Quote to driveway, with nothing hidden in between.
Auto transport is not complicated. It is just badly explained by most of the industry, because vagueness is where the surprise fees live.
Four steps. No surprises in any of them.
Here is exactly what happens, in order, with nothing left out — including the parts most companies would rather you found out about later.
- Step 01
Request your quote
Sixty seconds, no personal details required to see a number. Pickup ZIP, delivery ZIP, vehicle, and dates.
You get an all-in estimate — not a teaser rate designed to get you on the phone.
- Step 02
Book your shipment
Lock your dates with an electronic order. No deposit is taken at this stage — none.
Your order goes to the national dispatch board and I start working carriers on your lane.
- Step 03
Vehicle pickup
The driver calls ahead, inspects with you, and you both sign the Bill of Lading with photos attached.
This inspection report is your protection. I walk you through exactly what to look for.
- Step 04
Delivered & inspected
Meet the driver, compare against pickup photos, sign, and pay the remaining balance to the carrier.
I follow up personally after delivery. If something is not right, you call me, not a queue.
What actually moves your price
Seven things, in roughly this order of impact. Nothing else is a legitimate reason for a number to change after you have booked.
Distance
Cost per mile falls as distance rises. A 2,500-mile move might run $0.45/mile where a 300-mile move runs $1.35/mile.
Vehicle size & weight
A Miata and an Escalade do not take the same space on a trailer or burn the same fuel getting there.
Open vs enclosed
Enclosed typically adds 35–60%. The trailer carries fewer cars and costs considerably more to operate.
Running condition
A non-running vehicle needs a winch-equipped carrier, which adds roughly $150–$250.
Route popularity
Busy interstate corridors are cheaper than rural routes where a driver detours 90 miles for a single car.
Season
January snowbird traffic and the summer moving peak both tighten capacity and push rates up 20–35%.
Date flexibility
A 5–7 day pickup window can save $100–$200 against demanding one specific day.
The 10-minute checklist
Ninety percent of transport disputes trace back to something on this list being skipped.
- Wash the exterior — you cannot document damage you cannot see
- Photograph all four corners, the roof, the wheels, and the odometer
- Remove personal items and anything valuable from the cabin
- Take out toll transponders and parking passes
- Retract or remove the antenna, fold in the mirrors
- Disable the alarm or give the driver clear instructions
- Secure or remove spoilers, bike racks, and aftermarket parts
- Check for leaks and top off coolant, oil, and brake fluid
- Check tire pressure — a flat tire cannot be loaded safely
- Leave a quarter tank of fuel, no more
Who covers what, and when
The part nobody explains until something goes wrong.
The carrier is primary
Every carrier I dispatch to carries active cargo insurance — typically $100k–$250k on open trailers, up to $1M+ on enclosed. It covers damage that happens in transit.
Verified before dispatch
Authority and insurance are checked against the FMCSA database before your vehicle is assigned. I will email you the certificate on request.
Your policy stays secondary
Keep your own auto policy active. Most continue to cover the vehicle during transport as secondary coverage, and you need it the moment it is back on the road.
The Bill of Lading is the evidence
Damage is proven by comparing the pickup and delivery inspection reports. Note anything new before you sign at delivery — a clean signature is very hard to walk back.
Everything people ask before they book.
Straight answers, including the ones that cost me money to give honestly.
Most cross-country moves land between $900 and $1,500, and shorter regional runs between $500 and $800. The real drivers are distance, vehicle size and weight, open versus enclosed, whether it runs, how flexible your dates are, and current fuel and lane demand. Your quote is all-in — pickup, delivery, fuel, tolls, and cargo insurance are already in the number.
Ready to get your vehicle moving?
Sixty seconds for an honest estimate. No deposit, no obligation, and no handing your number to five other brokers.