Open Carrier Car Shipping
The standard for nationwide car shipping. Your vehicle rides on a multi-car carrier — the same trailers dealerships use — at the lowest cost per mile.
- ✓ Lowest cost per mile of any shipping method
- ✓ Largest carrier network, so pickup windows are shorter
- ✓ Door-to-door pickup and delivery included
- ✓ Full carrier cargo insurance on every load
Get Your Instant Quote
Zip to zip, in seconds. No obligation.
| Mileage | $0 |
| Base fee | $0 |
| Enclosed carrier | $0 |
| Estimated total | $0 |
Lock in this rate
Send us your details and a coordinator will confirm a pickup date. Nothing is charged until a carrier is assigned.
Or call (847) 786-2226 and we will quote it on the phone.
About Open Car Transport
Open transport moves about 90% of the vehicles shipped in the United States, and it is the option our instant quote prices by default. Your car is secured on a 7-to-10 car carrier alongside other vehicles and driven directly to the delivery address. Because the cost of the trip is shared across every car on the trailer, open transport runs several hundred dollars less than enclosed on a typical cross-country move.
What's included
- Lowest cost per mile of any shipping method
- Largest carrier network, so pickup windows are shorter
- Door-to-door pickup and delivery included
- Full carrier cargo insurance on every load
- Ideal for daily drivers, leases, and standard sedans, SUVs and trucks
Pricing
Our estimate is distance-based: $1 per estimated road mile between your pickup and delivery ZIP codes, plus a $300 base fee. Estimates provided are for open carrier. Add $500 for enclosed. Use the calculator above for your specific route, or call (847) 786-2226 and we will price it on the phone.
Our Process
How It Works
Four steps from quote to delivery. Nothing is charged until a carrier is assigned to your vehicle.
Get your price
Enter your pickup and delivery ZIP codes. The calculator prices the real road distance between them and returns an open and enclosed figure in seconds.
Book your date
Confirm the details with a coordinator and pick a date. Nothing is charged until a carrier is assigned to your vehicle.
Pickup & inspection
The driver calls ahead, inspects the vehicle with you and records its condition on the Bill of Lading. You both sign it.
Delivery
The driver calls again before arrival. Inspect the vehicle against the same report, sign, pay the balance and you are done.
Available Nationwide
We run open car transport in all 50 states.
Other Services
Enclosed Auto Transport
A fully covered trailer for vehicles that should never see weather or road debris. Add $500 to any open-carrier quote.
Learn more →Door-to-Door Transport
We pick up at your address and deliver to theirs. No terminals, no drop-off, no second trip.
Learn more →Terminal-to-Terminal
Drop off and collect at a secured regional lot. Useful when your schedule is unpredictable.
Learn more →Motorcycle Shipping
Crated or strapped on a dedicated motorcycle carrier, with wheel chocks and soft straps on every bike.
Learn more →Truck & SUV Transport
Full-size pickups, lifted trucks, dually and three-row SUVs, priced by the space they actually take up.
Learn more →Classic Car Transport
Enclosed trailers, lift gates and soft ties for cars that are not replaceable.
Learn more →Open Car Transport — Questions
Is my car safe on an open carrier?
Yes. Open carriers are the same trailers manufacturers use to deliver new cars to dealerships. Vehicles are strapped down at the wheels and inspected at pickup and delivery. Your car is exposed to weather and road debris the same way it would be if you drove it yourself.
How much cheaper is open than enclosed?
Open transport is our base rate. Enclosed adds a flat $500 to the estimate on any route.
Can I put items in the car?
Carriers generally allow up to 100 lbs of personal items in the trunk, below the window line. Anything above that adds weight the carrier is not licensed to haul, and personal items are not covered by cargo insurance.
Ready to ship your vehicle?
Get a price in seconds, or call and talk to a coordinator who can quote it on the phone.