Salvage Car Transport
The total number of automobiles on the road has been steadily increasing over the years and this has led to an ever increasing number of cars that have become classified as salvage. Salvage car transport has become a mainstay of the auto transport business as a result.
There are many things that can earn the classification of salvage for an automobile. The most common is simply mechanical failure. This is a numbers game as the number of automobiles that are reaching the end of their useful life increases at a steady rate and the average useful life decreases. Automobile accidents account for the other cause of the salvage classification. Accidents are no respecters of age or mileage, but can turn even a new automobile into a salvage vehicle in a heartbeat. Salvage car transport has become a mainstay of the auto transport business as the movement of these vehicles has become a lucrative industry.
Salvage car transport refers to the movement of cars that are not in condition to be driven. A pretty standard rule for auto transport is that a vehicle must be in sound running condition capable of being driven onto and off of the car carrier. Car salvage transport is not undertaken by customers seeking to move their vehicles to a new location. This is common sense as a vehicle that does not run does not do the customer any good and certainly does not justify the expense of travel.
So, where does the demand for salvage car transport come from and what makes it a profitable venture for auto transport companies? The answer comes from the value of any automobile for scrap and parts. Although an automobile’s value drops considerably when it is not in running condition, it retains value for the undamaged parts and for the value of the scrap metal. The disposal of scrap automobiles has always been a problem. The unsightly automobile graveyards that have served generations as used part warehouses are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.
Zoning regulations and environmental concerns, as well as the increasing shortage of space in many major metropolitan areas have made auto salvage and parts recovery a whole different business. The movement of salvage automobiles to companies specializing in this type of business is a very profitable use for auto carriers. The carriers can be used exclusively for salvage or they can be used in a combination of salvage and normal carrier operations. The option of returning from a drop off with a full load of salvage vehicles is a good option over returning empty.
There are only a few adjustments that need to be made to convert to carrying salvage vehicles and the concerns of damage and insurance are removed. The ability to add the movement of scrap cars to central salvage locations has given schedulers new flexibility in a competitive market place. Many transport companies have branched out into salvage and parts recovery as part of their normal business while others have focused on salvage car transport as their primary business.