The complete guide to vehicle shipping in the United States — from quote to delivery, what to expect, and how to prepare. Everything you need to know before you book.
Auto transport is the professional service of moving a vehicle from one location to another using a commercial carrier — typically a multi-vehicle car hauler — rather than driving the vehicle yourself. Every year, more than 11 million vehicles ship via professional auto transport in the United States, including new vehicles moving from factories to dealerships, used vehicles purchased online, family relocations, snowbird migrations, military PCS moves, college students traveling between home and campus, and high-value collector cars headed to shows and auctions.
The auto transport industry operates under federal regulation through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which licenses and oversees every legitimate vehicle shipping company in the country. Carriers must hold an active federal motor carrier (FMCSA) number, meet strict insurance, safety, and operational standards. When you ship a vehicle with Razorback Auto Transport, every carrier in our network meets or exceeds these federal standards.
Understanding how auto transport works helps you make better decisions about pricing, timing, carrier selection, and preparation. This guide walks through the entire process from the moment you request a quote to the moment your vehicle arrives at its destination.
Every Razorback shipment follows the same proven process — designed for transparency, predictability, and peace of mind at every stage.
Enter pickup and delivery ZIP codes plus basic vehicle details (year, make, model, running condition). Our pricing engine factors in route distance, vehicle size, fuel prices, seasonal demand, and current carrier availability to produce an all-inclusive quote in under 30 seconds. No personal contact information is required to see pricing — your quote is binding the moment you receive it, with no hidden fees or surprise upcharges.
Accept your quote online or by phone. Razorback never collects a deposit at booking — you pay nothing until your vehicle is picked up. This protects you from the common industry practice of taking deposits before securing a carrier and then leaving customers waiting weeks for pickup that never materializes. Booking takes about 5 minutes and confirms your spot in the dispatch queue.
Razorback's dispatch team matches your shipment with a vetted carrier whose route, schedule, and equipment fit your specific move. We pull from a nationwide network of more than 15,000 active carriers, all verified for current federal motor carrier authority, liability insurance, cargo insurance, and clean safety records. For most routes, carrier assignment happens within 1–4 business days of booking. For high-demand routes (like Florida to the Northeast in spring) it can be faster.
On pickup day, your driver arrives at the agreed location within the pickup window. Before loading, the driver performs a complete walkaround inspection of your vehicle, documenting existing scratches, dents, paint chips, and wear on a Bill of Lading (BOL). The BOL is the legal document covering your vehicle during transit — both you and the driver sign it at pickup and again at delivery. Loading takes 30–60 minutes, including securing the vehicle with appropriate straps or chains depending on carrier type.
Your vehicle is now on the road. Most routes complete in 1–9 business days depending on distance — see our Transit Time Guide for specifics. Federal Hours of Service regulations limit how many hours per day a driver can be on the road (typically 11 hours of driving in a 14-hour duty period), which is why cross-country routes take roughly 1–2 days per 700 miles. You'll have GPS tracking access and a direct phone number for your driver throughout transit.
The driver contacts you 24 hours before arrival to confirm delivery timing. At delivery, you perform a complete inspection of your vehicle alongside the driver, comparing current condition to the pickup BOL. Any new damage (rare but possible) is documented on the BOL before the driver leaves. Once you're satisfied with the inspection, you sign the BOL, take possession of the vehicle, and the shipment is complete.
Payment is collected at delivery, not at booking. Most carriers accept cash, certified check, or cashier's check at delivery (some accept credit cards with a small processing fee). Razorback's quoted price is what you pay — no hidden fees, no fuel surcharges, no surprise add-ons. Once paid, your shipment is officially closed out and you'll receive a final confirmation by email. Many customers leave reviews at this stage; we genuinely appreciate that feedback.
One of the most common questions in auto transport: should you ship on an open carrier or an enclosed carrier? The answer depends on your vehicle's value, your timeline, and your budget.
Open carriers are the multi-vehicle haulers you see on highways every day — typically 7 to 10 vehicles loaded on a two-level trailer, with no walls or roof covering the vehicles. Open transport is how automakers ship new vehicles from factories to dealerships, which means it's been proven safe and reliable for millions of vehicles every year. Open transport is also more affordable (40–80% less than enclosed), faster to book (more carriers available), and works for virtually any standard vehicle.
Open auto transport is the right choice for everyday cars, trucks, SUVs, and EVs — anything that lives outside in its normal life and doesn't need protection from weather, road debris, or visibility during transit. Cargo insurance on open carriers typically covers $100,000 per shipment, which is sufficient for most vehicles.
Enclosed carriers are fully covered trailers — your vehicle ships inside the trailer, completely protected from weather, road debris, dust, and visibility. Enclosed transport is more expensive but provides total protection for vehicles where any cosmetic exposure during transit is unacceptable.
Choose enclosed transport for: luxury vehicles valued above $75,000, exotic and supercars, classic and antique vehicles, restored or show-quality vehicles, vehicles with sensitive original paint or chrome, and any car where the owner prefers complete weather protection. Enclosed cargo insurance typically ranges from $250,000 to $1,000,000 per vehicle.
For most shipments, open transport is the right choice. For vehicles where the value or sentimental significance justifies the premium, enclosed transport is the gold standard. Our open transport service page and enclosed transport service page cover each in detail.
Auto transport pricing isn't arbitrary — it's calculated based on real operational factors that determine how much it costs the carrier to move your specific vehicle on your specific route. Understanding these factors helps you make sense of quotes and identify when something is too cheap to be legitimate.
The biggest factor in auto transport pricing. Total mileage between pickup and delivery directly affects fuel consumption, driver hours, wear on equipment, and how many other vehicles a carrier can fit into the same trip. Short routes (under 500 miles) are priced higher per mile than long routes because the fixed costs of pickup and delivery are spread over fewer miles.
Carriers price routes based on supply and demand. High-traffic corridors — California to Texas, Florida to New York, Illinois to California — have many carriers competing, which keeps prices competitive. Less-traveled routes between smaller cities or rural areas have fewer carriers available, which can drive prices up and pickup times longer.
Larger vehicles take up more space on the carrier and add more weight, which affects fuel costs and the number of vehicles a carrier can transport on the same trip. A standard sedan is the baseline; SUVs, pickup trucks, and large vans add 10–20% to standard pricing.
Vehicles that don't run require specialized equipment (winches, dollies) to load onto the carrier. Inoperable vehicle shipping typically costs $100–$200 more than standard shipping due to the additional time and equipment required.
Demand is seasonal in auto transport. Spring (March–May) is the busiest season for northbound shipments. Fall (September–November) is busiest for southbound shipments (snowbird season). Summer and winter shipping is generally easier to schedule and slightly less expensive.
Enclosed transport runs 40–80% above open transport on the same route, reflecting the higher cost of specialized equipment and the lower capacity of enclosed trailers (typically 4–6 vehicles vs. 7–10 for open).
Door-to-door pickup and delivery at residential addresses is the standard. Pickups or deliveries at terminals, auctions, ports, or remote locations can adjust pricing slightly based on the carrier's existing route alignment.
One of the most reassuring aspects of professional auto transport is the legal framework that protects your vehicle throughout the entire process. Two key concepts: cargo insurance and the Bill of Lading.
Every Razorback carrier holds active cargo insurance — required by federal law to operate. Cargo insurance covers your vehicle for damage caused during the transport process. Coverage limits vary by carrier type:
Cargo insurance is the carrier's policy — you don't pay extra for it as part of your shipment. Note that cargo insurance covers damage from the transport process itself (loading, transit, unloading) but does not typically cover items inside the vehicle, mechanical or electrical issues unrelated to transport, or pre-existing damage.
The Bill of Lading is the legal document covering your shipment. It serves as: (1) a receipt for the vehicle, (2) a contract between you and the carrier, and (3) the condition record documenting your vehicle at pickup and delivery. At pickup, the driver inspects your vehicle and documents existing condition — paint chips, dents, scratches, interior wear, fluid levels, mileage — all on the BOL. Both parties sign it before loading.
At delivery, you inspect the vehicle again and compare to the pickup BOL. If you discover any new damage, you document it on the BOL before signing. This is the critical moment for any insurance claim — once you sign without noting damage, claiming new damage afterward becomes much harder. Always take your time at delivery, walk around the entire vehicle, and don't sign until you're satisfied with the condition.
A small amount of preparation makes the entire transport process smoother. Here's the standard pre-shipment checklist:
Auto transport is a regulated industry with specific procedures, and it's normal to have additional questions. We've answered the most common ones on our dedicated Auto Transport FAQ page, with categories covering pricing, timing, insurance, vehicle preparation, and more. For route-specific timing, see our Transit Time Guide. To speak with a logistics specialist directly, call (866) 605-0281 or contact us through any of our other support channels.
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