Planned vehicle transport: bookings that run smoothly

Planned vehicle transport is the part of a recovery business that can be booked like any appointment: a car that no longer runs and needs to go to a garage, a purchase to collect from a seller, a classic car to take to a show, a vehicle moving to a body shop. Ask the right questions at booking, agree a pickup window and a delivery address, confirm access, keys and documents, and price by distance. Keep breakdowns and accidents on the phone, where you can judge them.

Loading is quick on an open street and slow in a narrow alley or a low car park. A car with locked brakes, flat tyres or no steering needs a winch, skates or extra time. Ask for a photo of the vehicle where it stands if the access sounds difficult, and add time to the booking when needed. If the car cannot be reached with your truck, say so before the day rather than on arrival.

Give a pickup window rather than an exact time, since traffic and previous jobs vary. Tell the customer when you are on your way. Check the receiving garage's hours so you are not left with a car at a closed gate, and agree where to leave the keys if nobody is there.

Planned transport is easiest to price with a base fee and a distance band. Create services by distance band, such as local, regional and long distance, each with a price and a slot long enough for the round trip. Mention extras clearly: winching a non-roller, waiting time, motorway tolls or a second person for difficult loading.

Low cars need ramps with a gentle angle, classics need soft straps on the wheels rather than the chassis, and electric cars have specific towing and loading instructions. Ask about the vehicle type at booking and follow the manufacturer's guidance for loading.

Before loading, walk round the vehicle with the customer or take photos of each side. Note existing damage, fuel level and mileage, and share the report at delivery. It protects you and the customer if a question comes up later.

A breakdown on a busy road or an accident cannot wait for the next open slot. Say clearly on your booking page that emergencies are handled by phone, and keep online booking for planned jobs. That way your planned days stay predictable, and urgent calls still reach you.

When a customer buys a car from a seller in another town, agree in advance who pays the seller and when the car can be released, and ask for the seller's contact. Bring the paperwork the buyer asks you to carry, and do not hand over or collect money unless that was agreed.

On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page. Create transport services by distance band, describe what is included and the extras, and publish slots that repeat weekly on the days you keep for planned jobs. Each slot belongs to one service and sits within a single day, and with one place per slot a booked slot no longer appears on your public page. Customers book with their name, email and phone and can add both addresses, the vehicle and its condition in the optional note, which you read in your new-booking email.

Durations and prices are examples: set your own. If a transport has to move, change it from your bookings list and tell the customer yourself, as Book does not email clients when a booking is rescheduled or cancelled. Book costs €5/month, all-inclusive: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no commitment.