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Wrapping up our tracking of Snowbird auto transport shipments to Florida in January 2025, our study demonstrates that by the end of the month, the number of vehicles available to ship on any given day decreased by 75% to 90% in the three largest car shipping markets.
We documented single vehicles available to ship in running condition, listed as preferring OPEN Car Transport.
The number started out in early January at around 5,000 vehicles available to ship daily. It stayed relatively high through late January at 4,500 vehicles. We suspect partly due to severe winter storms, such as Blair, everywhere east of the Rockies. By the end of January, that number had plummeted nationwide to 1,300 vehicles.
Key Takeaways:
- Auto transport costs to Orlando, FL plummet in late January
- The states west of the Mississippi River hardly participate in the winter snowbird season migration to Orlando, Florida
- Snowbird vehicle shipping orders to Florida drop 75% to 90% from early January to late January in three key markets
- The over-whelming majority of Snowbird Orders to Orlando, FL originate from New England, the North East, and Midwest
- As always, the highest paying auto transport orders to Orlando, FL ship first
- Cheap car shipping quotes only begin working to Orlando, FL in late January
In This Blog Article:
Our Study: Most Snowbird vehicle shipments originate in three key regions
Any customer who booked his shipment to Florida at the cheapest auto shipping price possible, likely waited until the end of January for that quote to come true. Most people come to the realization long before the end of January, that snowbird car shipping season is one of those times where it is best to book at a higher expedited or rush rate. Adding money to the vehicle shipment order saves lots of aggravation, and maybe money too. Rental cars are expensive. The Uber rides add up as well.
Rule #1 – the highest paying vehicles on the board, comparing apples to apples, always ship first. And it does not matter how long a vehicle order has been waiting.
A fresh car shipping order entered today to Orlando, FL, paying a higher carrier fee than one entered weeks ago, will land a spot on an auto transport trailer first. The vehicle shipping industry is not first come – first served. And it does not matter how long a vehicle order has been waiting.
The lion’s share of the car shipping market is mainly concentrated in three regions. All of them cold weather winter states. So we narrow our final discussion about Snowbird auto transport to: New England, the Eastern Seaboard, and the Midwest.
Here’s our report of single vehicles available to ship in running condition, listed as preferring OPEN Car Transport, in the three largest markets on any given day:
|
Three Most Popular Snowbird Routes To Florida |
Early January Vehicles Available To Ship |
Late January Vehicles Available To Ship |
Late January Vehicles Available To Ship |
Comments About January 2025 Snowbird Shipments |
|
New England (MA, RI, NH, ME, VT) to Florida |
845 |
541 |
104 |
In the span of just three weeks in January 2025, the number of vehicles available to ship from New England to Florida steadily decreased by 88% |
|
Eastern States (NY, NJ, PA, MD, CT, DE) to Florida |
1,125 |
985 |
301 |
In the span of just three weeks in January 2025, the number of vehicles available to ship from the Eastern Seaboard to Florida steadily decreased by 74% |
|
Midwest States (IL, MI, OH, IN, WI, IA, MO) to Florida |
1,203 |
975 |
187 |
In the span of just three weeks in January 2025, the number of vehicles available to ship from the Midwest States to Florida steadily decreased by 84% |
Customers should keep in mind that whether they know it or not, they are competing with other customers for car transport space. Securing a spot is the hard part. Once done, shipping is actually easier by comparison. To get a spot, your chances improve by the higher carrier fee you pay.
The above car shipping table to Florida from the three busiest regions, shows intense competition in early and late January. The competition only begins to wane by the end of January. And drops 75% to 90%.
Car shipping quotes also go down, though not as dramatically as you might suppose.
Orlando is a popular destination for car transport companies in the winter. So are the surrounding communities such as Sanford, Apopka, Altamonte Springs, Oviedo, Winter Park, The Villages, Ocala, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Clermont, Disney World, and more.
Auto Transport Costs Calculator To Orlando, FL During Snowbird Season in late January 2025
Direct Express Auto Transport, with over 20 years of experience in calculating auto transport costs to Orlando, FL, provides the following late January 2025 market pricing guide to help you make the best decision on when to ship your car.
In late January 2025, auto transport costs to Orlando, FL fell significantly in the three major regions of New England, Eastern Seaboard, and Midwest. Snowbird season car shipping orders plummet in late January.
In most of the other regions, basically west of the Mississippi River, auto transport orders remain relatively stable to Orlando, FL. Those regions barely participate in Snowbird vehicle shipments to Florida. They hardly go up, nor down.
Scroll down to see auto transport costs in your region to Orlando, FL during the late January 2025 snowbird season. We include the average temperatures in late January for each starting city.
Use the Direct Express Auto Transport car shipping costs calculator for a precise quote for your vehicle shipment order.
Car Shipping Rates To Orlando, FL From New England Cities in late January 2025
The New England states experienced an 88% drop in Snowbird auto transport shipments to Florida in late January 2025. Auto transport costs fall significantly.
Here are the late January 2025 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average late January temperatures in each starting city:
Auto transport costs are based on a regular-size sedan, in running condition, shipping OPEN transport.
Auto Transport Cost:
- Car Shipping Cost from Boston, MA to Orlando, FL: $781
- Auto Transport Quote from Manchester, NH to Orlando, FL: $794
- Car Transport Price from Providence, RI to Orlando, FL: $781
- Vehicle Shipping Rate from Portland, ME to Orlando, FL: $800
- Auto Shipping Quote from Hartford, CT to Orlando, FL: $744
Best trucking routes for each:
- Boston, MA: Start on I-90 W, take I-84 W and I-95 S, eventually merging with I-295 S into Florida.
- Manchester, NH: Take I-89 S, merging into I-95 S, continuing south toward I-295 S into Florida.
- Providence, RI: Use I-95 S, merging into I-295 S and continuing southbound.
- Portland, ME: Start on I-295 S, then take I-95 S and merge with I-295 S towards Florida.
- Hartford, CT: Begin on I-91 S, merge into I-95 S, and continue down into Florida.
Average Fahrenheit temperatures in late January for each city:
- Boston, MA: Around 27°F
- Manchester, NH: Around 22°F
- Providence, RI: Around 27°F
- Portland, ME: Around 23°F
- Hartford, CT: Around 26°F
Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Orlando, FL for a minimum of three days, and more likely four or five days.
Auto Transport Quotes To Orlando, FL From Eastern Seaboard Cities in late January 2025
The Eastern Seaboard states experienced a 74% drop in Snowbird auto transport shipments to Florida in late January 2025. Vehicle shipping costs also decreased dramatically.
Here are the late January 2025 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average late January temperatures in each starting city:
Auto transport costs are based on a regular-size sedan, in running condition, shipping OPEN transport.
Car Transport Rates:
Car Shipping Cost from New York City, NY to Orlando, FL: $678
Auto Transport Quote from Medford, NY to Orlando, FL: $685
Car Transport Price from Trenton, NJ to Orlando, FL: $672
Vehicle Shipping Rate from Pittsburgh, PA to Orlando, FL: $614
Auto Shipping Quote from Philadelphia, PA to Orlando, FL: $608
Vehicle Transport Cost from Baltimore, MD to Orlando, FL: $563
Car Shipping Quote from Wilmington, DE to Orlando, FL: $576
Auto Transport Cost from Washington, DC to Orlando, FL: $557
Car Transport Rate from Alexandria, VA to Orlando, FL: $560
Best Trucking Routes
- NYC, NY to Orlando, FL: Follow I-95 South straight down.
- Medford, NY to Orlando, FL: Take I-95 South for a direct and efficient route.
- Trenton, NJ to Orlando, FL: Stick to I-95 South for the smoothest drive.
- Pittsburgh, PA to Orlando, FL: Take I-76 East to I-95 South.
- Philadelphia, PA to Orlando, FL: Head down I-95 South.
- Baltimore, MD to Orlando, FL: Continue on I-95 South all the way.
- Wilmington, DE to Orlando, FL: The best way is I-95 South.
- Washington, DC to Orlando, FL: A straight drive on I-95 South.
- Alexandria, VA to Orlando, FL: Use I-95 South for a direct route.
Average Fahrenheit Temperatures in Late January
- New York City, NY: 36°F
- Medford, NY: 34°F
- Trenton, NJ: 35°F
- Pittsburgh, PA: 28°F
- Philadelphia, PA: 34°F
- Baltimore, MD: 38°F
- Wilmington, DE: 36°F
- Washington, DC: 39°F
- Alexandria, VA: 38°F
Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Orlando, FL for a minimum of two days, and more likely three or four days.
Vehicle Shipping Quotes To Orlando, FL From Midwest Cities in late January 2025
The Midwest states spiraled downward 84% in Snowbird auto transport shipments to Florida from early to late January 2025. Auto transport costs dropped as well.
Here are the late January 2025 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average late January temperatures in each starting city:
Auto transport costs are based on a regular-size sedan, in running condition, shipping OPEN transport.
Vehicle Shipping Prices:
Car Shipping Cost from Chicago, IL to Orlando, FL: $789
Auto Transport Quote from Milwaukee, WI to Orlando, FL: $768
Car Transport Price from Detroit, MI to Orlando, FL: $797
Vehicle Shipping Rate from Cleveland, OH to Orlando, FL: $797
Auto Shipping Quote from Cincinnati, OH to Orlando, FL: $748
Vehicle Transport Cost from Indianapolis, IN to Orlando, FL: $701
Car Shipping Quote from St. Louis, MO to Orlando, FL: $739
Auto Transport Cost from Des Moines, IA to Orlando, FL: $799
Best Trucking Routes for Each
- Chicago, IL to Orlando, FL: Take I-55 South to I-10 East.
- Milwaukee, WI to Orlando, FL: Follow I-94 East to I-65 South and then merge onto I-10 East.
- Detroit, MI to Orlando, FL: Head down I-75 South to I-95 South.
- Cleveland, OH to Orlando, FL: Travel south via I-71 South to I-75 South.
- Cincinnati, OH to Orlando, FL: Stick to I-75 South all the way down.
- Indianapolis, IN to Orlando, FL: Drive south on I-65 South then take I-10 East.
- St. Louis, MO to Orlando, FL: Take I-55 South and then merge onto I-10 East.
- Des Moines, IA to Orlando, FL: Head south on I-35 South and then take I-75 South.
Average Fahrenheit Temperatures in Late January
- Chicago, IL: 25°F
- Milwaukee, WI: 22°F
- Detroit, MI: 24°F
- Cleveland, OH: 26°F
- Cincinnati, OH: 30°F
- Indianapolis, IN: 27°F
- St. Louis, MO: 33°F
- Des Moines, IA: 20°F
Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Orlando, FL for a minimum of three days, and more likely four or five days.
Bottom Line: Snowbird Auto Transport Costs To Orlando, FL
By late January, Snowbird season is all but over. Parity begins to return to auto transport costs. Snowbird auto transport costs to Orlando, FL decrease, and the reverse route from the city elevates. By February, and most certainly March, auto transport costs will become even to and fro.
In the Spring, come late March and April, the Florida Snowbirds will migrate home to the north, which will continue through May and early June. At that time, the madness will return, but in the opposite direction from the winter.
At Direct Express Auto Transport, we are used to it. An auto transport service will likely ship your car promptly and securely for the right carrier fee. We provide three options, which depend on the size, route, timeframe, and season.
As a consumer, it is important to understand the services involved in vehicle shipping from your region of the country to Orlando, FL.
The Original Auto Transport Costs Calculator To Orlando, Florida For Snowbirds
Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping costs calculator in 2004. It is still the best, most sophisticated, reliable tool available online. We offer three options that we call tiers of car shipping quote estimates to Orlando, Florida.
The Standard rate is the cheapest car shipping quote. Use the Standard rate if you can be patient.
The Expedited rate, or tier as we call them, is the most recommended and best auto transport quote. We have countless satisfied Expedited rate customers because the vehicle shipping process tends to go quicker.
The Rush rate is our highest level of car transport quotes and service, and many customers are glad they went with that method too. If in a hurry, go Rush rate.
Here are just some of the major Florida destination hubs during the auto transport snowbird season that we service:
Miami
Fort Lauderdale
Boca Raton
Melbourne
Orlando
Jacksonville
Tampa
Sarasota
Fort Myers
Naples
Car Transport Cost: FAQ
Over 90% of our orders ship inside of one week. That could be anywhere from 1 to 7 days. Most of the U.S. population lives in a major metropolitan area and is shipping to another well populated area, and that makes a big difference. Cars usually ship in a very regular manner, almost half within just a few days.
If either your origination or destination locations are away from population centers, in other words, in a remote area, then you might consider meeting a driver in a nearby big city or town to increase your chances of shipping timely. Or adding money to the carrier fee may entice a carrier. Remember, anyone you choose can serve as your point of contact, which takes the stress out of shipping your vehicle.
Clean out your vehicle of all loose items as much as possible. Leave nothing of value in the vehicle. It’s very rare that any items are stolen during transport, but we recommend extra caution to prevent loss.
Keep extra items as previously discussed to a minimum and place in the trunk or out of sight. Have only about a quarter tank of gasoline. Give the auto transport carrier a set of keys and advise them of any special instructions for your vehicle, like difficulty starting, steering, braking, etc.
Driver Consideration: Being a truck driver can be a thankless job. They work long hours and are away from their families for weeks at a time. Please be friendly and considerate to our drivers, and they will treat you in the same manner.
The first factor used to calculate car shipping cost is the transport distance. Next are the length, height and weight of the vehicle, followed by running condition and type of trailer (Open or Enclosed). Finally, seasonal fluctuations may impact the overall cost.
Maneuvering non-operational vehicles on and off a car transport trailer is a big challenge. Car shipping companies much prefer operational (running) vehicles because it gives them an easier option to reposition their entire load. Non-running vehicles take considerably more time to get on and off the trailer. So the car shipping quote must reflect the higher cost. Many auto transporters don’t have a winch and cannot accommodate non-running vehicles. That is one reason it takes longer on average to ship non-operational vehicles. Fewer do it. If at all possible, fixing your vehicle before trying to ship it will save on the non-running car transport cost, and make the process go faster.
Delivering is final step in the process, and also the simplest part. Once your vehicle has been assigned and picked up, not too much can go wrong. Once the vehicle is picked up, you can estimate that it will take roughly 1 day of transit time for every 500 miles distance. Delivery Time Estimate Guide 100-500 miles takes 1 or 2 days 500-1000 miles takes 2 or 3 days 1000-1500 miles takes 3 or 4 days 1500-2000 miles takes 4 or 5 days 2000-2500 miles takes 5 or 6 days 2500-3000 miles takes 6 or 7 days Depending on the distance, weather conditions and population centers it could be a few days or weeks until a vehicle reaches its destination. The carriers usually estimate about 10 days on coast to coast trips, but they frequently arrive earlier.
Yes and no. The strict interpretation is no, you can’t ship items inside your vehicle. The reality is that almost all carriers look the other way on items that weigh less than 100 pounds, roughly the equivalent of 2 suitcases. We recommend placing any additional items in the trunk and out of sight. The U.S. Transportation Law states that a carrier can be fined $10,000 for hauling household items in the vehicle, but it’s rarely enforced. However, the drivers do estimate the weight of each vehicle that they carry and don’t want problems at weight scales. So they must keep the personal items to a minimum. Some drivers will accept a tip ($50-$250) for hauling extra stuff, but some won’t. Rule of thumb, don’t take advantage.
