What is vehicle transport for multi-location dealerships?
Vehicle transport for multi-location dealerships is Wave Auto Transport's service for an auto group with several stores: one account and one invoice cover the shipments for all of them.
A group does not ship one car. It ships many, started by different people at different stores and landing on lots with different receiving hours. Wave Auto Transport provides this service as a broker: we book each vehicle with a carrier, check before dispatch that the carrier's equipment and registrations are in order, and the carrier hauls the car. We don't own trucks. Wave delivers within the continental United States only.
Dealer principals, group inventory managers, used-car directors and store managers who book transport for a group of dealerships.
Can an auto group get one invoice for all its stores?
Yes. Wave Auto Transport gives an auto group one account and one invoice across all of its stores, and combined billing is available.
A group office that is invoiced on one account, rather than store by store, has one place to reconcile. Wave transports the vehicles and then invoices the group account. Price still comes shipment by shipment. Wave offers dealers volume pricing, negotiated with Wave. The live quote for each car moves with the vehicle, the pickup and delivery locations, the timing, any extra services and driver availability. Enclosed transport and non-running units cost more than a running car on an open truck.
Which moves does an auto group book across its stores?
An auto group books four kinds of moves across its stores: transfers between its own rooftops, trades with outside dealers, auction pickups and deliveries to out-of-state buyers.
Several cars leaving one store can sometimes load on one truck. Whether they do depends on carrier room and availability, and Wave does not promise it.
| Move | Pickup point | What Wave needs | Who signs at delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer between group stores | One store, or an off-site storage lot | VIN, both addresses, receiving hours at the destination store | Someone at the receiving store |
| Trade with an outside dealer | The other dealer's lot | VIN, both addresses, a contact at each lot | Someone at the receiving store |
| Auction pickup for any store | The auction lot, after the auction releases the car | VIN, lot number, buyer or member number, gate pass | Someone at the store you name |
| Delivery to a buyer in another state | The selling store's lot | The buyer's address and a delivery-day contact | The buyer, or someone the buyer names |
How does a group shipment go from booking to invoice?
A group shipment goes through six steps: booking, a pickup window, a carrier match, a signed pickup, delivery to the receiving store, and an invoice on the group account.
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
When vehicle transport for multi-location dealerships is NOT the right fit
A single store should use dealer auto transport, and a wholesaler moving cars for different dealers should use wholesale vehicle transport.
A group that also runs rental or corporate fleet vehicles can book those through fleet vehicle transport. One personal vehicle needs only a standard quote. Wave does not ship outside the continental United States, does not guarantee a delivery date at any service level, and does not handle title or registration paperwork for a sale.
What we do and don't do for auto groups
For an auto group, Wave Auto Transport books each store's vehicles with carriers and bills the whole group on one account and one invoice, but it does not run trucks or drive cars between stores.
Vehicle transport for multi-location dealerships FAQs
- Can an auto group get one invoice for all of its stores?
Yes, Wave Auto Transport gives an auto group one account and one invoice across all of its stores, and combined billing is available. Wave transports the vehicles and then invoices the group account.
- Do you ship cars between the stores in a dealer group?
Yes, Wave Auto Transport moves cars between a group's own stores and to or from off-site storage. Someone at the releasing store and someone at the receiving store sign the bill of lading.
- Can one person at the group office book shipments for every store?
Yes, anyone who sends Wave the VIN, both addresses and the receiving hours can book a shipment on the quote form.
- Do multi-location dealerships get volume pricing?
Yes, Wave offers dealers volume pricing, negotiated with Wave. Each shipment is still priced by a live quote.
- How fast can a transfer between two of my stores happen?
Wave's pickup windows are expedited at 1 to 2 days after booking, regular at 3 to 5 days and flexible at 6 to 15 days, and transit time is added by distance. Pickup and delivery dates are estimates, not guarantees.
- Can several cars from one store ride on the same truck?
Sometimes. Whether several units from one store load together depends on carrier room and availability, and Wave does not promise it.
- What if a car arrives damaged at one of our stores?
Write the damage on the bill of lading before signing, take photos, and send a written claim to Wave and the carrier within 15 days. Wave handles the dispute among the group, the carrier and the insurance company.
Last checked