Bullhead City auto and motorcycle transport

Bullhead City sits on the Arizona bank of the Colorado River, directly across from the casinos of Laughlin, Nevada, and a short drive upstream from the California line at Needles. People here cross state lines to work, shop and see a doctor, and a vehicle shipment often touches two or three states before it has gone fifty miles.

Carriers reach Bullhead City three ways. From the north, they come down US 95 from Las Vegas and cross the river at Laughlin. From the east, they leave Interstate 40 at Kingman and take State Route 68 over the hill through Golden Valley. From the south, they exit Interstate 40 at Needles and follow the river up through Mohave Valley and Fort Mohave. Which way a truck arrives depends on where the rest of its load is going.

Our office is on Highway 95, the main road through town. We book pickups and deliveries for Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley, Laughlin and Needles from here.

Carriers are paid by the loaded mile. Every mile a truck drives with an empty space is a cost, and the industry has a name for it: deadhead. Bullhead City is roughly 25 to 35 miles from Interstate 40, whichever way you go, so a truck that comes here for one car drives 50 to 70 miles it wouldn't otherwise drive.

If the same truck can pick up or drop off three vehicles in the area on one trip, that cost is split three ways. This is why dates matter more in a small market than in a big one. A customer who can release the car any time within a week gives the carrier room to line up other stops, and the price reflects it. A customer who needs one particular day is asking for a special trip.

You may also have the option of meeting a carrier in Kingman, where trucks on Interstate 40 stop anyway. It isn't required, and most people have the car picked up at home. But if you're comfortable with the drive, tell us, because it opens up more trucks and sometimes a faster pickup.

The roads around Bullhead City, including the old Route 66 grade through Oatman and the highway above Lake Mohave, are some of the best riding in the Southwest, and Laughlin has hosted motorcycle rallies for decades. Many riders ship a bike in and fly, then ride for a week without first crossing a thousand miles of interstate.

Motorcycles can be priced in the online quote form. Bikes usually travel upright in a wheel chock, held by soft straps at the frame or lower fork legs, and often in an enclosed trailer. Before pickup, bring the fuel down to about a quarter tank, turn off any alarm, and empty the saddlebags. Remove loose accessories such as a detachable windshield or tour pack, or tell the driver they're staying on so they're listed on the inspection report. Take photos of both sides, the tank and the exhaust.

For a rally or a planned trip, have the bike delivered two or three days before you arrive, to a hotel that agrees to accept it or to a friend's address. Around large events, carriers book up early in both directions, so reserve the return leg at the same time as the trip out.

Bullhead City has only a handful of dealerships, so residents often buy in Las Vegas, Kingman, Phoenix or the Inland Empire. People ask us whether shipping makes sense for a trip that short, and the honest answer is: sometimes.

If the car runs and you have a ride to the seller, driving it home yourself will usually cost less. Shipping earns its price when the vehicle doesn't run, when you're buying more than one, when the purchase is several hundred miles away, or when you can't spare the day. It's also the practical choice for a car bought online that you'd otherwise have to fly out and collect. Tell us the situation and we'll give you a number to compare.

Bullhead City is regularly among the hottest places in the country, with summer highs that can reach 120 degrees. Carriers schedule river stops for dawn, and a driver may ask to load as early as five in the morning. Strong afternoon winds through the river valley are another reason to finish early, since a gust can catch a car door or a loading ramp. Park the vehicle where the truck can pull straight up to it, and keep your phone on the night before.