How to ship a car, start to finish
A plain English walkthrough from getting a quote to handing over the keys at delivery. No jargon, no surprises.
Shipping a car is simpler than you think
Most people ship a car for the first time when they move for a job, send a kid off to college, buy a vehicle from out of state, or take the family on a long trip and need the car waiting on the other end. The process feels mysterious because the trucking industry uses a lot of inside language, but at the customer level it is straightforward.
You get a quote. You lock the rate with a $99 deposit. A driver shows up at your driveway in a 1 to 3 day pickup window, loads the car onto an open or enclosed trailer, and drives it to the destination. Transit takes a few days to about a week for mainland routes. You pay the balance to the driver on delivery, inspect the car, and you are done.
The two things people get wrong are pickup timing and prep. Pickup is a window, not a clock appointment, because the driver is routing other cars on the same trailer. Prep is mostly about removing valuables and getting the car ready for a loaded inspection. Both are covered below.
The 4 step shipping process
From quote to delivery in plain English.
1. Get a quote
Enter pickup ZIP, delivery ZIP, vehicle, and dates. You get a real number from the live carrier load board in seconds.
2. Lock the rate
$99 deposit holds your carrier and freezes the price. The rest is due to the driver on delivery, cash or card.
3. Pickup
Driver calls 24 hours before pickup. Loads the car at your driveway. Walk around inspection signed at origin.
4. Delivery
Driver calls 24 hours ahead. Inspect the car at delivery, sign off, pay the balance, and you are done.
Pre pickup prep checklist
Do these before the driver shows up and the loading goes smoothly.
- 1Wash the exterior so an honest inspection is possible at pickup and delivery.
- 2Remove all personal items from the interior and the trunk.
- 3Take the car down to a quarter tank of fuel.
- 4Photograph all four sides, the roof, and any existing damage.
- 5Disable toll tags, dash cams, and aftermarket alarms.
- 6Hand the driver one set of keys, keep a spare for yourself.
- 7Top off the battery and check that the parking brake releases cleanly.
- 8Note any leaks or mechanical quirks so the driver can plan for them.
What most people get wrong
Three traps that turn an easy ship into a stressful one.
Treating pickup like an airline flight
Pickup is a 1 to 3 day window, not a 9:15 AM appointment. Drivers route 6 to 10 cars on one trailer, so they call you 24 hours out, not 7 days out.
Chasing the lowest quote
If a quote is hundreds below everyone else, the broker is fishing. No carrier will accept that load, your car sits unassigned, and you end up paying more later. Pay the market rate the first time.
Skipping the inspection
The walkaround inspection at pickup and delivery is your damage protection. Take photos, mark anything pre existing, and never skip the delivery walkaround.
Open transport vs enclosed transport
Most cars ship on an open trailer. Enclosed is for high value or rare cars.
Open transport
- Lower cost, around 30 to 40 percent cheaper than enclosed.
- Faster pickup, 90 percent of trailers on the road are open.
- Standard for daily drivers, family cars, and most SUVs and trucks.
- Vehicle is exposed to weather and road grime during transit.
- Industry standard for new car deliveries from the factory.
Enclosed transport
- Higher cost, premium for the covered trailer.
- Pickup can take a few days longer because there are fewer trucks.
- Recommended for exotics, classics, low clearance, and high value cars.
- Vehicle is fully protected from weather, road debris, and prying eyes.
- Liftgate loading available for very low clearance vehicles.
Pro tips from the dispatchers
Book 5 to 7 days out
Booking a week ahead gives carriers time to plan their routes around your pickup ZIP.
Flexible dates save money
A 3 day window costs less than a same day pickup. If you can flex, tell us.
Driveway pickup is fine
Most pickups happen at the curb in front of your house. Tight cul de sacs may need a nearby parking lot.
Bring cash or a card for the balance
Drivers take cash, certified check, or a card swipe. Personal checks are not accepted.
Keep the receipts
Inspection forms and the BOL (bill of lading) are your proof of condition. Keep them until the car is safely home.
Call the dispatcher, not the driver
If something changes, call Shelly and the team. We can reroute, reschedule, or get answers faster than the driver can.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I book?
Is pickup at my address?
How long does pickup take?
Can I leave stuff in the car?
Do I have to be there for pickup?
How much fuel should be in the tank?
What if my car is not running?
When do I pay?
Is my car insured during transit?
What happens if there is damage?
Can I track the truck?
Do you ship out of state and across the country?
Ready to ship?
Pick the path that fits how you want to move.
Every auto transport service we run
Auto transport is not one product. A dealer moving forty units off an auction lane, a collector shipping a numbers matching car across the country, and a family sending one sedan ahead of a move are three different jobs that happen to use the same highways. They need different trailers, different insurance limits, different loading equipment, and different scheduling. Quoting all three the same way is how customers end up with a truck that cannot legally carry their vehicle. Pick the line below that matches what you are actually moving, and the quote comes back against the right equipment the first time.
By transport type
Open Car TransportThe standard multi car carrier and the cheapest way to move a daily driver. Same trailers that deliver new inventory to dealers.Learn more →
Enclosed Auto TransportA sealed trailer, soft tie downs, and no road spray for classics, exotics, and anything you would not park outside.Learn more →
Door to Door TransportPickup and delivery at the addresses you give us. No terminal drop offs and no driving across town to meet a truck.Learn more →
Expedited Car ShippingNext day or two day pickup when the closing date moved or the buyer will not wait. Priority position in the dispatch queue.Learn more →- Budget Car ShippingFlexible dates and a wider pickup window traded for a lower rate. The honest version of a cheap quote.Learn more →
State to State ShippingInterstate moves with one carrier from origin to destination, no reloading and no handoffs between trucks.Learn more →
Cross Country ShippingCoast to coast runs past two thousand miles, priced on lane density rather than a flat per mile guess.Learn more →- International ShippingOcean freight by container or roll on roll off, with the port paperwork and customs filing handled for you.Learn more →
Online Purchase DeliveryBought from a marketplace, an out of state dealer, or a private seller. We collect it and bring it to your driveway.Learn more →- Auto Train AlternativeA door to door option for the Virginia to Florida run when the train is sold out or the schedule does not fit.Learn more →
- Inoperable Vehicle TransportWinch equipped carriers for cars that will not start, will not steer, or will not roll. Project cars included.Learn more →
Oversized TransportLifted trucks, duallies, and anything over standard deck height on trailers built for the clearance.Learn more →
By vehicle
Motorcycle ShippingCruisers, sport bikes, touring rigs, and trikes on soft straps and wheel chocks rather than a bare ratchet.Learn more →
Truck ShippingHalf tons through duallies, with the bed and tow package measured before we quote so the deck actually fits.Learn more →
RV and Motorhome TransportTowed, hauled, or driven by a bonded CDL driver depending on length, height, and whether it is roadworthy.Learn more →
Luxury Car ShippingEnclosed by default, lift gate loading, and a driver who has moved this class of car before.Learn more →
Classic Car ShippingVintage and restoration cars handled with soft ties, no wheel straps on original chrome, and full photo documentation.Learn more →
By who is shipping
Dealer ShippingAuction runs, dealer trades, and port to lot moves on volume pricing with one invoice across every unit.Learn more →- Fleet ShippingMulti unit relocations and seasonal rebalancing with contracted rates that hold through surge weeks.Learn more →
- For Online BuyersIndependent condition photos at pickup so you see the car before it leaves the seller, not after it arrives.Learn more →
- Auction ShippingPickup coordinated against auction release, gate pass, and storage deadlines so you are not paying late fees.Learn more →
- OEM LogisticsPlant to dealer and plant to port movement with reporting that matches manufacturer compliance requirements.Learn more →
- Rental Fleet RelocationSeasonal fleet balancing between markets, priced by the batch rather than one unit at a time.Learn more →
- Military Car ShippingPCS moves timed to report dates, with pickup that works around base access and a deploying schedule.Learn more →
- Student Car ShippingMove in and move out windows around the academic calendar, when every family in town needs the same week.Learn more →
Snowbird ShippingNorth in spring, south in fall, booked both directions at once so the return leg is locked before rates climb.Learn more →- Corporate RelocationEmployee moves billed to the company with the documentation a relocation package and an expense team need.Learn more →
Not sure which one fits? Call (888) 780-6207 and describe the vehicle and the route. A dispatcher will tell you which equipment it needs and what the lane is running, or start with an instant quote and adjust from there.
Auto transport coast to coast, state to state
We move vehicles in all fifty states, and the network is deepest where the freight already runs. Each state page below carries its own lane table, transit windows, and the local conditions that actually change a rate.
Northeast
Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
South
Midwest
Mountain
Read before you book
Most complaints in this industry trace back to something the customer was never told: that the first quote was a placeholder, that the broker on the phone is not the company driving the truck, or that personal items in the trunk are not covered by cargo insurance. None of that is complicated once somebody explains it. These are the explainers we send customers before they book, written to be useful whether or not you ship with us.
- How to Ship a CarThe whole process from first quote to signed delivery receipt, in the order it actually happens.Read the guide →
- How Auto Transport WorksWhat happens between your booking and a truck showing up, including who dispatches the load and why timing moves.Read the guide →
- Brokers vs CarriersThe difference nobody explains, why it changes who is liable for your car, and which one you are actually talking to.Read the guide →
- Spotting Transport FraudHow to check authority and insurance yourself, and the quote patterns that mean a company is about to raise the price.Read the guide →
- TruePrice GuaranteeWhy our quote is the price, and what the industry practice of quoting low and renegotiating at pickup costs you.Read the guide →
- Pre Shipping ChecklistWhat to clean, remove, photograph, and document before the driver arrives so a damage claim never becomes your word against theirs.Read the guide →
- Cheapest Ways to ShipThe levers that genuinely lower a rate, and the ones that only look cheap until pickup day.Read the guide →
- Hawaii Car ShippingPort schedules, island by island delivery, and what the ocean leg adds to a mainland quote.Read the guide →
- Alaska Car ShippingBarge versus the Alaska Highway, seasonal closures, and why a winter quote is not a summer quote.Read the guide →
- Why WhipshipperWhat we do differently on carrier vetting, rate locking, and tracking, stated plainly enough to check.Read the guide →
- Full FAQEvery question we get on pricing, timing, insurance, and paperwork, answered in one place.Read the guide →
- Customer ReviewsHow we handle feedback, what we do when a shipment goes sideways, and how to read transport reviews generally.Read the guide →
Lock your rate today.
$99 deposit holds the carrier, balance on delivery.