A Comprehensive Guide To Moving RVs Across The Country
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By PAGE Editor
Shiply is here to take the stress out of RV transport by helping you find an affordable, reliable service that works for you. Simply create a listing on our website and sit back as transport providers come to you with quotes to move your recreational vehicle. Once you see a quote you like, reach out to the driver, confirm, and wait for your vehicle to be picked up.
How To Transport An RV
There are plenty of reasons why you may need to transport your RV, you might be going on a holiday but need your RV transported there, or just moving across the country and finding yourself without a spare set of hands to drive it. Whatever the reason, finding a trusted RV transport service, also known as RV haulers, trailer transport services, or camper towing services, to move your RV at a reasonable price isn’t always a straightforward task.
Finding the right RV transport company can be a daunting task, especially if it’s your first time. But don't worry, we've got you covered.
You can find a vast selection of RV transport companies on Shiply, often at rates up to 75% cheaper than usual, but first, you need to decide on a few things relating to the type of RV transport service you require.
Types Of RV Transport Services
There are three main methods of transporting that RV transport companies will use, whether you need a trailer delivery service, camper towing service, or RV transport service, and you need to decide which is going to be best for you:
Flatbed RV Service - This involved your RV going on a flatbed truck and being driven to its destination by the RV hauling service. There will usually be other vehicles and RVs on the flatbed with yours.
Tow-Away RV Services - Whether this is possible depends on your RV type, but this method involves special equipment that allows your RV to be towed behind another vehicle.
Driver RV Transport - This method involves someone driving your RV to its destination. It is often the cheapest RV shipping option but also adds mileage to your vehicle.
How Much Does It Cost To Transport An RV?
Giving an accurate estimate on the cost of RV transport is difficult due to the number of varying factors that can increase the price, but on average, a move less than 100 miles will cost around $3.32 per mile whereas journeys less than 1,000 miles will cost roughly $1.05 per mile.
Aside from distance, here are some more factors to consider when estimating pricing for RV transportation:
Vehicle Size - How big your RV trailer is will significantly affect the pricing as this can determine which methods of transport you can consider. A bigger RV may require a special flatbed or specialized towing equipment, or may not be towable at all.
RV Transport Service Type - Which RV haulers service type you choose, be it trailer transport services or RV transport, will also affect the price. Drive-away services can often be cheaper as the only thing you are paying for is man-hours to drive your vehicle, but you may prefer a flatbed service if you want to minimize damage risk to your RV on the road.
Timings - If you need your RV shippers to be at a certain place by a certain date then this can definitely bump up the price as it may involve a custom job being put together just for you by an RV hauling service, as opposed to putting your RV on a flatbed that was already making the journey for example.
Locations Of Pickup And Delivery - Where the RV needs to be picked up from can also affect the quotes you receive for your job. If the pickup location is in a remote area then this requires further driving to reach you and may increase the price, whereas urban and densely populated pickup areas may cost less.
Time Of Year - Seasonality can unfortunately also affect the cost of your RV transport service. Ice, wind, and snow can shut off certain routes or make them unsafe to travel, meaning an alternate longer route is needed which will bump up the cost of your quote.
How Can Shiply Help Find RV Transport Services?
There are obviously quite a few factors to consider when searching for an RV transport service, and with so many companies to choose from it can often feel overwhelming; this is where Shiply can help. There are hundreds of RV haulers on Shiply ready to bid on your job.
On Shiply all we need are a few details about your job such as the RV mode, pick-up location, and delivery location. Once posted, you will begin to receive personalized quotes for your job from rated RV shippers. This gives you a space to compare all of your options and pricing to find the right company for you.
Shiply utilizes a rating and feedback system which allows you to browse RV transport services with faith and trust - you can read previous user reviews as well as look at an aggregated ‘trust’ score for each company. You are also able to message each company that has quoted you directly to ask any questions you may have.
RV shipping on Shiply can also be up to 75% cheaper than usual and this is because RV transport services on our platform are often operating on a backload basis, meaning that they are looking to fill up space on journeys they are already making. This is also great for the environment as it reduces the number of unnecessary vehicles on the road.
Preparing For Your RV To Be Shipped
If you have decided on an RV transport service quote and are happy to proceed then you need to prepare your RV for pickup. We recommend that you follow these steps:
Documents - If you are selling your RV or it will be traveling overseas then you may need to provide some documents. We recommend getting these in order as soon as possible as the RV transportation will not be able to go ahead without them.
Cleaning - Cleaning your RV prior to pick up by your trailer transport service is a great way to observe its condition and note anything down before delivery such as pre-existing damages. You may also want to secure everything in your RV such as loose electrical items, windows, and latches, and make sure fluid levels are ok.
Running Condition - You should definitely do a quick check of the running condition of your RV trailer before it is picked up, just to make sure that everything was in order prior to transit.
Photographic Evidence - Taking photos to document all of the above is highly recommended. Time-stamped photographs are hard evidence of the condition of a vehicle before it is picked up and will be very useful should any disputes arise.
What To Do After Delivery
Once your RV has been delivered you should make sure to check its condition using the photos you took. Be sure to raise any issues immediately. We also ask that you leave feedback for your transport provider so that future customers on Shiply can know what to expect.
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In most cases, you can throw on your safety gear, plan a route into the wilderness, and set off to locations unknown, and in most cases, be back in time for tea!