There are a lot of things to think about when choosing a car shipping company, which can include everything from pricing, safety, and availability, but the first step you will have to make when looking for the right company is deciding what kind of vehicle transportation services you want. Knowing what influences the cost of your car transport, and what you should be looking for in an auto transportation company, can help you to select the right service for you. Once you have decided to move your vehicle, it can be difficult navigating the fluctuating prices, costs for various moving services, and many providers in the market.

If you have to move your vehicle cross-country, there are a number of methods that are available, along with factors that are specific to the vehicle that will impact cost. The final cost to ship your vehicle abroad depends on a number of factors, such as distance from your destination, timeline, vehicle type, and its condition. A car that needs to travel long distances will cost more to transport.

Typically, it is about 30%-40% cheaper on average per mile to send your vehicle by car carrier versus enclosed car carrier. The average cost in the industry for shipping a vehicle by car transportation companies is over $2.00 per mile for trips under 200 miles. There are many variables in trying to figure out what it is going to cost you to move a car, but the average U.S. auto transportation company charges about $2.92 per mile for journeys under 200 miles, dropping down to $0.78 for those that exceed 1000 miles.

If you are looking to ship your vehicle cross-country via rail, then per-mile auto transportation costs are usually far lower. If you are moving between locations in the country, then vehicle transportation costs per mile are far lower, but it is still far more expensive than trucking. A moving company will determine your car transportation costs depending on the vehicle size being shipped, distance, the type of services required, and how soon you need the vehicle to arrive at the destination.

The Size of the Vehicle Being Shipped (larger vehicles require more space on a carrier and will cost more) To help you figure out auto transportation costs, we gathered quotes from some of the top car hauling companies in the U.S. and provided an extensive breakdown on how to move your vehicle like a pro. In this article, we are going to cover what different options cost, what influences your car transport costs per mile, how you can save, and other crucial details. As you can see, we are lumping vehicles together by their overall size and weight, since those are the major factors that dictate the price you pay for car shipping.

Vehicles in this category This category is slightly larger and heavier than cars, which is why it costs a bit more to ship. Large SUVs and trucks are bigger and heavier than other types of vehicles that we have discussed so far, so they cost even more to ship.

You can expect an estimated shipping price for an Extra-large Cargo Van or Truck to cost $500-$1,000 more than the shipping price for a Large SUV or Truck (see previous section). On average, shipping small SUVs and other vehicles in this category costs $1,300 – $1,600 from coast-to-coast. The average cost to transport your car internationally may vary between $1,000-$5,000 for ocean shipping, and $5,000-$40,000 for air shipping, depending on the distance and the type of car.

Average Cost to Ship Your Car While car transportation costs depend on many factors, you can expect auto shipping rates to vary from around $500 for a short interstate haul to over $1,700 for cross-country hauls. To find these average costs, refer to auto transportation rates on the auto transportation calculator chart below, which also includes cost of cross-country car transportation. Some estimates of car transportation costs reflect the potential costs for using open-air auto transportation for transporting a functional vehicle.

Enclosed car shipping costs would average 80 percent higher than carrier-open auto transportation. If your broker has confirmed car transportation for an order that includes more than one car, and then you need to add or remove one car, for any reason, that will impact the car transportation costs. If a vehicle is not running, then that increases car transport costs, as if the transport company needs special equipment or tow trucks to move a vehicle onto and off an automotive transport trailer.

If you need to have your vehicle or another vehicle picked up within a shorter period and/or for an expedited delivery, costs will rise. These costs will increase with an expedited delivery because a dispatcher may need to adjust his schedule or make last-minute adjustments to his plans. Costs are further affected by vehicle size, terminals (terminal shipping refers to a customers responsibility for dropping off the vehicle at a terminal closest to where they are picking up, then being responsible for picking it up from the terminal closest to where they are being delivered), and also season.

The best way to reduce the cost of your auto transportation is by choosing open-jaw car transportation, keeping your delivery timeline flexible. If you do have a little flexibility, though, you will pay less because you can wait until you can find a carrier who will ship and deliver your vehicle according to its scheduled routes. This type of car transport should only be chosen if your vehicle is extremely expensive, customized, or if you are moving a car for motorsports.

The downside would be a higher price. Expedited/Rush Car Shipping would be around $100.00 more than standard sedan rates, and most SUVs, an average rate increase with Expedited would be about $150 more than standard SUV rates. Trucks being shipped with Expedited could easily be about $200 more than standard truck rates. Cars going to Hawaii, shipping to Puerto Rico, and to Alaska, includes ocean shipping. Fuel costs are probably the biggest variable cost associated with vehicle transportation, and it really does impact what you pay for a car shipment.