Mercury Auto Transport dropped the ball

Larry Spencer Submitted this review about Mercury Auto Transport
Review made Live: 5/23/2025 10:50:00 AM
I would not use Mercury Auto Transport. This was my first time using an auto transport company. I went online and requested quotes from a few. Joe Kelly sent many emails and seemed honest and trustworthy. His quote for a Naples, FL to MA trip for mid-May was $807. His emails indicated he would be communicating with me a lot until the truck was dispatched. One email indicated "An honest, experienced broker must price an order based on what carriers will accept, not a price they think you will like". My fist pickup date was 5/16/25 as I had flights back to MA on 5/20. Having not heard anything from him, I texted on the morning of 5/15/25 asking if I should be concerned that I had not heard anything. He indicated that there was nothing to worry about and this is part of the process whereby drivers wait until the last minute. The next day, my earliest pickup day, I called Joe to indicate my concerns. He again said not to worry. I got the distinct impression that maybe my vehicle never made it onto the dashboard for drivers to choose until I texted him the previous day- but this is speculation on my part. Later on the 15th Joe called and said he had a driver bid the route and the total would be $1,400. I asked what happened to the $807 and he said that this is one of the busiest routes in the country so it gets competitive. Did he not realize this was a busy route when he quoted $807? Seems to me that he was not "honest and experienced". I declined the offer. By 5/19 I was within 24 hours of my flight so I cancelled the contract, called American Auto Transporters of Canton, MA (not American Auto Transport of Chicago) and dropped my car near the airport at 8am on the day of my flight. I got a call from AAT at 10am on the 22nd (yes, 50 hours later) that I could pick up my car in Canton, MA. Yes, I paid the $1,400 which is likely the real price for the route. It's just sad that Joe needs to intentionally low bid it to try to get the business. I won't call Mercury Auto Transport again.

Company Response
Jeff Solomon from Mercury Auto Transport Submitted this response.
Response Date: 5/23/2025 4:12:00 PM
We’re sorry to hear that your first time using an auto transport service didn’t meet your expectations. When you placed your order a month ahead of your preferred pickup date, we based the initial quote of $807 on the market conditions at that time. As with any transport brokerage, our quotes reflect the current supply and demand—both of which can change significantly as your shipping window approaches. This fluctuation is especially common on high-traffic routes like Florida to Massachusetts. As noted in our communication, carriers often finalize schedules close to the actual pickup date, and we strive to keep our customers informed throughout the process. Joe was in contact with you leading up to your pickup window and did present viable options—one of which matched the final rate you ultimately paid with another company. While we regret that those options didn’t meet your expectations, declining them was entirely your choice. It’s also important to clarify that we had your vehicle scheduled for delivery to North Attleboro, MA, as per your original request—not Canton, MA as mentioned in your review. We understand that timing was critical for you, and we’re genuinely sorry we couldn’t meet your needs on this occasion.