What factors are used to calculate the cost of car shipping?

Your car shipping cost is determined by several key factors that contribute to the overall pricing of our services. These factors include the distance of trip, car size (sedan, pickup truck, SUV, etc.), location (i.e. rural or urban), the transport method chosen (such as open-air or enclosed transport), the current fuel prices, the time of year you ship and any additional services you may require, such as expedited shipping or inoperable vehicle handling.

To provide you with an accurate and competitive quote, we take into account these variables and tailor our pricing to your specific needs. You can request a quote through our website or by reaching out to our customer service team. Rest assured that our commitment to transparency ensures that you’re fully aware of the costs involved before making any decisions

Distance

Total distance is the main component used in calculating a quote for car shipping. Longer distances generally lead to a higher overall car shipping price, but also include a discounted cost per mile. The number of miles from pick up to delivery impacts labor costs, fuel charges, and tolls.

Route

Different from distance, route refers to what highways and other roads will be traveled to transport the vehicle. Routes in highly populated areas may have increased traffic congestion, which could impact transport time and shipping costs.

Additional route considerations that can be factored into shipping costs include:

• Physical road conditions

• Adverse weather

• Road construction

• Crossing bridges

Shipping date

When you book a car transport service, shipment date often plays a huge role in the cost. It’s best to book your car shipment as far in advance as possible. As soon as you know you’ll need to ship your vehicle, begin researching an auto transport company to request a car shipping quote.

Additionally, increased flexibility around car pick-up dates will often result in car transport quote savings.

If you are in a rush to ship your car, you are likely to pay more. If you have flexibility around the pick-up dates, you can reap some great savings.  It will cost more for expedited shipping in all circumstances.

Vehicle make & model

The size and weight of your car are important factors.
When planning your auto transport, we ask for the exact vehicle specifications, because the truck driver must know how much space is required to safely secure your automobile and ensure proper trailer height and side clearance. Longer and taller cars require additional vehicle transport adjustments, which may slightly increase car shipping costs. Vehicle modifications like larger tires and roof racks can also increase the cost. Call us at (800) 821-0490 if you have vehicle modifications to ensure car shipping quote accuracy and guarantee proper fit on the auto transport trailer.

Auto transport type

Most people shipping a car select open car transport, as it is the industry standard and cheapest way for car shippers to move your vehicle. For extra car shipment protection, we recommend using enclosed car transportation services that shield vehicles from weather and debris. Enclosed auto transport can increase the cost of car shipping, but is worth the peace of mind for delicate, exotic or luxury car transportation.

Vehicle condition

If your car is running, you will get a better auto shipping price from car shippers for the allotted distance. If your car is inoperable, but maintains the ability to roll, steer, and brake, it will require a winch and other accommodations to be loaded onto the carrier trailer, which will increase the cost of shipment.

**Please note that Landry Transportation only quotes for car shipping if the vehicle can:

• Roll, brake and steer

• Be loaded and unloaded by a forklift or wrecker

Vehicle details

Certain characteristics of your car will have an impact on the quote and final cost of your car shipment, including the following:

Height, length & weight

Taller, longer, and heavier vehicles may require a specific trailer or trailer type to support the length and/or added weight. They may also need certain accommodations, like being transported in a specific place within the trailer. Both of these situations could require the driver to take fewer or smaller vehicles to accommodate special requests and manage total allowable weight limits, because carriers have limits regarding the number of cars and the amount of weight they can haul; the heavier the vehicle, the more expensive to move. Dimensions and weight of the car determines the space it will require on the trailer thus affecting the number of cars a driver can load in the truck

Ground clearance

Ground clearance, also called ride height, is the distance between the bottom of the vehicle’s body and the road or driving surface. Low vehicle ground clearance requires special attention and accommodation, such as a specialized ramp. If ground clearance is four inches or less, the vehicle must be shipped in an enclosed trailer where they have lift gates — open trailers do not.

Location

Metropolitan areas usually have plenty of trucks available to carry out car shipping orders for auto shippers, which lowers the car transport price. When transporting cars, we strive to find the best deal for residents of small towns. If you live far from a major highway, you can opt to meet the trucker at a designated location for a better cost for shipping a car and potentially faster auto transportation services. Urban areas with easy access tend to be less expensive than remote or hard-to-reach locations. Auto transport to and from rural areas is a more complex and economically challenging. Fewer auto haulers are willing to go to remote areas to pick-up or deliver vehicles. This often means higher prices and longer wait for pick-up, or delivery.

Fuel prices and market conditions

Fuel prices and market conditions can also influence car shipping costs. Fluctuations in fuel prices impact overall transportation expenses. We closely monitor market conditions and fuel costs to provide competitive pricing while maintaining the highest service quality standards.

By considering these factors, we ensures that you receive a comprehensive and transparent quote for your car shipping needs. Our commitment to customer satisfaction, combined with our industry expertise, makes us a reliable choice for transporting your vehicles with care and efficiency.

Seasonality

Car shipping costs vary greatly based on the time of year. For example, auto transport services to warmer states are very popular during the snowbird season, so the cost for transporting a car to those destinations will be higher. Use our car shipping calculator to get the price for shipping a car. Depending on your scheduling flexibility, we recommend trying different shipping dates to see rate impact for choosing the best price.

Current supply and demand situation

Supply and demand is often the final decisive factor. Customers compete against each other for a spot on a carrier,. Higher paying vehicles get dispatched and shipped first. Thus, when you need an expedited service that additionally raises the price of shipping a vehicle.

How to Lower Car Shipping Cost

Auto transport services can be expensive, and costs can increase quickly. Along with comparing quotes from several auto shippers, you can reduce the cost of shipping by taking these steps:

• Make your reservation early: Getting a jump on your reservation is important because it gives car shipping companies plenty of time to submit competitive bids.

• Be flexible: Being flexible about car shipment can substantially reduce your cost, especially when it comes to pickup and delivery locations. Being open to a range of dates will also help.

• Ask about discounts: Many car shipping companies, including Landry Transportation, offer discounts for students, members of the military, and first responders.

• Empty your vehicle: Landry Transportation (and most carriers) require you to remove all personal items from your car before shipping it, partly because the extra weight could bump your transport price up. Keeping your gas tank below a quarter full reduces weight as well.
If you are in a rush to ship your car, you are likely to pay more. If you have flexibility around the pick-up dates, you can reap some great savings.

In this open market system, carriers choose the highest priced orders first, and the lowest priced order last, or not at all.

Note: Carriers usually ignore orders posted twice by two different brokers, so it’s important to pick the right auto broker from the start!

Landry Transportation’s specialists are experts at strategizing and negotiating the best possible rates.

We start negotiations with a lesser offer to carriers seeking the most cost-effective rates.

Then, we gradually increase the offer as needed, based on our understanding of your lead time and requirements.

The more lead time you have before transporting your car, the more money you can save.