RateShield: Our 30-Day Car Shipping Price Lock

RateShield protects the confirmed price of an eligible Web Auto Transport booking for 30 calendar days. If the carrier price increases during that period, Web Auto Transport will cover the qualifying difference up to $300 per vehicle.

RateShield is included at no additional charge with eligible bookings. It protects your price, but it does not guarantee that a carrier will be assigned or that pickup will occur within the 30-day period.

What Is RateShield?

Car shipping prices can change as carrier availability, fuel costs, route demand, seasonality, weather, and other market conditions change.

RateShield gives eligible customers more protection from those normal market fluctuations. Once your order is confirmed, your quoted transport price is protected for 30 calendar days from the booking date.

If an eligible carrier requires more than your confirmed price during that period, Web Auto Transport will contribute up to $300 per vehicle toward the difference.

RateShield at a glance

• Included at no additional charge
• Protects eligible bookings for 30 calendar days
• Covers qualifying carrier-price increases
• Provides up to $300 in protection per vehicle
• Applies only while the original booking remains eligible
• Does not guarantee carrier assignment, pickup, or delivery within 30 days

How does RateShield work?

1. Request your car shipping quote

Your initial quote is based on the shipment information you provide, current carrier availability, route demand, vehicle details, transport type, and market conditions.

A Web Auto Transport quote is generally valid for seven calendar days.

2. Confirm your order

RateShield begins when your order is confirmed, not when the initial quote is generated.

The confirmed booking must accurately describe:

• The vehicle
• Its condition and operability
• Pickup and delivery locations
• First Available Date
• Open or enclosed transport
• Payment method and timing
• Any special equipment or service requirements

3. Web Auto Transport searches for a qualified carrier

Web Auto Transport begins working to identify and verify an appropriate motor carrier for your shipment.

Carrier assignment depends on route demand, carrier availability, vehicle type, location, season, weather, and other transportation-market conditions.

4. RateShield protects eligible pricing

If the qualified carrier’s price is higher than your confirmed transport price during the 30-day RateShield period, we will cover the qualifying increase up to $300 per vehicle.

You will be informed before any revised price is accepted or the shipment is dispatched.

How much does RateShield cover?

RateShield covers up to $300 per vehicle in qualifying increased carrier pricing.

Example: Increase within the RateShield limit

Taylor confirms an eligible open-transport order for $1,300.

The plan is simple: 

• $300 due to Web Auto Transport when a carrier is assigned
• $1,000 due to the carrier at delivery

Several days later, the best qualified carrier available requires a carrier fee of $1,100, which is $100 more than originally planned.

Because Taylor’s booking remains unchanged and eligible, Web Auto Transport applies a $100 RateShield contribution from its broker portion.

Original confirmed price: $1,300

Original Carrier fee: $1,000

Updated carrier fee: $1,100

RateShield contribution: $100

Updated payment to Web Auto Transport: $200

Taylor pays: $1,300

Example: Increase above the RateShield limit

Jordan confirms an eligible booking for $1,300.

The payment plan is:

• $300 due to Web Auto Transport when a carrier is assigned
• $1,000 due to the carrier at delivery

The best qualified carrier available later requires a carrier fee of $1,400. That is $400 more than the original $1,000 carrier allocation.

RateShield covers the first $300 of the increase. This reduces Web Auto Transport’s broker portion from $300 to $0. The remaining $100 would require Jordan’s approval before dispatch.

Original total price: $1,300

Original carrier fee: $1,000

Updated carrier fee: $1,400

Maximum RateShield contribution: $300

Remaining customer difference: $100

Revised total, if approved: $1,400

We will not dispatch the shipment at a revised customer price without disclosing the change and obtaining the customer’s approval.

What must I do to remain eligible?

RateShield remains available when all original booking information remains accurate and the shipment continues to meet the program conditions.

Your booking must satisfy the following requirements:

Accurate shipment information

The vehicle year, make, model, dimensions, modifications, operability, pickup location, delivery location, transport type, and other shipment details must be accurate and complete.

No order modifications

The original vehicle, route, addresses, First Available Date, trailer type, payment method, and payment timing must remain unchanged.

Exclusive booking

The vehicle may not be listed simultaneously with another broker, carrier, marketplace, load board, or transport provider during the RateShield period. Listing the same vehicle through multiple companies can cause duplicate load postings, carrier confusion, artificial price increases, and delays.

Vehicle availability

The vehicle must remain ready, accessible, and available for pickup within 30 calendar days of the booking date.

The pickup contact must also be available to release the vehicle when an approved carrier is scheduled.

RateShield vs. Competitors

What changes can end RateShield protection?

The original RateShield protection may no longer apply when a material part of the shipment changes.

Examples include:

• Changing the pickup or delivery address
• Changing the First Available Pickup Date (FAPD)
• Changing from open to enclosed transport
• Adding expedited service or another service after booking
• Changing the payment method or payment timing
• Providing inaccurate vehicle information
• Failing to disclose that the vehicle is inoperable
• Failing to disclose modifications or oversized dimensions
• Requiring specialized loading equipment that was not disclosed
• Listing the vehicle with another transport company
• Making the vehicle unavailable during the RateShield period

When shipment details change, we will review the updated order and provide revised pricing for your approval.

How do remote locations affect RateShield?

RateShield is based on the pickup and delivery locations confirmed at booking.

A location may require revised pricing when it is:

• Far from a major metropolitan area
• Far from an interstate highway
• Inaccessible to a standard auto transport truck
• Located on a narrow or restricted road
• Accessible only by ferry or specialized transport
• Subject to unusual loading, parking, or access restrictions

Web Auto Transport may recommend meeting the carrier at a nearby accessible location to preserve pricing and simplify pickup or delivery.

Does RateShield cover every market disruption?

RateShield is designed to protect customers from ordinary changes in carrier-market pricing. It may not apply when a major event causes significant disruption beyond Web Auto Transport reasonable control.

Examples may include:

• Sharp fuel-price increases
• Natural disasters
• Extreme weather
• Regional or nationwide carrier shortages
• Government actions or regulatory changes
• Public-health emergencies
• Geopolitical events affecting transportation markets

When a major disruption affects your shipment, we will explain the situation and present the available options before proceeding.

Does RateShield guarantee that a carrier will be assigned?

No.

RateShield protects eligible pricing. It does not guarantee:

• Carrier assignment within 30 days
• Pickup on a specific date
• Delivery on a specific date
• Acceptance by a particular carrier
• Availability of a particular truck or trailer

Pickup and delivery dates remain estimates unless a separate service with an expressly confirmed commitment applies.

What happens if no carrier is assigned within 30 days?

If we are unable to assign a carrier during the 30-day RateShield period, you may choose to:

1. Extend the booking using updated market pricing; or
2. Cancel the order and receive a full refund of any payment made for the unfulfilled shipment.

Your decision should be provided in writing to info@webautotransport.com within seven calendar days after the RateShield period expires.

No revised customer price will be accepted or dispatched without disclosure and customer approval.

Is RateShield included with open and enclosed transport?

RateShield may apply to open, enclosed, or expedited transport when the selected service is included in the original confirmed order.

Changing the trailer type or adding another service after booking may require a new quote and may end the original RateShield protection.

Does RateShield cover additional fees?

RateShield applies only to qualifying increases in the carrier transportation price.

It does not cover charges caused by:

• Customer-requested changes
• Undisclosed vehicle conditions
• Inoperable vehicle handling
• Oversized or modified vehicles
• Remote-location access
• Storage
• Redelivery
• Dry runs
• Additional personal items
• Added services
• Ancillary fees or surcharges not included in the original quote

Q&A

Q: Do I need to pay anything to lock my rate?

No. Getting a quote and having your price locked with RateShield costs nothing. You pay $0 until a carrier is assigned.

Q: Why does Web Auto Transport offer RateShield?

Car shipping customers should not feel pressured by a low initial quote that increases unexpectedly when it is time to assign a carrier.

RateShield is designed to make pricing clearer and more predictable. It gives eligible customers 30 days of protection against qualifying carrier-price increases, while allowing Web Auto Transport to work with properly screened carriers rather than selecting a carrier based only on the lowest available price.

Q: Is my initial quote immediately protected?

No. Your initial quote is generally valid for seven calendar days. RateShield begins after you confirm the order while the quote remains valid.

Q: Can I change my pickup date?

You may request a change, but modifying the First Available Date may end the original RateShield protection. We will review the updated timing and provide any revised pricing before proceeding.

Q: Can I book with another broker while RateShield is active?

No. RateShield requires an exclusive booking during the protected period. Listing the same vehicle with multiple transport companies can interfere with carrier negotiations and increase the apparent market price of the shipment.

Important RateShield disclosure

RateShield is subject to the complete eligibility requirements, exclusions, limitations, and procedures contained in the Web Auto Transport Terms and Conditions.

The Terms and Conditions control if there is any conflict between this Help Center explanation and the legally accepted terms for your order. The current Terms establish a maximum RateShield contribution of $300 per vehicle and state that RateShield does not guarantee carrier assignment during the protected period.

Lock your rate today. Get a free quote at webautotransport.com, use LiveChat or call (760) 932-2886) / (760) WEB-AUTO. USDOT# 4574725 | FMCSA Licensed and Bonded. Email: info@webautotransport.com