cars, and the satisfaction of getting every vehicle safely home.
