Terms of Service

1. Who we are

Melcore Auto Transport LLC is a licensed property broker, not a motor carrier. We arrange vehicle transportation. We do not transport vehicles, and we never take possession, custody or control of your vehicle at any point.

Transportation is performed by an independent motor carrier authorized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which we select and dispatch for you. That carrier is an independent contractor — not our employee, agent, partner or subsidiary — and we do not control how it operates its equipment or handles freight. This is not a technicality: it determines who is responsible if your vehicle is damaged, which is set out in Section 13.

We disclose our broker status in accordance with 49 CFR Part 371 and never hold ourselves out as a carrier.

2. Your agreement with us

By submitting an order, paying a deposit, or instructing us to dispatch your vehicle, you accept these Terms and confirm you are at least 18 and legally able to enter this agreement. If you are booking for someone else, or for a vehicle you do not own, you confirm you have that person’s authority and you accept these Terms on their behalf as well as your own.

These Terms, your order confirmation and our Refund Policy are the entire agreement between us and supersede everything said beforehand. Anything communicated before or after — by phone, email, text, advertisement or quote — forms no part of this agreement unless we both agree to it in writing. No employee or agent can vary these Terms verbally; amendments must be in writing and signed by an authorized officer.

3. Quotes and pricing

A quote is an estimate built entirely from what you tell us: the vehicle’s year, make and model, whether it runs, its condition and modifications, both locations, and your dates. It is not a fixed price and not an offer capable of acceptance until we confirm an order. Prices in this industry move with fuel, season, lane demand and carrier capacity, so a quote left unbooked may no longer be achievable.

If what you told us was inaccurate or incomplete, the price will change. Typical causes are a vehicle that does not run when we were told it did; a vehicle lifted, lowered, widened or fitted with roof racks, oversized tyres or a camper shell; extra weight or cargo; or an address a full-size transporter cannot lawfully or safely reach. Where we learn of it before dispatch we will tell you the revised price and you may cancel under Section 16. Where it emerges at pickup, the carrier may decline the vehicle and any additional charge is payable directly to the carrier.

4. How payment works

There are two separate payments, and they go to two different companies.

• The reservation deposit is payable to us. It is our brokerage fee — what you pay us for sourcing, vetting, negotiating with, dispatching and coordinating your carrier. It is charged when a carrier is assigned to your order, and never before.
• The balance is payable by you directly to the carrier at delivery. We do not collect it, hold it, refund it, or pay the carrier on your behalf. It never passes through us at any point.

Your obligation to pay the carrier is owed to the carrier and is unaffected by any dispute you may have with us. Any dispute about the balance is between you and the carrier; we will supply the carrier’s contact details and the dispatch record on request to help resolve it.

Carriers ordinarily require cash, a cashier’s cheque, a certified cheque or a money order at delivery. Personal cheques and credit cards are generally not accepted unless agreed in writing beforehand. Accepted methods are confirmed to you before delivery. Arriving without an accepted form of payment is treated as a refused delivery under Section 11.

Amounts owed to us are payable in full and are not subject to set-off or withholding on account of any claim, including a damage claim. A claim and a transportation charge are two separate transactions: a damage claim is made against the carrier or its insurer under Section 14, and is not a reason to withhold our fee.

We do not charge interest. Overdue amounts accrue no interest, finance charge or late-payment percentage of any kind, however long they remain outstanding. If we have to pursue an unpaid amount you are responsible for the actual, reasonable costs of recovering it — collection agency fees, court costs and attorney’s fees — which are costs we incur, not a charge on the money itself.

4.1 If you believe a charge is wrong

Contact us first at info@melcoreautotransport.com. Most questions arise from the distinction between the deposit payable to us and the balance payable to the carrier, and are usually resolved the same day.

Nothing in these Terms limits or removes any right you hold under the rules of your card issuer or payment provider, including the right to dispute a charge. Where a dispute is filed, we will respond to the issuer with the order record — the quote, the booking confirmation, the carrier assignment details and the dates each was sent. Where our Refund Policy shows a refund is due, we issue it. Where a chargeback is filed for a service already performed, you remain liable for that amount, any fee the issuer charges us, and the costs of recovering it.

4.2 Fees that may apply

• Dry run — up to $200, where a carrier arrives and the vehicle is not released as scheduled, whether through storage or auction restrictions, port access, towing delay, mechanical failure, a scheduling conflict or a personal issue.
• Rescheduling fee, where you change the pickup date, delivery date or another material term after a carrier has been dispatched. We will try to accommodate changes at no cost first.
• Payment change fee, where you ask to change agreed payment terms after the order is executed.
• Inoperable, oversize and modification surcharges, as described in Section 9, payable to the carrier.

5. Scheduling: estimates, not guarantees

All pickup and delivery dates are estimates, and neither we nor the carrier guarantee them. Transport is affected by weather, traffic, road closures, inspections, mechanical breakdown, federal hours-of-service limits, and the schedules of the other vehicles on the same truck. None of that is within our control.

Please do not book flights, close on a property, end a lease or make any other non-refundable arrangement in reliance on a transport date. We are not responsible for costs of that kind, including rental cars, hotels, missed flights, lost wages or storage. A first-available date is the date from which the vehicle is available, not the date it will be collected.

6. Preparing your vehicle

Before pickup, you or your designated representative must:

• Remove personal belongings, except as Section 7 permits.
• Remove or disable toll tags and parking transponders.
• Leave no more than a quarter tank of fuel — weight and fire risk both matter.
• Disable any alarm, or give the carrier written instructions to deactivate it. If an alarm sounds in transit and no instructions were provided, the carrier may disable it by any reasonable means.
• Secure or remove loose and protruding parts — spoilers, antennas, racks, soft tops, unsecured trim. Anything that detaches in transit, and any damage it causes, is your responsibility.
• Ensure tyres are inflated, the battery is charged, and there are no fluid leaks.
• Provide keys for the ignition, doors, trunk and any wheel locks.
• Tell us in advance of anything affecting loading: low clearance, failed brakes or steering, or a vehicle that will not roll.

A vehicle not ready as described may be refused, and Section 16 may apply.

7. Personal property in the vehicle

Carriers are licensed to move vehicles, not household goods, and cargo insurance does not cover personal belongings. Items left in a vehicle travel entirely at your own risk.

Where the carrier permits it at all, personal items are limited to 100 pounds, stowed in the trunk or cargo area below the window line and secured. More than that may be refused or may attract a charge payable to the carrier.

Never leave firearms, explosives, flammables, hazardous or illegal materials, narcotics, legal documents, valuables, live animals or plants in a vehicle presented for transport. We and the carrier accept no responsibility for loss, theft or damage to personal property, or for damage the vehicle suffers because of unsecured items, and either of us may remove and dispose of prohibited items without compensation.

8. Access at pickup and delivery

Transporters are commonly 75 to 80 feet long and cannot lawfully or safely enter many residential streets, cul-de-sacs, low-clearance areas or restricted complexes. “Door to door” means the carrier gets as close as is legal and safe; where it cannot reach your address, you and the carrier agree a nearby accessible point such as a large car park. Low branches, overhead wires, narrow lanes and HOA restrictions are common reasons.

Someone at least 18 must be present at both ends to release and receive the vehicle, inspect it and sign the carrier’s condition report. If you cannot attend, designate a representative in advance and tell us who they are. A designated representative acts for you in every respect and their signature binds you as if it were your own.

8.1 Verify who you are handing your vehicle to

Before releasing the vehicle, check that the driver and truck match the carrier details we sent, and ask for the carrier’s name and USDOT number. Never release a vehicle to a driver whose details do not match — call us instead. We are not responsible for loss, damage or theft arising from a vehicle released to anyone other than the carrier we dispatched.

9. Inoperable, oversized, specialty and international

Tell us at booking if the vehicle will not start, drive, steer, brake or roll. Inoperable vehicles need a winch and specific equipment and cost more to move; a surcharge applies and is disclosed at booking. The same applies to vehicles that are lifted, lowered, extended, oversized, unusually heavy, or modified in any way affecting loading, including roof racks, oversized tyres and extended bumpers.

An inoperable vehicle must still roll, steer and brake. All three. A vehicle that fails any one of them cannot be winched onto a standard transporter and needs specialist equipment, which carries a further charge or may not be available at all on your route. If the carrier cannot physically reach the vehicle, a local tow is arranged at your cost.

A vehicle that is operable at booking and becomes inoperable before or during transport attracts the same surcharge, because the carrier then has to load and unload it by winch. Where you are shipping an inoperable vehicle, the carrier may ask for your help loading or unloading at its discretion.

Failing to disclose these accurately may result in refusal at pickup, cancellation of the order, or additional fees for lost time, missed appointments or carrier reassignment. We are not liable for delays or cancellations caused by undisclosed vehicle conditions.

Specialty vehicles. Classic, antique, exotic, vintage and custom vehicles may fall outside standard cargo insurance. If yours is one of these, arrange a separate binder policy with your own insurer. We provide no cargo or liability coverage of any kind.

International shipments. Vehicles must be empty apart from factory-installed equipment. You are responsible for an accurate VIN, declared value and all customs documentation. We may assist, but compliance remains your obligation.

10. Condition report and inspection — read before you sign

At pickup the carrier records the vehicle’s existing condition on a bill of lading and condition report. Melcore Auto Transport does not issue a bill of lading — it is the carrier’s document, and it is the single most important piece of evidence in any claim. Obtaining a physical or digital copy at pickup is your responsibility.

At delivery, before signing anything:

• Inspect the vehicle thoroughly in good light, on all sides, including roof, bumpers, wheels and visible undercarriage.
• Compare it against the pickup report.
• Write any new damage on the condition report before signing, specifically, and have the driver sign that notation.
• Record the odometer reading on the report at both pickup and delivery, and have the driver sign it. A vehicle is carried, not driven; a mileage change is the only evidence that it was used, and it cannot be shown after the fact.
• Photograph the vehicle and the completed report, and keep your copy.

Signing a clean condition report acknowledges that the vehicle arrived in the recorded condition, and a later claim for that damage is generally unrecoverable against the carrier, its insurer and us. If a driver refuses inspection or pressures you to sign a blank or clean report, write that on the document, do not sign, and contact us immediately.

11. Refused or failed delivery

If nobody is available to accept the vehicle, or an accepted form of payment is not available, the carrier may place the vehicle in storage or at a terminal. Storage, redelivery and any further transportation costs are yours and payable directly to the carrier or facility. Neither we nor the carrier is liable for the vehicle’s condition while it sits in third-party storage arranged for this reason. If a payment to the carrier fails or is reversed — insufficient funds, a stopped cheque — the amount remains owed to the carrier, which may pursue it directly. We will not charge it to the card on file.

12. Staying reachable

We will contact you by phone, text and/or email before the pickup date. If we cannot reach you and you do not respond within 24 hours, we may cancel the order; where a carrier has already been assigned, the deposit remains earned under Section 16.

13. Our liability, and the carrier’s

Because we arrange transportation rather than perform it, the carrier is responsible for the vehicle from completion of the pickup inspection until your signature at delivery, and the carrier and its insurer are your remedy for loss or damage in transit.

Authorized carriers must hold cargo insurance, and we expect carriers we dispatch to carry at least $100,000 of cargo coverage. We verify active operating authority and insurance before dispatch, and we send you the carrier’s operating authority and current certificate of insurance when we dispatch — you do not have to ask. We do not insure your vehicle, we are not the carrier’s insurer, and we cannot pay a claim on the carrier’s behalf. Keep your own insurance in force throughout transport.

You may refuse the carrier we assign. If something about the carrier does not satisfy you, tell us at least 24 hours before the scheduled pickup and we will look for another one. Refusing inside 24 hours, or after the driver is en route, is treated as a cancellation under Section 16, because by then the slot is gone and the carrier has committed the miles.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for:

• Loss of or damage to the vehicle, or anything in it, occurring during transport — including scratches, dents, panel damage, windscreen chips and cracks, and damage from weather, road debris, vandalism or acts of nature.
• Acts, omissions, negligence, delay or insolvency of any carrier, driver, terminal or storage facility.
• Mechanical, electrical or operational condition or failure before, during or after transport — battery failure, brakes, fluid leaks, engine or transmission faults, electrical malfunctions, suspension or alignment, or a vehicle that will not start on arrival. Neither we nor the carrier performs diagnostic or mechanical inspection.
• Damage attributable to the vehicle’s pre-existing condition, wear, freezing, battery discharge, or any condition you did not disclose.
• Acts of God, environmental hazards, road conditions, government action, civil unrest, labour action, or any cause beyond our reasonable control.
• Damage to property other than the vehicle at the pickup or delivery location — driveways, kerbs, walls, gates, garages, doors, fences, sidewalks, lawns, trees, overhead branches and wires, awnings, mailboxes, and vehicles or property belonging to neighbours. An eighty-foot transporter is a large vehicle manoeuvring in a space not designed for one. If you have any doubt that your street can take it, meet the carrier at an accessible location instead, as Section 8 describes.
• Damage to or loss of non-factory equipment — audio and video systems, navigation units, tracking devices, phones and their mounts — and any fine incurred because of items left in the vehicle.
• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary or punitive damages, or lost profits, lost wages, loss of use, rental costs, accommodation or missed travel — even if we were told such losses were possible.

Where we are found liable despite the above, our total liability for any claim connected with an order is limited to the brokerage fee you paid us for that order. That fee is the consideration we received, and this limit reflects how risk is allocated between us: the carrier bears transit risk and is insured for it, and our fee is priced on that basis.

On interstate moves, claims for loss of or damage to a vehicle in a carrier’s custody are governed by the Carmack Amendment (49 U.S.C. § 14706), the federal statute that makes the carrier liable for cargo it accepts. That is the framework your claim sits in, and it is another reason the claim runs against the carrier rather than against us.

We and the carrier may use more than one mode of transport where a route requires it — truck, rail or sea — which matters most for shipments to and from Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. We are not responsible for port demurrage or storage charges at a port facility, and on sea routes the ocean portion must be paid before the vehicle reaches the port.

Nothing here excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, including for fraud or for death or personal injury caused by negligence.

14. Making a damage claim

To preserve a claim you must:

• Note the damage on the carrier’s condition report at delivery, before signing.
• Photograph the damage at delivery.
• Notify both the carrier and us in writing within 24 hours of delivery, at info@melcoreautotransport.com.

Then, to progress it, send the carrier and its insurer — with a copy to us:

• A written description of the damage.
• Clear photographs, taken at delivery.
• Two independent repair estimates, within 10 days of delivery.

Two estimates within ten days is what a cargo insurer needs to open a file. Sending one, or sending them late, is the most common reason a claim that was otherwise good goes nowhere.

Claims are made against the carrier and its cargo insurer, which is where the coverage sits. We will give you the carrier’s details, insurance information and dispatch records and help you present the claim, but we are not the insurer and cannot decide or pay it. A carrier’s insurance will normally only pay for damage caused by the carrier’s own negligence. If it denies liability, your own policy may respond.

Damage not noted at delivery, or reported after the 24-hour window, is ordinarily unrecoverable, because nothing then distinguishes damage in transit from damage afterwards. All charges and fees remain due regardless of any claim.

15. Changing your order

Tell us as early as you can. Before a carrier is assigned, addresses, dates and vehicle details can usually change at no cost, subject to a revised price if the change affects the route or equipment. After assignment, a change may require cancelling and re-booking the dispatch, which can mean a new price and schedule and may trigger the fees in Section 4.2 or forfeiture under Section 16. Changing an address after dispatch is a material change and is treated this way.

16. Cancellation and the deposit

Before a carrier is assigned, you may cancel at no charge. The deposit is only charged when a carrier is assigned (Section 4), so in most cases there is nothing to refund — and where a deposit has been taken, it is refunded in full. If we cancel before assigning a carrier, the deposit is refunded in full automatically.

We have up to five business days from your first available date to assign a carrier. If we do not manage it in that time, you may cancel for a full refund.

Once a carrier has been assigned and those details sent to you — by phone, email or SMS — the service you engaged us for has been performed: we have located, vetted, negotiated with and booked a carrier and reserved space on its truck.

Cancelling after that point carries a cancellation fee equal to the reservation deposit. Where the deposit has already been charged, it is earned and non-refundable and no separate fee is added — the forfeited deposit is the cancellation fee. Where the deposit has not yet been collected, the same amount becomes immediately payable on the payment method held on your order.

The fee is not contingent on the carrier completing the transport, and it applies where you change your mind, fail to cancel before dispatch, disagree with the assigned carrier’s estimated dates or route, make alternative arrangements after dispatch, refuse the assigned carrier, or where the vehicle turns out to be unavailable, inaccessible or not released at the agreed pickup. It is charged once per order, not per attempt.

Cancellations must be made in writing, by email to info@melcoreautotransport.com, so that the time of cancellation is a matter of record rather than recollection. We do not action cancellations given by phone alone. Where a refund is due it is issued to the original payment method within five business days; your bank may take a further five to ten days to show it.

We may cancel an order at any time and refund the deposit, with no further liability, if we cannot secure a suitable carrier at the quoted price, if the vehicle or locations turn out to be materially different from what was described, if we suspect fraud, or if you behave abusively toward our staff or a carrier. Full details are in our Refund Policy.

17. Exclusive representation while your order is live

While your order is active we post it to carrier networks, including Central Dispatch, on your behalf. If the same vehicle and route are posted simultaneously by another broker, carriers see duplicate listings, which damages the price and can cause a dispatched carrier to withdraw. You therefore agree not to list the same shipment with another broker or carrier while an order is active with us. If you do, we may cancel the order and the deposit may be forfeited.

18. Insurance disclaimer

We are a broker. We do not provide, sell, underwrite or bind insurance, and nothing we say about a carrier’s coverage is a representation about what a particular claim will pay. Limits, exclusions and deductibles are set by the carrier’s policy, and the insurer decides claims.

19. Lawful use and fraud prevention

You confirm the vehicle is lawfully yours to ship, is not stolen, is not subject to a court order, lien or repossession preventing its movement, and contains no illegal, stolen, hazardous or undeclared goods. We cooperate with law enforcement, may disclose order data on lawful request or where we suspect fraud, and may refuse or stop an order without refund where we reasonably suspect unlawful activity.

20. Security of systems and communications

We take commercially reasonable, industry-standard measures to protect our systems, but no website, email or payment channel is perfectly secure. We are not liable for losses arising from interception, phishing, spoofing, unauthorized access to your accounts or devices, or fraudulent instructions from a third party posing as us or as you — including where such an incident results in an unauthorized dispatch. We will investigate and mitigate any such incident promptly.

We will never email or text you asking to change payment instructions. If you receive such a message, do not act on it — call (737) 773-3111 using the number on this site, never a number contained in the message.

21. Disputes, arbitration and class-action waiver

Please read this section carefully — it affects your legal rights.

21.1 Talk to us first

Most problems resolve quickly. Before starting any formal proceeding, you agree to write to us at info@melcoreautotransport.com describing the dispute and the resolution you want, and to allow 30 days for a response. We will do the same before bringing any claim against you.

21.2 Agreement to arbitrate

If that does not resolve it, you and we agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or any order — whether in contract, statute, tort or otherwise — will be resolved by final and binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, rather than in court. The award may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. This agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act.

21.3 Class-action and jury-trial waiver

Claims may be brought only in an individual capacity. You and we each waive any right to bring or take part in a class, collective, consolidated or representative action, and each waive the right to trial by jury. An arbitrator may award relief only to the individual party seeking it. If this paragraph is held unenforceable as to a particular claim, that claim proceeds in court and the rest of this Section 21 still applies to every other claim.

21.4 Your right to opt out — 30 days

Arbitration is not compulsory. Email info@melcoreautotransport.com with the subject line “Arbitration Opt-Out,” giving your name and order reference and stating that you opt out, within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Opting out changes nothing else in this agreement, and we will not treat you differently for doing it.

21.5 Small claims and injunctions

Either of us may instead bring an individual claim in small-claims court, and either may seek an injunction in court to protect intellectual property or stop unauthorized use of our systems.

21.6 Time limit for claims

Any claim relating to an order must be brought within one year of the date it arose, or the shortest period the law allows if that is longer. After that it is permanently barred.

22. Governing law and venue

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Where a dispute proceeds in court rather than arbitration, it must be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Travis County, Texas, and both of us consent to their personal jurisdiction. The prevailing party may recover reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, including on appeal.

23. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Melcore Auto Transport LLC, its officers, employees and agents against any claim, loss, liability or expense, including reasonable attorney’s fees, arising from information you gave us that was inaccurate or incomplete, your breach of these Terms, personal property left in the vehicle, your violation of any law, or a claim by a vehicle owner you booked for without their authority.

24. Website use and intellectual property

This site’s content — text, design, logos, photographs and software — belongs to us or our licensors and is protected by copyright and trademark law. You may use the site to request quotes and manage orders. You may not copy, republish or scrape it, use it to build a competing service, submit false or automated enquiries, attempt unauthorized access, or interfere with its operation. The site is provided “as is”; we do not warrant it will be uninterrupted or error-free and are not responsible for third-party sites we link to.

25. Electronic records and signatures

You consent to transact electronically. Order confirmations, condition reports, notices and these Terms may be provided electronically, and an electronic signature or recorded acceptance has the same effect as a handwritten signature. You may withdraw consent by contacting us, though we may then be unable to provide the service. Please keep copies of what we send you.

26. Communications and recording

By giving us your phone number or email you agree we may contact you about your order by phone, text and email. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training, quality and record-keeping. Text messaging is covered in Section 28, and our handling of your information is set out in the Privacy Policy.

27. General

• Severability. If any provision is unenforceable it is modified to the minimum extent necessary, or severed, and the rest stays in force.
• No waiver. Not enforcing a provision on one occasion does not waive it.
• Assignment. You may not assign your order without our written consent. We may assign this agreement in a merger, acquisition or sale of assets.
• Third parties. Carriers we dispatch may rely on the protections in Sections 7, 10, 13 and 14 expressed to benefit them. Nobody else acquires rights under these Terms.
• Force majeure. Neither party is liable for failure to perform caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including weather, natural disaster, epidemic, war, civil unrest, labour action, fuel shortage, cyber-attack or government action.
• Notices. Notices to us: info@melcoreautotransport.com or 5900 Balcones Drive, STE 100, Austin, TX 78731. Notices to you: the email or postal address on your order.
• Survival. Sections 4, 7, 10, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23 and 27 survive completion or cancellation of an order.
• Headings. For convenience only; they do not affect interpretation.
• Changes. We may update these Terms. The version governing your order is the one published when you placed it; material changes are posted here with a new effective date.
• You have read this. By placing an order you confirm you have read and understood these Terms, and you agree not to rely on not having read them as a defence to any part of this agreement. They are on this page, in full, before you book, and we will answer any question about them before you place an order — please ask.

28. SMS terms

28.1 Consent

Where you tick the SMS consent box or consent on a recorded call, you agree to receive text messages from Melcore Auto Transport LLC about your shipment. Consent attaches to the number you gave us. Information collected as part of SMS consent is never shared with third parties for marketing.

28.2 What we send

Quote follow-ups, carrier assignment and dispatch notices, pickup and delivery coordination, driver contact details, payment reminders and status updates.

28.3 Frequency and cost

Frequency varies with your shipment’s activity; you may receive up to 10 messages per week. Message and data rates may apply depending on your plan, and may differ for domestic and international messages. We do not charge for messages.

28.4 Opting in and out

You opt in by ticking the box on our quote form or consenting on a recorded call. You may opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message, or by contacting us at info@melcoreautotransport.com. Reply HELP or call (737) 773-3111 for assistance. Opting out of texts does not cancel your order and does not stop us contacting you by phone or email about it. See our Privacy Policy for how we handle your information.

28.5 Carrier disclosure

Mobile carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

29. Contact

Melcore Auto Transport LLC
5900 Balcones Drive, STE 100, Austin, TX 78731
Email: info@melcoreautotransport.com
Phone: (737) 773-3111