Here are some of the numbers for diesel prices fropm 2008 to 2009 and from 2009 to 2010, and the results could surprise you. In May of 2008, diesel prices were sitting at a little over $4.00 per gallon, then rose to almost $5.00 by August. Then came the decline. By May of 2009, diesel had dropped to around $2.50 per gallon, but now it’s gone back up in 2010 to just over $4.00 again.

These numbers may not mean much to you, but for auto transport companies, especially those with a huge fleet of trucks, this means a lot. See, in the auto transport industry, summer months are always the busiest – more people are moving, more people are getting new jobs, more people are just…active, I guess you could say. In the winter months, the auto transport industry is much slower, because people don’t want to do much. It’s cold, it’s wet, many times there’s snow in certain parts of the country – people just don’t want anything to do with it.

So for diesel prices to be so high in the summer months – and they’re climbing in 2010 again, it looks like – the auto transport industry is definitely put in a bind. Instead of being able to lower prices in the summer (as was usually the case), they now have to keep them steady or even raise prices for consumers, which is bad for business because if the cost is too much, people will just drive their cars as opposed to shipping them.

So let’s hope that diesel prices stay relatively low – at least, don’t go up much more. Because last year was bad, 2008 was worse, and 2010 could be just as bad.

Chrysler was back at the 80^th Geneva International Motor Show showing off its new 300C, 300C Eco Style, their new PT Cruiser Couture Edition, their new Sebring Cabrio and the new Town and Country, but the biggest shock was that Chrysler was displaying its vehicles with Lancia vehicles. It is the first time that the two companies have displayed in one exhibition area, and apparently it was a way for the companies to move away from the traditional motor show stand and make a real splash. They wanted to show a symbolic representation of the future convergence of both brand names, which overall is pretty cool.

The idea is interesting and the actual execution was near flawless, but what is this going to mean for the future of the brands? The union of Chrysler and Lancia could mean an all-new entity with nigh limitless possibilities, but that could be a bit of a stretch if things don’t go as planned. The cool thing is that both companies are now committed to excellence and could very well be a great new start to a great new future – if they do what they say they’re going to do, that is.

This is pretty cool, if I do say so myself. Royal Dutch Shell Company, also known as simply Shell, has said that electric-powered vehicles will make up for 40% of its worldwide fleet by 2050. Shell has been looking at renovating their fleet for quite some time, apparently, and now is the time to do it, with the technological improvements and increased cost of using gasoline powered vehicles being the two main reasons for the switch. 40% of all vehicles in the fleet, which has about two billion vehicles in it, will be electric by 2050, which is a little under one billion vehicles. That’s a lot of electric cars.

But Shell isn’t the only one looking at mixing it up at the fleet level – they’re only the most public one. British Petroleum (BP) is spending a ton on new technologies and is also looking at updating their fleet, but Shell is investing a whopping 25% of its research and development budget in renewable energy sources, including wind power and biofuel. Shell also has a huge deal going with Brazil’s Cosan to create 4,500 filling stations across the US – ethanol and biofuel refueling stations, I should say. This would allow Shell to compete with two of the largest biofuel companies in the world while bringing new energy sources to the US. Can’t say it’s a bad deal.

Fiat’s stock rose 20% this past month on mere speculation that the company will be launching a new automotive division; auto manufacturing makes up just 56$ of Fiat’s total revenue, and separating it would give the company the ability to make further alliances and, in turn, make more money. Because that’s capitalism, friends. Fiat wants to go public, because that’s what major companies do, but they want to get Chrysler back up to snuff before they do so. But it’s not just some silly mandate – potential investors want to see progress on the Chrysler front before they can be convinced to buy shares, and Fiat might have too much on its hands to think about opening up a new division.

But only time will tell. Fiat, without Chrysler, is still would about $8 billion, and if Chrysler can get off the ground that number is going to skyrocket. The CEO of Fiat is planning on detailing how Chrysler will improve Fiat’s profitability through shared sales efforts and new technological advances, but Chrysler’s market share is still lagging behind its 2010 target. So only time will tell, as is always the case in up-and-coming news.

J.D. Power and Associates recently released its long-term Vehicle Dependability study, and among the ten best scoring vehicles, seven of the first eight vehicles on the list were American brands. Score one for Detroit! Cadillac, Mercury and Buick all bested the Lexus LS 460, which has been the perennial powerhouse for several years running, and Ford’s three brands bested the industry average, with four different models among the top eight vehicles.

Japanese automakers have long ranked higher than their American counterparts, but this year American vehicles stood above the pack. The study confirmed that Detroit has indeed learned from its mistakes of the past however long it was before the bankruptcies, but even with these amazing scores American buyers still don’t trust Detroit names. This perception gap marks the huge difference between perceived quality and real quality, with the perceived quality of Detroit vehicles a lot lower than it actually is (the real quality). Since 2007 GM has been paying 45% less in warranty costs than in previous years, which means that their vehicles are actually good vehicles! I guess we just need to spread the word to buy American, because that’s where it’s at right now.

So you’ve decided you want to have your vehicle shipped to a destination of your choice. Most of the time, people fail to realize exactly how much work is involved in the entire process of shipping your vehicle. It’s not as easy as “picking up and dropping off.” The process as a whole requires patience, research, and communication skills. The first, and arguably the most important step, is researching which company will best suit your needs. You can do this by contacting the company via phone, or hopping on the internet and researching that way. Be sure to read any and all reviews, and compare prices between companies.

While dealing with these companies, be sure to communicate all of the specifics about the vehicle being shipped. Be sure to provide the following information:

Height of vehicle
Weight of vehicle
Width of vehicle
Ground clearance of vehicle
Distance from street
Running condition

All of this information will play a role in helping to determine which transport vessel would best suit your needs. For example, if your vehicle is not in running condition, you would still be able to transport it, however the extra man power required to get the vehicle onto the truck would end up costing you a bit extra. Another example would be if you vehicle was located deep in the country, or in the city in a place that is not easily accessible from a main street. Be sure to let the company know how far your vehicle is from a main street, as the trucks they use to transport may not be able to physically fit to the location where you need your vehicle picked up. The less surprises you encounter, the happier you’ll be.

Another reason you’ll want to convey all the proper information is so that the company will be able to accurately match you with a transport vehicle that works for your needs. There are two main types of transporters. Open air transporters are a common sight on our highways. These vehicles have no walls, and are able to carry numerous vehicles at one time. They are generally less expensive and easier to come by due to the face that they can carry larger quantities of vehicles and are not enclosed on four sides, leaving the vehicle exposed to the elements. The second type of transporter is known as enclosed transportation. This type of transport is usually preferred by owners of classic cars, or those vehicles with custom paint jobs. These vessels are usually more expensive and more difficult to make reservations for due to the fact that they cannot carry the same number of vehicles as open air transporters. These trucks also completely encase the vehicles, protecting them from any number of possible threats such as natural elements and some (rare) vandalism.

Overall, you want to be sure that you’ve chosen the right company. You’ll want a company that is experienced, accredited, and reliable. Visit Universal Auto Transporters today! With unrivaled customer service and a network of transport companies that are all experienced and accredited, you won’t find a better choice! Visit today to receive your 5 FREE transport quote today! Or, visit their contact page and call them to receive the quotes by phone. You certainly won’t want to miss out on this one.