Working in the transportation industry you have surely heard of comcheks. But just starting out it may be a bit confusing to figure out how a comchek works and why companies use them. A comchek is a form of payment most frequently used by freight brokers to pay contract carriers, and they work in a similar way to a regular check but with some differences.

Express Codes

A payer (shipper or a broker) that has an account with Comdata, issues Comcheks to drivers for services rendered or as a fuel advance and they do so in a form of an express code for a predetermined amount. The express codes vary in length, usually from 14 to 18 digits in length, but will always be just numbers not letters. Read more »

Another year is over and we would like to thank to our customers that continue to trust us with their vehicle shipping needs. 2011 was the year of recovery for the automotive industry as well as the car shipping industry. Demand for car shipping services rose sharply as new car sales increased and recreational travel resumed to historical levels.

RCG Logistics moved 3,787 cars in 2011 for over $2.5 Million in revenue. The average shipping price for a vehicle was $684. We shipped cars coast-to-coast, locally, regionally and all over United States, for car dealers, businesses and individuals.

Challenges

The number vehicles being shipped in 2011 often overwhelmed the available capacity. In some regions there was simply not enough car carriers to move all of the vehicles. This often led to increased lead times as well as higher prices. The price of diesel, as high $4.46/gallon last summer, Read more »

RCG Logistics headed to Vegas for SEMA 2011, and we brought tons of pictures from the show floor, outside events, outrageous concept cars and priceless exotics. This year’s SEMA show took place on October 1st through the 4th with thousands of people in attendance. Attendees had a chance to see new automotive products, attend educational seminars, product demonstrations and of course networking opportunities.

Many of the vehicles on display were shipped in enclosed trailers because they are so low on the ground. Another advantage to enclosed car shipping is the added insurance coverage to protect the high value vehicles, which normally would not be possible on an open car trailer. Our favorite car on display was definitely the green RWB Porsche; which car did you like the most ?
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In an effort to deal with rising cost of oil and increased emissions regulations, Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd announced plans to build a car carrier that will use liquefied natural gas as its primary fuel source. The ship is expected to transport about 2000 vehicles at one time and is set to start operating in 2015.

As natural gas prices continue to fall, the ships higher initial cost is expected to be offset by lower operating costs. Another advantage Read more »

A bill introduced in congress, HR 2357, is an attempt to bring order and increase effectiveness of  the Federal Government in overseeing the transportation industry.  The bill addresses several pressing issues that will change the way shipments of cargo like automobiles, produce and general freight are transported. This bill is primary targeted toward freight brokers and freight forwarders, with the intent to protect shippers and carriers. While the bill reaffirms the important role brokers serve in the transportation business, it makes drastic changes to the status quo.

The first provision will restrict motor carriers Read more »

Nissan commercial featuring car haulers delivering cars to dealerships across the country. The commercial is touting the fact that Nissan recovered quicker from the disastrous earthquake than its Japanese rivals. The commercial features several two-level multiple car haulers, as well as wedge trailer hauling 4 cars. Majority of cars are delivered this way to the dealers.

Top selling car in China - Buick Excelle

In 2010 the number of operational vehicles in the world passed the 1 billion mark for the first time according to research done by WardsAuto. This number includes cars, buses as well as light and medium duty trucks.

The US has 239.8 million vehicles on the road. With 0.77 vehicles per person, it is the highest vehicle to person ratio in the world. According to Wall Street Journal, year-to-date light vehicle sales are up 10.9%  in 2011, after a dramatic slowdown in new car sales in 2010. Read more »

The State of Connecticut (CT) is raising its diesel tax rate by almost 7 cents to $0.462 for every gallon of diesel, highest diesel tax in the northeastern United States. The latest revenue generating measure is meant to aid the budget shortfall despite the fact that Connecticut already has amongst the highest taxes in the nation.

This price hike will surely affect the shipping, transportation and trucking companies that do business in the State of Connecticut. The tax hike will make it more expensive to ship cars to Connecticut. Truckstops and gas stations that sell diesel stand to loose business as more of their customers will choose to fill up in the neighboring states.  While the state is likely gain additional revenue because motor carriers and car haulers that operate in the state file quarterly fuel tax reports under IFTA, the overall effect on the local economy may be detrimental.

Source: Norwich Bulletin

Los Angeles is a city in motion, but this July parts of the city will come to a standstill as a popular road becomes closed for construction.

The city is known to be a gateway to beaches and fun, with trendy attractions like Disney Land and Santa Monica’s eclectic beach boardwalk. However, reaching these destinations this summer may become problematic due to the shutting down of the 405 FWY.

For more than 2 days, ten miles of Freeway 405 will be shut down in mid-July. This will be due to a project of tearing down a bridge in order to widen the expressway and add carpool lanes. Read more »

One of the most common questions that we get asked by our customers has to do with timing. Aside from the shipping price and insurance, customers are especially concerned with the time frame it will take to pick up and deliver their cars. Although a simple question it is often the hardest to answer, the best we can do is give you an estimated window or a range.

Lead Time

When shipping a vehicle four factors go into determining when you car will be picked up. Read more »