This is a sad webpage devoted to our sad experience with Transport Masters USA.
TL;DR WARNING! Transport Masters USA brokers your transport with uninsured carriers. Neither Transport Masters USA nor their brokered carriers are able to cover any damage that occurs to your car during transport. Learn from our mistake and avoid Transport Masters USA!
Transport Masters USA is a broker for nationwide car transporters. I hired them to transport a car from Tennessee to South Carolina. Transport Masters USA brokered the transport with TMB Transportation LLC (PA) (DOT 4144521, MC 1589759).
On the morning of October 4, 2024, the driver, Vaxos, arrived in a timely manner and departed with the car. Unfortunately, hurricane Helene had recently wreaked havoc in western North Carolina during late September. At that time, all major roads across the mountains were closed by NCDOT (US441, I26, I40). NCDOT had issued an "emergency vehicles only" declaration for the entirety of western North Carolina and recommended an I81-I77 bypass of the area.
Our driver, Vaxos, undeterred by the closures, began taking narrow, overgrown, gravel mountain roads. When he did not arrive at the stated time, I reached out to the TMB Transportation dispatcher and received the following picture sent by Vaxos to the dispatcher:
On receiving this, I pinged the car's location and it showed somewhere near the Tennessee/North Carolina border, quite far from any throughfare:
The driver arrived at the destination at dusk. When I began pointing to all the new scratches on our car, Vaxos said he did not speak English. I took photos of the many new scratches on the car, such as the following:
I got a detailed estimate to address the scratches from a reputable shop for $8,436.67:
I requested and received TMB Transport's Certificate of Insurance. On filing a claim with their insurance, it was denied:
I reached out to Thomas, the owner of TMB Transport, with this information:
When I engaged Transport Masters USA, the broker, our representative, P.J. Bothelo, assured us that their brokerage carried "gap" insurance that made up any deficiencies in their carriers' insurance. I contacted P.J. multiple times to find out how to pursue a claim, and he said he did not have an answer, that someone would call me, and no one ever did.
I discovered the National Consumer Complaint Database and filed complaint #100278005 that the TMB Transportation LLC was operating without insurance.
Please learn from my mistake and do not do business with Transport Masters USA (or TMB Transportation LLC) as neither can be trusted.
The author may be reached at keith@wannamaker.org.