FAQ

Unfortunately train transport is not currently operational for individual/private vehicles.

Autofreight offers a convenient vehicle relocation service on car carriers – that’s a wise move!

Transporting your vehicle off-wheels may seem like a large once-off expense. Keep the following expenses in mind before deciding to drive to your destination yourself – fuel and tolls, wear and tear as well as depreciation (extra mileage). There is always the risk of having a breakdown, engine problems or flat tyre, or being involved in an accident. Sometimes driving can be discomforting, tiring and stressful because you may be driving for long hours on unfamiliar or bad roads. Extra money may be spent on accommodation along the way. Autofreight can assist in planning according to your schedule, needs and budget, saving you time and minimising stress.

Thousands of vehicles are transported monthly, over long distances. Incidents do happen, but the percentage of incidents occurring during the car carrier transportation process is very small.

Car carrier truck drivers are well trained and experienced. Your vehicle might be safer on a car carrier than when being driven in traffic over a long distance and on bad roads. On the positive side one should remember that if something happens to the vehicle while it is being transported, the accident will not affect you or your family! Insurance will replace your vehicle, whereas your beloved family cannot ever be replaced!

It is not a good idea to use the vehicle for personal belongings while it is being transported. There is always the possibility that the goods can be stolen while the truck is parked at a truck stop or weigh bridge. Depots will not accept your vehicle if there are personal belongings in the vehicle, as this poses a security risk. In exceptional cases Autofreight will allow up to 25kg of luggage (door to door option only), on condition that it is stored in the boot of the car. No responsibility will however be taken for this. Autofreight is a vehicle transport company only, and we can refer you to courier or furniture removal companies should you want to move items.

We suggest that you try to keep the fuel to about 25% of the capacity, if possible.  This will help minimise risk and lower the total weight on the carrier.

There are many reasons why it is impossible to give a specific time for collection or delivery. Our door-to-door trucks have to cover a wide area when collecting or delivering vehicles. Traffic, load shedding, loading times, the weather and unforeseen delays will affect our schedules. Going through a weighbridge en route can cause lengthy delays, as will road works. Schedules can change at any time, and we do not want to create expectations and then have to disappoint our clients.  For this reason we suggest that our clients arrange for someone to be available at the address within 30 to 60 minutes.  Our drivers will then contact clients 30 to 60 minutes before arriving at the address(es).

Definitely – this will prevent problems should new damage appear on the vehicle while it is in the care of the company. Doing this will ensure that you have peace of mind that you will not be surprised with damages on delivery, and will also assist insurance claims in the unfortunate event of damages occurring during transport.

The driver of the carrier will go round the vehicle and indicate things like dents, scratches, etc. Note that they will not look under the car, inside the engine and boot, and will not check items like side windows, engine bonnets, door handles etc. Should any items come loose or fall off during the transport, no cover will be given for that (as per Conditions of Transport).

If you choose to use the depot-to-depot method, your car is stored in a large facility until there are enough cars heading to the area you requested. The cars are than loaded onto a truck and driven to their destination where you must pick it up. The cheaper service is more convenient for the shipping company, especially if you live in an area where a large truck may not be able to reach your home. Although this service is offered at a discounted price. there are issues that you must think about before dropping your car off at a depot. It may be days before there are enough cars to transport to your area, leaving you without a car. Your car might be stored outside until it is loaded.  Depot to depot ferrying has its pros and cons and it is up to the client to decide if the pros outweigh the cons.

The alternative to depot-to-depot freighting is preferred by most owners. A truck with a licensed and experienced driver will come pick up your vehicle on the day booked for transport.  This means you can use your car until it is collected from your address (closest access).

You don’t need to leave it in a large facility for days or weeks. A door-to-door service is often more expensive but many owners would gladly pay the extra money to have the use of their vehicle until the date of collection.

Sometimes it may not be possible for the auto transport company to collect or deliver the vehicle from/to your doorstep; this may be because many trucks and trailers cannot travel narrow or steep roads, or streets with low trees, or enter security areas. Hence the carrier can call you and ask you to come to the nearest access point for loading or delivery (which is usually a short distance away).  Please advise the booking office beforehand of any difficulty in loading or offloading, and arrange a convenient flat and open area as a meeting point (preferably at a service station or parking area).

Similar to almost every other decision this one rides on your current circumstances and situation. There are many factors that may play into your decision so you should evaluate and decide what is better for you; the lower cost of depot-to-depot shipping or the added safety and convenience of the faster door-to-door method. 

If a vehicle is driven on the road, it is transported on-wheels.  As soon as it is transported on a car carrier, it is transported off-wheels.

Autofreight offers airport shuttle services at ORT Airport as well as Cape Town airport:

• – If you fly out from OR Tambo Airport we can arrange to have your vehicle collected at the airport, and shuttled (on wheels), to Elite Car Park Services, where it will be stored until our carrier truck can collect it for transport to your door in Cape Town. 
• Should you need the vehicle at Cape Town International when you arrive, we can transport it in advance, keep it at a storage facility in Cape Town and then shuttle the vehicle (on wheels) to Cape Town Airport to meet you when you arrive.

• – The same applies should you fly in from Cape Town to OR Tambo Airport. Our shuttle service can collect the vehicle at Cape Town International before your flight, and shuttle it (on wheels), to a storage facility from where we will collect the car for transport to Johannesburg on a car carrier. 
• Alternatively we can collect the car from your address in Cape Town and transport it to Johannesburg, where we will store the at Elite Car Park Services until your arrival.  We will then shuttle the vehicle to OR Tambo and hand it over to you when you arrive.

Car manufacturers and car dealers, people who have purchased or sold a car online, families relocating (transporting an extra car, boat, trailer, or caravan), students studying far from home. People go to other areas to work for long periods, get transferred or go on holiday, and prefer to have the use of their own car instead of renting vehicles at high rates.

Furniture removal companies, Auction houses and Government use this option a lot.

Road transport is cost-effective, if you calculate the cost of fuel and toll roads, bad road structure, traffic and stress of driving long hours, time wasted, and possible breakages and cost of overnight accommodation.  Transporting your car will allow you the time and energy to do what is most important, concentrate on the task at hand and arrive well rested at your destination. 

Initial costs may seem high, but a lot of our clients value their time more than the costs.

It is important to ensure that you have enough insurance to cover any losses on your vehicle, whether you are driving it yourself, or have it transported on a car carrier. 

A vehicle or truck is a huge investment, and chances are that you cannot afford to lose it. Make sure that you contact your personal insurance company in order to obtain enough insurance to replace the vehicle should it be damaged in any way during transit or being driven by yourself.

Most carrier companies have a GIT (Goods in Transit) insurance cover on the load it carries. This total amount is applied to all the vehicles on the load (based on book value), and only applies in the case of a total write-off on the truck (overturning, burnout or hi-jacking).  Smaller damages (which might have occurred while driving on the road), are excluded. An excess is still payable by yourself (as with any insurance policy). 

With Autofreight’s door-to-door option the ‘risk window’ is small, as our trucks leave immediately after collections, drive straight to the destination, and deliver within one or two days.  

Space on carriers is booked according to available space, and therefore a confirmed booking will reserve your space. Sometimes spaces can be booked weeks in advance.

This is the time our drivers and office staff take their annual leave. We try to keep trucks off the roads during this peak period, as most roads to and in the coastal areas are extremely busy.

Your signed booking form is an agreement.  This means that you acknowledge and accept our terms and Conditions of Transport. As soon as we have received you signed Booking and Conditions of Transport we will forward a tax invoice, which is a confirmation that the booking and transport has been confirmed. Please note that signing your Quotation and Conditions of Transport constitutes a contract, and non-payment does not cancel a contract. Refer to our Conditions of Transport.

We require payment at least two working days before collection.  We accept an Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT), and banking fees will be added to any cash deposits. Also note that we will not deliver a vehicle unless the full amount for the transport reflects in our ABSA account.  In this case the vehicle will be taken to a storage depot, from where you will have to collect it (storage fees will apply in this case).

You can designate someone responsible to represent you to hand the vehicle over or receive the car on your behalf.  This person will be responsible for bringing the car to the nearest access point / depot and also for signing off on the vehicle collection / delivery sheet.

Refer to our Conditions of Transport.  Should the cancellation be within 48 hours (weekends excluded) before the transport date, you will be liable for a 100% cancellation fee.  The reason for this is that Autofreight might have to leave with an open space.  We will, however, try to fill the space, and will then accommodate you with a part (or all) of the amount where possible.

Autofreight do have their own trucks, operating on a door-to-door service on certain routes. Where possible we will schedule your vehicle on one of these trucks. Depending on capacity or routes, we might make use of reputable carrier companies, which we have agreements with, to transport your vehicle.

– Autofreight has been in business since 2000, and have successfully transported thousands of cars around South Africa.

– We have built up an excellent reputation and a good name in the vehicle transport industry (refer to reviews on our website and Hellopeter)

– We have proven ourselves over the years as a competent, reliable and professional company, with an experienced and competent team

– Our business is important to us, and we are committed to excellent Customer Service.

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