Shipping Your Car For a Military Assignment: A Comprehensive Guide

When you’re preparing for a military assignment, shipping your car is often one of the last things on your mind. But if you plan ahead, it can be relatively easy and stress-free. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you get started.

Steps to military car shipping

Know your assignment

The first thing you want to do before anything else is to find out the details of your new duty station. This includes obtaining information like the location and distance from your current location, the road conditions, the expected date of arrival, and any other information you need to help you prepare.

Once you’ve confirmed the details of your assignment, you will be able to determine if your new permanent duty station (PDS) falls within the Continental United States (CONUS) or outside the Continental United States (OCONUS).

Depending on where your new station is, the number of vehicles you have, and the details of your relocation, you might be eligible for some privately owned vehicle (POV) transportation entitlement. You can talk with your transportation office counselors (TO) for guidance on the next steps and key information on how to get your POV to your new PDS.

Check for POV transportation entitlement

The military allocates funds to cater to the transportation of POVs of military officers. If your new PDS is OCONUS, the military will cover the cost of shipping your POV to your new destination. However, if your PDS is CONUS, you might have to cover the cost of shipping your vehicle.

Still, there are conditions where you might be eligible for POV transportation entitlement even if your new PDS is within the CONUS. Your TO should be able to elaborate more on this, but the basic requirements for POV transportation within CONUS include:

  1. You must have more than one POV.
  2. You should be married, and the family should have more than one driver.
  3. The relocation to the new PDS should include your whole family; this includes your daughter or son in college.

Other conditions where you might be eligible for POV entitlement within CONUS are if you’re unable to drive or if there are special circumstances surrounding your move to your new PDS. Speak to your TO to find out more about your shipping options and if there are any available grants to help cover the shipping of your POV.

Find a military car shipping company

Once you’ve explored your options with your TO and confirmed any grants or funds available for shipping your car, the next step is to find a shipping company to transport your car.

When searching for a transport company, you want to look for a company that operates within your current location and your new PDS. You can check online for shipping companies that offer military car shipping at affordable prices. These companies usually offer discounts for military personnel, so shop around till you find one that fits your budget.

Also, when shopping for shipping companies, look for reliable companies with good reviews. Check reviews from previous clients and military officers to see what they had to say about the company. You can also ask your military buddies that have changed PDS for recommendations on car shipping companies.

Using their recommendations and your research, you should be able to find a car shipping company that can handle your shipping needs on time and at an affordable rate.

Finalize your shipping

Once you’ve found a shipping company, the next step is to finalize your shipping. To do this, you will need to provide the shipping company with details including:

  1. Your pick up and drop off location.
  2. Type and condition of your vehicle (Truck, SUV, classic car; new, used, operable or inoperable).
  3. Make and model of your vehicle.
  4. Estimated time for shipping.
  5. Any other relevant information the company needs.

Based on the information you provide, the shipping company could suggest one or more of their shipping services as well as the prices for each of the services they offer. Open and enclosed shipping are two of the most common options, but other specialized companies might offer expedited and door-to-door car shipping.

You can choose from the options they present to you, make payment for the service you choose, and wait for your vehicle to be picked up and shipped to your new destination.

Factors that affect the cost of car shipping

The cost of car shipping can vary depending on the distance and size of your vehicle. It’s important to note that factors such as the type, make, model, and condition of your vehicle play a huge role in determining the amount you will be charged for shipping. Additionally, special services like enclosed transport or expedited shipping can add to the total cost of shipping.

It’s also important to note that car shipping companies usually offer discounts for active and retired members of the military, so it pays to ask about these discounts when seeking out a company for your needs.

Still, other factors that can affect the cost of shipping your car to your new PDS include:

  1. Time of the year: Summer and January usually have the highest number of permanent change of station (PCS) movements, so shipping your car during this period might be more expensive due to the high demand.
  2. Delivery method: While terminal-to-terminal shipping is the most common option, some shipping companies also offer door-to-door shipping services. Choosing the latter option can add to your overall cost of shipping.
  3. The number of vehicles: Shipping multiple vehicles to your new PDS is often more expensive than shipping a single vehicle. However, shipping multiple vehicles usually attract discounted rates and qualify you for POV transportation funds.

The best way to ship your car for a military assignment

Your vehicle is precious to you, so it’s only fair that you look for a reliable shipping company to handle the job. The best shipping company should be able to offer a service that meets your needs, provide competitive pricing, handle the shipping efficiently without any hitches, meet up with your estimated shipping dates, and provide discounts for military car shipping.

If you’re looking for a car shipping company that checks all the above requirements, then Ghost Pepper Logistics is your shipping company. Ghost Pepper Logistics is one of the leading car shipping companies in the US and provides military members with safe, reliable, and cost-effective shipping services. We offer door-to-door and terminal-to-terminal delivery as well as expedited car shipping for those who need their vehicles delivered in a hurry.

We also offer discounts and special rates for active duty and retired military personnel who need to ship their cars. Our team of experienced professionals is dedicated to making your car shipping process hassle-free, so you can rest assured that your vehicle will arrive on time and without any complications. Contact us today to get started with your military car shipping needs.