Everything you wanted to know about car shipping but weren't sure who to ask. We've organized answers by topic so you can find what you need fast. Still have questions? Call us or use the contact form — we answer fast, 24/7.
Auto transport from Alabama costs $400 to $1,800 for standard vehicles depending on distance, vehicle size, and route. Short routes (Alabama to Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi) run $400-$700. Mid-distance shipments (Alabama to Texas, Carolinas, Virginia, Ohio) run $700-$1,000. Cross-country shipments (Alabama to California, Northwest, Pacific Northwest) run $1,000-$1,800.
Enclosed transport runs 60-80% more for the same route. Luxury cars and exotic vehicles in enclosed transport may run higher still. Get a free quote for accurate pricing on your specific route.
Six main factors determine cost:
Some companies use a tactic called "lowball quoting" — quoting an artificially low price to win your booking, then claiming the carrier won't accept that rate and asking you to pay more. The customer ends up either paying significantly more at the last minute or waiting indefinitely for a pickup that never happens.
If three companies quote $1,200 and a fourth quotes $800, that fourth quote is almost certainly a bait. Honest brokers quote within a similar range because they know the market rate carriers will actually accept.
No. With Heartland, you pay a small deposit at booking ($100-$200, applied to your total), and the balance is collected on delivery, typically by cashier's check or cash to the driver. You can also prepay in full upfront if you prefer.
Watch out for companies asking for 30-50% upfront — that's a red flag and often signals a scam broker.
With Heartland, no. Our quotes are all-in. No fuel surcharges, no "carrier rate increases," no delivery fees revealed at the last minute. The quote you accept is the price you pay.
Some other companies do add fees — read your contract carefully and ask explicitly whether the quote includes everything before booking.
Transit time depends on distance:
Pickup typically happens 1-5 days after booking. Total time from booking to delivery is usually 3-15 days.
Standard pickup happens within 1-5 days of booking. Pickup speed depends on your location and route. Major interstates (I-65, I-20, I-10, I-85) typically have faster pickup availability than rural or off-route locations.
Need a guaranteed faster pickup? Our expedited service offers same-day or next-day pickup for an additional fee. Call us to discuss expedited options.
Standard auto transport works on pickup and delivery windows rather than exact dates, because carriers handle multiple shipments and route timing varies with traffic, weather, and other pickups/deliveries.
For an additional fee, our guaranteed pickup service commits to a specific pickup date with financial penalties if we miss it. This is popular for time-sensitive moves, military PCS orders, and snowbird trips.
Just let us know as soon as possible. We can adjust pickup timing without rebooking in most cases. Larger schedule changes may require requoting if the new dates fall in a different rate season (summer vs. winter), but we handle this transparently.
Five steps:
See our complete How It Works guide for full details.
Yes — door-to-door is our standard service. The driver comes to your home, business, or any address you specify, picks up the vehicle, and delivers to a similar address at the destination. No driving to terminals or freight depots.
The only limitation is street accessibility: a 75-foot tractor-trailer can't legally navigate narrow residential streets, steep driveways, or low-clearance areas. In those cases, we coordinate a nearby meet-up location (typically a parking lot within a few miles).
Yes — either you or a designated representative (18+ with photo ID) must be present at both pickup and delivery. The inspection and Bill of Lading signature requires someone with authority over the vehicle.
If you can't be present, designate a trusted person in advance and provide them with inspection instructions. Common options: spouse, family member, neighbor, real estate agent, or auto dealership staff.
The Bill of Lading (often abbreviated "BoL") is the legal document recording your vehicle's condition at pickup and delivery. The driver completes the BoL during inspection, noting any existing scratches, dings, dents, paint chips, missing trim, or other condition issues.
Both you and the driver sign the BoL at pickup. At delivery, you inspect again and sign the delivery BoL. Any damage that occurred during transport is documented by comparing the pickup and delivery BoLs — this is the foundation of any insurance claim if needed.
Yes. Every carrier in our network maintains active cargo insurance covering your vehicle from pickup to delivery. Standard coverage typically applies to standard passenger vehicles. For high-value vehicles (luxury cars over $80,000, exotic cars), classic cars with $50,000+ coverage, supplemental coverage is available on request — typically with agreed-value policies for $250,000-$1,000,000+ coverage.
If damage occurs, document it on the delivery Bill of Lading before signing. Take photos. Contact your Heartland dispatcher immediately. We walk you through the claim process with the carrier's insurance company. Auto transport damage is rare (well under 1% of shipments) but when it happens, you're protected by the cargo insurance every carrier in our network maintains.
Never sign a delivery BoL "clean" if there's any issue — once signed, your damage claim becomes nearly impossible to win.
Yes. Every carrier we dispatch to is verified for:
We don't dispatch to cheap carriers to win lowball quotes. We use reliable carriers because that's what protects your vehicle.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the federal agency that regulates interstate motor carriers. Any auto transport carrier or broker operating across state lines must have active FMCSA authority. You can verify any carrier's FMCSA status at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov using their MC or USDOT number.
Heartland is a registered FMCSA broker. Every carrier we use has active FMCSA authority.
Everything: cars, SUVs, pickup trucks (including lifted and dually), motorcycles, electric vehicles (Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, Ford Lightning), luxury cars, exotic supercars, classic cars, antique vehicles, RVs and motorhomes, boats, ATVs/UTVs, golf carts, vans, and heavy equipment.
Open transport uses standard multi-deck carriers exposed to weather and road debris. It's the industry standard — 95%+ of vehicles ship this way, including factory-fresh cars from dealers.
Enclosed transport ships vehicles inside fully enclosed trailers protected from weather and debris. It costs 60-80% more but is worth it for classic cars, exotics, luxury vehicles over $80,000, and freshly restored vehicles.
See our complete open vs. enclosed comparison for full details.
Yes. Non-running vehicles require a carrier with a winch (most carriers in our network have winches), and typically incur a $100-$200 surcharge. Disclose the non-running status when getting your quote so we can dispatch the right carrier.
Common scenarios: project cars, salvage vehicles, inherited cars that haven't run in years, accident-damaged vehicles being moved to a repair shop.
Yes. Lifted trucks, oversized vehicles, and modified builds may have height or width restrictions on standard carriers. We dispatch them to carriers with appropriate clearance. Modified vehicles may incur an additional fee — usually $100-$300 depending on the modification.
Wash your vehicle so pre-existing damage is clearly visible during pickup inspection. Reduce gas to a quarter tank. Remove all personal items above the window line (loose items can shift and damage the interior). Provide a key (and ideally a backup key). Document any mechanical issues. Disable aftermarket alarms. Fold mirrors in and retract the antenna if possible.
See our complete preparation checklist for all 10 steps.
Most carriers allow up to 100 lbs of personal items in the trunk, below the window line. However, personal items are NOT covered by cargo insurance. If your laptop or other items are damaged during transit, that loss is yours.
We recommend shipping only what you can afford to lose. Don't ship firearms, hazardous materials, illegal items, or anything irreplaceable.
A quarter tank or less. Full gas tanks add roughly 100 lbs of weight per car to the carrier, increase fire risk in the unlikely event of an accident, and don't help anyone. A quarter tank is enough fuel to load and unload the vehicle but doesn't add unnecessary weight to the transport.
Hand the keys directly to the driver at pickup. The driver needs the keys to drive the vehicle onto the carrier and off again at delivery. Provide two sets of keys if you have them — keys occasionally get lost, and a missing key at delivery is a nightmare.
We're here 24/7 to answer anything we didn't cover above. Call us, email us, or fill out the contact form — we'll get back to you fast.
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