Customer Reviews

How to Ship a Car: Step By Step Guide

RoadRunner makes shipping your car as easy as 1-2-3!

Start
Finish

Step 1

Instant Car Shipping Quote

Begin by getting an instant quote from our online car shipping cost calculator, or by speaking with a car shipping specialist at (888) 777-2123.

Secure Online Shipment Reservation

Schedule a convenient time for pickup via our secure online booking form or by phone with a shipping agent.

how it works step one
how it works step two

Step 2

Vehicle Pick Up

Your shipment will be assigned to the carrier that can best accommodate your route and timeframe. On the day of pickup, your vehicle will be safely loaded and will begin heading to the destination.

Online Shipment Tracking

Track the status of your shipment and get priority support from a live shipping agent with our online transport tracker.

Step 3

Vehicle Delivery

Upon arrival at the destination, your vehicle will be safely offloaded. A final inspection is completed and the driver hands over the keys.

That's it! That's all there is to it!

Join the hundreds of thousands of customers that trusted RoadRunner Auto Transport with the safe delivery of their vehicles.

how it works step three

"Save time looking and just call Roadrunner Auto Transport - they truly helped make my move easier!"

Trish A.

Miami, FL

5 stars
google reviews

"Super professional and helpful from the very first call. Easy to book online and the rate was better than I expected."

Steven F.

Austin, TX

5 stars
shopper approved reviews

"I called RoadRunner and was able to have my car picked up that same day and delivered over 500 miles away the next day!"

Joan B.

Boston, MA

5 stars
transport reviews

"From the time of quote to the pick up of my vehicle and the delivery there was a very good communication."

Andres M.

Oakland, CA

5 stars
better business bureau reviews
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Ready to Get Started?

Calculate your instant car shipping cost and view carrier availability in your area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the vehicle shipping process.


Yes, however any vehicle with clearance lower than 4 inches will likely need to be shipped on an enclosed 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.

Yes, many of our business clients require service 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 the vehicle is inoperable there will be additional cost and the original transporter may not be able to accommodate an inoperable vehicle.

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.

We will need the address for the locations that your vehicle will be picked up from and delivered to, along with the name and phone number of the contact person at each location. We will also need the date that your vehicle will be ready and the year, make, and model of the vehicle(s) that will be transported.

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.

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.