We ensure your vehicle is safely and efficiently transported to your destination.
How to Ship a Car: Step By Step Guide
Step 1
quote & book your order
Request a quote through our online quote form, or by phone. Your auto transport quote will then be sent to your provided email, where you can book your order at any time!
We then assign your shipment to a bonded and insured carrier for your protection, that matches your desired route and time frame. We send an automatic update of the projected pickup and delivery dates once a pickup has been scheduled.
Step 2
Vehicle/Heavy Equipment Pick Up
The driver will contact you prior to pickup and arrive at the arranged location. A thorough inspection of the vehicle will be completed, you and the driver will sign to verify accuracy. The vehicle is then loaded onto the carrier and begins heading to the delivery location.
Step 3
Vehicle/Heavy Equipment Delivery
Upon arrival at the destination, your vehicle/Heavy Equipment will be safely offloaded. A final inspection is completed and the driver hands over the keys.
Factors that Determine your Car Shipping Costs
Distance
Miles are a key factor, but shorter distances require the same effort in pick-up & drop-off by drivers –even though they spend less time on the road. So long-distance can actually be cheaper per mile, just as an airline ticket from Detroit to Los Angeles can cost the same as one from NY to LA.
Vehicle Type & Size
Trucks have maximum loads for safety. A larger or longer vehicle may take up more than 1 space on the transport trailer. A heavier one uses up more of the maximum allowable weight load – which means the trailer may be limited on the other vehicles it could carry.
Popularity of the Route
Pickup and/or dropoff in a rural location typically costs more than to and from major metro areas. Larger cities have more truckers driving through, and are served by more major highways that are easier for truckers. Just as there are fewer flights from Detroit to Atlanta each day than from NY to LA, there are fewer trucks available in some rural areas which can affect pricing.
Open or Enclosed
75% of customers find open trailer transport with 3–10 cars the best value. Enclosed transport trailers are much smaller, with just 2-6 cars. Driving the same miles, same # of days with fewer vehicles costs more per car, but enclosed trailers are recommended for classics, exotics and others valued at $70,000+
Running or Not
We transport all vehicles – running or not. A car that is inoperable – one that does not start or run on its own – requires extra time, effort and equipment from the driver, which is more costly.
Dates / Season of Year
High demand during some seasons can cause prices to spike on some routes, and even truckers take holidays. So shipping before Thanksgiving or Christmas for example can be challenging, and times of flooding or hurricanes in a region can affect availability and cost. Direction of travel can impact prices.
