It totally depends on big city centers vs. rural areas. We shipped via NAVL twice and the second time was quite a bit more expensive (more like $400 though) and I asked why, and that was why.
They are a company with a good reputation. In my opinion, I'd just bite the bullet and pay it, for those reasons. It's a matter of a hundred bucks give or take, and IMO, to go with a company that has a good reputation, that's still worth the peace of mind.