An auto transport contract explains who arranges your shipment, who carries the vehicle, what you pay and what you need to do before pickup and delivery. Read the order confirmation, broker terms and carrier documents before agreeing. This guide highlights the questions to check when booking with Yellowfin. Request a personalized car-shipping quote with your route, vehicle details and preferred dates.
Commonly Used Auto Transport Terminology
Shipment : The property for which a customer is seeking transport
Shipper : The person or business requesting transport of the vehicle. Check how your particular agreement defines this term and identifies each party. For help comparing providers, see what to look for in an auto transport service.
Customer : The customer is the individual or entity that is requesting transport of goods.
Carrier/Transporter : The company that physically transports your vehicle. For interstate auto transport, check the carrier’s FMCSA registration and confirm that the company arriving for pickup matches your dispatch details. The FMCSA automobile-transporter advisory explains the difference between brokers and carriers and how to check registration.
Carrier Form : This refers to the documents that will be issued by the carriers at the points of origin and destination. Examples are:
Shipping Order
Bill of Lading
Inspection Reports
Receipts
Broker : A company that arranges vehicle transport with a carrier. Yellowfin operates as a transportation broker; it does not take custody of or transport your vehicle. Your agreement should distinguish the broker’s service from the carrier’s transport and liability terms.
Customer’s Agent : A person you authorize to release or accept the vehicle when you cannot attend pickup or delivery. Confirm the arrangement with the carrier and make sure your agent can inspect the vehicle, sign the reports and arrange the required delivery payment.
Order : An order is the request for transport services initiated by the Customer.
Order Confirmation : This will constitute any written confirmation of services between the Broker/Carrier and the Customer regarding the terms of their shipment.
Bill of Lading : The carrier’s shipment document, often called the BoL, records the vehicle, route, inspection findings and carrier terms. Read it and keep copies of the signed pickup and delivery reports. Check that existing damage is recorded at pickup and that any new damage is noted on the delivery report. Review the carrier’s liability exclusions and applicable insurance rather than assuming every loss is covered; coverage and claim outcomes depend on the policy and agreement.
C.O.D. : Payment of the carrier balance on delivery. Yellowfin’s current terms specify cash or a cashier’s check for payments directly to the driver; confirm the carrier’s preferred method and the correct company name before delivery.
Point of Origin : A customer must designate a pick-up location for their shipment. This location is referred to as the Point of Origin.
Destination : This refers to the drop off location for the shipment that is designated by the customer or later modified by the transport company due to inaccessibility. Any change in agreement must be mutual and laid forth in writing.
Inoperable : A vehicle that cannot be driven onto and off the carrier under its own power. Disclose this when requesting a quote so the carrier can assess loading requirements. See our non-running vehicle shipping guide.
Ask for clarification before signing if any term is unclear. Check the agreement you are actually being asked to accept; this article summarizes practical booking questions and does not replace the shipment documents.
Check the ’Service’ Section of your contract
The Service Section of your contract will specify what services the company is committing to and what you can expect from them throughout the process of service delivery.
When booking through Yellowfin, distinguish the broker service from the carrier’s transport service. Yellowfin arranges the shipment; the assigned carrier physically transports the vehicle. After carrier assignment, primary shipment communication is with the carrier, while Yellowfin remains available in a secondary support role under its current terms.
Check the order confirmation and carrier’s Bill of Lading together: vehicle details, route, transport type, price, payment stages, inspection requirements and any exclusions should be understood before release. Ask Yellowfin about a discrepancy rather than accepting an unexplained change at pickup.
For Yellowfin shipments, requested pickup and delivery dates are requests, not guarantees. Carrier dates are estimates that can change with weather, road conditions, mechanical problems or delays at auctions and dealerships. Explain any fixed deadline before booking and plan for possible changes. Check what your quote covers and whether changes to the vehicle details or order would affect the price; do not treat an initial estimate as an unconditional promise.
Be sure to understand exactly what services are being covered in the contract and that you feel fully informed of the process. Once you sign on with a Transport Company, arrangements for the service you agreed to will become active and serviceable.
Check what the Agreement requires of you, the Customer
In order to provide an efficient service, all Transport Companies will require certain contributions from the Customer. These may include the following:
Accurate Information
The transport company relies on the customer to provide accurate details pertaining to their requirements for a shipment. Inaccurate information may result in discrepancies in the price originally quoted, the dates projected, the specific type of Carrier assigned to the load or the route being travelled.
Preparing their Vehicles for Shipment
Provide accurate vehicle dimensions, modifications, ground clearance and operating condition before dispatch. Follow the car-shipping preparation checklist for alarms, loose accessories, toll tags, fuel and belongings. Ask about any vehicle-specific requirements before pickup.
Vehicle Inspections
You or your authorized agent should attend pickup and delivery, inspect the vehicle with the carrier and retain the signed reports and photos. Under Yellowfin’s current terms, any new damage must be noted on the final inspection report; pay the remaining carrier balance, then contact the carrier’s main office and subsequently its insurance company. A signed report does not itself guarantee coverage or a successful claim.
Personal Items
Yellowfin’s current terms allow up to 100 lbs of personal belongings in the trunk or back compartment free of charge on non-port shipments, subject to carrier pre-approval. Extra weight incurs a carrier charge. Port shipments cannot contain luggage. Loss or damage to contents is the customer’s responsibility under these terms; confirm approval before packing.
Certain Items are Prohibited
Check the applicable agreement and carrier restrictions before loading belongings. Do not pack hazardous, illegal or unsuitable items, including the examples below; ask the carrier to clarify any uncertainty before pickup:
- Anything flammable
- Guns and Weapons
- Explosives and Ammunition
- Alcohol and Narcotics
- Live Pets or Plants
- Anything considered illegal
Responsibilities of the Carrier
In as much as a contract will inform the client of what might be expected of them throughout the shipping process, it will also outline the responsibilities of the Carrier. Where it has been the Broker’s responsibility to arrange all logistical details pertaining to the client’s shipment, it is the Carrier’s responsibility to implement these arrangements according to the agreement.
Confirm the pickup and delivery arrangement directly with the assigned carrier. If the truck cannot access the address, Yellowfin’s current terms require meeting at a nearby accessible location. Keep the carrier’s contact details and stay in touch about schedule changes.
Do not release the vehicle without a pickup inspection report. At delivery, inspect it again with the carrier, note any new damage and keep a copy of the final report. If the carrier proposes changed terms, contact Yellowfin before releasing the vehicle so any agreed revision can be documented in writing.
Fees, Payments, Cancellation and Refund Policies
Check the total price, broker service fee, carrier balance and any additional charges before booking. Under Yellowfin’s current terms, the broker deposit/service fee becomes due when the carrier is assigned; the carrier balance is due on delivery. Special requests to pay the full amount upfront by credit card require separate approval and carry a processing fee.
Order changes before dispatch can affect the price. Cancellation after dispatch forfeits deposits/service fees already paid, and orders cannot be cancelled or changed after pickup under the current terms. Review the current Yellowfin terms and conditions and your own order before agreeing; do not assume a general cancellation window or refund guarantee.
Ask Questions
Professional Auto Transport companies should offer assistance with any questions you may have regarding their contract. However, if you are unclear about what some of the legal information means, you may wish to have it reviewed by someone with legal knowledge.
Ready to discuss a shipment? Request a personalized Yellowfin quote with pickup and delivery locations, vehicle condition, preferred dates and your choice of open or enclosed transport. Ask about timing, payment and any special requirements before booking.
For questions about your order or its terms, call (888) 223-5038. After dispatch, contact the assigned carrier for primary shipment updates; Yellowfin remains available for support as described in the current terms.
