Company Response Review Report Review
My BAD EXPERIENCE with those guys

Bert Submitted this review about Direct Express Auto Transport
Review made Live: 7/25/2008 6:27:00 PM
I was looking to ship a land rover discovery from Seattle, WA to Quitman, TX (east of Dallas) and I chose this company based on good reviews on this site and the low quote they originally gave me.

Well my car never got picked up in the 7 day window they advertise. The first time I called, the lady said that unfortunately I'm part of the 10% statistic where their advertisement doesn not hold true and then said "a little more money might help"...

The second time I called I was told my destination area was a rural area and not many truckers want to go there because it's far from an interstate. That was plain not true since Quitman, TX is located less than 30mns from I20 and I30, both major interstates connecting Dallas to Memphis/Atlanta.

So I asked for my money back which they agreed to.

After calling other transport companies I got to better understand how Direct Express Auto Transport operates. All they really do is list your transport request on a site called www.centraldispatch.com which is used by trucking companies, auto dealers, transport brokers etc. They don't own trucks, they don't really have connections or insights on trucks whereabouts, they don't even have a clue when your vehicle will be picked up, they just charge $150 for a listing and hope that a truck will pick up their bid on centraldispatch.com, a bid which you probably figured is the quote they gave you minus $150, which makes for a low uncompetitive bid which explains why you might wait for a very long time for your car to be picked up...

Since centraldispatch.com is only accessible by professionals, I can understand the value of being listed on centraldispatch.com but I don't think it's worth $150.

My beef with this company is that they misrepresent themselves, making it look like they're accountable for your vehicle timely shipment while in reality they use a bait and switch strategy, attracting you with a low bid only to ask you to put more money if you really want your vehicle moved.

There are other brokers out there who are more involved, chase down trucks and can actually predicts when your car will be picked up. Basically, during your selection process ask them what they do beyond listing on centraldispatch.com.

Better yet, if you google or look for local trucking companies (under 'auto transport') in the yellow pages near either your origin or destination city, you have a good chance of finding a trucking company that has or will soon have a truck near you. That cuts the middle man/broker, is less expensive and you get better service/information because you're in direct contact with the truck driver. I just did that and now I know exactly when my car will be picked up.
Shipment Details
Origin State:
Washington
Pickup:
Never
Destination State:
Texas
Delivery:
Never
Customer Service
Honesty:
Knowlegeable:
Promptness:
Customer Service:
Review Details
Quote or Order Id:
43598
Quote or Order Cost:
$925

Company Response
Mike Rupers from Direct Express Auto Transport Submitted this response.
Response Date: 2/18/2009 3:33:00 PM
Our outstanding record speaks for itself. We chose MSN Maps to discover that Quitman, TX is a full 86 miles from Dallas, or 172 miles round trip from Dallas to Quitman. Despite Berts assertion to the contrary, which appears disingenuous, we call that out of the way. So do truck drivers, which is why Berts Land Rover Discovery Series II did not ship inside of the normal seven days. Bert cancelled his order exactly on the seventh day after he made it available, and we refunded his deposit. Most people are understanding and satisfied to handle things in that sort of way. But evidently not Bert, who is an intelligent man with the ability to read and understand that remote locations sometimes are delayed. We wish Bert well in all his future endeavors.