Car shipping questions, answered

It depends on five things: distance, the lane (busy interstate corridors are cheaper per mile than remote routes), the size and weight of the vehicle, open versus enclosed transport, and the season. Our pricing page explains each factor, and the cost guide goes deeper. A quote gives you the actual number for your car and dates.

Door-to-door transport, the carrier's cargo insurance while your car is in its care, and, on trips between Canada and the US, the customs handling. If something about your shipment would change the price, like a vehicle that doesn't run or an oversized truck, we raise it before you book.

Sometimes because the quote is below what any carrier will accept for that lane. The shipment then sits on a load board until the price goes up or the customer gives up. A realistic price is one a carrier will take within your pickup window. We'd rather tell you that number up front.

For short trips, driving usually wins. For long ones, add up fuel, hotels, meals, a flight home or back, the time off work, and the wear and miles on the car. Many people find shipping comes out close, and some find it cheaper once their time counts.

Booking early doesn't lock in a discount, but it gives us more carriers to choose from for your dates, which usually means a better schedule. In peak months, like fall snowbird season or early summer, a late booking can cost more simply because trucks are full.

Plan for two parts: the pickup window, usually a few days from your first available date, and transit. A few hundred miles is often one to two days on the truck. A typical cross-country trip runs about 7–10 days. How long car shipping takes breaks it down by distance.

No one can honestly guarantee an exact day for a multi-car truck that's making other stops on the way. What we can do is give you a realistic pickup window, keep you updated as it firms up, and offer expedited shipping when the date matters most.

Car haulers load and unload several vehicles a day, and traffic, weather and other customers' timing all move their schedule. Federal hours-of-service rules also limit how long they can drive. A call the day before, and again when they're close, gives you the most accurate window.

Fall (October to December) southbound to Florida and Arizona, and spring (March to May) northbound, follow the snowbird calendar. Summer is busy for relocations and college moves. Booking a few weeks ahead in those windows helps.

Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable for most domestic trips, and four to six weeks for peak snowbird dates or enclosed transport. You can book with less notice. Your options for dates just get narrower.

Start with a quote. Once you accept it, we confirm your pickup window and details in writing, assign a carrier partner running your lane, and send you the carrier's information before pickup.

Your booking confirmation spells out exactly when payment is due and how. There are no surprise charges added later; anything that would change the price is discussed before you book.

Yes. Tell us as early as you can. Your booking confirmation explains the cancellation terms. Date changes before a carrier is dispatched are usually straightforward.

We arrange your shipment and manage it from quote to delivery. The transport itself is performed by independent, FMCSA-authorized carriers we vet. That's how most car shipping in the US works; the broker vs carrier guide explains it plainly.

The driver comes to your address, or as close as a large car carrier can safely and legally get. On narrow streets, in some gated communities or downtown, that may mean meeting at a nearby wide street or parking lot. See door-to-door car shipping.

Someone does. Anyone 18 or older you trust can hand over the keys, walk around the car with the driver and sign the inspection report. Let us know who it is in advance.

It's the inspection report and receipt in one. At pickup the driver notes the car's condition on it, and at delivery you compare the car against it. Note any new damage on the bill of lading before you sign. That's your record if you need to make a claim.

It depends on the community's rules. Some issue a gate pass for a set window; others don't allow tractor-trailers past the gate. Call your gatehouse or HOA ahead of time and tell us what they say. If trucks aren't allowed, we'll arrange a nearby meeting point.

On domestic trips, carriers typically allow a small amount, usually kept in the trunk and below the window line, and policies vary. Personal items aren't covered by cargo insurance, and they add weight. On trips between Canada and the US the car must be empty. When in doubt, take it out.

Yes. You hear from us when the car is picked up, when the delivery window firms up, and when the driver is close. You can contact us any time for the latest.

Yes. While your car is in the carrier's care it's covered by the carrier's cargo insurance. We check each carrier's operating authority and insurance before dispatch. Keep your own auto policy active as well.

Note the damage on the bill of lading at delivery, before you sign, and take clear photos. Then contact us. We'll help you file the claim with the carrier's insurer using the pickup and delivery records.

Yes, always. Photograph every panel, the wheels, the roof and the odometer on pickup day, ideally with timestamps. They back up the bill of lading if there's ever a question.

For everyday cars, yes. Open carriers are how new cars reach dealerships. The car is exposed to weather and road grime, so it may arrive needing a wash. For collector, exotic or very low cars, enclosed transport adds protection. Compare them in open vs enclosed.

Yes, with a winch-equipped carrier. It needs to roll, steer and brake well enough to be pulled on and off the trailer. Tell us at the quote stage. See inoperable vehicle transport.

Yes. EVs ship like any car, with a few extras: a moderate state of charge rather than full or nearly empty, the vehicle's transport or tow mode where it has one, and attention to weight, since many EVs are heavy. See EV shipping.

Usually, yes. Height, length and weight decide which trailer position it can take, so give us the exact model and any modifications when you request a quote. See SUV and truck shipping.

Yes. Two or more cars can often travel on the same truck, which also keeps their pickup and delivery together. See multi-car shipping.

No. We focus on cars, SUVs, pickups and vans. We don't arrange motorcycle, boat, RV or heavy equipment transport.

Yes, as a smaller part of what we do, mostly for Canadians wintering in the US. Our team prepares the customs paperwork package. See Canada to US and US to Canada car shipping.

For a temporary stay of under a year, typically CBP Form 3299, DOT Form HS-7, EPA Form 3520-1, a signed authorization for the carrier, and copies of the owner's passport and registration, plus a lienholder letter if the car is financed. The snowbird guide covers it in detail. This is guidance, not legal advice.

Yes, but it's a formal import, involving the US export filing, Transport Canada's RIV program and CBSA duties and taxes. It's different from bringing a Canadian car home after winter. See US to Canada car shipping.