Expedited Car Shipping
Expedited car shipping means we pick your car up inside a 3-day window, and that window starts on the date you ask for. Standard service uses a 6-day window from the same date. What you are buying is a firmer start. The trip itself takes the same time either way, because distance and the driver's route decide that part.
What expedited actually buys you
Here is the part most sites leave out. Expedited does not make the truck drive faster. Trucks run on hours-of-service rules and a fixed route, and those do not bend for anyone.
What changes is the front end. We put your car in front of carriers with a shorter fuse on it, and we hold the price while we do. A carrier picking up loads along your lane sees a job that has to move in three days instead of six, and plans around it.
That is worth real money when your date is firm. It is worth less when your date is soft. We would rather say so.
Expedited earns its keep when
- You have a report date, a closing, or a lease turn-in you cannot move.
- You bought a car at auction and the lot charges storage after a set day.
- Your flight is booked and the car has to be gone before you are.
- A dealer needs the car on the lot for a customer who is waiting.
- You are out of a rental car and paying for another one by the day.
And when standard is the better buy. If you have a week of room in your dates, standard service does the same job on the same trailers with the same insurance. Most of our customers ship that way and are glad they did. A wider window also gives carriers more ways to fit you in, which often means a better price. Put the difference toward something you will enjoy more.
What car shipping costs, and where expedited fits
These are open transport bands by distance. They are the starting point for any quote, expedited or not.
| Distance | Open transport | Enclosed | Transit after pickup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short regional, under 500 miles | $450 to $900 | $800 to $1,625 | 1 to 2 days |
| Mid distance, 500 to 1,500 miles | $900 to $1,600 | $1,625 to $2,875 | 2 to 4 days |
| Long haul, 1,500 to 2,500 miles | $1,250 to $2,100 | $2,250 to $3,775 | 4 to 7 days |
| Cross country, 2,500 miles and up | $1,600 to $2,500 | $2,875 to $4,500 | 7 to 10 days |
Ranges, not fixed prices. Your quote lands inside one of these once we know the route, the vehicle and the dates.
What moves the expedited number
How busy your lane is
Dozens of trucks a day run the big interstate corridors. On a lane like that, a tighter window costs very little. A quiet route with a few trucks a week costs more, because there is less to choose from.
How tight your window is
Three days from Tuesday is a different job from three days starting tomorrow morning. The more notice you give us, the more carriers can plan for it, and the closer expedited sits to the standard price.
Where the car sits
A pickup near a major highway is easy to slot in. A mountain road, an island, or a gated lot with limited hours takes a driver further off route, and a short window gives fewer chances to make that work.
We quote the open rate and the expedited rate together so you can see the gap before you decide. Get both numbers, or read how car shipping is priced.
How the 3-day window works
Four steps, and the middle one is where everything changes at once.
You pick the date
Choose the day you want the car collected. The 3-day window starts there. Pick Monday and the window runs through Wednesday.
We post it with priority
Your car goes out to carriers on your lane flagged as a short-window job, at a rate built to get it taken quickly.
A carrier is assigned
You get the driver's name and number. Ask and we send the certificate of insurance the same day. Your deposit is now committed to this move.
Pickup, then the road
The driver inspects the car with you and loads it. From there, transit runs on the distance table above.
Carrier assignment is the line that matters. Before it, you can cancel and get the deposit back. At it, the insurance certificate becomes available and the driver's details come to you.
The deposit is not refundable once a carrier is assigned, but it is not lost either. Move the date and put it toward the later shipment.
Read how it works or the plain-language guide to auto transport first. No rush.
Expedited, standard and enclosed, side by side
Three choices, and they answer three different questions. You can combine them.
| Service | What it changes | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | A 6-day pickup window from your date | Your dates have a week of room in them |
| Expedited | A 3-day pickup window from your date | Your date is firm and cannot slide |
| Enclosed | A hard-sided trailer instead of an open one | The car is a classic, an exotic, freshly painted or very low |
Expedited is a timing choice and enclosed is a protection choice, so a fast pickup on an enclosed trailer is a normal booking. See the open and enclosed comparison for the trailer side of it.
Who books expedited most
Our offices sit on busy freight corridors, which is what makes short windows workable. Lakewood in Washington, Iselin in New Jersey, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Kissimmee in Florida, Portsmouth in Virginia, McKinney in Texas, the Bronx and Huntington Station in New York. Trucks pass those lanes every day, so there is a real pool to pull from when the clock is short.
What our customers say
More than 120 Google reviews across our offices, averaging 4.7.
Expedited car shipping questions, answered
What is expedited car shipping?
Expedited car shipping means we pick your car up inside a 3-day window. That window starts on the date you ask for. Standard service uses a 6-day window from the same date. You are buying a firmer start, not a faster truck.
How much does it cost to ship a car?
Open transport runs about $450 to $900 under 500 miles, $900 to $1,600 from 500 to 1,500 miles, $1,250 to $2,100 from 1,500 to 2,500 miles, and $1,600 to $2,500 past 2,500 miles. Expedited priority is quoted on top of the open rate for your route. Ask us and we will show you both numbers side by side.
How long does it take once the car is picked up?
Figure 1 to 2 days under 500 miles, 2 to 4 days from 500 to 1,500 miles, 4 to 7 days from 1,500 to 2,500 miles, and 7 to 10 days past that. Expedited does not shorten this part. Distance and the driver's route set it, and both are the same on either service.
What affects the price of expedited service?
Three things mostly. How busy your route is, how tight your window is, and where the car sits. A pickup near a major highway on a busy lane costs little extra. A tight window from a quiet rural road costs more, because fewer trucks pass by. Vehicle size, condition and the season all move the number too.
Should I pick expedited or standard?
Pick expedited when your date is firm. A report date, a closing, a lease turn-in, an auction pickup. Pick standard when you have a week to play with, and put the savings somewhere better. Most of our customers do well on standard, and we would rather tell you that than sell you a window you do not need.
Open or enclosed, and which should I pick?
Plan on about 80 percent more than open for enclosed. A $1,000 open move is roughly $1,800 enclosed. A hard-sided trailer holds two to six cars where an open one holds ten, so each car carries more of the cost. Worth it for a classic, an exotic, fresh paint, or a car too low to clear a ramp. For a daily driver, open is the right call. Expedited works with either one.
Is my car insured during transport?
Yes. Your car travels under the carrier's Carrier Cargo Insurance for the whole trip. Once we assign your order to a truck and carrier, the certificate of insurance is on file and we can send it to you right away. Just ask.
Can I put personal items in the car?
Usually yes, within reason. Most drivers will take a few things as a courtesy. Keep it under about 100 pounds, pack it neatly, and keep it out of sight from outside the car. Think a few boxes in the trunk rather than a carload. The one thing to know is that you are paying to move the vehicle, so the carrier's insurance covers the car itself. Keep anything you would hate to lose with you.
Is door-to-door really door to door?
Yes, and on expedited it matters more. The driver comes to your address and takes the car from there. If your street is narrow, gated, or has a low branch, the driver will ask to meet at a wide spot close by. A grocery lot or a school lot usually does it. Tell us about the street when you book and we build it into the plan, so a tight window does not get spent solving it on the day.
How do I prepare my car for shipping?
Wash it so the driver can see the paint clearly at inspection. Leave about a quarter tank of gas, which is the industry standard request. Fold the mirrors, remove a roof rack or a loose spoiler, and take the toll tag off the windshield. Hand over one key. Walk the car with the driver and check the condition report before you sign.
How far ahead should I book, and how does payment work?
A week ahead is comfortable and expedited can work on shorter notice. A deposit is due when you book and the balance is paid to the driver at delivery, usually by cashier's check, money order or cash. You can also put the whole amount on a credit card at booking. Paying up front clears the funds so they are ready for the carrier.
What if I need to cancel or change the date?
Cancel any time before we assign a carrier and your deposit comes back to you. Once we assign one and send you the driver's details, that money is spoken for. It is not gone, though. You can push the move back and use it on a later shipment.
How do I know a car shipping company is legitimate?
Watch for the quote that sits far below the rest. If four companies say $1,000 to $1,200 and the fifth says $500, ask that company straight out whether the rate is confirmed or a mistake. If they say confirmed, search their name with the words bait and switch. Check the USDOT and MC numbers, and read how the company handles cancellations before you book.
Should I avoid companies that ask for a deposit?
It is the other way around, and this one surprises people. A company that asks for nothing up front is often not sure it can find you a truck at the price it quoted. Those are frequently the same companies that call back later saying carriers turned the load down and the rate has gone up. A deposit means both sides are committed, and it is what lets us pay a carrier to hold a tight window for you.
Can I track my car on the way?
You get GPS tracking when the carrier and truck support it, the driver's phone number for a call or a text along the way, and email updates from us. We say it that plainly because no one booking your shipment controls whether a given truck carries a tracking system. Plenty of companies advertise tracking as though they do.
Can you expedite a car that does not run?
Yes, as long as it rolls, brakes and steers, and the trailer carries a winch. There is no flat fee for it. Plan on $200 or more above the running rate, and a quick call so we price it properly. Winch trucks are a smaller pool, so tell us early if your window is tight.