What is the differance between a car carrier and broker?

Carriers

For starters, you can perform a search engine query under "car carriers." Select the ones you may be most familiar with. These are some of the larger companies, which also may have some sort of association, typically via sponsorship with a large online or nationwide auction house, or maybe active with your specific car club.
Virtually all auto transport companies offer a "free quote." This is a very quick and painless exercise in determining the cost of shipping your vehicle and can be done online. You risk very little and shouldn't be worried about providing your email address to them. This is necessary for the carrier in order to respond. Generally, quotes are delivered within 24 hours, 48 max. The actual process simply involves listing the zip codes: where the vehicle is currently and where it will end up. You include your name, if you want, but at least an email address and the dates when you want the vehicle transported. A proper, professional response quickly appears and you've got your first rate. Then do it again with several other shippers to compare fees.

Brokers

The first thing you have to take into consideration is that there are transportation companies and then there are brokers. Nothing wrong with either one, except that a broker typically is just that—he doesn't own his truck (or trucks), but negotiates with other companies that may need to fill a rig bound for a certain destination. The trucker is looking to fill that hole, so there is some "wiggle room" in his fee. You don't know that, but the broker does, and this is where he makes additional money. You can recognize a broker if he typically asks for a deposit up front (most of the time this is non-refundable), with the balance to be paid upon delivery of the vehicle. The advance is what the broker keeps; the balance is what the driver/shipper makes.
If you're evaluating all sources based upon price, you have to factor in several other key points:

Options

Ship open or enclosed? That depends on how valuable your vehicle is. Enclosed units protect your vehicle from all road hazards and weather throughout transport. That is a good thing. Your vehicle arrives, hopefully, without a knick or scratch, not to mention the noticeable lack of bugs on the grille or windshield. This is generally the most expensive option in auto transport.
The next level of shipping is an open multi-car unit that transports vehicles on upper and lower racks. This method of hauling is commonly used by automobile manufacturers to move vehicles from factories to dealers, but individual owners can utilize them if they are shipping unrestored collector vehicles or their everyday (leased, perhaps—) cars. This is obviously a less expensive transport option.
There are still more economical ways to go. In most instances, you will specify that your vehicle go "door-to-door." The transporter comes to the home or office of the person or company/auction house from whom you purchased the vehicle—assuming you have coordinated this in advance with said party—and will collect the vehicle. Then it will deliver your darling right to your home, garage or storage facility. This service is worked into the overall fee.

Preparing your vehicle to be shipped

Preparing Your Vehicle To Be Shipped

There are a few necessary measures one must take in order to ensure that their car shipping experience go as smoothly as possible. These practices are standard among auto shippers and can be expected whenever dealing with any transporters

1. Remove any personal items from your vehicle.
   Department of Transportation Code mandates that no auto shipper carry anything defined as "Household Goods". This means that by law, auto shipping companies are not allowed to transport vehicles containing personal items. You will also want to remove any after market parts that are in your vehicle. For instance, DVD players, GPS navigating systems, or external speaker units should be removed from the vehicle to secure them from damage or theft. Do not forget to clear anything out of your trunk as well. Also, if your vehicle exceeds its' standard gross vehicle weight during shipment, you could be charged with a fee for overweight cargo, starting at a minimum of $250. It is also good to note that many auto shipping companies do not insure items within the vehicle, so the solution is simple...clear your car. You can always consult with your shipping provider to find out what other options are available.


2. Leave about a quarter of a tank of gas in your vehicle.
   Your car will not be driven very much at all during the shipping process, but it might be necessary for the loading and unloading process. In this case, you'll want to have enough gas in the car to safely run the car for the time it will take to be loaded. Conversely, having a full tank of gas is not recommended. Gas can add a significant amount of weight to your vehicle which can add complications to your auto transport.


3. Take note of the condition of your car.
   When your vehicle is about to be picked up you should make sure it's clean so you can notate any scratches or damage prior to the vehicle being transported. The carrier will than go through an inspection of the vehicle similar to if you ever rented a car before .
4. Bill of Lading. When your transport driver arrives to pick up your vehicle, they should present you with a Bill of Lading. This document is used to show any existing damages on your vehicle at the time of pick up. Both you and the driver should inspect the vehicle together in order to ensure that both parties agree on the existing damages. After inspection, all current damages should be noted on the document, which should then be signed by both parties. Upon the delivery of your vehicle, you should once again be presented with a Bill of Lading which you can use to check for any new damages. If there are any problems, you will have legal evidences to back up any claims you may wish to make through your shipping companies insurance provider.
   Note: If you are having your vehicle picked up from a dealership or third-party seller, make sure that they are fully informed about the details of your shipment. It is very important that you make them fully aware of the Bill of Lading process, in order to ensure the safety of your vehicle. Otherwise, some shipping companies might try to claim no fault on new damages, because they will claim that the damages already existed at the time of pick up. The Bill of Lading is a security measure put in place both to protect the shipper and the shipping company from being cheated in any way, so it is important that you take full advantage of this process.


5. Disable Your Alarm. If your vehicle has an alarm on it, it is important that you disable it before shipment. If you do not do this and your alarm is triggered during transport, the driver will not be able to disarm it. If there are complications with you're alarm system, you will want to make sure that your shipping provider is fully aware of the matter, so that in the event that it does go off, they will be able to disarm it.


6. Confirm Contact Information. Most car transporters, depending on the company, should have a cell phone on their person while on route with your shipment. Before your drivers starts out, you will want to make sure that you have the correct contact information in order to stay updated on your shipment. If your driver does not have a direct contact, the company that they are working for should be have some way of tracking your shipment, either by GPS satellite tracking or e-mail correspondence with the driver. Make sure that you have this information so that in the event of a delay, you will be able to contact your shipping provider and get an accurate update as to what is going on with your shipment.