In the early years of the automobile industry, where people purchased a vehicle depended largely on where they were located. The first cars ever built were handmade and distributed at a local level. The young group of Ransom Olds, Henry Ford and David Buick built a number of gas and steam powered cars in Detroit, Michigan. With the automobile industry growing, the demand for cars increased and manufacturers could no longer rely on selling them at the factory gates. With this in mind, William Metzger opened the first ever car dealership in Detroit in 1897. The manufacturers used factory drivers and boats to transport the vehicles to the car dealerships. Early Ford car models were put in wooden boxes and transported on open railcars. In short, the growth of the early automobile industry can be credited to the reliable auto transport by road, water and railway.
The auto shipping industry has changed largely since its beginnings. The need for reliable and affordable auto transport remains to be crucial for the growth of the industry. Today, car brokers are helping to transport vehicles affordably and reliably while maintaining safety and security.