Step-by-step car shipping guide — from booking to delivery. What to expect at every stage of the vehicle transport process.
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Auto transport moves your vehicle from one location to another on a multi-car carrier trailer without you needing to drive it. The car shipping process involves three parties: you (the customer), an auto transport broker who arranges the shipment, and a carrier who physically transports the vehicle. Most people work with a vehicle shipping broker, who handles the logistics of matching your shipment with an available carrier running your route.
Here's exactly how auto transport works at each step, from the moment you request a car shipping quote to the day your vehicle arrives.
The auto transport process starts when you provide your shipment details: origin address, destination address, vehicle year/make/model, preferred pickup dates, and whether you want open or enclosed transport.
At Auto Transport Professionals (FMCSA MC# 1302183), we use this information to generate a car shipping quote based on current carrier pricing for your specific corridor. The vehicle transport quote reflects real market conditions — what carriers are actually charging to run your route at the time you're shipping.
Once you accept the quote, we collect your order details and assign your shipment to our dispatch team. No vehicle leaves a driveway until you've reviewed and agreed to the auto transport terms, including estimated pricing, pickup window, and transport type.
A note on car shipping pricing: the quote is an estimate based on current market rates. Final carrier pricing is confirmed when a specific carrier accepts your load. In most cases, the confirmed rate matches or falls close to the original estimate. If market conditions shift significantly — during peak snowbird season, for example — we communicate any adjustment before proceeding.
After booking your auto transport, our dispatch team posts your shipment to the carrier network. This is where the car shipping broker's role matters most. We maintain relationships with a vetted network of carriers — all FMCSA-authorized, insured, and actively running vehicle transport routes across the country.
Carrier assignment for your car shipment depends on several factors: which carriers are currently running your route and have open trailer positions, the carrier's schedule alignment with your preferred pickup window, carrier insurance and safety record, and vehicle-specific requirements like enclosed trailer, oversized vehicle, or inoperable status.
On high-traffic auto transport corridors like Florida to New York or California to Texas, carrier matching typically happens quickly — often within 1 to 3 days of posting. On lower-traffic car shipping routes, it may take longer, which is why we recommend booking vehicle transport 7 to 10 days before your preferred first available date.
Once a carrier accepts your load, we confirm the details with you: carrier name, estimated pickup date within your window, and contact information. You'll know exactly who is picking up your vehicle before they arrive for the auto transport pickup.
Before the carrier arrives for your car shipping pickup, you'll want to prepare your vehicle for transport. This isn't complicated, but it matters for two reasons: protecting your belongings and ensuring a clean inspection record for the vehicle shipment.
Wash the exterior. This makes existing scratches, dents, and chips visible during the pre-transport inspection. If the vehicle is dirty, small damage can be missed during the auto transport inspection — and you won't have documentation if something happens in transit.
Remove personal items. Most carriers allow up to about 100 pounds of personal belongings in the trunk or cargo area, kept below the window line. However, personal items are not covered under the carrier's cargo insurance during car shipping. Remove anything valuable, fragile, or irreplaceable. Take out toll transponders, parking passes, garage door openers, and anything mounted to the windshield.
Check fluids and mechanical condition. The vehicle should have roughly a quarter tank of fuel — enough to drive on and off the carrier trailer but not adding unnecessary weight. Make sure the battery is charged, tires are inflated, and the vehicle starts. If your car has any mechanical issues, mention them when booking your auto transport so we match the right carrier equipment.
Disable aftermarket alarms. Factory alarms are fine. Aftermarket alarm systems can trigger during vehicle transport from vibration, which is a headache for the carrier and potentially drains your battery.
Take dated photos. Photograph all four sides, the roof, and your odometer before the carrier arrives. This creates a personal record that supplements the Bill of Lading inspection for your car shipment. Time-stamped phone photos work perfectly.
When the carrier arrives at your pickup location, the most important part of the entire auto transport process happens: the joint vehicle inspection documented on the Bill of Lading (BOL).
The BOL is a legal document that records the condition of your vehicle at pickup. You and the carrier driver walk around the vehicle together, noting every existing scratch, dent, chip, and ding on a condition diagram. Both of you sign the document, confirming you agree on the vehicle's current state before car shipping begins.
This step protects you during auto transport. If your vehicle arrives at the destination with new damage, the BOL pickup inspection is what proves the damage happened during vehicle shipping. Without it — or if you sign without carefully reviewing — filing a successful claim becomes extremely difficult.
Someone 18 years or older must be present at pickup to authorize the shipment and sign the BOL. If you can't be there personally, designate a trusted representative — a friend, family member, neighbor, or dealership contact — to handle the car transport inspection and paperwork on your behalf.
After the inspection, the carrier loads your vehicle onto the trailer, secures it, and departs. You'll receive confirmation that the auto transport pickup is complete.
Once your vehicle is loaded, the carrier moves it along their planned route. Car shipping transit times depend on distance:
1 to 3 business days transit for regional auto transport
2 to 4 business days transit for mid-range car shipping
4 to 7 business days transit for long-distance vehicle transport
6 to 10 business days transit for cross-country auto shipping
These are business-day estimates after pickup, not including the pickup window itself. The carrier is typically transporting 7 to 10 vehicles on the same trailer, making scheduled stops along the route to pick up and deliver other vehicles. Your car isn't on a dedicated truck — it's part of a multi-stop run, which is what keeps car shipping costs manageable.
During transit, the carrier is responsible for your vehicle. Every carrier in our auto transport network carries cargo insurance as required by their FMCSA operating authority. If anything happens on the road — an accident, road debris, weather event — the carrier's insurance covers the vehicle during shipping.
Most carriers provide updates during vehicle transport, and our dispatch team can check on your shipment status at any time. For route-specific transit estimates, check the corridor pages for your origin and destination states — each page shows the actual transit day range for that specific car shipping lane.
When the carrier arrives at your destination, the auto transport process mirrors pickup. You (or your designated representative, 18+) meet the carrier for a second joint vehicle inspection.
This time, you're comparing the vehicle's current condition against the BOL from the car shipping pickup. Walk around the vehicle carefully. Check every panel, the roof, bumpers, mirrors, and wheels against the condition notes from the pickup inspection.
If the vehicle arrived in the same condition: Sign the delivery section of the BOL confirming no new damage. The vehicle transport is complete.
If you notice new damage: Note it clearly on the BOL before signing. Take photos immediately. Do not sign without documenting the issue — your ability to file an auto transport claim depends on having it recorded on the delivery BOL. Contact us and we'll help you through the carrier's claim process.
The carrier unloads your vehicle, you sign the delivery paperwork, and the car shipment is done.
Understanding the difference between a car shipping broker and a carrier affects who you're working with at each stage of the vehicle transport process.
The auto transport broker (that's us — Auto Transport Professionals) handles the customer-facing logistics: quoting, booking, carrier vetting, dispatch, coordination, and communication. We don't own trucks or employ drivers. We connect your car shipment with the right carrier for your route, timing, and vehicle requirements. Our FMCSA broker authority (MC# 1302183) licenses us to arrange vehicle transportation.
The carrier physically moves your vehicle. They own the trucks and trailers, employ the drivers, carry the cargo insurance, and handle the actual pickup and delivery. Carriers hold their own FMCSA operating authority for auto transport.
Why do car shipping brokers exist? Because the auto transport industry has thousands of small carriers — many running just 1 to 5 trucks — operating on specific regional routes. No single carrier covers every lane in the country. A vehicle shipping broker's job is to know which carriers run which routes, who's reliable, who has capacity, and how to get your vehicle from point A to point B by connecting the right carrier to your shipment.
From booking to delivery, plan for these auto transport timelines:
1 to 5 days — faster on popular car shipping routes, longer on low-traffic lanes
3-day window around your first available date for vehicle transport pickup
1 to 10 business days depending on auto transport distance
5 to 18 days from booking to vehicle delivery
The biggest variable in the car shipping process is carrier assignment. On high-demand corridors, a carrier may accept your auto transport load within 24 hours. On less-traveled routes, it may take several days. This is why we recommend booking vehicle shipping 7 to 10 days before you need the vehicle picked up — and booking 2 to 3 weeks ahead on lower-traffic corridors.
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Someone 18 or older must be present to sign the Bill of Lading and participate in the vehicle inspection for your car shipping pickup. This can be you or anyone you designate — a family member, friend, neighbor, or dealership representative.
Pickup windows are estimates, not guaranteed appointments. Weather, traffic, delays at prior stops, or mechanical issues can shift vehicle shipping timing by hours or occasionally a day. If a significant delay occurs, our dispatch team communicates the updated schedule. We don't leave you guessing about your car shipment.
We provide auto transport shipment status updates through our dispatch team. Many carriers also communicate directly with customers during vehicle transit. Real-time GPS tracking isn't standard across all carriers, but we can check on your car shipping location and ETA at any time.
Mechanical breakdowns during auto transport are covered under the carrier's operational responsibilities. The carrier coordinates with their dispatch, and we work with you on alternative arrangements if needed. This is extremely rare — your vehicle is loaded onto a trailer and isn't running during car shipping transit.
Booking terms vary. We'll explain any deposit or payment structure clearly before you commit to your auto transport order. There are no hidden fees added after booking your car shipment.
Auto transport pricing depends on distance, vehicle size, transport type (open or enclosed), and seasonal demand. Short-haul vehicle shipping under 500 miles typically starts around $400-600, while cross-country car transport runs $1,000-1,800. Request a free car shipping quote for your specific route and vehicle.
Yes. Every carrier in our car shipping network carries cargo insurance as required by their FMCSA operating authority. Coverage specifics are confirmed before dispatch. At both pickup and delivery, you complete a joint vehicle inspection documented on a Bill of Lading — this protects you if any issue arises during auto transport.
Yes, we handle non-running vehicle transport. The car needs to roll, steer, and brake for standard loading onto the carrier. Vehicles that cannot roll may require a winch or forklift at additional cost. Mention the vehicle's condition when requesting your auto transport quote so we match the right carrier equipment.
