1. Services and Carrier Assignment

Smart Auto Move agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to arrange transportation for the vehicle or vehicles identified in the Customer’s order. Transportation may be completed by a licensed motor carrier selected by Smart Auto Move.

Smart Auto Move does not guarantee transportation by any particular driver, truck, or carrier. The assigned Carrier is an independent motor carrier and is responsible for the physical loading, transportation, custody, and unloading of the vehicle.

Our brokerage and dispatch services are considered rendered once a Carrier has been assigned to the order and the Carrier’s information has been provided to the Customer.

Carrier transportation is also subject to the terms of the Carrier’s Bill of Lading and any lawful carrier-specific requirements presented at pickup.

2. Pickup and Delivery Scheduling

All pickup dates, delivery dates, transit times, and arrival times are estimates unless Smart Auto Move expressly agrees otherwise in writing. Vehicle transportation may be affected by weather, traffic, road closures, mechanical problems, driver-hour restrictions, customer availability, carrier availability, and other circumstances outside Smart Auto Move’s control.

The anticipated pickup windows are:

• Standard Shipping: Up to a six-day pickup window beginning on the Customer’s requested first available pickup date.
• Expedited Shipping: Up to a three-day pickup window beginning on the Customer’s requested first available pickup date.
• Enclosed Shipping: Up to a seven-day pickup window beginning on the Customer’s requested first available pickup date.

The Customer understands that these are scheduling windows and not guaranteed pickup dates. Smart Auto Move is not responsible for rental vehicle charges, lodging, airline tickets, missed appointments, lost wages, storage charges, or other consequential expenses resulting from a delay.

3. Pickup and Delivery Access

Door-to-door service means that the Carrier will attempt to load and deliver the vehicle as close as safely and legally possible to the addresses provided.

Large transport trucks may be unable to enter residential streets, apartment complexes, gated communities, military installations, roads with low-hanging trees or wires, narrow streets, weight-restricted roads, or locations restricted by local ordinances.

When direct access is unsafe, unlawful, or impractical, the Customer or the Customer’s authorized representative must meet the Carrier at a safe nearby location. The Customer may be required to travel up to five miles from the requested pickup or delivery address.

The vehicle may be driven onto and off the transport trailer and may be driven a reasonable distance when necessary to complete loading, unloading, pickup, or delivery.

4. Payment Terms

The Customer agrees to pay all amounts shown in the accepted order, dispatch confirmation, or written price adjustment.

Unless another payment arrangement is confirmed in writing, any balance due to the Carrier at delivery must be paid using the payment method specified in the dispatch confirmation. Accepted forms may include cash, certified funds, cashier’s check, money order, or another Carrier-approved method.

The Customer must confirm acceptable payment methods before delivery. Personal checks and credit cards may not be accepted by the Carrier.

If delivery is attempted after reasonable notice and the Customer or the Customer’s representative is unavailable or does not have the required payment, the vehicle may be placed in a storage facility or terminal. The Customer will be responsible for resulting storage, redelivery, towing, or related charges.

5. Vehicle Condition and Customer Responsibilities

The Customer is responsible for preparing the vehicle for transport.

Before pickup, the Customer must:

• Ensure the vehicle is safe to load, unload, and transport.
• Provide working keys for the ignition, doors, and trunk as needed.
• Maintain sufficient fuel for loading and unloading.
• Secure or remove loose, fragile, aftermarket, or protruding items.
• Retract or remove antennas when possible.
• Disclose fluid leaks, mechanical issues, modifications, low clearance, and inoperable status.
• Disable alarms or provide instructions for disabling them.
• Remove toll transponders or place them in a shielded container.

The Customer is responsible for damage caused by an unsecured or undisclosed component, accessory, modification, or mechanical condition.

6. Inoperable Vehicles

An inoperable vehicle must be disclosed before the order is placed. A vehicle is considered inoperable when it cannot be safely driven onto or off the transporter under its own power or cannot steer, roll, or brake properly.

Additional equipment and fees may be required to transport an inoperable vehicle. If a vehicle becomes inoperable before or during transport due to a dead battery, mechanical failure, electrical problem, flat tire, or another condition not caused by the Carrier, the Customer may be charged an additional fee of at least $150 or the Carrier’s actual additional charge.

7. Personal and Household Property

The Customer should remove all personal belongings, valuables, medications, documents, firearms, hazardous materials, illegal items, plants, food, and household goods from the vehicle before pickup.

Personal property placed inside the vehicle is not inventoried by Smart Auto Move and may not be covered by the Carrier’s cargo insurance. Smart Auto Move and the Carrier are not responsible for the loss, theft, or damage of personal property left inside the vehicle.

Personal items may also affect the vehicle’s weight or violate a Carrier’s insurance policy or operating requirements. The Carrier may refuse the vehicle, remove prohibited items, or assess additional charges.

8. Bill of Lading and Vehicle Inspection

The Carrier’s responsibility for the vehicle generally begins when the Carrier accepts the vehicle and the pickup Bill of Lading is signed. It generally ends when the vehicle is delivered and the delivery Bill of Lading is signed.

The Customer or the Customer’s authorized representative must carefully inspect the vehicle at pickup and delivery. Existing scratches, dents, chips, broken components, loose parts, and other visible conditions should be documented on the pickup inspection report.

At delivery, the Customer must compare the vehicle’s condition with the pickup inspection report before signing the delivery Bill of Lading. Signing the Bill of Lading without noting new damage may be treated as confirmation that the vehicle was received in satisfactory condition.

9. Vehicle Damage and Claims

The motor Carrier transporting the vehicle is responsible for handling claims involving loss or damage alleged to have occurred while the vehicle was in the Carrier’s possession.

To preserve a potential claim, the Customer must:

1. Inspect the vehicle thoroughly at delivery.
2. Record all newly observed damage on the delivery Bill of Lading before signing it.
3. Ask the driver to acknowledge the damage notation.
4. Take clear photographs at the time of delivery.
5. Pay all transportation charges due.
6. Promptly notify Smart Auto Move and the Carrier.
7. Submit the documentation requested by the Carrier or its insurance provider.

The Customer should submit photographs, repair estimates, the pickup and delivery Bills of Lading, and a written description of the claimed damage as soon as possible and no later than any deadline imposed by applicable law, the Bill of Lading, or the Carrier’s claims procedure.

Smart Auto Move will provide reasonable administrative assistance, including supplying available Carrier and insurance information. However, Smart Auto Move does not determine coverage, adjust claims, or guarantee payment by the Carrier or its insurer.

Customers transporting vehicles with unusually high, collectible, or above-market values should consider enclosed transportation and should consult their own insurance provider regarding additional coverage.

10. Conditions Commonly Excluded From Damage Claims

Subject to applicable law and the Carrier’s Bill of Lading and insurance policy, Smart Auto Move is not responsible for damage or loss resulting from:

• Pre-existing damage documented at pickup.
• Normal wear and tear or mechanical failure.
• Undercarriage, exhaust, suspension, alignment, brakes, batteries, charging systems, or internal mechanical components that are not inspected at pickup.
• Damage that could not reasonably be observed because of dirt, darkness, weather, vehicle design, or existing condition.
• Loose, worn, defective, aftermarket, or improperly installed components.
• Non-factory audio, video, electronic, or accessory equipment.
• Convertible tops, canvas coverings, bras, caps, boots, T-tops, or similar accessories.
• Leaking fluids, freezing, electrical failure, or battery failure.
• Failure of factory or aftermarket tie-down points.
• Personal property left inside the vehicle.
• Damage caused by an inoperable or improperly disclosed vehicle.
• Acts of God, severe weather, flooding, hail, fire, earthquakes, falling objects, vandalism, civil unrest, or other events outside reasonable control.
• Road debris or airborne objects, except where the Carrier is legally liable.

11. Cancellations, Dispatch, and Refunds

Cancellation before Carrier assignment

The Customer may cancel an order before a Carrier has been assigned. Cancellations must be submitted in writing by email to accounts@smartautomove.com . Telephone cancellations are not accepted.

When an order is canceled before Carrier assignment, payments made to Smart Auto Move will be refunded, less a $50 processing fee and any nonrefundable payment-processing charges, where permitted by law.

Cancellation after Carrier assignment

Once a Carrier has been assigned and Carrier information has been sent to the Customer, Smart Auto Move’s brokerage and dispatch services have been rendered. The scheduling or brokerage deposit will then be nonrefundable.

An additional Carrier cancellation fee may apply when the assigned Carrier has incurred fuel, routing, scheduling, or lost-load expenses.

Cancellation by Smart Auto Move

Smart Auto Move may reject, suspend, or cancel an order when the order contains inaccurate information, the vehicle is unavailable, the quoted trip was materially mispriced, the vehicle differs from its description, the Customer breaches these terms, or transportation cannot reasonably be arranged.

If Smart Auto Move cancels an order before services are rendered and the Customer is not in breach, amounts paid to Smart Auto Move will be refunded.

Approved refunds are generally initiated within two business days. Financial institutions may require additional processing time before the funds appear in the Customer’s account.

12. Customer Availability and Rescheduling

The vehicle must remain available throughout the applicable pickup window. The Customer must promptly inform Smart Auto Move of any change affecting the vehicle’s availability, condition, location, or authorized pickup representative.

A pickup date may generally be changed without an additional scheduling fee before a Carrier is assigned. Once a Carrier has been assigned, rescheduling may result in a $100 fee or the Carrier’s actual charge.

If a Carrier arrives and the vehicle is unavailable, inaccessible, materially different from its description, or cannot be transported, the Customer may be responsible for a dry-run, rescheduling, or cancellation fee.

13. Authorized Representatives

If the Customer cannot be present at pickup or delivery, the Customer must designate an adult representative who is authorized to release or receive the vehicle, inspect its condition, sign the Bill of Lading, and make any required payment.

Actions and signatures of the Customer’s designated representative will be treated as actions and signatures of the Customer.

14. Quotes, Estimates, and Pricing Errors

A vehicle shipping quote is an estimate based on the information supplied by the Customer, recent transportation activity, route conditions, vehicle specifications, service type, timing, and anticipated Carrier availability.

The Customer must provide accurate information, including the vehicle’s year, make, model, operability, modifications, pickup location, delivery location, and first available pickup date.

A price may change when information is inaccurate, incomplete, or changed, or when the vehicle has modifications or cargo that affect its size, weight, loading requirements, or available trailer space.

Online and manually prepared quotes are subject to review for typographical, technical, calculation, or data-entry errors. Smart Auto Move may correct or cancel an incorrectly priced order before transportation.

If the corrected price is lower, Smart Auto Move may apply the lower price. If it is higher, the Customer will be informed and may accept the corrected price or cancel the affected order.

15. Duplicate Listings and Interference With Dispatch

The Customer must disclose whether the same vehicle shipment has been listed with another broker, dealer, carrier, marketplace, or vehicle transportation service.

Duplicate listings can create conflicting prices, prevent Carrier assignment, disrupt dispatch, or cause carriers to decline the shipment. The Customer agrees not to interfere with Smart Auto Move’s performance by creating or authorizing conflicting transportation listings after placing an active order with Smart Auto Move.

16. Ports, Auctions, Dealerships, Terminals, and Restricted Locations

The Customer is responsible for providing all documents, release forms, gate passes, identification, authorization codes, lot numbers, and fees required by an auction, dealership, port, storage facility, terminal, or restricted-access location.

Smart Auto Move is not responsible for demurrage, storage, gate, escort, loading, forklift, port, terminal, or access charges unless Smart Auto Move expressly agrees to pay them in writing.

17. Electronic Orders, Signatures, and Authorization

The Customer agrees that submitting an online order, electronically signing an agreement, authorizing payment, providing payment information to a representative, or otherwise instructing Smart Auto Move to arrange transportation constitutes acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.

Electronic records, confirmations, signatures, approvals, text messages, and email communications may be used to document the Customer’s authorization and agreement.

By placing an order, the Customer authorizes Smart Auto Move to assign the shipment to a licensed motor Carrier and to provide the Carrier with the information reasonably necessary to complete pickup and delivery.

19. Website Content and Acceptable Use

Website content is provided for general informational and commercial purposes. Although Smart Auto Move attempts to maintain accurate and useful information, website content may contain errors or become outdated.

Unless expressly authorized in writing, users may not reproduce, republish, sell, license, scrape, modify, distribute, or commercially exploit website content, branding, graphics, forms, pricing systems, or proprietary materials.

Smart Auto Move may modify, suspend, replace, or remove website content and functionality at any time.

20. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Smart Auto Move is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive, or consequential damages, including lost profits, lost income, lost use, travel expenses, lodging, rental vehicles, storage, missed appointments, or loss of opportunity.

Smart Auto Move is not responsible for a Carrier’s acts, omissions, negligence, transportation damage, cargo claim decisions, insurance determinations, or violations of law.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Smart Auto Move’s total liability arising from its brokerage services will not exceed the amount paid directly to Smart Auto Move for the affected order.

Nothing in these terms excludes a right or remedy that cannot legally be waived or limited.

21. Governing Terms and Severability

These Terms and Conditions, the accepted order, the dispatch confirmation, and the Carrier’s Bill of Lading contain the applicable terms governing the service.

If a provision of these terms is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect to the fullest extent permitted by law.

A failure by Smart Auto Move to enforce a provision does not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other right.

22. Changes to These Terms

Smart Auto Move may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. The revised version will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.

The version in effect when an order is placed will generally govern that order unless the parties agree otherwise or a change is required by law.