Get an instant quote
(888) 666-8929

Help Center

Your ultimate collection of helpful guides, solutions and actionable insights from auto transport logistics specialists

Frequently asked questions

How do I pay for my transport service?
You can choose to pay in full online as we accept all major credit cards and PayPal. You can also pay in cash at the time of delivery. If you choose to pay in cash, there is a small partial payment of $199 or less (depending on the distance of your shipment) when you place your order to secure your car’s spot on a truck.
Guarantee pickup dates…Yes, we can! All you need to do is decide whether you need the car picked up by a specific date or on a specific date, which will determine the extra cost involved to guarantee your time frame. Please call for a customized quote if you need guaranteed pick up date(s). However, because anything can happen on the road, the auto-hauling industry does not guarantee delivery dates.
This is the date your vehicle is ready to be picked up. However, this is not necessarily the exact pick up date. Depending on truck availability at that particular time, we may be able to assign a truck to load your vehicle on your First Available Shipping Date but it may also be a few days after. If we cannot pick it up that day, it should be within our usual pick up window of 1 to 5 business days starting from that date. For more details see pick up date and time.
Distance / Miles Calendar Days 0 – 200 1 to 2 200 – 600 2 to 4 600 – 1000 3 to 5 1000 – 1500 4 to 6 1500 – 2000 5 to 7 2000 – 2400 6 to 8 2400 and up 7 to 9
This means that the truck driver will pick the vehicle up and drop it off as close to your home as he can legally and safely get. Many cities have restrictions on large trucks that prohibit them from driving into some residential areas. Transport trucks are enormous and need a lot of room to maneuver and turn around, so if access to your home is restricted by narrow streets, low-hanging trees, speed bumps or tight turns the driver may ask that you meet the truck at a large parking lot nearby such as a grocery store. You will receive a call directly from the trucker if these alternative arrangements are necessary.
To get a quote for shipping your vehicle, you can either use our instant online car shipping quote calculator above or you can call (888) 422-8888 to receive a quote from one of our car transport pricing specialists. In order for us to calculate your quote we will need to know the location you are shipping from and to, the type of vehicle you would like to ship, and the date your vehicle will be ready.
 
We accept all major credit cards, electronic transfer, postal money order, and bank/certified check for the deposit or full pre-payment of your shipment. If a balance is due upon delivery, it can be paid directly to the driver and can be paid in either cash, bank/certified check, or postal money order.
 
Yes, there must be someone present to release and accept the vehicle, provide keys to the driver and sign the initial and final inspection reports. This person can be anyone over the age of 18 that you trust with releasing or accepting your vehicle.
 
The driver will get the car transporter as close to your door as he can legally and safely get. In most cases, the driver will be able to pickup and deliver directly at your door. Some cities may have restrictions on large trucks that prohibit them from driving into residential areas. Auto transport trucks are large and need lots of room to maneuver and turn around, so if access to the pickup or delivery location is restricted by narrow streets, low-hanging trees or tight turns, the driver may ask that you meet at a location nearby with a large parking lot, such as a grocery store.
 
The bill of lading is a very important document used by car shipping companies to document any pre-existing damage on the vehicle during the time of pickup. It also serves as a record of your contact info and the official agreement for transport. If you want to file any insurance claim regarding your shipment you will need the Bill of Lading.
 
The transit time for your shipment is based mostly on the mileage between the pickup and delivery location. Generally, every five hundred miles will add one day to the transit time – so for a 1,000 mile transport, the transit time would be 2-3 days. Check out our estimated transit times for a detailed view of approximate delivery times.
 
All pickup and delivery dates provided are estimated. Although it is not common, there are instances where a pickup or delivery may be slightly delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. For this reason we are unable to promise or guarantee shipment pickup or delivery dates.
 
You may transport personal belongings in your car, as long as their total weight does not exceed 100 pounds and they are stored in the trunk or back seat (below the window line). Please keep in mind that personal belongings are not covered by insurance if they are reported as damaged or missing.
 
You should have about a quarter of a tank of gas in your car at the time of shipment. This leaves enough for the car to be loaded and unloaded but doesn’t add much additional weight.
 
Make sure your car has been completely cleaned, both inside and outside. This is particularly important because this will help the driver conduct their inspection in order to assess any pre-existing damage on your vehicle. You will also want to make there are no additional personal items in the vehicle unless you intend to ship those with the vehicle (remember those items must total less than 100 pounds combined and be kept below the window-line of the vehicle). Be sure to inform the driver of any special circumstances concerning the vehicle. Finally, make sure there is a quarter tank of gas in the car at the time it is picked up for shipment. Visit our car shipping checklist to make sure you are prepared for your vehicle shipment.
 
Yes, we can ship vehicles that are in non-running/inoperable condition. When inoperable cars are shipped, a special auto carrier is required that makes use of a winch which is connected to your car and slowly and safely pulls your vehicle onto the carrier. There is an additional fee for inpoerable vehicles because of the special equipment and extra work involved with securing the vehicle onto the transporter. You can select the inoperable option on the online booking form or inform your shipping agent if you make your reservation by phone so that the proper arrangements can be made to accommodate a non-running vehicle.
 
Yes, through our advanced network of specialized carrier nationwide, we can ship vehicles of any size. However, you will need to call for a specialized rate quote based on the dimensions of the oversized vehicle you would like to ship. Our online quote calculator will not be able to generate a quote for you because pricing via the calculator is based only on standard and unmodified vehicle sizes and specifications.
 
Yes, however any vehicle with clearance lower than 4 inches will likely need to be shipped on an enclosed car carrier trailer with a lift gate. Low-clearance vehicles simply cannot be driven onto an open trailer because the car would risk bottoming out while being loaded onto the carrier.
 
No, we just need the vehicle and keys.
 
Door-to-door car transport is the full service delivery of your vehicle directly from the door at the pickup location to the door at the delivery location. Our drivers do their best to get as close as physically and legally possible to the pickup and delivery locations, but in certain instances there may be restrictions preventing them from being able to safely reach your door. Our transporters need ample space to maneuver and load/unload your vehicle. If your street is too narrow, or if there are hazards such as low lining trees or power lines, drivers may ask that you meet them at a location nearby where they can safely load or unload your vehicle, such as a large parking lot or shopping center nearby.
 
We offer open car shipping and enclosed car shipping services. Open car shipping is used much more frequently and is the type of auto transport that you see on the highway where carriers are hauling vehicles on two decks that are exposed. Enclosed car shipping is when your vehicle is shipped in a trailer which has walls and a roof, they look like a larger version of a regular eighteen-wheeler. This method is recommended for luxury, exotic or classic cars.
 
That depends on the car shipping service you choose. It will be either an open or enclosed car carrier trailer hauling multiple vehicles. Either way, the truck will be quite large. You can call us anytime if you have questions about a carriers ability to bring their truck onto your street.
 
Top load service is when your car is placed on the higher deck or level of an open auto transport trailer. This is considered to be preferable to the bottom load because the cars on the lower deck are at risk of possibly having fluid from the cars above leak on them.
 
RoadRunner Auto Transport specializes in shipping all types of vehicles such as sedans, SUVs, pickup trucks, minivans, oversized vehicles, antiques, classic cars, motorcycles, construction vehicles, inoperable cars and boats. If you are not sure whether or not we can ship your vehicle, you can give us a call to find out what we can do for you.
 
Open transport is the most common car shipping method. There are two types of open-air transporters. A majority of shipments are completed with larger 8-10 car carriers. Smaller carriers which hold 2-3 cars are used for shorter more local moves. There is typically more frequent availability for open-air carriers since they are used more often. We suggest choosing enclosed shipping methods when shipping classic, luxury or exotic vehicles. Enclosed transporters guarantee maximum protection from exposure to any open-air elements on the road. We suggest booking your enclosed transport in advance since there is limited carrier availability. Read more about the difference between open and enclosed transport
 
An auto transport broker utilizes their network of carriers to transport vehicles from point A to point B. The size of their carrier network can range from a few to thousands, depending on the company’s size. For instance, NIKI Auto Transport has a network of over 30,000 vetted and experienced carriers that we work with to fulfill both auto and freight transportation.
 
Yes, we ship hundreds of cars each week from salvage auctions and other types of auto auctions. Each auction will have different requirements to release a vehicle and we’ll get all the necessary details from you at the time of booking. Please make sure the vehicle is fully paid and ready for release from the auction. Also be aware that if a vehicle is booked as operable but it turns out that the vehicle is inoperable, there will be an additional cost and the original car carrier trailer may not be able to accommodate an inoperable vehicle.
 
All shipments include basic liability coverage during transit. Comprehensive insurance options are available for an elevated level of shipment coverage during transit. You will be able to select a level of coverage during the booking process. If you have further questions regarding insurance options give us a call.