Car Shipping,Without the Guesswork
Most car shipping quotes come from brokers who post your job to a load board, and the price that gets you a truck is set by route, season, vehicle and how flexible you are. These guides explain the market so you can read a quote.
- Pricing factors
- 7
- route, carrier type, vehicle, condition, season, service, timing
- Standard carrier
- Open
- two-level truck, most cars ship this way
- Who quotes you
- Usually a broker
- the carrier is found after you book
- Fuel at pickup
- ¼ tank
- weight and safety
Start here
Auto transport is its own industry, separate from household goods. The truck that carries your car is usually an open two-level carrier hauling eight or nine vehicles along a corridor, and the company you spoke to is usually a broker who found that truck for you. Both carriers and brokers need federal registration, and the carrier's USDOT number and cargo insurance are the things to check.
The quote is driven by seven factors: the distance and how popular the route is, open or enclosed transport, the size and weight of the vehicle, whether it runs, the season and direction of travel, door-to-door versus terminal service, and how quickly you need it picked up. We do not publish a price model for car shipping, so these guides explain the structure rather than quote figures.
Preparation is the part you control. A quarter tank of fuel, nothing personal left inside, photographs of every panel, toll tags removed, alarms disabled, and the inspection report read carefully at both ends. The checklist below runs through all twelve points.
Car Shipping guides
6 guides in this section, every figure from the published model.
8 min readNewest
How Car Shipping Is Priced: 7 Factors Behind the Quote
A car shipping quote is a bid for a slot on a truck already running your lane; route, trailer type, vehicle size, condition, season and dates set it.
Sep 24, 2026
7 min read
How to Prepare Your Car for Shipping: 12-Point Checklist
Wash it, photograph every panel, leave a quarter tank, empty it, pull the toll tag and walk the bill of lading at both ends: twelve steps that protect a claim.
Sep 24, 2026
6 min read
Open vs Enclosed Car Transport: Which Do You Need?
Open carriers move most cars shipped in the US and cost less because they carry more cars per truck; enclosed is for classics, exotics and low cars.
Sep 24, 2026
Pages in this section
What to know before you start
The five things that decide most of the outcome in this part of a move, in the order you will meet them.
- 1
Broker or carrier, and who is insured
Ask whether the company owns the truck that will carry your car. If not, ask for the carrier's name and USDOT number once assigned, and confirm its cargo insurance covers the vehicle's value. Personal items left in the car are not covered.
- 2
The first quote is a bid, not a price
A broker's quote is what they think a carrier will accept. If it is too low, no truck takes the job and the quote rises. A quote that is well below the others is usually one that will not move.
- 3
Open unless you have a reason
Open carriers move the vast majority of cars safely. Enclosed transport suits classics, exotics, low-clearance and high-value cars, and long winter routes, at a higher price because the truck carries fewer vehicles.
- 4
Pickup windows, not pickup days
Carriers fill a truck along a corridor, so pickup and delivery are quoted as windows. Flexibility on dates lowers the price; a fixed date raises it.
- 5
The inspection report is your evidence
The driver notes existing damage at pickup on the bill of lading; you check it, add anything missed, and sign. At delivery you compare the car with the report before signing again. Damage noted after signing is hard to claim.
Car Shipping: questions people ask
How much does it cost to ship a car?
It depends on distance and route popularity, open or enclosed transport, the vehicle's size and whether it runs, the season, door-to-door versus terminal service, and how flexible your dates are. We do not publish a price model for auto transport, so treat any single figure as a bid that a carrier still has to accept.
Is it better to ship a car open or enclosed?
Open for most cars: it is the standard, it is cheaper because the truck carries more vehicles, and the exposure is comparable to driving. Enclosed for classics, exotics, low-clearance cars and anything whose paint you would not drive through a winter storm.
How do I know a car shipping company is legitimate?
Check the FMCSA register for active authority, ask whether they are a broker or a carrier, get the carrier's USDOT number and cargo insurance certificate once a truck is assigned, and refuse large deposits before a carrier is named.
Can I put things in my car when I ship it?
Carriers generally prohibit it or cap it at a small amount in the trunk, and nothing inside the car is covered by their cargo insurance. Items add weight, can shift and damage the interior, and can cause problems at weigh stations.
How long does car shipping take?
Pickup is quoted as a window of days, and transit depends on the route and how full the truck is. A coast-to-coast delivery on a shared carrier can take a week or more; a short regional route can be a few days. Ask for the window in writing.
More guides
All 14 topics →How this section is written. Every cost figure on this page and in these guides is generated from the same published model that powers the calculator, and every carrier figure comes from the federal register with the snapshot date shown. We do not operate trucks, we collect no customer reviews, and no company pays for placement.