It isn’t as difficult as it appears to transport your car for military duty. If your permanent change of station (PCS) is overseas, the government usually pays to move one privately owned vehicle (POV). If your new duty station is within the continental United States, however, you are responsible (CONUS).
There are a few things you should be aware of in that case. We’ve outlined the processes, which include everything from double-checking the accuracy of your PCS orders to locating the best military car shipping providers to deciphering military terminology.
– Prepare your orders (and talk to your transportation office)
– Check to see if you are eligible for POV benefits.
– Look for a company that transports military vehicles.
– Make use of military vehicle transport advice.
Know your Acronyms
Acronyms abound in the military. To move a car for military duty, service personnel must be familiar with many of them. Privately owned vehicle (POV), transportation office (TO), continental United States (CONUS), and outside the continental United States (OCUS) are some of the most prevalent acronyms (OCONUS).
CONUS Continental United States
OCONUS Outside Continental United States
PCS Permanent Change of Station
PDS Permanent Duty Station
POV Privately Owned Vehicle
TO Transportation Office
1. Prepare your orders (and talk to your transportation office)
Before making any car shipping decisions, you must first receive your orders. Your active duty orders will define the benefits you are eligible for and when you must begin.
And, as useful as we hope this guidance is, we also encourage that you visit with your TO counselors early and often. They’re the ones who know everything there is to know about your loss and gaining systems.
If your new base is experiencing a backlog, your car may not arrive in time for you to report to your PDS. In that situation, the TO may be able to assist you in obtaining government funds that aren’t normally accessible for relocation within the United States.
2. Check to see if you are eligible for POV benefits.
You want to get the most out of every dollar that the federal government will contribute to your PCS. There’s good news and bad news when it comes to car transportation. On the plus side, military members can normally ship one POV OCONUS at no cost to the government. At the same time, if you’re PCSing within the United States, you’ll almost always be expected to fund the fees.
There are a few unusual situations where the government will pay to send a POV between the United States and the United States. They mainly revolve around whether you’re physically unable to drive, don’t have enough time to report to your PDS, or your ship’s home port has changed.
3. Look for a company that transports military vehicles.
The military will manage all logistics for those who qualify for government support. Everyone else is responsible not only for the expenditures but also for finding a military auto transport firm on their own.
There are thousands of possibilities, but you don’t have to start at the beginning. To find the finest military auto transport firms, we looked into factors including pricing, military vehicle shipping expertise, and client happiness.
Need to transport your car for Military Assignment?
Here are the best moving companies you can trust;
Xfinity Moving
College Hunk
Two Men and a Truck
All My Sons Moving and Storage
U-Haul
College Hunk
Portable On Demands
Budget Truck Rental
1-800-PACK-RAT
Penske
Best Interstate Moving + Storage
4. Make use of military vehicle transport advice.
Following a few steps will help you save money and reduce stress when shipping your military vehicle. These pieces of information will make your PCS go a lot smoother, whether you’re learning from others who made common mistakes or recognizing shortcuts:
– Make extensive use of your travel agency. “Whether this is your first or fifteenth [PCS], take advantage of counseling,”. You’re TO counselor understands more about what’s going on behind the scenes than anyone (including us). It’s impossible to overestimate the value of speaking with your TO counselor.
– Consult your buddies. Few people are more knowledgeable with POV shipping than your friends who have already PCSed—especially if they went to the same military base. Inquire about what surprised them and what they would do differently next time.
– Be prepared for delays. The most common car shipping complaint we’ve heard is that autos are frequently late. It is preferable to plan for delays rather than rely on on-time delivery.
– Keep track of your receipts. Don’t toss anything away. If you need to file an insurance claim or check on the status of your vehicle, you can use receipts, papers, and even corporate emails.
– Make a grant application for relocating help. You’re not out of luck just because the government won’t pay for your point of view. You can apply for a $500 relocation package and use the funds to pay for things like auto-shipment, truck rentals, or professional movers.
– Keep an eye on the automobile recalls. If the government pays for your POV shipment, your car cannot have any open recalls. If you’re PCSing OCONUS, now is the time to take care of that lingering factory recall for your faulty tail light or seatbelt.