There are two ways to hand a vehicle to a carrier. With door-to-door service, the truck comes to you. With terminal-to-terminal service, you take the car to a lot and collect it from another. Most people choose the first, and for good reasons. There are still times when the second is the better fit. Here is how they compare.
How door-to-door works
The carrier drives to the address where your vehicle is parked, loads it, and delivers it to the address you name. If a large truck cannot safely reach your street, the driver arranges to meet you at a parking lot a few minutes away. The driver calls ahead at both ends, and the vehicle is inspected with you each time.
How terminal-to-terminal works
You drive the vehicle to a secured lot run by a carrier or a storage company and check it in. A truck collects it from there, usually along with other vehicles, and takes it to a similar lot near the destination. You, or someone you authorize, collect it during the terminal's opening hours.
Side by side
| Door-to-door | Terminal-to-terminal | |
|---|---|---|
| Your effort | A short meeting with the driver | A trip to a lot at each end |
| Timing | You need to be available when the driver arrives | Any time during business hours |
| Handling | Loaded once, unloaded once | Checked in, stored, loaded, unloaded, stored again |
| Storage fees | None | Often charged after a few free days |
| Availability | Nearly everywhere | Only where terminals exist |
Is terminal shipping cheaper?
It has that reputation, and on some high-volume routes between big cities it can be. The saving is often smaller than it looks. Storage fees begin after a short grace period, and a car that waits a week or two can cost more in storage than was saved on transport. You also have to get to and from each terminal, which may mean a ride, a rental, or a long drive.
When those costs are counted honestly, door-to-door is usually equal or better. That is why it has become the standard, and why it is included in every quote we give.
The availability problem
Terminals are concentrated around large cities and ports, and there are fewer of them than there used to be. In much of Alabama, the nearest one may be hours away, or there may be none on your route at all. Door-to-door service has no such limit. A carrier can meet you at home, at work, or on the nearest paved highway.
When a terminal does make sense
- You are leaving before a truck can reach you. The car can wait at a terminal for the carrier.
- You will arrive after your car. It can be held at the destination until you get there.
- Nobody can meet the driver. If you have no friend, relative, or neighbor to stand in, a staffed lot solves the problem.
- The address is impossible for a truck. A few dense downtown locations have no workable meeting point nearby.
A combination is often the answer
You do not have to choose one method for both ends. Door pickup with terminal delivery, or the reverse, is common and available on more routes than a full terminal-to-terminal shipment. It gives you flexibility at the end where you need it and convenience at the other.
What to ask about any terminal
- Where exactly is it, and how far is it from me?
- What are the opening hours, including weekends?
- How many days of storage are free, and what is the daily charge after that?
- How is the lot secured, and is the vehicle covered while it is stored?
- What identification or authorization is needed to collect the car?
Our recommendation
For nearly everyone, door-to-door is the simpler and safer choice. Your vehicle is handled less, it never sits in a lot, and you do not travel anywhere. Use a terminal when your schedule leaves no alternative. If you are not sure which applies to you, call us and describe your situation. We will tell you plainly what we would do.