During the early years of the automobile industry, the choice of a vehicle largely depended on where you lived. The former were built by hand in limited quantities and distributed locally. Charles and Frank Duryea built their horseless carriages in Springfield, Massachusetts. Alexander Winton made gas powered vehicles in Cleveland and Albert Pope produced Waverly electrics in Indianapolis. A group of young upstarts led by David Dunbar Buick, Ransom Olds and Henry Ford built a variety of gasoline, electric and steam convertibles and sedans in Detroit.
As cars became more reliable and affordable, they also became more popular. Growing demand meant that manufacturers could no longer rely solely on selling vehicles from the factory gates. William Metzger is credited with opening the first independent car dealership in Detroit in 1897. Around the same time, HO Kohller opened the first franchised car dealership, selling Waverly electrical systems in Reading, Pennsylvania. Manufacturers used factory conductors, trains and ships to transport their products to a growing network of independent distributors and franchisees.
Early Ford models were often encased in large wooden boxes and loaded into open wagons directly outside the Mack Avenue plant and later the Highland Park factory. The cars would be transported to the Central Michigan, Grand Trunk or Soo Line terminal and rushed to eager shoppers. When they reached their final destination, a Ford mechanic would complete the final assembly of the vehicle, often using parts from the wooded box for the floor and running boards.
The 1909 Sears, Roebuck & Company catalog advertised the Sears Motor Buggy for $ 395 or $ 370 without fenders or roof, plus shipping to the nearest train station.
In 1902 there was one car for every 1.5 million people in the country; two years later, the ratio dropped to one for every 65,000 people; and in 1909, after the introduction of the Model T, there was one car for every 800 people.
Reliable and affordable automobile transportation by road, rail, and water was essential to the growth of the early automotive industry.
In 1910, the Toledo Shipbuilding Company produced the first steel ferry for the Ann Arbor Railroad. The ship, named Ann Arbor no. 5, it was 360 feet long with a 56-foot beam and could carry up to 24 railroad cars, each loaded with four or five new cars. Leaving Ludington, Michigan, and arriving in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the wagons and automobiles were then transported west by the Wisconsin Central and North Western railroads.
In 1920, when Ford opened the River Rouge Manufacturing Complex, it included ninety different buildings and 93 miles of railroad tracks to bring essential materials for car-making as well as for transporting finished cars to market. The Rouge River deepened and widened to accommodate the deep-sea ships needed to transport materials and automobiles across the Great Lakes and beyond. Ford also acquired the Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad with 454 miles of major tracks to bring coal to the plant and ship cars made from Detroit to Ironton on the Ohio River. During the 1940s and 1950s, virtually all automobiles and trucks produced in the United States were transported by an automobile carrier, railroad car, or boat. In 1958 the first Toyotas and Nissans were exported to the United States. In 1967, the Volkswagen Beetle invaded the American shores. Over the next forty years, countless other German, Japanese and Asian brands have been transported across the Atlantic and Pacific on ocean carriers and then shipped to local dealers by rail and truck.
The automotive landscape has changed dramatically in recent years. However, the need for affordable and reliable car transportation remains a critical factor in the growth and profitability of car dealers and resellers.
Today, a new generation of customer-focused auto freight brokers is helping used car dealers, auto auctions, finance companies, and fleet operators to transport cars and trucks affordably and reliably anywhere in the world. the United States.
By integrating short haul trucking and long haul rail service options, they offer the flexibility to use the mode of shipping that best suits virtually any price and time requirement. Major auto freight brokers also offer instant price quotes and estimated transit times for door-to-door pickup and delivery anywhere in the United States. Vehicles are transported using industry-leading processes and safeguards to help ensure on-time, damage-free transportation and delivery by fully insured and accredited auto transport service providers and carriers.
Early pioneers in the automotive industry relied on engineering innovations and emerging automotive transportation networks to ensure their success. Today’s savvy used car dealers, auto auctions, finance companies, and fleet operators can rely on a new generation of customer-centric auto freight forwarders to help ensure growth and success. profitability of your business.
