Car got transported, just not the expected experience
Kyle Lowry
Submitted this review about
AmeriFreight Car Shipping
Review made Live: 6/14/2022 9:51:00 PM
I started this process as most people probably do, by getting a couple online shipping quotes to transport a vehicle. I did extensive research, so fully understood the “load board” and using a broker to locate a carrier. I signed with AmeriFreight for transportation for my Honda Civic from CA to TN back in the beginning of May. I had previously received an AmeriFreight shipping quote of $1151. I spoke with Sydni over the phone when I called in, and she answered a number of questions I had. She was very nice/polite. Sydni also advised me of rising diesel costs, and indicated that she believed based on the most recent transports, my vehicle would likely cost around $1400 to transport (it had been a few weeks since my initial quote).
My shipping dates were very flexible, as I had about a weeks worth of time when the vehicle could be picked up, and wasn’t really particular to a specific date when the vehicle was delivered (told Sydni anytime between 6/1-6/6 for pick up, and anytime before 6/17 for delivery). I was assured that my flexibility would help locate a carrier.
I then did not hear from AmeriFreight again. As the dates kept approaching, I would reach out by email and phone, and was assured that carriers often scheduled pick ups very late in the process.
I ultimately left CA on 6/4 (with my wife scheduled to leave early on 6/7). I still had not heard back from AmeriFreight regarding a confirmed shipment. Not wanting to leave my wife in the lurch (she already had our 2 kids to travel with) with the car in CA, I contacted Sydni while driving across the country. I learned that there had been no carrier offers for my vehicle, and Sydni was sorry.
I then contacted two other companies to try to find transport for my vehicle prior to my wife’s departure.
On 6/6, AmeriFreight contacted me and informed me that they had found a carrier who could pick up the vehicle later that day. Only catch was that this transport would now cost $2198, which was nearly double my original quote.
The AmeriFreight employee I spoke with told me about the $9 per gallon diesel prices (mind you I had just driven across the country and saw and endless stream of $6.59 per gallon prices), etc.
Ultimately, faced with the possibility of having to leave my car with a friend or family, and then try to arrange flying back to CA to then trek back across the country for a second time in as many weeks, I decided it was more prudent to accept the offer. The vehicle was delivered extremely quick, and without any problems (transporter was phenomenal).
Ultimately, the vehicle was delivered, but the process, and the end price, obviously left me longing for a better experience. My flexibility with the delivery, which was supposed to be a plus, did. It appear to provide any additional incentive to a carrier. Also, had it not been for me repeatedly contacting AmeriFreight, I’m not sure that I ever would have found out that the car was not shipped (until my wife told me).
Personally, I had my suspicions that by contacting AmeriFreight so far ahead of my shipping date, that my transport got lost in the bottom of a large stack of files, and that only my repeated contacts (and willingness to pay almost double) got the vehicle transported.
