Getting your budget right is key if you’re planning a cross-country move and considering hiring an auto transport company. When deciding which transport options are best for your needs, it helps to know the cost of cross country car shipping as well as what to expect by working with a car shipping company.
Whether you’re a snowbird heading to a warmer climate during the winter or you’re moving from the East Coast to the West, our guide will help you figure out how to ship your car across the country and what you can expect to pay for your shipment.
Key Takeaways:
- Cross-country car shipping is a service provided by an auto transport company, such as Sherpa, to help when you need to move a vehicle hundreds to thousands of miles.
- While the specifics of your shipment and market conditions will impact the price, you can generally expect to pay $0.50 to $1.00 per mile to ship your car across the country.
- Opting for an open trailer for transport and having flexibility in your pickup window can help to lower your shipment cost with car shipping companies.
In This Guide:
- What is Car Shipping?
- Auto Transport Process
- What is Cross-Country Car Shipping?
- Who Can Benefit From Shipping a Car Across the Country?
- Cost to Ship a Car Across the Country
- Cross-Country Vehicle Shipping Quotes
- Types of Vehicles We Ship
- Average Auto Transport Costs
- Things That Can Affect Cross Country Shipping
- What’s the Best Way to Ship a Car Across the Country?
- Is My Car Insured While Transporting it Across the Country?
- Payment Options and Fees
- Can I Ship Personal Items in My Car?
- Why You Should Choose Sherpa Auto Transport
- Shipping a Car Cross Country FAQs
What is Car Shipping?
Car shipping, sometimes called auto or vehicle transport, is a service offered by auto shipping brokers and car haulers to move your vehicle from one place to another. Car transport services are especially useful in situations where driving your car is impossible or inconvenient.
Auto Transport Process
Here are the six steps you’ll take when planning your vehicle shipment:
- Understand your shipment needs. Determine where you would like your vehicle picked up and delivered. You may also want to familiarize yourself with some auto transport basics, such as open vs enclosed shipping.
- Request a free quote. Sherpa offers free quotes to all customers. You can request an instant quote online or give our team a call to speak to an expert.
- Lock in your shipment. Once you receive your quote and review the details, simply lock in your shipment. Nothing is due to Sherpa at the time of booking.
- Prepare your car for shipping. Limit the personal items in your vehicle to 100 lbs or less and store them in the trunk area. When the truck driver arrives at your pickup location, you’ll both examine the vehicle for existing damage before your car is loaded up. Make sure you have a set of keys to give to the carrier. Make sure to coordinate and confirm delivery dates with your carrier to ensure a smooth and timely delivery.
- Sit back and relax. While your vehicle is in transit, sit back and relax knowing you are in good hands. We provide the contact information for your assigned carrier so that you can track your vehicle’s progress along the way. Our Sherpa team members are also here to assist.
- Prepare for delivery. Once the trucker delivers your vehicle, you’ll both examine the car for damage again. Next, you’ll sign a Bill of Lading to complete the shipment and pay the carrier the remaining balance via cash or certified check.
What is Cross-Country Car Shipping?
Cross-country car shipping, also known as cross country car transport, is a service offered by auto transport companies when you’re looking to move your vehicle a long distance, typically 1,000 miles or longer. Your vehicle will be loaded onto a trailer and transported to your selected location.
Shipping your vehicle rather than driving it can save you both time and money, especially if you’re traveling across the country.
Who Can Benefit From Shipping a Car Across the Country?
Sherpa is here to help anyone in need of a cross-country shipment. Here are the most common groups of customers we service:
- Household movers
- Snowbirds and seasonal travelers
- Corporate and individual relocation
- Online car buyers and sellers
- Classic car enthusiasts
- College students
- Military families
- Car dealerships
Cost to Ship a Car Across the Country
The cost for cross-country car shipping essentially hinges on what type of transport you decide to use when shipping a car cross country. The two main shipping options you’ll choose between are open and enclosed auto transport.
Open Auto Transport
Open transport is the cheapest option, cutting down the car shipping cost by allowing car carriers to transport several vehicles at the same time. This allows the car hauler to deliver and add cargo throughout the shipping route. Open car shipping is the most popular choice when shipping your vehicle cross country due to its affordability and the availability of carriers.
Keep in mind, however, that open-air carriers leave your car exposed to the elements. Adverse weather conditions and road debris could damage your vehicle during transit. Opting for door to door service can further enhance convenience by allowing direct pickup and delivery.
Enclosed Auto Transport
If you want extra protection for your car, consider shipping it in an enclosed carrier for your cross country car transport. This option is especially useful for shipping a classic car or antique vehicle. However, shipping via enclosed transport carrier is much more expensive, sometimes costing over 50% more than open car transport.
Expert Advice: Over 90% of Sherpa cross country car shipping customers opt for open car transport.
Cross-Country Vehicle Shipping Quotes
At Sherpa Auto Transport, we understand that every vehicle is unique, and so are our customers’ shipping needs. That’s why we provide personalized cross-country car shipping quotes that take into account your vehicle’s specifics, pickup and delivery locations, and shipping preferences.
Our quotes are transparent, comprehensive, and competitive, ensuring that you get the best value for your money.
To get a quote, simply fill out our online form or give us a call. Our experienced shipping experts will work with you to understand your needs and provide a customized quote that meets your requirements. We also offer instant quotes online, so you can get an estimate of the shipping cost without having to wait.
Types of Vehicles We Ship
At Sherpa Auto Transport, we specialize in shipping a wide range of vehicles across the country. Whether you need to ship a sedan, SUV, pickup truck, motorcycle, or even a classic car, we have the expertise and equipment to handle it.
Our experienced drivers and state-of-the-art equipment ensure that your vehicle is transported safely and efficiently, regardless of size or type.
Some of the types of vehicles we ship include:
- Sedans
- SUVs
- Trucks
- Motorcycles
- Classic cars
- Luxury cars
- Electric and hybrid vehicles
- Inoperable and salvaged vehicles
Average Auto Transport Costs
Though vehicle shipping rates will vary based on the specifics of your shipment and market conditions, you can get an idea of what shipping cars might cost. Long-distance auto transport will typically cost less on a per mile basis than shorter routes, but may be more expensive in total.
As an example, shipments under 500 miles will typically cost between $1.50 and $2.50 per mile. If you are looking to ship your car across the country, you can expect to pay about $0.50 to $1.00 per mile for the trip.
If you are looking to ship a car from New York City to Los Angeles, you can expect to pay around $1,500, while shipping from Los Angeles to Miami will likely cost $1,350. These are estimates based on shipping an operable sedan using an open trailer.
A number of factors including the vehicle size and operability as well as trailer type will impact your shipment price.
Things That Can Affect Cross Country Shipping
Besides the distance of your car transport, the cost to ship a car cross country fluctuates based on a number of factors.
Those include:
- Gas prices: If fuel costs are higher, your transport will be more expensive.
- Time frame: Having a flexible timeline for your car shipment can help save you money, as the sooner you book your transport, the cheaper it will be. Sherpa offers expedited shipping options for our customers in a hurry, but it does come with an added cost.
- Vehicle condition: If your car is inoperable, it will require more time, labor, and equipment to load onto the car carrier truck.
- Vehicle size: Larger vehicles, such as pickup trucks and modified vehicles cost more to transport.
- Shipping method: Open carrier shipping is generally the cheapest way to transport your vehicle, but enclosed transport offers more protection and is ideal for luxury and classic cars.
- Pickup and drop-off locations: Rural pickup and delivery locations take more fuel and travel time to reach, so they cost more than shipments to and from urban areas.
- Time of year: Demand for car shipping services rises significantly in January and the summer, so expect vehicle shipping to be more expensive during those times of year.
What’s the Best Way to Ship a Car Across the Country?
Working with a reputable car shipping company, like Sherpa Auto Transport, means you do not need to worry about anything after your shipment is booked. We take pride in servicing thousands of customers per year, providing them with a stress-free car shipping service.
With our industry knowledge and expertise, our team sets you up with a customized transport plan, taking into account both your budget and shipment needs.
Is My Car Insured While Transporting it Across the Country?
At Sherpa Auto Transport, we understand that your vehicle is a valuable asset, and we take every precaution to ensure its safety during transport. All of our contracted carriers are fully insured. We thoroughly vet insurance coverage and safety reports prior to assigning a driver for your cross country car transport.
Payment Options and Fees
At Sherpa Auto Transport, we offer flexible payment options to make it easy for you to pay for your cross-country vehicle shipping services. We accept all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. We also offer the ability to pay
We also offer discounts and promotions to help you save money on your shipping costs.
These include:
- Military discounts: We offer discounts to active and retired military personnel.
- Student discounts: We offer discounts to students who are shipping their vehicles to or from college.
- Repeat customer discounts: We offer discounts to our loyal customers.
- Multi-vehicle discounts: We offer discounts for customers shipping multiple vehicles cross country.
Can I Ship Personal Items in My Car?
At Sherpa Auto Transport, we understand that you may need to ship personal items in your car, such as luggage, tools, or other equipment. However, there are some restrictions and guidelines you need to follow to ensure safe and efficient transport.
Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:
- Personal belongings must not exceed 100lbs.
- All valuables should be removed.
- Personal items must be securely stored in the trunk or back seat of the vehicle.
- Personal items must not obstruct the driver’s view or interfere with the safe operation of the vehicle.
Why You Should Choose Sherpa Auto Transport
Since 2017, we’ve built a great reputation in the car shipping industry by providing top-notch cross-country auto transport. We specialize in open auto transport and door-to-door delivery, making each car shipment as convenient as possible for our clients.
We hold accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), as well as an A+ rating from the organization. We are proud to have an industry-leading Total Review Score of 4.9 out of 5 stars from the thousands of customers who have rated our services. Our customer satisfaction and accolades represent our commitment to disrupting the auto transport industry.
Price Lock Promise
Sherpa’s exclusive Price Lock Promise means you won’t pay more than the price of your car shipping quote. If the price we quoted you isn’t enough to secure a carrier, we’ll cover up to $300 of the difference to ensure your transport happens at your agreed upon rate.
Clean Car Guarantee
If your car arrives dirty, we’ll help get it cleaned up. Take your car to a car wash and email us a copy of your receipt and the bill of lading from your service and we’ll reimburse you up to $20 for the wash.
Shipping a Car Cross Country FAQs
Is it worth it to ship a car across the country?
To decide whether shipping a car across the country is worth it, consider what’s most important in your situation. If you want to avoid the hassle of a road trip or don’t want to add mileage to your vehicle, shipping your car across the country might make more sense than driving.
How much does it cost to ship a car from the East Coast to the West Coast?
Based on our estimates, when shipping a car from California to Florida, for instance, you can expect to pay between 45 and 70 cents per mile.
Is it cheaper to drive across country or ship a car?
Driving is typically more cost effective than cross country car shipping. However, shipping your car across the country saves you time and stress, while reducing the wear and tear on your vehicle.
What is the most cost effective way to transport a car?
Opting for an open trailer is the most cost effective way to ship your car across the country. In addition, working with the right auto transport company, like Sherpa, will mean you have access to experts who can help you save.