How auto transport works
The steps, your carrier options, what changes the price and how to get your car ready.
Shipping a car means a licensed auto transport company picks it up and drives it to its destination on a carrier truck. Most cars travel on open carriers, door to door. You request quotes, choose a company and agree a pickup window, and the car is inspected at pickup and again at delivery.
How it works
Ask for a quote
Fill in the short form. Tell us where the car is, where it is going and when.
Get your quotes
Licensed auto transport companies contact you with prices for your route and dates. Compare them and choose.
Pickup and delivery
The company you book with picks the car up and delivers it to the address you choose.
Open or enclosed?
Open carrier
- How most cars are shipped
- Lower price, more trucks on the road, so pickup is often sooner
- Car rides outside, exposed to weather and road dust
Enclosed carrier
- Fully covered trailer
- Best for classic, exotic or high-value cars
- Costs more and has fewer trucks, so pickup can take longer
What affects the price
- Distance and route: long trips cost more, and busy routes between big cities usually cost less per mile than rural ones.
- Vehicle size and weight: bigger vehicles take more room on the truck.
- Open or enclosed: enclosed costs more.
- Running or not: a car that does not run needs a winch.
- Season: summer and snowbird season are busier.
- How soon: expedited pickup costs extra.
Getting your car ready
- Take out personal items and anything loose.
- Leave about a quarter tank of fuel.
- Wash the car and take dated photos of every side.
- Check for leaks and note any problems for the driver.
- At pickup and delivery, check the car with the driver and note any damage on the Bill of Lading before you sign.
Find what you need
By carrier type
- Open Auto Transport CarriersOpen carriers move most vehicles shipped in the U.S. and cost less than enclosed. Learn how they work and when to use one.
- Enclosed Auto Transport ServicesEnclosed carriers protect rare, classic and high-value vehicles from weather and road debris and cost more than open transport.
- Flatbed Auto TransportFlatbed carriers move oversize and modified vehicles. See which vehicles need one and the dimensions to have ready for a quote.
- Auto Transport by RailShipping a vehicle by rail is less common than by truck. See where it is available and why most customers ship overland.
By vehicle
- Quick Motorcycle Auto TransportHow motorcycles are shipped, in crates on enclosed or flatbed carriers, and what to expect from expedited pickup.
- Auto Transport for Non-Running VehiclesShipping a car that does not run takes a winch and usually costs more. Tell us up front so the right carrier is booked.
- Travel Trailer TransportShipping a travel trailer, teardrop, popup, gooseneck or fifth wheel. Have the length, width, height and weight ready for a quote.
For dealers and businesses
Guides
- Auto Transport BrokersWhat an auto transport broker does, why most carriers rely on brokers, and how booking through one can get your car picked up sooner.
- Dependable Auto Transport BrokersHow to tell a dependable auto transport broker from one that quotes low and changes the price later. Get several quotes and compare.
- Direct Auto Transport ServicesWhy direct auto transport usually means booking through a broker, and what a broker handles for you.
- Auto Transport CarriersThe main types of auto transport carriers, open, enclosed and flatbed, and which one fits your vehicle and budget.
- Auto Transport CompaniesThe two kinds of auto transport companies, brokers and carriers, and how each one fits into getting your vehicle moved.
- Auto Transport InsuranceHow insurance works when your car is on an auto transport truck, and the questions to ask your carrier about coverage.
- Auto Transport Payment MethodsHow auto transport is paid for: cash on delivery to the carrier, and the deposit a broker takes by card or check over the phone.
- Auto Transport GlossaryA glossary of common auto transport terms: open and enclosed carriers, Bill of Lading, COD, broker, bonded, non-op and more.