Transporter Plates and Drive Away Transports Anyone ?

The problem I see with your state, we rarely have a title or bill of sale in our possession when transporting a vehicle, so it will be a paperwork problem for your customers. That said, we do use transporter tags for rvs, large trucks, camper trailers and some accounts that allow the vehicle to be driven, we send a runner with the big truck, he helps the driver load up and then takes off in a vehicle and meets the driver at the auction to help unload and run the cars in. Make sure you have drive away included on your insurance, and be sure it will cover a loss, some policies will not cover anything other than state minimum liability, be sure the drive away vehicle is covered as if it were cargo (since it is).

 

Our drive away is just a rider on our commercial auto policy, but we have a fleet policy without needing to declare individual vehicles so that may have made it easier. We also have a drive away rider on our cargo policy to cover the value of the vehicle we are driving in case it is damaged. When I had my towing company it was a rider on our on-hook policy, never tried getting a stand alone policy of transporter plates.

 

Got you. Sounds like it is written correctly, little high, hopefully it goes down next year after the can see if you have any claims from use of the plates. I just look at it as a cost of doing business, we have generated thousands of dollars of revenue each year that we wouldn't have otherwise had so it is worth it. One other word of caution, make sure your drive away contract with your customers stipulates who is responsible for in transit breakdown repairs, they will happen. Stipulate who pays for what, and the detention time for your driver while waiting on repairs, and who will pay for the tow if it can't be repaired on the road. I didn't at first and paid a large repair bill and tow, learned the hard way, paid more in repairs than the job was bid at on an rv.

 

Clarity is very important in this business. Assumptions will cost you a lot more than a few lost loads because the customer wanted you to be liable for what should be their liability. Yes, I always ask up front how they want to handle breakdowns, and have it in writing so there is not confusion. It should be part of the contract but a simple email will keep most people honest.

 

The MVA in Maryland said they don't have that here...we really wanted one for getting and delivering things to dc or downtown baltimore. You know how it can be a nightmare to get a truck in tight roads like those. We needed to have proof of being a dealer or owning land for auction or an auctioneer license. gahhhhhh