Car Shipping Companies in Santa Cruz, CA
No auto transporter is registered in Santa Cruz itself on the federal register, but 14 listed carriers work within 30 miles, based in Felton, Watsonville, San Jose and nearby. Each row carries the USDOT number that opens the carrier's own safety and insurance record.
Source: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census, snapshot September 24, 2026. Distances are from the center of Santa Cruz to each carrier's ZIP code. No paid placement.
- Based in Santa Cruz
- 0
- registered in the city itself
- Within 30 miles
- 14
- more listed carriers
- Interstate authority
- 6
- of 14 may haul across state lines
- Largest fleet nearby
- 3 trucks
- Bogd Auto Trans Inc, Morgan Hill
In short
No auto transporter is registered in Santa Cruz itself, but 14 work within 30 miles; 6 can haul across state lines. 4 had a roadside inspection in the past 24 months. The largest fleet nearby is Bogd Auto Trans Inc's 3 trucks. Most people leaving Santa Cruz County for another state go to Oregon (Census).
Auto transporters within 30 miles of Santa Cruz
These are the carriers that serve a Santa Cruz pickup; none is registered in the city itself. Nearest first, from Felton, Watsonville, San Jose, Morgan Hill and nearby.
| Miles | Company | City | USDOT | Fleet | Authority | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 mi | Lucas Auto Carriers LLC | Felton, CA | 4442695 | 1 truck | Within CA | Not rated |
| 16 mi | Next Gear Car Hauler | Watsonville, CA | 4819783 | 2 trucks | Interstate | Not rated |
| 16 mi | CM Auto Transport LLC | Watsonville, CA | 3278484 | 1 truck | Within CA | Not rated |
| 20 mi | American League Car Hauling Inc | San Jose, CA | 3333826 | 1 truck | Within CA | Not rated |
| 21 mi | Barbosa Auto Transport LLC | San Jose, CA | 4556505 | 1 truck | Interstate | Not rated |
| 22 mi | Bogd Auto Trans Inc | Morgan Hill, CA | 3625250 | 3 trucks | Interstate | Not rated |
| 22 mi | Danny Auto Transport | Morgan Hill, CA | 7173815 | 2 trucks | Within CA | Not rated |
| 22 mi | Danny Auto Transport | Morgan Hill, CA | 2389272 | 2 trucks | Interstate | Not rated |
| 22 mi | Niko Car Transportation | Campbell, CA | 1797219 | 1 truck | Interstate | Not rated |
| 24 mi | RC Auto Transport LLC | San Jose, CA | 4550586 | 0 trucks | Interstate | Not rated |
| 25 mi | Doro Elite Auto Carrier LLC | San Jose, CA | 4351422 | 1 truck | Within CA | Not rated |
| 25 mi | Flawless Car Transport | Marina, CA | 3077041 | 1 truck | Within CA | Not rated |
| 26 mi | A&D Auto Transport LLC | Gilroy, CA | 3593647 | 1 truck | Within CA | Not rated |
| 28 mi | Pallo Auto Transport | San Jose, CA | 2971227 | 1 truck | Within CA | Not rated |
Shipping a car out of Santa Cruz: the main lanes
Distances from Santa Cruz to the largest metros; measured routes are driving miles, the rest are estimated and marked ≈.
| From Santa Cruz to | Distance | Truck drive time | Household move on this route |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ≈ 2,991 mi | 7 days | — |
| Los Angeles, CA | ≈ 342 mi | 6 hr | — |
| Chicago, IL | ≈ 2,163 mi | 5 days | — |
| Dallas, TX | ≈ 1,697 mi | 4 days | — |
| Houston, TX | ≈ 1,879 mi | 4 days | — |
| Washington, DC | ≈ 2,834 mi | 6 days | — |
| Miami, FL | ≈ 2,990 mi | 7 days | — |
| Philadelphia, PA | ≈ 2,932 mi | 6 days | — |
Drive time assumes a loaded car hauler averaging about 55 mph with legal rest; a shared truck also stops for the other cars on the deck, so door-to-door takes longer than the drive.
Roadside inspections: auto transporters near Santa Cruz
4 of the 14 auto transporters listed here had at least one roadside inspection in the 24 months to September 13, 2026, 18 inspections in all. Inspectors put the vehicle out of service in 5 of 12 vehicle inspections (41.7%), above the 32.4% for listed auto transporters nationally. Drivers were put out of service in 2 of 16 driver inspections (12.5%, against 10.3%). With fewer than 30 vehicle inspections, a single out-of-service order moves that rate by several points, so treat it as a small sample. None has an acute or critical violation from an FMCSA investigation in the past 12 months.
| Carrier | Inspections | Vehicle out of service | Driver out of service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bogd Auto Trans IncMorgan Hill, CA · USDOT 3625250 | 14 | 3 of 9 | 0 of 12 |
| Danny Auto TransportMorgan Hill, CA · USDOT 2389272 | 2 | 2 of 2 | 1 of 2 |
| Niko Car TransportationCampbell, CA · USDOT 1797219 | 1 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 |
| Barbosa Auto Transport LLCSan Jose, CA · USDOT 4556505 | 1 | none inspected | 1 of 1 |
FMCSA Safety Measurement System carrier summary, 24-month window. How the comparison is calculated.
Who moves out of Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz is in Santa Cruz County, CA. In the Census Bureau's 2016–2020 survey, the county-to-county estimates add up to roughly 4,596 people a year leaving Santa Cruz County for another state, most often for Oregon (about 688), Washington (about 606) and Nevada (about 350), while about 4,360 (±731) a year arrive from other states.
US Census Bureau, ACS 2016–2020 county-to-county migration flows; estimates are people a year with a 90% margin of error.
Pickup in Santa Cruz and checking the carrier
A loaded car hauler is about 75 feet long, so on narrow Santa Cruz streets the driver may ask to meet at a wide lot; agree the spot when you book. If the quote comes from a broker, ask which carrier's truck will come and open that USDOT number before pickup. Preparing the car and how car shipping is priced cover the rest.
More in California
654 listed auto transporters are based in California; the state page ranks them all.
Car shipping in Santa Cruz: questions people ask
How many car shipping companies are there in Santa Cruz, CA?
None is registered in Santa Cruz itself on our snapshot of the federal register, but 14 listed carriers work within 30 miles (Felton, Watsonville, San Jose, Morgan Hill, Campbell and nearby), all with active registrations, motor vehicles declared as cargo and a fleet on file. Brokers are registered separately and are not counted.
Who is the largest auto transporter near Santa Cruz?
By reported fleet, Bogd Auto Trans Inc in Morgan Hill, CA, with 3 trucks on its filing (USDOT 3625250). Fleet size is self-reported and describes capacity, not care; read the record behind the number before you book.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Santa Cruz?
We publish no car-shipping price model, so this page prints no figures. The quote is set by the lane (Santa Cruz to New York City, NY is about 2,991 miles), open or enclosed transport, the car's size and whether it runs, the season and direction, and how flexible your pickup window is. The pricing guide linked below explains each factor.
Will a car hauler pick up at my door in Santa Cruz?
Usually as close as a 75-foot rig can legally and physically get. On narrow residential streets, in HOAs that bar commercial trucks, or where overhead lines are low, the driver will ask to meet at a wide lot nearby. Agree the meeting point when you book, not when the truck is idling.
How have car haulers near Santa Cruz done at roadside inspections?
4 of the 14 listed here were inspected in the past 24 months, 18 inspections in all. Vehicles were put out of service in 5 of 12 vehicle inspections (41.7%), against 32.4% for listed auto transporters nationally.
Sources. FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (snapshot September 24, 2026) and Safety Measurement System; Census ACS migration flows. Nobody pays for placement.