Car Shipping Knowledge Center

Most standard shipments fall in a range set by distance, route density, vehicle size, season, and transport type. A sedan on a popular corridor usually costs less per mile than a truck on a rural lane, and enclosed transport runs higher than open. Estimates are ranges — the exact price is confirmed when a licensed carrier accepts your specific route and dates. Our cost guide breaks down each factor with realistic examples.

Prices respond to real-time supply and demand for truck space. Seasonal migration (like snowbird season), fuel costs, weather events, and how many carriers run your lane all move the number week to week. A route with heavy carrier traffic prices tighter and more predictably than a low-density lane where fewer trucks compete for the load. That is why quotes have a shelf life and why booking with flexible dates usually helps.

Plan for two phases: dispatch (matching your vehicle with a carrier, often 1–5 days on common lanes) and transit (the drive itself). Coast-to-coast typically runs 7–10 days on the truck; shorter regional moves can be 1–4 days. Rural pickups, winter weather, and tight pickup windows can add time. These are typical ranges, not guarantees — carriers must follow federal driving-hour limits.

Dispatch time is how long it takes to assign your vehicle to a specific licensed carrier — it starts at booking and ends when a truck commits to your load. Transit time starts when the carrier picks the vehicle up and ends at delivery. A '7-day shipment' usually means both phases combined. Flexible pickup dates shorten dispatch; distance and route mostly determine transit.

Carrier assignment is the step where your shipment is matched with a specific licensed motor carrier that runs your route. As a licensed broker, EZ Auto Movers posts your vehicle to a national carrier network, screens the carrier's federal operating authority and cargo insurance, and confirms pickup timing with you once a qualified carrier accepts. You receive the carrier and driver details before pickup.

Yes — through the assigned motor carrier's cargo insurance, which federal rules require carriers to maintain. That coverage, not the broker, is what protects your vehicle while it is on the truck. Before dispatch we verify the carrier's insurance is active. Damage claims run through the carrier's policy, which is why the Bill of Lading condition report at pickup and delivery matters so much.

The Bill of Lading (BOL) is the legal document that records your vehicle's condition at pickup and again at delivery. The driver notes existing scratches, dings, and mileage before loading; you review and sign it at both ends. If damage occurs in transit, the BOL is the evidence a claim is reviewed against — which is why you should inspect the car carefully and note anything new before signing at delivery.

A carrier owns trucks and physically moves vehicles, usually on fixed lanes. A licensed broker like EZ Auto Movers coordinates the shipment: pricing the route, finding and vetting a qualified carrier from a national network, verifying insurance and operating authority, and supporting you from booking through delivery. Most customers work with a broker because no single carrier covers every lane, date, and vehicle type.

Yes — open transport is how the vast majority of vehicles move in the US, including brand-new cars going from factories to dealerships. Vehicles are secured to the trailer and driven by licensed professionals, and the carrier's cargo insurance applies throughout. The trade-off is exposure to weather and road dust, which is cosmetic in nearly all cases. For most daily drivers, open transport is the practical, budget-friendly choice.

Choose enclosed when the vehicle's value, finish, or rarity justifies full protection from weather and road debris: luxury and exotic cars, classics and collectibles, low-clearance sports cars, and fresh restorations. Enclosed trailers carry fewer vehicles and cost more — typically 30–60% above open transport on the same lane. For a standard commuter car, open transport is usually the better value.

On most standard shipments, no payment is collected until a carrier is assigned to your vehicle. From there, the common structure is a portion at dispatch and the balance at delivery. Zelle is our preferred payment method; card payments are available with a disclosed 3.5% processing fee. Be cautious with any company that demands full payment before a carrier is even assigned.

Yes. The Track Shipment portal shows your shipment's current stage — booking, carrier assignment, pickup, in transit, and delivery — along with your shipment documents. You also receive the assigned driver's contact information before pickup, so you can coordinate timing directly during transit. For anything the portal doesn't answer, your coordinator is a phone call away.

The driver arrives within the scheduled pickup window, inspects the vehicle with you, and records its condition on the Bill of Lading — existing marks, mileage, and photos. You hand over one key, sign the BOL, and the car is loaded. Have the vehicle reasonably clean so the inspection is accurate, remove personal items and toll tags, and leave about a quarter tank of fuel.

The driver contacts you as they approach, meets you at your address or the nearest safe access point for a full-size truck, and unloads the vehicle. Walk around the car with the driver and compare its condition against the pickup BOL before signing. If you see anything new, note it on the BOL at that moment — that notation is what preserves a reviewable claim. Then the remaining balance is settled per your arrangement.

Keep the signed Bill of Lading from both pickup and delivery — it is the backbone of any condition dispute. Also keep your booking confirmation, the carrier's information, payment receipts, and any photos you took at pickup and delivery. If you purchased Premium Protection, keep that confirmation too. Digital copies are fine; the Track Shipment portal keeps key shipment documents in one place.

Premium Protection is an optional support upgrade — not an insurance policy. It adds carrier insurance verification before dispatch, documentation guidance at pickup and delivery, claims assistance if an issue arises, and priority support. Your vehicle is always covered by the assigned carrier's cargo insurance either way; Premium Protection adds hands-on help navigating the process, and it never replaces or modifies the carrier's coverage.

Yes — interstate shipping is the core of the auto transport industry, and it is far more practical than a long one-way drive for most moves. Every state pair has its own typical pricing and transit range based on distance and carrier traffic. Our state and route guides show how your specific lane behaves, from California to Texas to the heavily traveled Northeast–Florida corridor.

The busiest corridors are the Northeast to Florida (especially in snowbird season), California to Texas and back, coast-to-coast moves along I-10 and I-80, and Midwest lanes into Florida and the Southwest. Popular routes benefit from more carrier competition, which usually means steadier pricing and faster dispatch. Reverse-direction and rural lanes can take longer and price higher.