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Ship Your Car The Smart Way: Auto Transport Cargo Insurance, Documentation and Safety

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Shipping, Auto Transport Broker, Auto Transport Logistics, Auto Transport Tips, Car Safety, Car Shipping Advice, Car Shipping Service, Vehicle Transport Service.

Ship Your Car The Smart Way: Auto Transport Cargo Insurance, Documentation and Safety

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

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Ship Your Car The Smart Way: Auto Transport Cargo Insurance, Documentation and Safety

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Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

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To ship your car the smart way, the best thing to do is to first clean it inside and out. That way you know whether something is amiss. Most auto transport companies carry cargo insurance, even the brokers. But the entity that is responsible ultimately for the safety and physical condition of your car is the carrier himself. He is the one who loaded it, moved it around, and finally delivered it.

Key Takeaways: 

  • It is really important to have a feel for the track record of any car shipping company.

  • Check that the assigned car transporter has sufficient cargo insurance to cover your particular vehicle.

  • That’s called due diligence. But a good auto transport broker will do that work for you.

  • It is in the auto transport brokers’ best interest to make sure that they assign your vehicle to a car carrier that’s going to take good care of the customer vehicle. They don’t want any complaints either.

In This Blog Article:

A Car Transport Carrier’s Track Record Matters

At Direct Express Auto Transport, we keep a running history on every carrier and their performance. We assign a score to every carrier. The more loads they do without any problems, the higher their score. Conversely, too many problems, especially on too few orders, is a red flag that that carrier is not well run.

It goes without saying, but will say it anyway, we favor the better carriers with the higher scores. We don’t rely as much on other websites or opinions, we evaluate every carrier ourselves.

What Can You Do To Check a Carrier’s History

  • Better Business Bureau (BBB)       The Internet is a handy tool to check on your car transport carrier. You can look up how they stack up, with the Better Business Bureau. But that only works for the larger companies. And so many in the car transport industry are mom and pop, or small operations and they don’t have a BBB profile.
  • Check Official Government Records: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration – FMCSA    Every car transport carrier has a record with the federal motor carrier, safety administration (FMCSA). But even that sometimes can be a bit of a mess, as most everybody has notices in there of canceled cargo insurance or bonds or whatever. Those things are usually quickly rectified and don’t mean what you think. You really want to see that they currently licensed bonded and insured.
  • Google Reviews, and TransportReviews.com      There are some popular review boards that might be helpful as well. Google reviews is an excellent review board. So is transportreviews.com.

Red Flags For Auto Transport Carriers

  • Multiple complaints about delays or damaged cars
  • Too many complaints or bad reviews about delays or damaged cars
  • A pattern of canceling orders without giving refunds
  • A disturbing pattern of canceling orders, not refunding customers deposits
  • Missing licenses or dodging documentation requests
  • Poor communication with both the customer and the auto transport broker leaving everyone hanging on what’s going on?

None of that is good and are red flags that should give you caution. But most likely the car shipping broker if they are good, will already have a sense for that.

Cargo Insurance: A Must-Have Safety Net

Here’s a golden rule: never ship your car without checking the cargo insurance coverage first. Even the best transport companies can run into bad weather or accidents, so you need to know you’re protected.

The Right Amount of Cargo Insurance

  • Cargo Insurance: This covers your car during the journey, from pickup to drop-off
  • Liability Insurance: An extra layer of protection that covers damage to other vehicles or property

How to Double-Check Cargo Insurance

  • Get their cargo insurance certificate and verify it’s current. Every auto transport broker worth his salt, should already have a copy on file of the carriers cargo insurance. If they don’t, they’re not doing their job.
  • Make sure they have damage protection for your type of vehicle. If you have a $200,000 Lamborghini, and the carrier shipping your luxury car only has $100,000 cargo insurance, that’s trouble.
  • Some carriers only carry $50,000 in cargo insurance, and that’s not enough. Most have at least $100,000 in cargo insurance, and that covers probably 90% of cars, maybe more.
  • Quite a few carriers have $250,000 cargo insurance. We’ve even seen $500,000 and $1 million. But for most people, $100,000 is sufficient.
  • Find out about deductibles – the amount the carrier must pay personally before cargo insurance kicks in. A low figure like $1000 deductible strikes confidence in both the broker and the customer. But most have $2500 deductibles and that is usually just fine.
  • We are seeing more and more carriers with $5000 deductibles, which is concerning. It is not entirely disqualifying, but it’s knocking on the door.

The Bottom Line: Do Your Car Shipping Homework

Any auto transport broker that’s any good at all should have already done most of the homework discussed here. Because all car shipping brokers, like their customers, don’t want any complaints or problems. They already know who is good, who communicates well, who gets the job on time, who they can trust? So at the end of the day, if you pick a good broker, you are likely to get a good carrier.

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

    Read more

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Orlando, Florida, USA Downtown Drone Skyline Aerial auto transport costs

Auto Transport Costs To Orlando, FL in Mid December

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Shipping Prices, Auto Transport Logistics, Auto Transport Quote Calculator, Auto Transport Services, Automobile Transport Service, Car Shipping Cost Calculator, Car Shipping Routes, Car Shipping Service, Car Transport Calculator, Car Transport Service, Seasonal Fluctuations, Snowbird Auto Transport, Snowbird Car Shipping Costs Calculator.

Auto Transport Costs To Orlando, FL in Mid December 2024

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Orlando, Florida, USA Downtown Drone Skyline Aerial auto transport costs

Auto Transport Costs To Orlando, FL in Mid December 2024

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

We are tracking auto transport costs to Orlando, FL from numerous cities throughout the country during the Snowbird Season in mid December 2024. 

Snowbirds are people who migrate to Florida from the colder northern states during the winter months. It is usually cheaper to ship a car to Florida, rather than rent one. This blog article and the others related to it are a good way to gauge the auto transport costs from your area. 

An auto transport snowbird service to Orlando, FL will likely ship your car promptly and securely for the right carrier fee. During the busy snowbird season, any given week will likely see tens of thousands of vehicle shipment orders to Florida from around the country, mostly in the East and Midwest. Over 22 million people reside in Florida according to the 2020 census, which means 1 in 15 Americans are Floridians.

Orlando in particular, 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. 

Key Takeaways: 

  • Auto Transport Costs gradually rise higher and higher during Snowbird Season to Orlando, FL starting in November through January
  • The southern and western states do not participate nearly as much in the winter season auto transport migration to Orlando, Florida
  • The New England, Eastern Seaboard, and Midwest states make up the overwhelming majority of snowbird car transport service to Orlando, FL
  • The highest paying car transport orders during the busy snowbird season to Orlando, FL always ship first
  • The car shipping quotes calculator greatly reduces the price on the reverse direction backhauls from Orlando, FL during the winter

In This Blog Article:

Auto Transport Costs Calculator To Orlando, FL During Snowbird Season in mid December 2024

Direct Express Auto Transport, with over 20 years of experience in calculating auto transport costs to Orlando, FL, provides the following mid December 2024 market pricing guide to help you make the best decision on when to ship your car.

There is tremendous downward pressure on auto transport costs to Orlando, FL in mid December 2024, which is unusual leading into Snowbird season. 

The same phenomenon is happening elsewhere. We haven’t seen this kind of low pricing leading up to the holidays for several years. It is unusual for mid December and we will be watching for how long it lasts. Normally, auto transport costs steadily rise leading up to the holidays and then spike up significantly around New Year. 

Here in mid December, car transport costs to Orlando, FL have remained flat since Thanksgiving. We are not sure why this is happening and can only hope that it does not portend a weakening economy. We will keep you posted.

Scroll down to see auto transport costs in your region to Orlando, FL during the mid December 2024 snowbird season. We include the average temperatures in mid December 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 Quotes To Orlando, FL From New England Cities in mid December 2024

The New England states are very busy during Snowbird Season car shipping to Orlando, FL. As everyone knows, it can get very cold with heavy snow in the winter. 

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan.

Lowell, MA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,270 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $852
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 43°F, lows around 27°F.

Concord, NH to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,290 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $864
Best Trucking Route: Take I-93 South to merge onto I-95 South through Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia, continuing along the East Coast directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 37°F, lows around 18°F.

Waterbury, CT to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,160 miles
Auto Shipping Quote: $777
Best Trucking Route: Take I-84 West to merge onto I-95 South through New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 41°F, lows around 25°F.

Burlington, VT to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,390 miles
Car Transport Price: $931
Best Trucking Route: Take I-89 South to I-93 South, merge onto I-95 South through Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 32°F, lows around 16°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 Rates To Orlando, FL From Eastern Seaboard Cities in mid December 2024

The Eastern Seaboard states are heavily populated and a hotbed for car shipping services to Orlando, FL. It can get very cold with heavy snow in the winter. Snowbirds head to Orlando, FL for the winter and need to ship a car.

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city: 

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan.

Yonkers, NY to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,080 miles
Car Transport Price: $788
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Savannah, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 44°F, lows around 33°F.

Albany, NY to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,200 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $876
Best Trucking Route: Take I-87 South through New York City, merge onto I-95 South through Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 37°F, lows around 25°F.

Elizabeth, NJ to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,050 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $767
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows around 33°F.

Scranton, PA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,050 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $767
Best Trucking Route: Take I-81 South through Harrisburg, merge onto I-95 South in Richmond, continuing through Savannah and Jacksonville directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 41°F, lows around 29°F.

Germantown, MD to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 900 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $657
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Richmond, Savannah, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows around 32°F.

Wilmington, DE to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 920 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $672
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Savannah, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 44°F, lows around 31°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.

Car Transport Quotes To Orlando, FL From Carolina Cities in mid December 2024

The Carolina states have less of a reason for car transport services to Orlando, FL. As everyone knows, the climate is much milder in the Carolinas. So there is less activity. 

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Raleigh, NC to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 600 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $588
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Savannah and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 55°F, lows around 35°F.

Charlotte, NC to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 530 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $519
Best Trucking Route: Take I-77 South to Columbia, merge onto I-95 South through Savannah and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows around 35°F.

Winston-Salem, NC to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 580 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $569
Best Trucking Route: Take I-77 South to Columbia, merge onto I-95 South through Savannah and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 51°F, lows around 33°F.

Greenville, SC to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 450 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $441
Best Trucking Route: Take I-26 East to merge onto I-95 South in Savannah, continuing through Jacksonville directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 58°F, lows around 37°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 Rates To Orlando, FL From Midwest Cities in mid December 2024

The Midwest states buckle down every winter for some harsh weather. Snowstorms can be brutal. Lots of snowbirds high-tail it to Orlando, FL. 

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan.

Racine, WI to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,200 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $792
Best Trucking Route: Take I-94 East to I-65 South in Indianapolis, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 35°F, lows around 25°F.

Rockford, IL to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,150 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $759
Best Trucking Route: Take I-39 South to I-65 South in Indianapolis, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 37°F, lows around 24°F.

Sterling Heights, MI to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,150 miles
Vehicle Shipping Price: $759
Best Trucking Route: Take I-75 South through Cincinnati and Atlanta, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 37°F, lows around 26°F.

North Olmstead, OH to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,000 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $660
Best Trucking Route: Take I-71 South through Cincinnati, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 39°F, lows around 26°F.

Akron, OH to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 950 miles
Car Transport Price: $627
Best Trucking Route: Take I-77 South through Charlotte, merge onto I-95 South in Jacksonville, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 40°F, lows around 27°F.

South Bend, IN to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,050 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $693
Best Trucking Route: Take I-65 South through Indianapolis, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 38°F, lows around 24°F.

Kenwood, OH to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 850 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $561
Best Trucking Route: Take I-75 South through Atlanta and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 44°F, lows around 27°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 Shipping Quotes To Orlando, FL From Central Plains Cities in mid December 2024

The Central Plains are on the outer edge of the Midwest, and with a much lower population, auto transport services sometimes take a little longer to amalgamate full loads to Orlando, FL.

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan.

Kearney, NE to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,500 miles
Car Transport Price: $1,005
Best Trucking Route: Take I-80 East to Kansas City, merge onto I-70 East, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 39°F, lows around 18°F.

Topeka, KS to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,270 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $851
Best Trucking Route: Take I-70 East through St. Louis, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 42°F, lows around 24°F.

Lawton, OK to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,300 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $871
Best Trucking Route: Take I-44 East through St. Louis, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 51°F, lows around 31°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Orlando, FL for a minimum of four days, and more likely five or six days.

Vehicle Transport Rates To Orlando, FL From Big Sky & Dakota Cities in mid December 2024

The Big Sky state, Montana, and Dakotas, are so spread out that it sometimes takes car transport services a while to put together full loads to Orlando, FL. 

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan.

Butte, MT to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,500 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $1,925
Best Trucking Route: Take I-90 East through Billings, merge onto I-29 South in Sioux Falls, then I-80 East to Chicago, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 32°F, lows around 15°F.

Bozeman, MT to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,460 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $1,894
Best Trucking Route: Take I-90 East through Billings, merge onto I-29 South in Sioux Falls, then I-80 East to Chicago, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 33°F, lows around 16°F.

Bismarck, ND to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,000 miles
Vehicle Shipping Price: $1,540
Best Trucking Route: Take I-94 East to Minneapolis, merge onto I-39 South to Chicago, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 25°F, lows around 9°F.

Sioux Falls, SD to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,700 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $1,309
Best Trucking Route: Take I-29 South to Kansas City, merge onto I-70 East, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 33°F, lows around 14°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Orlando, FL for a minimum of six days, and more likely seven or eight days.

Car Shipping Rates To Orlando, FL From Pacific NW Cities in mid December 2024

Fortunately, the Pacific Northwest has three major cities, Seattle, Portland, and Boise, that make it somewhat easier to amalgamate a full load to Orlando, FL. Even still, it may take time for a car shipping service to do that.

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan.

Kent, WA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 3,050 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $1,830
Best Trucking Route: Take I-90 East through Spokane, merge onto I-29 South in Sioux Falls, then I-80 East to Chicago, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows around 37°F.

Vancouver, WA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 3,000 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $1,800
Best Trucking Route: Take I-5 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows around 36°F.

Hillsboro, OR to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 3,050 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $1,830
Best Trucking Route: Take US-26 East to I-84 East through Boise, merge onto I-80 East to Chicago, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows around 37°F.

Twin Falls, ID to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,800 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $1,680
Best Trucking Route: Take I-84 East through Salt Lake City, merge onto I-80 East to Chicago, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 38°F, lows around 23°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Orlando, FL for a minimum of seven days, and more likely eight to ten days.

Auto Transport Quotes To Orlando, FL From Rocky Mountain Cities in mid December 2024

The Rocky Mountain states are difficult for auto transport services to Orlando, FL because of the rugged terrain and huge land area. Vehicle shipping from Denver, Colorado is the safest bet to secure a carrier for the long haul to Orlando.

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan.

Lakewood, CO to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,850 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $944
Best Trucking Route: Take I-70 East through Kansas City, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows around 20°F.

Broomfield, CO to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,850 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $944
Best Trucking Route: Take I-70 East through Kansas City, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows around 20°F.

Orem, UT to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,300 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $1,173
Best Trucking Route: Take I-15 South to I-70 East through Denver, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 37°F, lows around 23°F.

Casper, WY to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,000 miles
Car Transport Price: $1,020
Best Trucking Route: Take I-25 South to Denver, merge onto I-70 East through Kansas City, then I-75 South in Atlanta, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 36°F, lows around 17°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Orlando, FL for a minimum of four days, and more likely five or six days.

Car Transport Rates To Orlando, FL From Southwest Cities in mid December 2024

The Southwest states make it easier for car transport services to move cars to Orlando, FL because the weather is less of an issue in the Southwest region.

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Gilbert, AZ to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,100 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $1,071
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 67°F, lows around 41°F.

Flagstaff, AZ to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,000 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $1,020
Best Trucking Route: Take I-40 East through Albuquerque and Amarillo, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows around 19°F.

Sparks, NV to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,800 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $1,428
Best Trucking Route: Take I-80 East through Salt Lake City, merge onto I-70 East in Denver, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows around 27°F.

Rio Rancho, NM to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,900 miles
Car Transport Price: $969
Best Trucking Route: Take I-40 East through Amarillo, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 48°F, lows around 27°F.

Your car is likely to be on a car transport carrier for a minimum of five days, and probably six or seven days.

Vehicle Shipping Quotes To Orlando, FL From California Cities in mid December 2024

One out of every eight Americans is Californian. With nearly 39 million people, located primarily along the coastal cities from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay Area, it is no surprise that there are numerous car shipping services every week from California to Orlando, FL. Especially in the Los Angeles Basin.

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan. 

San Diego, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,500 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $1,175
Best Trucking Route: Take I-8 East to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 66°F, lows around 50°F.

Dublin, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,850 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $1,340
Best Trucking Route: Take I-580 East to I-5 South, merge onto I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, and I-20 East in Dallas, continuing through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 58°F, lows around 41°F.

El Cajon, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,500 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $1,175
Best Trucking Route: Take I-8 East to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 66°F, lows around 50°F.

Buena Park, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,550 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $1,199
Best Trucking Route: Take I-5 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 66°F, lows around 45°F.

Antioch, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,900 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,363
Best Trucking Route: Take I-5 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows around 39°F.

San Mateo, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,900 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $1,363
Best Trucking Route: Take US-101 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 40°F.

Bakersfield, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,600 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $1,222
Best Trucking Route: Take CA-58 East to I-40 East through Albuquerque and Amarillo, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 37°F.

Lake Forest, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,550 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $1,199
Best Trucking Route: Take I-5 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 67°F, lows around 44°F.

Lodi, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,900 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $1,363
Best Trucking Route: Take I-5 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows around 39°F.

Redwood City, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,900 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $1,363
Best Trucking Route: Take US-101 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 40°F.

Rialto, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,550 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,199
Best Trucking Route: Take I-15 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows around 44°F.

San Marcos, CA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 2,500 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $1,175
Best Trucking Route: Take I-8 East to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows around 44°F.

Your vehicle is likely to be on a car shipping carrier for a minimum of six days, and probably seven to nine days.

Auto Shipping Rates To Orlando, FL From Texas Cities in mid December 2024

Eastern Texas, in what is called the Lone Star State, is heavily populated and bristling with large metropolitan areas, and many mid-size and smaller towns too. It is not difficult for vehicle shipping services to put together full carrier loads to Orlando, FL.

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Dallas, TX to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,130 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $678
Best Trucking Route: Take I-20 East through Jackson, merge onto I-10 East in Mobile, and continue via I-75 South through Tampa directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 58°F, lows around 39°F.

San Antonio, TX to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,130 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $678
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Houston and Baton Rouge, merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows around 45°F.

Corpus Christi, TX to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,200 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $720
Best Trucking Route: Take I-37 North to I-10 East through Houston, merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 69°F, lows around 51°F.

Mesquite, TX to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,130 miles
Car Transport Price: $678
Best Trucking Route: Take I-20 East through Jackson, merge onto I-10 East in Mobile, and continue via I-75 South through Tampa directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 58°F, lows around 39°F.

Midland, TX to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,400 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $840
Best Trucking Route: Take I-20 East through Dallas, merge onto I-10 East in Mobile, and continue via I-75 South through Tampa directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 37°F.

Allen, TX to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,150 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $690
Best Trucking Route: Take I-20 East through Jackson, merge onto I-10 East in Mobile, and continue via I-75 South through Tampa directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 58°F, lows around 39°F.

Temple, TX to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,140 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $684
Best Trucking Route: Take I-35 South to I-10 East in San Antonio, merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 63°F, lows around 41°F.

Euless, TX to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,130 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $678
Best Trucking Route: Take I-20 East through Jackson, merge onto I-10 East in Mobile, and continue via I-75 South through Tampa directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 58°F, lows around 39°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle shipping carrier for a minimum of three days, and probably four or five days to Orlando, FL.

Vehicle Transport Quotes To Orlando, FL From Southern Cities in mid December 2024

Most of the Southern states are relatively close to Orlando, FL which makes it far easier for an auto transport service.

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, FL with average mid December temperatures in each starting city: 

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan.

Atlanta, GA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 440 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $431
Best Trucking Route: Take I-75 South through Macon and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows around 39°F.

Athens, GA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 420 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $412
Best Trucking Route: Take US-441 South through Macon, merge onto I-75 South, and continue through Jacksonville directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 55°F, lows around 37°F.

Nashville, TN to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 680 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $666
Best Trucking Route: Take I-24 East to Chattanooga, merge onto I-75 South through Atlanta and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 49°F, lows around 33°F.

Franklin, TN to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 690 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $676
Best Trucking Route: Take I-24 East to Chattanooga, merge onto I-75 South through Atlanta and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows around 34°F.

Birmingham, AL to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 530 miles
Car Transport Price: $519
Best Trucking Route: Take I-65 South to Montgomery, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 37°F.

New Orleans, LA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 640 miles
Vehicle Shipping Cost: $627
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Tallahassee, merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows around 47°F.

Louisville, KY to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 720 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $706
Best Trucking Route: Take I-65 South through Nashville, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 46°F, lows around 31°F.

Fayetteville, AR to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 960 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $941
Best Trucking Route: Take I-40 East to Memphis, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows around 31°F.

Oxford, MS to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 750 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $735
Best Trucking Route: Take US-78 East to Birmingham, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 54°F, lows around 36°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.

Car Shipping Rates To Orlando, FL From Upper Midwest Cities in mid December 2024

In the Upper Midwest states, there are fortunately some big cities to make it easier for car shipping services. It shouldn’t take too long to amalgamate full loads to Orlando, FL.

Here are the mid December 2024 market auto transport costs and best trucking routes from each starting city to Orlando, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Costs are based on a regular-size sedan.

St. Paul, MN to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,570 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $911
Best Trucking Route: Take I-35 South through Des Moines, merge onto I-70 East in Kansas City, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 27°F, lows around 14°F.

Plymouth, MN to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,560 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $905
Best Trucking Route: Take I-35 South through Des Moines, merge onto I-70 East in Kansas City, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 27°F, lows around 14°F.

Des Moines, IA to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,260 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $731
Best Trucking Route: Take I-80 East through Indianapolis, merge onto I-75 South in Cincinnati, continuing through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 36°F, lows around 20°F.

St. Louis, MO to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,000 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $580
Best Trucking Route: Take I-64 East to merge onto I-75 South in Cincinnati, continuing through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 44°F, lows around 28°F.

Independence, MO to Orlando, FL
Driving Distance: 1,200 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $696
Best Trucking Route: Take I-70 East through St. Louis, merge onto I-75 South in Cincinnati, and continue through Atlanta directly to Orlando.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 42°F, lows around 27°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Orlando, FL for a minimum of four days, and more likely five or six days.

Bottom Line: Snowbird Auto Transport Costs To Orlando, FL

Snowbird car transport services to Orlando, FL will usually see escalating costs at the end of the year and beginning of January. However, in mid December 2024, we are tracking a softer market than normal. Car shipping costs are flat when they should be rising.

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

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

    Read more

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Melbourne Beach, Florida, USA Historic Melbourne Beach Pier located on the Indian River vehicle transport prices

Vehicle Transport Prices To Melbourne, FL in Mid December

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Shipping Prices, Auto Transport Logistics, Auto Transport Quote Calculator, Automobile Transport Service, Car Shipping Cost Calculator, Car Shipping Routes, Car Shipping Service, Car Transport Cost per Mile, Car Transport Service, Seasonal Fluctuations, Snowbird Auto Transport, Snowbird Car Shipping Costs Calculator, Vehicle Shipping Cost, Vehicle Transport Service.

Vehicle Transport Prices To Melbourne, FL in Mid December 2024

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Melbourne Beach, Florida, USA Historic Melbourne Beach Pier located on the Indian River vehicle transport prices

Vehicle Transport Prices To Melbourne, FL in Mid December 2024

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

We are tracking vehicle transport prices to Melbourne, FL from numerous cities throughout the country during the Snowbird Season in mid December 2024. 

Snowbirds are people who migrate to Florida from the colder northern states during the winter months. It is usually cheaper to ship a car to Florida, rather than rent one. This blog article and the others related to it are a good way to gauge the car shipping costs from your area. 

An auto transport snowbird service to Melbourne, FL will likely ship your car promptly and securely for the right carrier fee. During the busy snowbird season, any given week will likely see tens of thousands of vehicle shipment orders to Florida from around the country, mostly in the East and Midwest. Over 22 million people reside in Florida according to the 2020 census, which means 1 in 15 Americans are Floridians.

Melbourne in particular, is a popular destination for car transport companies in the winter. So are the surrounding communities such as Cocoa Beach, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, and more.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Vehicle Transport Prices gradually rise higher and higher during Snowbird Season to Melbourne, FL starting in November through January
  • The southern and western states do not participate nearly as much in the winter season auto transport migration to Melbourne, Florida
  • The New England, Eastern Seaboard, and Midwest states make up the overwhelming majority of snowbird car transport service to Melbourne, FL
  • The highest paying car transport orders during the busy snowbird season to Melbourne, FL always ship first
  • The car shipping quotes calculator greatly reduces the price on the reverse direction backhauls from Melbourne, FL during the winter

In This Blog Article:

Vehicle Transport Prices Calculator To Melbourne, FL During Snowbird Season in mid December 2024

Direct Express Auto Transport, with over 20 years of experience in calculating vehicle transport prices to Melbourne, FL, provides the following mid December 2024 market pricing guide to help you make the best decision on when to ship your car.

We are noticing from the pricing this time of year in mid December 2024, that there is tremendous downward pressure on car shipping costs to Melbourne, FL. 

The same phenomenon is happening elsewhere. We haven’t seen this kind of low pricing leading up to the holidays for several years. It is unusual for mid December and we will be watching for how long it lasts. Normally, auto transport costs steadily rise leading up to the holidays and then spike up significantly around New Year. 

Here in mid December, car transport costs to Melbourne, FL have remained flat since Thanksgiving. We are not sure why this is happening and can only hope that it does not portend a weakening economy. We will keep you posted. 

Scroll down to see vehicle transport prices in your region to Melbourne, FL during the mid December 2024 snowbird season. We include the average temperatures in mid December 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 Melbourne, FL From New England Cities in mid December 2024

The New England states are very busy during Snowbird Season car shipping to Melbourne, FL. As everyone knows, it can get very cold with heavy snow in the winter. 

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Brockton, MA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,310 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $878
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., continuing along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 43°F, lows around 27°F.

Portland, ME to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,390 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $931
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., continuing along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 36°F, lows around 17°F.

Manchester, NH to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,330 miles
Car Transport Price: $892
Best Trucking Route: Take I-93 South to I-95 South through Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., continuing along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 37°F, lows around 18°F.

Hartford, CT to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,200 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $804
Best Trucking Route: Take I-91 South to merge onto I-95 South through New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, continuing along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 41°F, lows around 25°F.

Montpelier, VT to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,440 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $965
Best Trucking Route: Take I-89 South to I-93 South, merge onto I-95 South through Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C., continuing along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 32°F, lows around 16°F.

Providence, RI to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,260 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $844
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., continuing along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 43°F, lows around 25°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of three days, and more likely four or five days.

Auto Transport Quotes To Melbourne, FL From  Eastern Seaboard Cities in mid December 2024

The Eastern Seaboard states are heavily populated and a hotbed for car shipping services to Melbourne, FL. It can get very cold with heavy snow in the winter. Snowbirds head to Melbourne, FL for the winter and need to ship a car.

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city: 

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

New York City, NY to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,150 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $840
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Jacksonville, continuing along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 44°F, lows around 33°F.

New Rochelle, NY to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,140 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $832
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Jacksonville, continuing along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 44°F, lows around 33°F.

Upper Darby, PA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,070 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $781
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Richmond, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 44°F, lows around 31°F.

Lakewood, NJ to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,080 miles
Car Transport Price: $788
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Jacksonville, continuing along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows around 32°F.

Buffalo, NY to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,230 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $898
Best Trucking Route: Take I-90 East to I-87 South through Albany, merge onto I-95 South in New York City, and continue along the East Coast directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 36°F, lows around 25°F.

Columbia, MD to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 910 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $664
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Richmond, Savannah, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows around 33°F.

Alexandria, VA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 860 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $628
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Richmond, Savannah, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 48°F, lows around 34°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of two days, and more likely three or four days.

Car Transport Rates To Melbourne, FL From Carolina Cities in mid December 2024

The Carolina states have less of a reason for car transport services to Melbourne, FL. As everyone knows, the climate is much milder in the Carolinas. So there is less activity. 

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Newport News, VA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 690 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $676
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Richmond, Savannah, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows around 34°F.

Charlotte, NC to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 600 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $588
Best Trucking Route: Take I-77 South to Columbia, merge onto I-95 South through Savannah and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows around 35°F.

Durham, NC to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 675 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $662
Best Trucking Route: Take I-85 South to merge onto I-95 South in Fayetteville, continuing through Savannah and Jacksonville directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 52°F, lows around 32°F.

Summerville, SC to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 400 miles
Car Transport Price: $392
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Savannah and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 60°F, lows around 40°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of two days, and more likely three or four days.

Vehicle Shipping Quotes To Melbourne, FL From Midwest Cities in mid December 2024

The Midwest states buckle down every winter for some harsh weather. Snowstorms can be brutal. Lots of snowbirds high-tail it to Melbourne, FL. 

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Kenosha, WI to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,260 miles
Car Transport Price: $832
Best Trucking Route: Take I-94 East to merge onto I-65 South in Indianapolis, then merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 35°F, lows around 25°F.

Naperville, IL to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,250 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $825
Best Trucking Route: Take I-55 South through St. Louis, merge onto I-65 South in Nashville, then I-75 South in Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 37°F, lows around 22°F.

Madison Heights, MI to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,200 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $792
Best Trucking Route: Take I-75 South through Toledo, Cincinnati, and Atlanta, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 38°F, lows around 26°F.

Toledo, OH to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,050 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $693
Best Trucking Route: Take I-75 South through Cincinnati and Atlanta, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 39°F, lows around 26°F.

Evansville, IN to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 950 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $627
Best Trucking Route: Take I-69 South to merge onto I-75 South in Chattanooga, continuing through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 43°F, lows around 29°F.

Dayton, OH to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 950 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $627
Best Trucking Route: Take I-75 South through Cincinnati and Atlanta, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 42°F, lows around 27°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of three days, and more likely four or five days.

Auto Shipping Rates To Melbourne, FL From Central Plains Cities in mid December 2024

The Central Plains are on the outer edge of the Midwest, and with a much lower population, auto transport services sometimes take a little longer to amalgamate full loads to Melbourne, FL.

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Grand Island, NE to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,450 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $972
Best Trucking Route: Take I-80 East to Kansas City, merge onto I-70 East, then I-75 South through Atlanta, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 38°F, lows around 18°F.

Olathe, KS to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,290 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $864
Best Trucking Route: Take I-70 East through St. Louis, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 42°F, lows around 24°F.

Broken Arrow, OK to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,250 miles
Vehicle Shipping Price: $838
Best Trucking Route: Take I-44 East through St. Louis, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 48°F, lows around 30°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of four days, and more likely five or six days.

Vehicle Transport Quotes To Melbourne, FL From Big Sky & Dakota Cities in mid December 2024

The Big Sky state, Montana, and the Dakotas, are so spread out that it sometimes takes car transport services a while to put together full loads to Melbourne, FL. 

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Missoula, MT to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,600 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $2,002
Best Trucking Route: Take I-90 East through Billings, merge onto I-29 South in Sioux Falls, then I-80 East to Chicago, continuing via I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 32°F, lows around 17°F.

Billings, MT to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,400 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $1,848
Best Trucking Route: Take I-90 East through Rapid City, merge onto I-29 South in Sioux Falls, then I-80 East to Chicago, continuing via I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 34°F, lows around 19°F.

Fargo, ND to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,900 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,463
Best Trucking Route: Take I-94 East to Minneapolis, merge onto I-39 South to Chicago, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 25°F, lows around 9°F.

Rapid City, SD to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,100 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $1,617
Best Trucking Route: Take I-90 East through Sioux Falls, merge onto I-29 South, then I-80 East to Chicago, continuing via I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 38°F, lows around 18°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of six days, and more likely seven or eight days.

Car Shipping Quotes To Melbourne, FL From Pacific NW Cities in mid December 2024

Fortunately, the Pacific Northwest has three major cities, Seattle, Portland, and Boise, that make it somewhat easier to amalgamate a full load to Melbourne, FL. Even still, it may take time for a car shipping service to do that.

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Bellevue, WA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 3,150 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $1,890
Best Trucking Route: Take I-90 East through Spokane, merge onto I-29 South in Sioux Falls, then I-80 East to Chicago, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows around 37°F.

Eugene, OR to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 3,000 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $1,800
Best Trucking Route: Take I-5 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows around 36°F.

Caldwell, ID to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,900 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,740
Best Trucking Route: Take I-84 East through Salt Lake City, merge onto I-80 East to Chicago, and I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 38°F, lows around 23°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of seven days, and more likely eight to ten days.

Auto Transport Rates To Melbourne, FL From Rocky Mountain Cities in mid December 2024

The Rocky Mountain states are difficult for auto transport services to Melbourne, FL because of the rugged terrain and huge land area. Vehicle shipping from Denver, Colorado is the safest bet to secure a carrier for the long haul to Melbourne.

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Fort Collins, CO to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,900 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $969
Best Trucking Route: Take I-25 South to Denver, merge onto I-70 East through Kansas City, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 44°F, lows around 18°F.

Commerce City, CO to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,870 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $953
Best Trucking Route: Take I-70 East through Kansas City, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows around 20°F.

Layton, UT to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,300 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,173
Best Trucking Route: Take I-80 East through Denver, merge onto I-70 East in Kansas City, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 37°F, lows around 23°F.

Cheyenne, WY to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,950 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $995
Best Trucking Route: Take I-25 South to Denver, merge onto I-70 East through Kansas City, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 38°F, lows around 16°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of four days, and more likely five or six days.

Car Transport Quotes To Melbourne, FL From Southwest Cities in mid December 2024

The Southwest states make it easier for car transport services to move cars to Melbourne, FL because the weather is less of an issue in the Southwest region.

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Chandler, AZ to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,200 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $1,122
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 67°F, lows around 41°F.

Queen Creek, AZ to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,200 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,122
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 67°F, lows around 41°F.

North Las Vegas, NV to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,500 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $1,275
Best Trucking Route: Take I-15 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 39°F.

Albuquerque, NM to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,000 miles
Car Transport Price: $1,020
Best Trucking Route: Take I-40 East through Amarillo, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 48°F, lows around 27°F.

Your car is likely to be on a car transport carrier for a minimum of five days, and probably six or seven days.

Vehicle Shipping Rates To Melbourne, FL From California Cities in mid December 2024

One out of every eight Americans is Californian. With nearly 39 million people, located primarily along the coastal cities from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay Area, it is no surprise that there are numerous car shipping services every week from California to Melbourne, FL. Especially in the Los Angeles Basin.

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Los Angeles, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,550 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $1,199
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 67°F, lows around 46°F.

Upland, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,530 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $1,189
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 66°F, lows around 45°F.

Vacaville, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,900 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,363
Best Trucking Route: Take I-80 East through Salt Lake City, merge onto I-70 East in Denver, and then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 41°F.

Tracy, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,850 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $1,340
Best Trucking Route: Take I-5 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 40°F.

Tustin, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,540 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $1,194
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 67°F, lows around 44°F.

Salinas, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,900 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $1,363
Best Trucking Route: Take US-101 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 40°F.

San Bernardino, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,550 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $1,199
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 66°F, lows around 44°F.

Oakland, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,950 miles
Car Transport Price: $1,387
Best Trucking Route: Take I-80 East through Salt Lake City, merge onto I-70 East in Denver, and then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 58°F, lows around 42°F.

Oceanside, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,550 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,199
Best Trucking Route: Take I-15 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 64°F, lows around 44°F.

Gilroy, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,950 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $1,387
Best Trucking Route: Take US-101 South to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 39°F.

Elk Grove, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,900 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $1,363
Best Trucking Route: Take I-80 East through Salt Lake City, merge onto I-70 East in Denver, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows around 38°F.

Encinitas, CA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 2,550 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $1,199
Best Trucking Route: Take I-8 East to I-10 East through Tucson and El Paso, merge onto I-20 East in Dallas, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows around 50°F.

Your vehicle is likely to be on a car shipping carrier for a minimum of six days, and probably seven to nine days.

Auto Shipping Quotes To Melbourne, FL From Texas Cities in mid December 2024

Eastern Texas, in what is called the Lone Star State, is heavily populated and bristling with large metropolitan areas, and many mid-size and smaller towns too. It is not difficult for vehicle shipping services to put together full carrier loads to Melbourne, FL.

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Houston, TX to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 960 miles
Car Transport Price: $576
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Baton Rouge and Tallahassee, then merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 64°F, lows around 46°F.

Arlington, TX to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,150 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $690
Best Trucking Route: Take I-20 East through Jackson, merge onto I-10 East in Mobile, then merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 58°F, lows around 39°F.

Pasadena, TX to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 970 miles
Auto Shipping Quote: $582
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Baton Rouge and Tallahassee, then merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 64°F, lows around 47°F.

Denton, TX to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,160 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $696
Best Trucking Route: Take I-20 East through Jackson, merge onto I-10 East in Mobile, then merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 58°F, lows around 38°F.

Pearland, TX to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 960 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $576
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Baton Rouge and Tallahassee, then merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 64°F, lows around 47°F.

Missouri City, TX to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 970 miles
Auto Shipping Cost: $582
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Baton Rouge and Tallahassee, then merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 64°F, lows around 46°F.

Port Arthur, TX to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 940 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $564
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Baton Rouge and Tallahassee, then merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 63°F, lows around 46°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle shipping carrier for a minimum of three days, and probably four or five days to Melbourne, FL.

Vehicle Transport Rates To Melbourne, FL From Southern Cities in mid December 2024

Most of the Southern states are relatively close to Melbourne, FL which makes it far easier for an auto transport service.

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, FL with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Atlanta, GA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 500 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $490
Best Trucking Route: Take I-75 South through Macon and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows around 39°F.

Savannah, GA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 300 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $294
Best Trucking Route: Take I-95 South through Jacksonville, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 62°F, lows around 44°F.

Memphis, TN to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 820 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $804
Best Trucking Route: Take I-22 East to Birmingham, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 52°F, lows around 35°F.

Clarksville, TN to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 750 miles
Auto Shipping Quote: $735
Best Trucking Route: Take I-24 East to Chattanooga, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 49°F, lows around 32°F.

Birmingham, AL to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 600 miles
Car Transport Price: $588
Best Trucking Route: Take I-65 South to Montgomery, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 37°F.

Metairie, LA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 700 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $686
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Tallahassee, merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, and continue directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows around 47°F.

Lexington, KY to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 750 miles
Auto Transport Cost: $735
Best Trucking Route: Take I-75 South through Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Jacksonville, continuing directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 46°F, lows around 31°F.

Little Rock, AR to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 950 miles
Car Shipping Quote: $931
Best Trucking Route: Take I-40 East to Birmingham, merge onto I-75 South in Atlanta, and continue directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 52°F, lows around 33°F.

Jackson, MS to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 850 miles
Vehicle Transport Cost: $833
Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 East through Mobile and Tallahassee, merge onto I-75 South in Tampa, and continue directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 57°F, lows around 38°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of two days, and more likely three or four days.

Car Shipping Quotes To Melbourne, FL From Upper Midwest Cities in mid December 2024

In the Upper Midwest states, there are fortunately some big cities to make it easier for car shipping services. It shouldn’t take too long to amalgamate full loads to Melbourne, FL.

Here are the mid December 2024 market vehicle transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Melbourne, Florida, with average mid December temperatures in each starting city:  

Vehicle Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Minneapolis, MN to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,650 miles
Car Shipping Cost: $957
Best Trucking Route: Take I-35 South through Des Moines, merge onto I-70 East in Kansas City, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 27°F, lows around 14°F.

Lakeville, MN to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,645 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $954
Best Trucking Route: Take I-35 South through Des Moines, merge onto I-70 East in Kansas City, then I-75 South through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 27°F, lows around 14°F.

Iowa City, IA to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,300 miles
Auto Transport Quote: $754
Best Trucking Route: Take I-80 East through Indianapolis, merge onto I-75 South in Cincinnati, continuing through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 36°F, lows around 22°F.

Chesterfield, MO to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,100 miles
Car Transport Price: $638
Best Trucking Route: Take I-64 East to merge onto I-75 South in Cincinnati, continuing through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 44°F, lows around 28°F.

Kansas City, MO to Melbourne, FL
Driving Distance: 1,250 miles
Vehicle Shipping Rate: $725
Best Trucking Route: Take I-70 East through Indianapolis, merge onto I-75 South in Cincinnati, continuing through Atlanta directly to Melbourne.
Average Mid-December Temperature: Highs around 42°F, lows around 27°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Melbourne, FL for a minimum of four days, and more likely five or six days.

Bottom Line: Snowbird Vehicle Transport Prices To Melbourne, FL

Snowbird car transport services to Melbourne, FL will usually see escalating costs at the end of the year and beginning of January. However, in mid December 2024, we are tracking a softer market than normal. Car shipping costs are flat when they should be rising.

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 Melbourne, FL.

The Original Vehicle Transport Prices Calculator To Melbourne, 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 Melbourne, 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. 

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

    Read more

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dawn photo of Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida auto transport prices

Auto Transport Prices To Fort Lauderdale, FL in Late-November

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Transport Logistics, Auto Transport Quote Calculator, Automobile Transport Service, Car Shipping Advice, Car Shipping Cost Calculator, Car Shipping Service, Car Transport Service, Seasonal Fluctuations, Snowbird Car Shipping Costs Calculator, Vehicle Transport Service.

Auto Transport Prices To Fort Lauderdale, FL in Late-November 2024

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dawn photo of Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida auto transport prices

Auto Transport Prices To Fort Lauderdale, FL in Late-November 2024

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

We are tracking auto transport prices to Fort Lauderdale, FL from numerous cities throughout the country during the Snowbird Season in late-Nov 2024. 

Snowbirds are people who migrate to Florida from the colder northern states during the winter months. It is usually cheaper to ship a car to Florida, rather than rent one. This blog article and the others related to it are a good way to gauge the car shipping costs from your area. 

An auto transport snowbird service to Fort Lauderdale, FL will likely ship your car promptly and securely for the right carrier fee. During the busy snowbird season, any given week will likely see tens of thousands of vehicle shipment orders to Florida from around the country, mostly in the East and Midwest. Over 22 million people reside in Florida according to the 2020 census, which means 1 in 15 Americans are Floridians.

Fort Lauderdale in particular, is a popular destination for car transport companies in the winter. So are the surrounding communities such as Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Plantation, Davie, Sunrise, Coral Springs, Dania Beach, and more. 

Key Takeaways: 

  • Auto Transport Prices gradually rise higher and higher during Snowbird Season to Fort Lauderdale, FL starting in November through January
  • The southern and western states do not participate nearly as much in the winter season auto transport migration to Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • The New England, Eastern Seaboard, and Midwest states make up the overwhelming majority of snowbird car transport service to Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • The highest paying car transport orders during the busy snowbird season to Fort Lauderdale, FL always ship first
  • The car shipping quotes calculator greatly reduces the price on the reverse direction backhauls from Fort Lauderdale, FL during the winter

In This Blog Article:

Auto Transport Prices Calculator To Fort Lauderdale, FL During Snowbird Season in late-November 2024

Direct Express Auto Transport, with over 20 years of experience in calculating auto transport prices to Fort Lauderdale, FL, provides the following late-November 2024 market pricing guide to help you make the best decision on when to ship your car.

Scroll down to see auto transport prices in your region to Fort Lauderdale, FL during the late-November 2024 snowbird season. We include the average temperatures in late-November 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL From New England Cities in late-November 2024

The New England states are very busy during Snowbird Season car shipping to Fort Lauderdale, FL. As everyone knows, it can get very cold with heavy snow in the winter. 

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Boston, MA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,480 miles.
  • Car Shipping Cost: $1,051.
  • Recommended Route: From Boston, take I-90 W to I-84 W in Sturbridge, MA. Continue on I-84 W to I-81 S in Scranton, PA. Follow I-81 S to I-77 S in Wytheville, VA. Proceed on I-77 S to I-26 E in Columbia, SC. Then, take I-95 S directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 52°F, lows near 38°F.

Portland, ME to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,550 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,101.
  • Recommended Route: Start on I-95 S from Portland, merging onto I-495 S in Massachusetts. Continue to I-90 W, then to I-84 W in Sturbridge, MA. Follow I-84 W to I-81 S in Scranton, PA. Proceed on I-81 S to I-77 S in Wytheville, VA. Take I-77 S to I-26 E in Columbia, SC, and then I-95 S to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 46°F, lows near 34°F.

Hartford, CT to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,300 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $923.
  • Recommended Route: From Hartford, take I-91 S to merge onto I-95 S in New Haven, CT. Continue on I-95 S through major cities including New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. Stay on I-95 S all the way to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 48°F, lows near 34°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of three days, and more likely four or five days.

Auto Transport Quotes To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Eastern Seaboard Cities in late-November 2024

The Eastern Seaboard states are heavily populated and a hotbed for car shipping services to Fort Lauderdale, FL. It can get very cold with heavy snow in the winter. Snowbirds head to Fort Lauderdale, FL for the winter and need to ship a car.

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city: 

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

New York City, NY to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,259 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Cost: $869.
  • Recommended Route: From New York City, take I-95 S through major cities including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Richmond. Continue on I-95 S through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 54°F, lows near 42°F.

Medford, NY to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,300 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $897.
  • Recommended Route: From Medford, take I-495 W to I-278 W, then merge onto I-95 S. Follow I-95 S through major cities including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Richmond. Continue on I-95 S through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 52°F, lows near 38°F.

Philadelphia, PA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,200 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $828.
  • Recommended Route: From Philadelphia, take I-95 S through Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Richmond. Continue on I-95 S through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 54°F, lows near 38°F.

Atlantic City, NJ to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,200 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Cost: $828.
  • Recommended Route: From Atlantic City, take the Atlantic City Expressway W to I-95 S. Follow I-95 S through major cities including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Richmond. Continue on I-95 S through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 55°F, lows near 38°F.

Buffalo, NY to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,300 miles.
  • Vehicle Transport Cost: $897.
  • Recommended Route: From Buffalo, take I-90 E to I-390 S, then merge onto I-86 E. Continue on I-86 E to I-81 S through Pennsylvania. Follow I-81 S to I-77 S in Virginia. Take I-77 S to I-26 E in South Carolina, then merge onto I-95 S, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows near 33°F.

Baltimore, MD to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,050 miles.
  • Auto Transport Quote: $725.
  • Recommended Route: From Baltimore, take I-95 S through Washington D.C., Richmond, and continue through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows near 38°F.

Alexandria, VA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,000 miles.
  • Car Shipping Quote: $690.
  • Recommended Route: From Alexandria, take I-95 S through Richmond, and continue through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows near 38°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of two days, and more likely three or four days.

Car Transport Rates To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Carolina Cities in late-November 2024

The Carolina states have less of a reason for car transport services to Fort Lauderdale, FL. As everyone knows, the climate is much milder in the Carolinas. So there is less activity. 

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Norfolk, VA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 939 miles.
  • Car Shipping Cost: $732.
  • Recommended Route: From Norfolk, take I-64 W to I-95 S near Richmond, VA. Continue on I-95 S through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 60°F, lows near 45°F.

Charlotte, NC to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 700 miles.
  • Auto Transport Quote: $546.
  • Recommended Route: From Charlotte, take I-77 S to Columbia, SC, then merge onto I-26 E toward Charleston. From I-26 E, take I-95 S through Georgia and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows near 45°F.

Wilmington, NC to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 650 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $507.
  • Recommended Route: From Wilmington, take I-40 W to I-95 S near Benson, NC. Continue on I-95 S through South Carolina, Georgia, and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 68°F, lows near 43°F.

Columbia, SC to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 600 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $468.
  • Recommended Route: From Columbia, take I-26 E to I-95 S near Charleston, SC. Continue on I-95 S through Georgia and into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 68°F, lows near 40°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of two days, and more likely three or four days.

Vehicle Shipping Quotes To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Midwest Cities in late-November 2024

The Midwest states buckle down every winter for some harsh weather. Snowstorms can be brutal. Lots of snowbirds high-tail it to Fort Lauderdale, FL. 

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Milwaukee, WI to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,443 miles.
  • Auto Transport Cost: $866.
  • Recommended Route: From Milwaukee, take I-94 E to I-65 S in Gary, IN. Continue on I-65 S through Indiana and Kentucky to Nashville, TN. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, TN, then merge onto I-75 S through Georgia into Florida. Finally, take Florida’s Turnpike to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 46°F, lows near 32°F.

Chicago, IL to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,400 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Quote: $840.
  • Recommended Route: From Chicago, take I-65 S through Indiana and Kentucky to Nashville, TN. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, TN, then merge onto I-75 S through Georgia into Florida. Finally, take Florida’s Turnpike to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 48°F, lows near 34°F.

Detroit, MI to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,300 miles.
  • Vehicle Transport Cost: $780.
  • Recommended Route: From Detroit, take I-75 S through Ohio and Kentucky to Knoxville, TN. From Knoxville, continue on I-75 S through Georgia into Florida. Finally, take Florida’s Turnpike to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 47°F, lows near 33°F.

Cleveland, OH to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,200 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $720.
  • Recommended Route: From Cleveland, take I-77 S through Ohio and West Virginia to Columbia, SC. From Columbia, take I-26 E to I-95 S in Charleston, SC, and continue on I-95 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows near 36°F.

Indianapolis, IN to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,150 miles.
  • Car Shipping Cost: $690.
  • Recommended Route: From Indianapolis, take I-65 S through Kentucky to Nashville, TN. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, TN, then merge onto I-75 S through Georgia into Florida. Finally, take Florida’s Turnpike to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows near 34°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of three days, and more likely four or five days.

Auto Shipping Rates To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Central Plains Cities in late-November 2024

The Central Plains are on the outer edge of the Midwest, and with a much lower population, auto transport services sometimes take a little longer to amalgamate full loads to Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Omaha, NE to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,622 miles.
  • Car Shipping Cost: $989.
  • Recommended Route: From Omaha, take I-29 S through Missouri to Kansas City. Continue on I-70 E to St. Louis, then merge onto I-64 E/I-55 S toward Memphis. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows near 30°F.

Kansas City, KS to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,500 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Quote: $915.
  • Recommended Route: From Kansas City, take I-70 E to St. Louis, then merge onto I-64 E/I-55 S toward Memphis. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 55°F, lows near 35°F.

Oklahoma City, OK to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,400 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $854.
  • Recommended Route: From Oklahoma City, take I-40 E through Arkansas to Memphis, TN. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 60°F, lows near 40°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of four days, and more likely five or six days.

Vehicle Transport Quotes To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Big Sky & Dakota Cities in late-November 2024

The Big Sky state, Montana, and Dakotas, are so spread out that it sometimes takes car transport services a while to put together full loads to Fort Lauderdale, FL. 

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Missoula, MT to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,800 miles.
  • Auto Transport Cost: $1,988.
  • Recommended Route: From Missoula, take I-90 E through Montana and South Dakota to Sioux Falls. Merge onto I-29 S through Iowa to Kansas City, MO. From Kansas City, take I-70 E to St. Louis, then merge onto I-64 E/I-55 S toward Memphis. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 40°F, lows near 25°F.

Billings, MT to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,600 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Quote: $1,846.
  • Recommended Route: From Billings, take I-90 E through South Dakota to Sioux Falls. Merge onto I-29 S through Iowa to Kansas City, MO. From Kansas City, take I-70 E to St. Louis, then merge onto I-64 E/I-55 S toward Memphis. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows near 28°F.

Fargo, ND to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,100 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,491.
  • Recommended Route: From Fargo, take I-94 E through Minnesota to Minneapolis. Merge onto I-35 S through Iowa to Kansas City, MO. From Kansas City, take I-70 E to St. Louis, then merge onto I-64 E/I-55 S toward Memphis. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 35°F, lows near 20°F.

Rapid City, SD to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,100 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $1,491.
  • Recommended Route: From Rapid City, take I-90 E through South Dakota to Sioux Falls. Merge onto I-29 S through Iowa to Kansas City, MO. From Kansas City, take I-70 E to St. Louis, then merge onto I-64 E/I-55 S toward Memphis. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows near 25°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of six days, and more likely seven or eight days.

Car Shipping Quotes To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Pacific NW Cities in late-November 2024

Fortunately, the Pacific Northwest has three major cities, Seattle, Portland, and Boise, that make it somewhat easier to amalgamate a full load to Fort Lauderdale, FL. Even still, it may take time for a car shipping service to do that.

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Seattle, WA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 3,276 miles.
  • Car Shipping Cost: $1,540.
  • Recommended Route: From Seattle, take I-90 E through Washington, Idaho, and Montana to Billings. Merge onto I-94 E through North Dakota to Fargo. Continue on I-94 E to Minneapolis, then take I-35 S through Iowa to Kansas City, MO. From Kansas City, take I-70 E to St. Louis, then merge onto I-64 E/I-55 S toward Memphis. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows near 40°F.

Portland, OR to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 3,200 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Quote: $1,504.
  • Recommended Route: From Portland, take I-84 E through Oregon and Idaho to Salt Lake City, UT. Merge onto I-80 E through Wyoming to Cheyenne. Continue on I-80 E through Nebraska to Lincoln, then take I-29 S through Missouri to Kansas City. From Kansas City, take I-70 E to St. Louis, then merge onto I-64 E/I-55 S toward Memphis. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows near 40°F.

Boise, ID to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,900 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,363.
  • Recommended Route: From Boise, take I-84 E through Idaho and Utah to Salt Lake City. Merge onto I-80 E through Wyoming to Cheyenne. Continue on I-80 E through Nebraska to Lincoln, then take I-29 S through Missouri to Kansas City. From Kansas City, take I-70 E to St. Louis, then merge onto I-64 E/I-55 S toward Memphis. From Memphis, take I-55 S to Jackson, MS, then merge onto I-20 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, then merge onto I-85 S toward Atlanta. From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows near 30°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of seven days, and more likely eight to ten days.

Auto Transport Rates To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Rocky Mountain Cities in late-November 2024

The Rocky Mountain states are difficult for auto transport services to Fort Lauderdale, FL because of the rugged terrain and huge land area. Vehicle shipping from Denver, Colorado is the safest bet to secure a carrier for the long haul to Fort Lauderdale.

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Denver, CO to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,065 miles.
  • Auto Transport Cost: $991.
  • Recommended Route: From Denver, take I-70 E through Kansas to Kansas City, MO. Merge onto I-70 E/I-64 E to St. Louis, then take I-64 E/I-57 S toward Nashville, TN. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, then merge onto I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 52°F, lows near 26°F.

Colorado Springs, CO to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,020 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Quote: $970.
  • Recommended Route: From Colorado Springs, take I-25 S to Raton, NM, then merge onto US-87 S to Amarillo, TX. From Amarillo, take US-287 S to Dallas, then merge onto I-20 E to Jackson, MS. From Jackson, take I-55 S to Hammond, LA, then merge onto I-12 E to I-10 E through Mobile, AL, and Tallahassee, FL. From Tallahassee, take I-75 S through Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows near 25°F.

Salt Lake City, UT to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,380 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,142.
  • Recommended Route: From Salt Lake City, take I-80 E through Wyoming to Cheyenne. Merge onto I-76 E to Denver, then take I-70 E through Kansas to Kansas City, MO. From Kansas City, take I-70 E/I-64 E to St. Louis, then take I-64 E/I-57 S toward Nashville, TN. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, then merge onto I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 50°F, lows near 30°F.

Cheyenne, WY to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,100 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $1,008.
  • Recommended Route: From Cheyenne, take I-80 E through Nebraska to Lincoln. Merge onto I-29 S through Missouri to Kansas City. From Kansas City, take I-70 E/I-64 E to St. Louis, then take I-64 E/I-57 S toward Nashville, TN. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, then merge onto I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows near 25°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of four days, and more likely five or six days.

Car Transport Quotes To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Southwest Cities in late-November 2024

The Southwest states make it easier for car transport services to move cars to Fort Lauderdale, FL because the weather is less of an issue in the Southwest region.

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Phoenix, AZ to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,337 miles.
  • Car Shipping Cost: $1,332.
  • Recommended Route: From Phoenix, take I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas to San Antonio. Merge onto I-10 E/I-12 E through Louisiana to Baton Rouge. Continue on I-10 E through Mississippi and Alabama to Jacksonville, FL. From Jacksonville, take I-95 S directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 70°F, lows near 49°F.

Tucson, AZ to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,300 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Quote: $1,311.
  • Recommended Route: From Tucson, take I-10 E through New Mexico and Texas to San Antonio. Merge onto I-10 E/I-12 E through Louisiana to Baton Rouge. Continue on I-10 E through Mississippi and Alabama to Jacksonville, FL. From Jacksonville, take I-95 S directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 70°F, lows near 45°F.

Las Vegas, NV to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,500 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,425.
  • Recommended Route: From Las Vegas, take I-15 S through Nevada and California to Barstow. Merge onto I-40 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee to Nashville. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, then merge onto I-75 S through Georgia into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows near 45°F.

Albuquerque, NM to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,000 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $1,140.
  • Recommended Route: From Albuquerque, take I-40 E through Texas to Oklahoma City. Merge onto I-35 S to Dallas, then take I-20 E through Louisiana to Jackson, MS. From Jackson, take I-55 S to Hammond, LA, then merge onto I-12 E to I-10 E through Mobile, AL, and Tallahassee, FL. From Tallahassee, take I-75 S through Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 55°F, lows near 30°F.

Your car is likely to be on a car transport carrier for a minimum of five days, and probably six or seven days.

Vehicle Shipping Rates To Fort Lauderdale, FL From California Cities in late-November 2024

One out of every eight Americans is Californian. With nearly 39 million people, located primarily along the coastal cities from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay Area, it is no surprise that there are numerous car shipping services every week from California to Fort Lauderdale, FL. Especially in the Los Angeles Basin.

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Los Angeles, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,707 miles.
  • Car Shipping Cost: $1,191.
  • Best Trucking Route: Take I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 73°F, lows near 53°F.

La Jolla, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,720 miles.
  • Auto Transport Quote: $1,197.
  • Best Trucking Route: Start on I-5 S to merge onto I-8 E through Arizona, then join I-10 E. Continue through New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 70°F, lows near 50°F.

Anaheim, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,710 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $1,192.
  • Best Trucking Route: Use CA-57 S to merge onto I-10 E, traveling through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 72°F, lows near 52°F.

Riverside, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,700 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $1,188.
  • Best Trucking Route: Take I-215 S to merge onto I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 70°F, lows near 50°F.

Palm Desert, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,680 miles.
  • Vehicle Transport Cost: $1,179.
  • Best Trucking Route: Travel on I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 75°F, lows near 45°F.

Santa Barbara, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,750 miles.
  • Auto Transport Cost: $1,210.
  • Best Trucking Route: Take US-101 S to merge onto I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 68°F, lows near 48°F.

San Jose, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,900 miles.
  • Automobile Shipping Quote: $1,276.
  • Best Trucking Route: Use US-101 S to merge onto I-5 S. Continue on I-5 S to merge onto I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows near 45°F.

Oakland, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,900 miles.
  • Car Shipping Quote: $1,276.
  • Best Trucking Route: Start on I-580 E to merge onto I-5 S. Continue onto I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 64°F, lows near 48°F.

San Francisco, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,900 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Cost: $1,276.
  • Best Trucking Route: Use I-80 E to merge onto I-580 E, then merge onto I-5 S. Continue on I-5 S to merge onto I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 63°F, lows near 50°F.

Sacramento, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 2,900 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Cost: $1,276.
  • Best Trucking Route: Take US-50 E to merge onto I-80 E, then onto I-580 E, continuing onto I-5 S. Follow I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 60°F, lows near 42°F.

Redding, CA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 3,100 miles.
  • Car Transport Rate: $1,364.
  • Best Trucking Route: Use I-5 S through California, then merge onto I-10 E through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 55°F, lows near 38°F.

Your vehicle is likely to be on a car shipping carrier for a minimum of six days, and probably seven to nine days.

Auto Shipping Quotes To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Texas Cities in late-November 2024

Eastern Texas, in what is called the Lone Star State, is heavily populated and bristling with large metropolitan areas, and many mid-size and smaller towns too. It is not difficult for vehicle shipping services to put together full carrier loads to Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan. 

Fort Worth, TX to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,300 miles.
  • Auto Transport Quote: $650.
  • Recommended Route: From Fort Worth, take I-20 E through Louisiana to Jackson, MS. Merge onto I-55 S to Hammond, LA, then take I-12 E to I-10 E through Mobile, AL, and Tallahassee, FL. From Tallahassee, take I-75 S through Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 67°F, lows near 46°F.

Houston, TX to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,180 miles.
  • Car Shipping Cost: $590.
  • Recommended Route: From Houston, take I-10 E through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to Jacksonville, FL. From Jacksonville, take I-95 S directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 71.8°F, lows near 54.9°F. Climate Data

San Antonio, TX to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,300 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $650.
  • Recommended Route: From San Antonio, take I-10 E through Houston, then continue on I-10 E through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to Jacksonville, FL. From Jacksonville, take I-95 S directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 71°F, lows near 50°F.

Austin, TX to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,300 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Quote: $650.
  • Recommended Route: From Austin, take I-35 S to San Antonio, then merge onto I-10 E through Houston, continuing through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to Jacksonville, FL. From Jacksonville, take I-95 S directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 67°F, lows near 48°F. Weather Spark

El Paso, TX to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,900 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $950.
  • Recommended Route: From El Paso, take I-10 E through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to Jacksonville, FL. From Jacksonville, take I-95 S directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 68°F, lows near 43°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle shipping carrier for a minimum of three days, and probably four or five days to Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Vehicle Transport Rates To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Southern Cities in late-November 2024

Most of the Southern states are relatively close to Fort Lauderdale, FL which makes it far easier for an auto transport service.

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, FL Car Shipping Costorida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Atlanta, GA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 637 miles.
  • Auto Transport Cost: $491.
  • Recommended Route: From Atlanta, take I-75 S through Macon and Valdosta, GA, into Florida. Continue on I-75 S to the Florida Turnpike, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 61°F, lows near 44°F.

Nashville, TN to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 850 miles.
  • Car Shipping Quote: $655.
  • Recommended Route: From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, TN. Merge onto I-75 S through Atlanta, GA, and continue as per the Atlanta route to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows near 35°F.

Birmingham, AL to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 700 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $539.
  • Recommended Route: From Birmingham, take I-65 S to Montgomery, AL. Merge onto US-231 S to Dothan, AL, then take US-231 S into Florida, connecting to I-10 E. From I-10 E, merge onto I-75 S, leading to the Florida Turnpike and into Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 60°F, lows near 35°F.

Metairie, LA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 850 miles.
  • Auto Shipping Cost: $655.
  • Recommended Route: From Metairie, take I-10 E through Mississippi and Alabama into Florida. Continue on I-10 E to I-75 S, leading to the Florida Turnpike and into Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows near 51°F.

Lexington, KY to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 950 miles.
  • Car Transport Price: $732.
  • Recommended Route: From Lexington, take I-75 S through Knoxville, TN, and Atlanta, GA. Continue on I-75 S into Florida, leading to the Florida Turnpike and into Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 43°F, lows near 38°F.

Memphis, TN to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,000 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Cost: $770.
  • Recommended Route: From Memphis, take I-240 E to I-22 E toward Birmingham, AL. From Birmingham, follow the route described above to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 56°F, lows near 42°F.

Little Rock, AR to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,050 miles.
  • Auto Transport Quote: $809.
  • Recommended Route: From Little Rock, take I-530 S to US-65 S toward Tallulah, LA. Merge onto I-20 E through Mississippi to Birmingham, AL, then follow the Birmingham route to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 64°F, lows near 42°F.

Jackson, MS to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 850 miles.
  • Car Shipping Quote: $655.
  • Recommended Route: From Jackson, take I-20 E to Meridian, MS. Merge onto I-59 S through Alabama to I-10 E in Florida. Continue on I-10 E to I-75 S, leading to the Florida Turnpike and into Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 65°F, lows near 40°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of two days, and more likely three or four days.

Car Shipping Quotes To Fort Lauderdale, FL From Upper Midwest Cities in late-November 2024

Because of the sparse population in the Upper Midwest relative to the huge geographic size, it is more difficult for car shipping services. It sometimes takes longer to amalgamate full loads to Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Here are the late-November 2024 market auto transport prices and best trucking routes from each starting city to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with average late-November temperatures in each starting city:  

Auto Transport Prices are based on a regular-size sedan.

Minneapolis, MN to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,770 miles.
  • Car Shipping Cost: $974.
  • Recommended Route: From Minneapolis, take I-35 S to Des Moines, IA. Merge onto I-80 E through Iowa City, IA, to I-74 E in Illinois. Continue on I-74 E to Indianapolis, IN, then take I-65 S through Louisville, KY, to Nashville, TN. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, TN, then merge onto I-75 S through Atlanta, GA, into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 38°F, lows near 21°F.

Iowa City, IA to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,400 miles.
  • Auto Transport Quote: $770.
  • Recommended Route: From Iowa City, take I-80 E to I-74 E in Illinois. Continue on I-74 E to Indianapolis, IN, then take I-65 S through Louisville, KY, to Nashville, TN. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, TN, then merge onto I-75 S through Atlanta, GA, into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 45°F, lows near 29°F.

St. Louis, MO to Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Driving Distance: Approximately 1,200 miles.
  • Vehicle Shipping Rate: $660.
  • Recommended Route: From St. Louis, take I-64 E to I-57 S in Illinois. Continue on I-57 S to I-24 E in Kentucky, leading to Nashville, TN. From Nashville, take I-24 E to Chattanooga, TN, then merge onto I-75 S through Atlanta, GA, into Florida, leading directly to Fort Lauderdale.
  • Average Late November Temperature: Highs around 52°F, lows near 38°F.

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a minimum of four days, and more likely five or six days.

Bottom Line: Snowbird Auto Transport Prices To Fort Lauderdale, FL

Snowbird car transport services to Fort Lauderdale, FL will generally see escalating costs at the end of the year and beginning of January. Tens of thousands of snowbird car shippers are flocking to Florida for the winter. The demand for auto transport carrier space is high, and that raises the cost significantly. 

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. 

An experienced car shipping broker should be able to factor all those things properly for the customer.

As a consumer, it is important to understand the services involved in vehicle shipping from your region of the country to Fort Lauderdale, FL.

The Original Auto Transport Prices Calculator To Fort Lauderdale, 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 Fort Lauderdale, 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. 

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

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Best Months For Auto Transport Quotes To Oakland, CA

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Transport Quote Calculator, Auto Transport Services, Auto Transport Tips, Best Seasons To Ship A Car Advice, Car Shipping Advice, Car Shipping Cost Calculator, Car Shipping Quotes Calculator, Car Shipping Service, Seasonal Fluctuations.

Best Months For Auto Transport Quotes To Oakland, CA

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Photo of OAKLAND, CA Skyline_and_Bridge car shipping quotes

Best Months For Auto Transport Quotes To Oakland, CA

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

Seasonality affects the best months for auto transport quotes to Oakland, CA, plus total cost, and service. When is it best to ship a car to Oakland? Our advice. When to avoid it? Depending on the season, your approach to shipping a vehicle to Oakland should change.

We include in this blog, savvy tips and strategies that will help you have a successful experience. We have learned the best months to ship a car to Oakland, California in all four seasons and share that with you here in this article.

OUR METHODOLOGY:

Direct Express Auto Transport has over twenty years of expertise in car shipping to Oakland, California. Every day, we log the number of single-vehicle Sedans, SUVs, Pickup Trucks, and Vans system-wide (not just our orders) that are available to ship on the most widely used car transport load board. 

To compare apples to apples, in our research, we do not include multiple vehicle orders, which are anywhere from 2 to 10 vehicles on a car transport trailer, because we are better able to assess market volume changes. Direct Express Auto Transport has been doing this kind of market analysis for the better part of twenty years. The data is rich and tells a story of car shipping to Oakland, CA.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Auto transport quotes to Oakland, CA are affected greatly by the seasons.
  • The highest vehicle shipping cost to Oakland is during the Christmas & New Year’s holidays, and the Autumn Season months of October and early November.
  • The cheapest auto transport quotes to Oakland are from May through August. The Summer Months.
  • Conversely, the most expensive car shipping quotes from Oakland are also from May through August. The Summer Months.
  • The late Winter Season and early Spring reach a level of pricing parity and are an ideal time to ship a car to Oakland.

In This Blog Article:

Auto Transport Quotes To Oakland, CA In The Autumn Months

Almost year round more vehicles are being shipped from Oakland than to it. Rarely is it the opposite. That reverses, however, in the Autumn Months when there are significantly more cars being shipped to Oakland, which drives up the auto transport cost. 

It would be a good idea to steer clear of shipping a car to Oakland in the months of October and November if your goal is to save money. 

A Tough Time Of Year For Car Shipping Quotes To Oakland, CA

Other than the New Year’s holiday, the most prolonged and toughest time of year for car shipping quotes to Oakland, California occurs in the Autumn Months. 

In Autumn, more vehicles are shipping to Oakland, and fewer leaving. October and November are the only two months in the year when it is harder and more expensive to ship a car to Oakland.

Car Transport Delays To Oakland During Thanksgiving

Toward the end of November comes Thanksgiving. Many vehicle transport drivers manipulate their route schedules to make it home for Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving falls every year on the fourth Thursday in November, and drivers are usually home by Tuesday or Wednesday before. They don’t get back on the road until usually the Monday after Thanksgiving. That provides a five-day break.

Autumn Season Auto Transport To California Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To CA Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From CA Comments About Autumn Season Car Shipping To California
1st Week of September 1938 1:1.4 The last of the summer exodus from CA
2nd Week of September 1984 1:1.1 Business returns to near calm & parity
3rd Week of September 1605 1:1 September slowness
4th Week of September 1748 1:1.1 And it stays that way though November
1st Week of October 1590 1.4:1 The only time all year there are far …
2nd Week of October 1530 1.4:1 … more cars shipping to Los Angeles
3rd Week of October 1674 1.4:1 October and November are the only …
4th Week of October 1815 1.5:1 … months that happens
1st Week of November 1762 1.3:1 So avoid shipping your car to Los Angeles
2nd Week of November 1592 1.2:1 … in October and early November
3rd Week of November 1256 1:1.1 Auto transport quotes are lower in late …
4th Week of November 1557 1:1.1 … November and early December
End of November / Begin December 1476 1:1 A better time to ship a car to Los Angeles

Auto Transport Quotes To Oakland, CA In The Winter Months

When we talk about the effect of seasonality on the auto transport industry, it is late December and early January that we most allude. It is chaotic, costly, and stressful during the holidays to ship a car to Oakland. 

Once Christmas arrives, the vehicle shipping cost rises incrementally almost daily for four weeks. If a customer booked too early, he will likely have too low a car shipping quote when the time comes to transport. He will have to wait. Or add money to rectify the dilemma. 

When Best To Ship A Car To Oakland In The Winter?

If at all possible, you should avoid the last two weeks of December and the first three weeks of January. It is chaotic for brokers, carriers, and customers alike.

Other than the holiday blip, the Winter Months tends to be relatively tame when it comes to shipping a car to Oakland. The same applies when transporting a vehicle from Oakland in the Winter as well.

Winter Season Auto Transport To California Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To CA Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From CA Comments About Winter Season Car Shipping To California
1st Week of December 1502 1:1 Early December is considered a slow time
2nd Week of December 1652 1:1.2 Still slow
3rd Week of December 1864 1:1 Not much different
4th Week of December 2354 1:1 Christmas time will cause shipping delays
1st Week of January 3094 1:1.1 Orders backlog because of New Years
2nd Week of January 2747 1:1.1 It takes a couple weeks to flush out
3rd Week of January 1928 1:1.1 A slow period starts to emerge
4th Week of January 1709 1:1.2 Post holiday – mid-winter slow
1st Week of February 1607 1:1.2 Pricing remains stable in February
2nd Week of February 1624 1:1.1 Slightly more vehicles leaving CA
3rd Week of February 1463 1:1.2 It has a marginal affect
4th Week of February 1556 1:1.1 The winter slowness continues
End of February / Begin March 1805 1:1.1 And March begins that way

Car Transport Quotes To Oakland, CA In The Spring Months

The early Spring months in March are very manageable for car shipping to or from Oakland. But starting in late April, and throughout all of May, significantly more vehicles are shipping from Oakland than to it. That serves to drive down the auto transport cost to Oakland in the Spring Months. It is a great time to ship a car to Oakland.

Do Not Book A Car Shipment To Oakland Too Early

In the car shipping industry, as far as the carriers are concerned, it does not matter to them when an order is booked. In other words, it is not first come … first served. So nobody has reserved a spot, a space, on a transport trailer simply by booking their order weeks or even months in advance. 

What matters to auto transport carriers are their profits. To that end, they choose orders, which they call loads, that are the highest paying, or logistically make the most sense with an eye always on the bottom line. The carriers seek to maximize their profit, like everybody else.

Do not book a car shipment to Oakland too early. You might be priced too low, in which case, your vehicle will likely be rejected by the carriers and won’t ship. Or if it does ship, it will be the last to do so, and probably far later than you had hoped. 

Conversely, booking too early might also mean you unwittingly committed to a higher-than-necessary price to ship your car in a timely fashion. The high price might have been the market rate at the time of booking, but in the interim, car shipping rates may have come down and you won’t enjoy the savings. 

It is always best to have the current market pricing, which guards against both too low and too high a transport price.

Book Your Vehicle Shipment To Oakland About One Week Before Availability

Direct Express Auto Transport has been in the car shipping business for a long time. Over twenty years. We say a good rule of thumb is to book your vehicle shipment to Oakland about 7 days before availability. 

Most car transport carriers will not commit to a vehicle shipment more than three days in advance of availability. What has anyone gained, therefore, from booking weeks in advance? The answer is nothing, of course. 

So why book much earlier than one week before availability?

Spring Season Auto Transport To California Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To CA Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From CA Comments About Spring Season Car Shipping To California
1st Week of March 1802 1:1 Complete parity coming and going to CA
2nd Week of March 1829 1:1 It stays that way for awhile
3rd Week of March 1877 1:1.1 It is still slow around St. Patrick’s Day
4th Week of March 2390 1.1:1 Ratios of 1:1 or 1:1.1 don’t mean much
1st Week of April 2450 1:1 They don’t move the pricing needle
2nd Week of April 2396 1:1.1 It stays that way thru mid April
3rd Week of April 2132 1:1.2 Things start to heat up shipping from CA
4th Week of April 2312 1:1.3 And car shipping costs go down to CA
1st Week of May 2859 1:1.5 May is a wonderful time to ship to CA
2nd Week of May 3297 1:1.4 But a tough time shipping from CA
3rd Week of May 3602 1:1.3 It stays that way from May and thru …
4th Week of May 3384 1:1.4 the Summer Season
End of May / Begin June 3228 1:1.5 Memorial Day

Vehicle Shipping Quotes To Oakland, CA In The Summer Months

Auto transport to Oakland in the Summer Season is far busier than in the Spring Months. The ratios can be deceiving relative to the volume of activity. The reason there appear to be fewer cars on any given day being shipped to Oakland in the Summer is only because what becomes available doesn’t stay on the load board very long. 

Because there are often two or three times more cars shipping from Oakland in the Summer, it creates a high demand for vehicles shipping there. Rest assured that there are still plenty of orders being placed every day in the Summer to Oakland and gobbled up quickly. 

Auto transport quotes to Oakland in the Summer Months are less than from Oakland. It occasionally costs about 20-30% more to ship from Oakland in the Summer Season than it does going there.

Avoid Car Shipping Around The 4th of July

Car transport carrier drivers enjoy being home as much as you do for the 4th of July festivities. The hometown parade. The barbecue with family and friends. A mid-summer rest with the people you love. 

The 4th of July holiday creates a backlog of car shipping orders. It gets worse if the 4th falls on a Wednesday, as drivers are divided on whether to enjoy a five-day holiday before or after the 4th of July. Ugh. 

If the 4th of July falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, the mini-vacation weekend becomes more clear. But the holiday is slightly prolonged and orders are still backed up in the freight system. 

When the carriers get back to work in early July, the highest-paying vehicle shipping orders get assigned first. For about two weeks thereafter, many customers find it both more expensive and frustrating.

The thing to do, and here is your tip, is to avoid vehicle shipping to Oakland the last week of June and the first week of July.

College Students Cause Havoc In Vehicle Shipping Every August

There is a very discernible vehicle shipping spike every year in the late Summer Months from California. While California has many popular universities and colleges that attract students from all over America, still there are far more California college students leaving the state for universities out-of-state.

That helps make car shipping to California in late August both cheaper and faster. 

Summer Season Auto Transport To California Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To CA Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From CA Comments About Summer Season Car Shipping To California
1st Week of June 3238 1:1.5 Summer is the busiest season in CA
2nd Week of June 2710 1:1.8 The ratios in June shoot upward from CA
3rd Week of June 2580 1:2 Which causes prices to CA to dive
4th Week of June 2777 1:2 And overall makes the Summer the best
1st Week of July 2174 1:2.3 … time to ship a car to CA
2nd Week of July 2097 1:2.1 There is an inverse relationship from CA
3rd Week of July 1701 1:2.6 Where the volume and ratio cause prices
4th Week of July 1727 1:2.7 … from CA to skyrocket
1st Week of August 1898 1:2.9 More CA college students leave the state
2nd Week of August 1903 1:3 … than come to CA for college
3rd Week of August 1951 1:2.7 It drives car shipping to CA down
4th Week of August 1996 1:2.1 And stays that way all the way to …
End of August / Begin September 1807 1:2 Labor Day

Bottom Line: When Are The Best Months For Auto Transport Quotes To Oakland, CA

When are the best months for auto transport quotes to Oakland, CA? Probably the Spring and Summer months. Car shipping quotes tend to be lower and service faster. The Autumn and Winter months are more costly. 

As far as car shipping to Oakland goes, some seasons are much easier than others. 

The Autumn Season is steady for car shipping to Oakland at the beginning (in September) and at the end (November), but is more expensive in October and most of November (until Thanksgiving).

The Winter season is the hardest and most expensive around the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. 

The Spring Season is a good time for vehicle shipping to Oakland. 

The Summer Season is a difficult time shipping from Oakland, but that makes it ideal for auto transport to Oakland. 

The Original Auto Transport Quote Calculator To Oakland, California

Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping quote 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 Oakland, CA.

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. 

Direct Express Auto Transport Changed The Car Shipping Industry

Direct Express Auto Transport started doing business in 2004. We came into the car shipping industry with a novel idea. Before us, no company had an instant car shipping quote calculator on their website. It simply did not exist. 

Further, no car shipping company would even provide an auto shipping quote without first knowing the caller’s personal information, such as name, telephone number, email, and physical address. We were astounded by that. So we threw a monkey wrench of sorts into the industry. 

Direct Express Auto Transport installed on our website the car shipping industry’s first instant quote calculator. We did not ask then and do not ask now, for any personal information before giving a quote. 

Banner Photo By Basil D Soufi – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=133193214

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

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Photo of Downtown San Jose, CA_Santana_Row car shipping quotes

The Best Season For Car Shipping Quotes To San Jose, CA

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Transport Quote Calculator, Auto Transport Services, Auto Transport Tips, Car Shipping Advice, Car Shipping Cost Calculator, Car Shipping Quotes Calculator, Car Shipping Service, Seasonal Fluctuations, Vehicle Shipping Cost.

The Best Season For Car Shipping Quotes To San Jose, CA

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Photo of Downtown San Jose, CA_Santana_Row car shipping quotes

The Best Season For Car Shipping Quotes To San Jose, CA

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

Seasonality affects San Jose, CA car shipping quotes, total cost, and service. When is the best season to ship a car to San Jose? Our advice. When to avoid it? Depending on the season, your approach to shipping a vehicle to San Jose should change.

We include in this blog, savvy tips and strategies that will help you have a successful experience. We have learned the best season to ship a car to San Jose, California in all four seasons and share that with you here in this article.

OUR METHODOLOGY:

Direct Express Auto Transport has over twenty years of expertise in car shipping to San Jose, California. Every day, we log the number of single-vehicle Sedans, SUVs, Pickup Trucks, and Vans system-wide (not just our orders) that are available to ship on the most widely used car transport load board. 

To compare apples to apples, in our research, we do not include multiple vehicle orders, which are anywhere from 2 to 10 vehicles on a car transport trailer, because we are better able to assess market volume changes. Direct Express Auto Transport has been doing this kind of market analysis for the better part of twenty years. The data is rich and tells a story of car shipping to San Jose, CA.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Car shipping quotes to San Jose, CA are affected greatly by the seasons.
  • The highest vehicle shipping cost to San Jose is during the Christmas & New Year’s holidays, and the Autumn Season months of October and early November.
  • The cheapest auto transport quotes to San Jose are from May through August. The Summer Season.
  • Conversely, the most expensive car shipping quotes from San Jose are also from May through August. The Summer Season.
  • The late Winter Season and early Spring reach a level of pricing parity and are an ideal time to ship a car to San Jose.

In This Blog Article:

Ship A Car To San Jose, CA In The Autumn Season

Almost year round more vehicles are being shipped from San Jose than to it. Rarely is it the opposite. That reverses, however, in the Autumn Season when there are significantly more cars being shipped to San Jose, which drives up the car shipping rates to San Jose. 

It would be a good idea to steer clear of shipping a car to San Jose in the months of October and November if your goal is to save money. 

A Tough Time Of Year For Car Shipping Quotes To San Jose, CA

Other than the New Year’s holiday, the most prolonged and toughest time of year for car shipping quotes to San Jose, California occurs in the Autumn Season. 

In Autumn, more vehicles are shipping to San Jose, and fewer leaving. October and November are the only two months in the year when it is harder and more expensive to ship a car to San Jose.

Car Transport Delays To San Jose During Thanksgiving

Toward the end of November comes Thanksgiving. Many vehicle transport drivers manipulate their route schedules to make it home for Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving falls every year on the fourth Thursday in November, and drivers are usually home by Tuesday or Wednesday before. They don’t get back on the road until usually the Monday after Thanksgiving. That provides a five-day break.

Autumn Season Auto Transport To California Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To CA Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From CA Comments About Autumn Season Car Shipping To California
1st Week of September 1938 1:1.4 The last of the summer exodus from CA
2nd Week of September 1984 1:1.1 Business returns to near calm & parity
3rd Week of September 1605 1:1 September slowness
4th Week of September 1748 1:1.1 And it stays that way though November
1st Week of October 1590 1.4:1 The only time all year there are far …
2nd Week of October 1530 1.4:1 … more cars shipping to Los Angeles
3rd Week of October 1674 1.4:1 October and November are the only …
4th Week of October 1815 1.5:1 … months that happens
1st Week of November 1762 1.3:1 So avoid shipping your car to Los Angeles
2nd Week of November 1592 1.2:1 … in October and early November
3rd Week of November 1256 1:1.1 Auto transport quotes are lower in late …
4th Week of November 1557 1:1.1 … November and early December
End of November / Begin December 1476 1:1 A better time to ship a car to Los Angeles

Car Shipping Quotes To San Jose, CA In The Winter Season

When we talk about the effect of seasonality on the auto transport industry, it is late December and early January that we most allude. It is chaotic, costly, and stressful during the holidays to ship a car to San Jose. 

Once Christmas arrives, the vehicle shipping cost rises incrementally almost daily for four weeks. If a customer booked too early, he will likely have too low a car shipping quote when the time comes to transport. He will have to wait. Or add money to rectify the dilemma. 

When Is The Best Season To Ship A Car To San Jose In The Winter?

If at all possible, you should avoid the last two weeks of December and the first three weeks of January. It is chaotic for brokers, carriers, and customers alike.

Other than the holiday blip, the Winter Season tends to be relatively tame when it comes to shipping a car to San Jose. The same applies when transporting a vehicle from San Jose in the Winter as well.

Winter Season Auto Transport To California Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To CA Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From CA Comments About Winter Season Car Shipping To California
1st Week of December 1502 1:1 Early December is considered a slow time
2nd Week of December 1652 1:1.2 Still slow
3rd Week of December 1864 1:1 Not much different
4th Week of December 2354 1:1 Christmas time will cause shipping delays
1st Week of January 3094 1:1.1 Orders backlog because of New Years
2nd Week of January 2747 1:1.1 It takes a couple weeks to flush out
3rd Week of January 1928 1:1.1 A slow period starts to emerge
4th Week of January 1709 1:1.2 Post holiday – mid-winter slow
1st Week of February 1607 1:1.2 Pricing remains stable in February
2nd Week of February 1624 1:1.1 Slightly more vehicles leaving CA
3rd Week of February 1463 1:1.2 It has a marginal affect
4th Week of February 1556 1:1.1 The winter slowness continues
End of February / Begin March 1805 1:1.1 And March begins that way

Auto Transport Quotes To San Jose, CA In The Spring Season

The early Spring months in March are very manageable for car shipping to or from San Jose. But starting in late April, and throughout all of May, significantly more vehicles are shipping from San Jose than to it. That serves to drive down the auto transport cost to San Jose in the Spring Season. It is a great time to ship a car to San Jose.

Do Not Book A Car Shipment To San Jose Too Early

In the car shipping industry, as far as the carriers are concerned, it does not matter to them when an order is booked. In other words, it is not first come … first served. So nobody has reserved a spot, a space, on a transport trailer simply by booking their order weeks or even months in advance. 

What matters to auto transport carriers are their profits. To that end, they choose orders, which they call loads, that are the highest paying, or logistically make the most sense with an eye always on the bottom line. The carriers seek to maximize their profit, like everybody else.

Do not book a car shipment to San Jose too early. You might be priced too low, in which case, your vehicle will likely be rejected by the carriers and won’t ship. Or if it does ship, it will be the last to do so, and probably far later than you had hoped. 

Conversely, booking too early might also mean you unwittingly committed to a higher-than-necessary price to ship your car in a timely fashion. The high price might have been the market rate at the time of booking, but in the interim, car shipping rates may have come down and you won’t enjoy the savings. 

It is always best to have the current market pricing, which guards against both too low and too high a transport price.

Book Your Vehicle Shipment To San Jose About One Week Before Availability

Direct Express Auto Transport has been in the car shipping business for a long time. Over twenty years. We say a good rule of thumb is to book your vehicle shipment to San Jose about 7 days before availability. 

Most car transport carriers will not commit to a vehicle shipment more than three days in advance of availability. What has anyone gained, therefore, from booking weeks in advance? The answer is nothing, of course. 

So why book much earlier than one week before availability?

Spring Season Auto Transport To California Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To CA Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From CA Comments About Spring Season Car Shipping To California
1st Week of March 1802 1:1 Complete parity coming and going to CA
2nd Week of March 1829 1:1 It stays that way for awhile
3rd Week of March 1877 1:1.1 It is still slow around St. Patrick’s Day
4th Week of March 2390 1.1:1 Ratios of 1:1 or 1:1.1 don’t mean much
1st Week of April 2450 1:1 They don’t move the pricing needle
2nd Week of April 2396 1:1.1 It stays that way thru mid April
3rd Week of April 2132 1:1.2 Things start to heat up shipping from CA
4th Week of April 2312 1:1.3 And car shipping costs go down to CA
1st Week of May 2859 1:1.5 May is a wonderful time to ship to CA
2nd Week of May 3297 1:1.4 But a tough time shipping from CA
3rd Week of May 3602 1:1.3 It stays that way from May and thru …
4th Week of May 3384 1:1.4 the Summer Season
End of May / Begin June 3228 1:1.5 Memorial Day

Car Shipping Quotes To San Jose, CA In The Summer Season

Auto transport to San Jose in the Summer Season is far busier than in the Spring Season. The ratios can be deceiving relative to the volume of activity. The reason there appear to be fewer cars on any given day being shipped to San Jose in the Summer is only because what becomes available doesn’t stay on the load board very long. 

Because there are often two or three times more cars shipping from San Jose in the Summer, it creates a high demand for vehicles shipping there. Rest assured that there are still plenty of orders being placed every day in the Summer to San Jose and gobbled up quickly. 

Auto transport quotes to San Jose in the Summer Season are less than from San Jose. It occasionally costs about 20-30% more to ship from San Jose in the Summer Season than it does going there.

Avoid Shipping A Car Around The 4th of July

Car transport carrier drivers enjoy being home as much as you do for the 4th of July festivities. The hometown parade. The barbecue with family and friends. A mid-summer rest with the people you love. 

The 4th of July holiday creates a backlog of car shipping orders. It gets worse if the 4th falls on a Wednesday, as drivers are divided on whether to enjoy a five-day holiday before or after the 4th of July. Ugh. 

If the 4th of July falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, the mini-vacation weekend becomes more clear. But the holiday is slightly prolonged and orders are still backed up in the freight system. 

When the carriers get back to work in early July, the highest-paying vehicle shipping orders get assigned first. For about two weeks thereafter, many customers find it both more expensive and frustrating.

The thing to do, and here is your tip, is to avoid vehicle shipping to San Jose the last week of June and the first week of July.

College Students Cause Havoc In Auto Shipping Every August

There is a very discernible car shipping spike every year in the late Summer Season shipping from California. While California has many popular universities and colleges that attract students from all over America, still there are far more California college students leaving the state for universities out-of-state.

That helps make car shipping to California in late August both cheaper and faster. 

Summer Season Auto Transport To California Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To CA Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From CA Comments About Summer Season Car Shipping To California
1st Week of June 3238 1:1.5 Summer is the busiest season in CA
2nd Week of June 2710 1:1.8 The ratios in June shoot upward from CA
3rd Week of June 2580 1:2 Which causes prices to CA to dive
4th Week of June 2777 1:2 And overall makes the Summer the best
1st Week of July 2174 1:2.3 … time to ship a car to CA
2nd Week of July 2097 1:2.1 There is an inverse relationship from CA
3rd Week of July 1701 1:2.6 Where the volume and ratio cause prices
4th Week of July 1727 1:2.7 … from CA to skyrocket
1st Week of August 1898 1:2.9 More CA college students leave the state
2nd Week of August 1903 1:3 … than come to CA for college
3rd Week of August 1951 1:2.7 It drives car shipping to CA down
4th Week of August 1996 1:2.1 And stays that way all the way to …
End of August / Begin September 1807 1:2 Labor Day

Bottom Line: The Best Season For Car Shipping Quotes To San Jose, CA

When is the best season for car shipping quotes to San Jose, CA? Probably the Spring and Summer seasons. Auto transport quotes tend to be lower and service faster. The Autumn and Winter Seasons are more costly. 

As far as car shipping to San Jose goes, some seasons are much easier than others. 

The Autumn Season is steady for car shipping to San Jose at the beginning (in September) and at the end (November), but is more expensive in October and most of November (until Thanksgiving).

The Winter season is the hardest and most expensive around the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. 

The Spring Season is a good time for vehicle shipping to San Jose. 

The Summer Season is a difficult time shipping from San Jose, but that makes it ideal for transport to San Jose. 

The Original Car Shipping Quote Calculator To San Jose, California

Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping quote 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 San Jose, CA.

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. 

Direct Express Auto Transport Changed The Car Shipping Industry

Direct Express Auto Transport started doing business in 2004. We came into the car shipping industry with a novel idea. Before us, no company had an instant car shipping quote calculator on their website. It simply did not exist. 

Further, no car shipping company would even provide an auto shipping quote without first knowing the caller’s personal information, such as name, telephone number, email, and physical address. We were astounded by that. So we threw a monkey wrench of sorts into the industry. 

Direct Express Auto Transport installed on our website the car shipping industry’s first instant quote calculator. We did not ask then and do not ask now, for any personal information before giving a quote. 

Banner Photo By Payton Chung – Flickr, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73875311

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

    Read more

Continue reading

photo of Nightime Downtown Jacksonville FL skyline ship a car

The Ideal Time To Ship A Car To Jacksonville, FL

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Transport Quote Calculator, Auto Transport Tips, Best Seasons To Ship A Car Advice, Car Shipping Advice, Car Shipping Quotes Calculator, Car Shipping Service, Seasonal Fluctuations, Vehicle Shipping Cost.

The Ideal Time To Ship A Car To Jacksonville, FL

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

photo of Nightime Downtown Jacksonville FL skyline ship a car

The Ideal Time To Ship A Car To Jacksonville, FL

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

Seasonality greatly affects Jacksonville car shipping quotes, overall cost, and level of service. When is the ideal time to ship a car to Jacksonville, FL? Depending on the season, your approach to shipping your vehicle to Jacksonville should change.

We include in this blog tried and true tips and strategies that will help you have a successful experience. We know when best to ship a car to Jacksonville, FL in all four seasons.

OUR METHODOLOGY:

Direct Express Auto Transport has over twenty years of experience shipping cars to Jacksonville, Florida. We track daily the number of single-vehicle Sedans, SUVs, Pickup Trucks, and Vans system-wide that are available to ship on a popular auto transport load board. 

We omit in our study multiple vehicle orders, those that are anywhere from 2 to 10 vehicles on the car transport trailer because we are better able to assess market volume changes. The numbers tell a story and we share the past year in this blog. 

Key Takeaways: 

  • Car shipping to Jacksonville is affected by the seasons.
  • The highest vehicle shipping cost to Jacksonville is around the Christmas and New Year holidays during the snowbird Winter season.
  • The cheapest auto transport quotes to Jacksonville happen just four months later in the Spring season.
  • The late Summer season collides with college student auto shipping, and for a while, costs rise.
  • The Autumn season is an ideal time to ship your car to Jacksonville.

In This Blog Article:

Ship A Car To Jacksonville, FL In The Winter Season

Shipping a car to Jacksonville in the winter season is extremely difficult. Specifically, over the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. 

When we talk about seasonality in the vehicle transport industry, late December and early January are the big reasons. No other time is as hectic and stressful as that period. 

Here is what typically happens to the sheer number of vehicles shipping to Florida on any given day in the Winter Season from December to February. It is often called Snowbird season as well.

Do Not Book A Vehicle Shipment To Jacksonville Too Soon

The auto shipping industry is not first come, first served. Once Christmas arrives, the vehicle shipping cost rises incrementally almost daily for four weeks. If a customer booked too early, he will likely have too low a price when the time comes to ship his car. He will have to wait.

The carriers are not concerned with when any particular order was booked. They are only concerned with maximizing their profit, as anyone would be. The carriers quite naturally choose to haul the highest-paying vehicles available. For them, it is a feeding frenzy.

The car shipping carriers have a dilemma to contend with once in Jacksonville. There is very little freight leaving Jacksonville. Because there are so many competing car transport carriers swarming to Jacksonville, and elsewhere in Florida, in late December and all of January, chances are high that a carrier returns home with a half-empty trailer. That means he must make money on the trip to Jacksonville. He doesn’t have the luxury of transporting cheap orders. 

Book Your Car Shipment Order To Jacksonville About One Week Prior

A good rule of thumb is to book your vehicle shipment to Jacksonville about 7 days before availability. The overwhelming majority of auto transport carriers will not commit to picking up a car shipment more than three days in advance of the vehicle availability. 

So why book much earlier than that? It is almost always best to have current vehicle transport market pricing. If it’s high, then there’s no way around it, you will likely pay more. Because otherwise your car won’t ship and others will.

The Best Time To Ship A Car To Jacksonville, FL In The Winter

If at all possible, you should avoid the last two weeks of December and the first two weeks of January. It is hectic for everybody. Just look at the chart and see how the number of vehicles available to ship skyrockets fourfold around the holidays. It is more than the car transportation system can handle. 

During the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, the vehicle transport carriers and brokers, and most of all – the customers, are stressed.

Winter Season Auto Transport To Florida Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To FL Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From FL Comments About Winter Season Car Shipping To Florida
1st Week of December 3288 1.3:1 Thanksgiving causes a mini-backlog
2nd Week of December 2056 1.6:1 Early December mirrors November volume
3rd Week of December 3306 1.5:1 The snowbird rush to FL begins in earnest
4th Week of December 4085 1.8:1 Carriers want to be home for Xmas too
1st Week of January 6785 2.1:1 And New Year’s … busiest week of the year
2nd Week of January 5400 2.2:1 Highest priced orders ship first
3rd Week of January 3770 1.6:1 2nd highest priced orders ship next
4th Week of January 3417 1.6:1 Eventually all the snowbirds ship a vehicle
1st Week of February 2153 1.3:1 It took a month for a return to normalcy
2nd Week of February 2311 1:1 February is so calm compared to January
3rd Week of February 1711 1:1 Crickets … nothing but crickets
4th Week of February 1627 1:1.3 Late February is a very good time to ship
End of February / Begin March 1791 1:1.5 An ideal time to ship a car to Florida

Ship A Car To Jacksonville, FL In The Spring Season

When the Jacksonville snowbirds return home in the Spring season, starting in late April, throughout all of May, and into early June, the above scenario works in reverse. 

The Spring Season is a fantastic time to ship a car to Jacksonville, Florida. There are far more vehicles leaving Jacksonville than are arriving. The tilted ratio effect of that pushes car shipping quotes down, while at the same time speeding up the timeframes for delivery. It is the best possible scenario imaginable if you are shipping a car to Jacksonville, FL.

Why May Is The Cheapest Time Of Year To Ship A Car To Jacksonville

And then there is May, which is ridiculously advantageous for shipping a vehicle to Florida. The cheapest Vehicle Transport pricing of the year to Jacksonville occurs in May. Why is that, you ask? In May, there are tens of thousands of snowbirds (retirees, college students, and many others) who hibernated in Jacksonville for the winter and are returning home to the north. With so many leaving Jacksonville, and so few coming, the reverse route to Jacksonville becomes incredibly cheap. Enjoy it while you can. 

In May, auto shipping quotes from Jacksonville usually skyrocket as demand for car transport carrier space is very high. Available carrier space is in short supply. The inverse is true. There is an overabundance of auto transport carrier space available to Jacksonville, which drives down the price. Therefore, May is the cheapest time of year to ship a car to Jacksonville.

Spring Season Auto Transport To Florida Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To FL Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From FL Comments About Spring Season Car Shipping To Florida
1st Week of March 3593 1:1.3 March is generally calm
2nd Week of March 3708 1:1.4 Normal low activity in March to FL
3rd Week of March 3102 1:1.6 A great time to ship to Florida
4th Week of March 2226 1:2 Snowbirds leaving
1st Week of April 2716 1:2 Snowbirds leaving Florida
2nd Week of April 2228 1:2.5 The best time to ship a car to Florida
3rd Week of April 1950 1:3 Cheap car shipping period to Florida
4th Week of April 2659 1:2.7 Snowbirds leaving is great for the reverse
1st Week of May 3230 1:2.9 May is ideal for shipping to FL
2nd Week of May 2181 1:4.3 Vehicles ship to Florida quickly because …
3rd Week of May 2262 1:3.7 There are fourfold cars leaving Florida
4th Week of May 1886 1:3.4 May is cheapest month to ship to Florida
End of May / Begin June 3166 1:2.1 Memorial Day

Should You Ship A Car To Jacksonville, FL In The Summer Season?

Auto transport to Jacksonville, FL in the Summer Season is busier than the Spring or Autumn seasons, but not nearly as hectic as the Winter season. Vehicle Transport quotes are fairly stable throughout the summer but rise significantly in August. 

The snowbirds have finally returned home by the end of May, with a few stragglers in early June. 

Like the rest of the country in the Summer Season, auto shipping traffic tends to be families and individuals relocating from and to other states. There are more vehicle shipments than in the slower months of February, March, and April. And considerably more than September, October, and November. 

Avoid Shipping A Car To Jacksonville, FL Around The 4th of July

Car transport carrier drivers enjoy being home as much as you do for the 4th of July festivities. The hometown parade. The barbecue with family and friends. A mid-summer rest with the people you love. 

That means fewer vehicles are getting shipped right in the middle of the busy Summer Season. Orders get backlogged. When the carriers get back to work in early July, they transport to Jacksonville the highest-paying freight first with no regard to how long a customer has been waiting. For about two weeks thereafter, many customers find it both more expensive and frustrating.

The thing to do, and here is your tip, is to avoid vehicle shipping to Jacksonville the last week of June and the first two weeks of July. That is not a good time to ship a car.

College Students Create A Spike In Car Shipping Every August

There is a very discernible automobile shipping spike every year in the late Summer Season. Florida has many popular universities and colleges that attract students from all over America. For many, it is an ideal place to go to college. 

Those Florida colleges on the semester system create a mid-August boost in auto transport to Jacksonville that lasts until the end of the month. Of the nearly 800,000 Florida college students, roughly 17% are from out-of-state, which means tens of thousands suddenly require vehicle shipping services. 

Summer Season Auto Transport To Florida Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To FL Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From FL Comments About Summer Season Car Shipping To Florida
1st Week of June 3228 1:1.9 Snowbird season FROM FL continues
2nd Week of June 2973 1:1.6 Early June is ideal car shipping TO FL
3rd Week of June 2483 1:1.5 It is cheap auto transport to Florida
4th Week of June 2834 1:1.2 A transition starts to happen in Florida
1st Week of July 2440 1:1.3 The 4th of July creates a mini backlog
2nd Week of July 3328 1:1.1 A week of parity shipping TO and FRO
3rd Week of July 2331 1.3:1 Suddenly it is more costly car shipping to FL
4th Week of July 2075 1.2:1 But only slightly more expensive TO Florida
1st Week of August 3287 1.4:1 August is not a good month shipping TO FL
2nd Week of August 3419 2.1:1 College kids shipping cars to Florida
3rd Week of August 3062 2.1:1 Families relocating to Florida before school
4th Week of August 2901 2.1:1 A horrible time to ship a car to Florida
End of August / Begin September 2610 2:1 Because more than twice the vehicles are shipping TO Florida than FROM Florida

Car Shipping Timeframes To Jacksonville, FL In The Autumn Season

Vehicle shipping to Jacksonville in the Autumn Season is easy. It is considered a slow time of year in the car shipping industry. Automobile shipping costs remain stable and affordable throughout most of the Fall or Autumn Season. 

Hurricanes and Thanksgiving Create Automobile Shipping Backlogs

The only blips on the screen when it comes to vehicle shipping to Jacksonville in the Autumn Season are hurricanes and Thanksgiving. And both are momentary. 

National weather forecasters can see hurricanes forming in the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico days in advance. Car transport carriers know how long they have to get out of Florida, and they avoid entirely any route there. They wait it out, which usually takes but a few days, a week at most. 

September and October are the two most susceptible months for hurricanes, but of course, there are exceptions. Hurricanes create a backlog of vehicle shipments to Jacksonville that are usually overcome within a week after the event. 

At the end of November comes Thanksgiving. Like everybody else, Vehicle Transport carriers like to be home for Turkey Day too. Because Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, drivers are usually home by the Wednesday before and don’t return to the road until the Monday after Thanksgiving. Essentially a five-day break for many. It takes about a week for the vehicle shipping freight system to recover and return to stable. 

Autumn Season Auto Transport To Florida Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To FL Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From FL Comments About Autumn Season Car Shipping To Florida
1st Week of September 2302 1.9:1 Extremely high ratio of 2-1 car shipping to FL
2nd Week of September 2295 1.6:1 Shipping to FL is very high cost early Sept
3rd Week of September 3601 1.4:1 Higher than normal throughout September
4th Week of September 4005 1.4:1 The high ratio to FL continues
1st Week of October 2139 1.8:1 Pricing remains high due to the imbalance
2nd Week of October 3254 1.5:1 Car shipping cost to FL is still very high
3rd Week of October 2700 2.7:1 Ratios are way out of whack to Florida
4th Week of October 2568 2.9:1 Car shipping costs to Florida skyrocket
1st Week of November 2622 2.5:1 Pricing remains high due to the imbalance
2nd Week of November 2008 2.1:1 Early November is a bad time to ship to FL
3rd Week of November 1518 1.4:1 mid-November starts to calm down
4th Week of November 2243 1.3:1 Vehicle shipping interrupted by Turkey Day
End of November / Begin December 2422 1.7:1 Thanksgiving causes car shipment backlogs to Florida for a week or more

Bottom Line: The Ideal Time To Ship A Car To Jacksonville, FL

When is the ideal time to ship a car to Jacksonville, FL? Probably the Spring, Summer, and Autumn Seasons. Car shipping quotes tend to be lower and service faster. The Winter Season is far more costly.

As far as car shipping to Jacksonville goes, some seasons are much easier than others. The Winter season is by far the toughest, especially around the auto transport snowbird migration to Jacksonville in late December and January, as shipping costs soar. 

The Spring season is a good time to ship a car to Jacksonville, especially in May when snowbird backhaul prices plummet to Jacksonville. The Summer season is relatively fine. The Autumn season is ideal weather, and car transport quotes tend to be lower than average. 

The Original Car Shipping Quote Calculator To Jacksonville, Florida

Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping quote 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 Jacksonville, FL.

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.

Direct Express Auto Transport Changed The Car Shipping Industry

Direct Express Auto Transport started doing business in 2004. We came into the car shipping industry with a novel idea. Before us, no company had an instant quote calculator on their website. It simply did not exist. 

Further, no car shipping company would even provide an auto shipping quote without first knowing the caller’s personal information, such as name, telephone number, email, and physical address. We were astounded by that. So we threw a monkey wrench of sorts into the industry. 

Direct Express Auto Transport installed on our website the car shipping industry’s first instant quote calculator. We did not ask then and do not ask now, for any personal information before giving a quote. 

Top Banner Photo By Rnl2294 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=134272962

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

    Read more

Continue reading

photo of Downtown_Austin,_Texas_ ship a vehicle

When To Ship A Vehicle To Austin, TX

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Transport Logistics, Auto Transport Quote Calculator, Auto Transport Tips, Best Seasons To Ship A Car Advice, Car Shipping Advice, Car Shipping Service, Seasonal Fluctuations, Vehicle Shipping Cost.

When To Ship A Vehicle To Austin, TX

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

photo of Downtown_Austin,_Texas_ ship a vehicle

When To Ship A Vehicle To Austin, TX

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

The change in seasons affects Austin car shipping quotes, carrier fees, and timeframes. When is it most ideal to ship a vehicle to Austin? Depending on the season, your approach to transporting a car to Austin should also change.

We include in this blog, great advice on what you should do to have a successful experience. We have learned the ideal time to ship a car to Austin, Texas in all the seasons and share our wisdom with you here in this article.

OUR RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

Direct Express Auto Transport has over 20 years of expert experience in car shipping to Austin, Texas. For many years, we have logged the number of single-vehicle Sedans, SUVs, Pickup Trucks, and Vans system-wide (not just our orders) that are available to ship on the most widely used auto transport load board. 

To make it more informative in our study, we do not include multiple vehicle orders, which are anywhere from 2 to 10 vehicles on a vehicle transport trailer, because we are better able to assess market volume changes. Direct Express Auto Transport has been doing this kind of market analysis for the better part of twenty years. Our saved data is exhaustive and reveals a story of what to expect when you ship a vehicle to Austin, TX.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Car shipping to Austin is affected by the seasons.
  • The highest vehicle shipping cost to Austin is around the Christmas and New Year holidays during the Winter season.
  • The cheapest auto transport quotes to Austin are in the Autumn season, particularly in November and early December.
  • The car shipping cost to Austin is elevated, higher than most routes, for the Winter, Spring, and Summer seasons.
  • Year-round, vehicle shipping to Austin normally costs more than the reverse.

In This Blog Article:

Ship A Vehicle To Austin, TX In The Spring Season

In the Spring Season, the volume of orders to Austin is higher than normal. The Spring Season in Texas is nothing like the Spring Season in Florida. The ratios stay elevated car shipping to Austin, TX throughout the Spring. It is close to 2 to 1 the entire season.

The Toughest Time Of Year To Ship A Car To Austin

Other than the New Year’s holiday, the most prolonged and toughest time of year for auto transport pricing to Austin, Texas occurs in the Spring and Summer Seasons. 

With so many vehicles shipping to Austin, and so few leaving, the reverse route from Austin, TX becomes incredibly cheap. Enjoy it while you can. 

Do Not Book A Car Shipment To Austin Too Early

In the auto transport industry, as far as the carriers are concerned, it does not matter to them when an order is booked. In other words, it is not first come … first served. So nobody has reserved a spot, a space, on a transport trailer simply by booking their order weeks or even months in advance. 

What matters to vehicle transport carriers are their profits. To that end, they choose orders, which they call loads, that are the highest paying, or logistically make the most sense with an eye always on the bottom line. The carriers seek to maximize their profit, like everybody else.

Do not book an automobile shipment to Austin, TX too early. You might be priced too low, in which case, your car will likely be rejected by the carriers and won’t ship. Or if it does ship, it will be the last to do so, and probably far later than you had hoped. 

Conversely, booking too early might also mean you unwittingly committed to a higher-than-necessary price to ship your car in a timely fashion. The high price might have been the market rate at the time of booking, but in the interim, auto shipping rates may have come down and you won’t enjoy the savings. 

It is always best to have the current market pricing, which guards against both too low and too high a transport price. 

Book Your Car Shipment To Austin About One Week Before Availability

Direct Express Auto Transport has been in the car shipping industry for a long time. Over twenty years. We say a good rule of thumb is to book your car shipment to Austin, TX about 7 days before availability. 

Most auto transport carriers will not commit to a vehicle shipment more than three days in advance of availability. What has anyone gained, therefore, from booking weeks in advance? The answer is nothing, of course. 

So why book much earlier than one week before availability?

Spring Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Spring Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of March 3289 1.6:1 The ratio is nearly 2-1 cars shipping to TX
2nd Week of March 3730 1.6:1 It stays that way for several weeks
3rd Week of March 3339 1.6:1 College Spring Break in Texas
4th Week of March 4212 1.9:1 Spring Break to Texas creates demand
1st Week of April 4462 1.8:1 More Spring Break shipments
2nd Week of April 4117 1.9:1 The 2-1 ratio to TX elevates quote prices
3rd Week of April 3914 1.8:1 It is more expensive car shipping to TX …
4th Week of April 4213 1.7:1 Than shipping from Texas in the Spring
1st Week of May 4027 1.9:1 Car shipping is nearly twice as costly to TX
2nd Week of May 4193 1.5:1 There is not much let up in May
3rd Week of May 4513 1.3:1 There is also a spike in cars leaving TX
4th Week of May 4086 1.4:1 But there are still more coming than leaving
End of May / Begin June 4254 1.4:1 Memorial Day creates more backlog

Auto Transport To Austin, TX In The Summer Season

Auto transport prices to Austin in the Summer Season are just as busy as in the Spring. The auto-shipping ratio of vehicles available to ship to Austin, TX is still much higher. Which keeps vehicle shipping costs higher. 

The month of August becomes extremely busy shipping to Austin, as both the timeframe and cost rise significantly. If at all possible, avoid auto transport to Austin, TX in August. 

Conversely, you will win in August shipping from Austin.

Avoid Shipping A Vehicle To Austin, TX Around The 4th of July

Car transport carrier drivers enjoy being home as much as you do for the 4th of July festivities. The hometown parade. The barbecue with family and friends. A mid-summer rest with the people you love. 

That means fewer vehicles are getting shipped right in the middle of the busy Summer Season. Orders get backlogged. When the carriers get back to work in early July, they transport to Austin, TX the highest-paying freight first with no regard to how long a customer has been waiting. For about two weeks thereafter, many customers find it both more expensive and frustrating.

The thing to do, and here is your tip, is to avoid vehicle shipping to Austin the last week of June and the first two weeks of July. That is not a good time to ship a car.

College Students Create A Spike In Car Shipping Every August

There is a very discernible car shipping spike every year in the late Summer Season. Texas has many popular universities and colleges that attract students from all over America. For many, it is an ideal place to go to college. 

Texas colleges on the semester system create a mid-August boost in auto transport to Austin that lasts until the end of the month.

Summer Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Summer Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of June 4296 1.4:1 Summer is a busy time shipping to Texas
2nd Week of June 3384 1.4:1 Pricing stays stable & high in May, June, July
3rd Week of June 3629 1.3:1 It is much cheaper shipping FROM Texas
4th Week of June 3676 1.4:1 Because more are shipping cars to Texas …
1st Week of July 3193 1.5:1 Auto transport quotes remain higher to TX
2nd Week of July 3091 1.5:1 The 4th of July holiday created more pressure
3rd Week of July 2630 1.4:1 No break in pricing shipping to Texas
4th Week of July 2389 1.7:1 The imbalance shipping to TX gets worse
1st Week of August 3408 2:1 There are twice the cars shipping to TX
2nd Week of August 3751 1.9:1 College kids shipping cars to Texas
3rd Week of August 3378 2.2:1 Families relocating to Texas before school
4th Week of August 3402 2.4:1 A horrible time to ship a car to Texas
End of August / Begin September 3164 2.2:1 Because more than twice the vehicles are shipping TO Texas than FROM Texas

Ship A Car To Austin, TX In The Autumn Season

Vehicle shipping to Austin in the Autumn Season is easy. It is considered a slower time of year in the car shipping industry. Auto transport costs remain stable and more affordable throughout most of the Autumn Season. It is the cheapest and most ideal time of year to ship your car to Austin, TX. 

Hurricanes & Thanksgiving Can Cause Car Shipping Delays

National weather forecasters can see hurricanes forming in the Gulf of Mexico days in advance. Car transport carriers know how long they have to get out of Texas, and they avoid entirely any route there. They wait it out, which usually takes but a few days, a week at most. Those of us in the auto transport industry can tell you that climate change is real. 

September and October are the two most susceptible months for hurricanes, but of course, there are exceptions. Hurricanes create a backlog of vehicle shipments to Austin, TX that are usually overcome within a week after the event. 

At the end of November comes Thanksgiving. Like everybody else, auto transport carriers like to be home for Turkey Day too. 

Because Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, drivers are usually home by the Wednesday before and don’t return to the road until the Monday after Thanksgiving. Essentially a five-day break for many. It takes about a week for the vehicle shipping freight system to recover and return to normal. 

Autumn Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Autumn Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of September 3165 2:1 Extremely high ratio of 2-1 car shipping to TX
2nd Week of September 2720 2.3:1 Shipping to TX is very high cost early Sept
3rd Week of September 2308 2:1 Higher than normal throughout September
4th Week of September 2260 1.7:1 The almost 2-1 ratio to Texas continues
1st Week of October 1817 1.8:1 Pricing remains high due to the imbalance
2nd Week of October 2372 1.4:1 Ratios are a big deal to car shipping quotes
3rd Week of October 2294 1.3:1 Car Shipping Quotes start to come down
4th Week of October 2593 1.2:1 There is almost parity in the market
1st Week of November 2461 1:1 Best time to ship a car to Texas is now
2nd Week of November 1893 1:1 Early November is a great time to ship a car
3rd Week of November 1565 1.2:1 November is okay for car shipping to Texas
4th Week of November 2514 1.1:1 Vehicle shipping interrupted by Turkey Day
End of November / Begin December 2832 1.1:1 Thanksgiving causes a minor backlog

Ship A Vehicle To Austin, TX In The Winter Season

When we talk about seasonality in the vehicle transport industry, late December and early January are the big reasons. It becomes hectic, expensive, and stressful during that period shipping a car to Austin, TX.

When Is The Ideal Time To Ship A Vehicle To Austin, TX In The Winter?

If at all possible, you should avoid shipping a car to Austin, TX in the last week of December and the first two weeks of January.

During the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, the auto transport carriers and brokers, and most of all the customers, are stressed.

But not all customers understand the auto transport industry, and why the order they placed weeks ago might still be waiting to ship.

Winter Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Winter Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of December 1890 1.1:1 The lull from November continues
2nd Week of December 1883 1.1:1 Early December is ideal to ship a car
3rd Week of December 2679 1.4:1 The snowbird rush to TX begins in earnest
4th Week of December 4189 1.2:1 Carriers want to be home for Xmas too
1st Week of January 4822 1.1:1 The busiest week of the year is New Year’s
2nd Week of January 3234 1.2:1 Highest priced orders ship first
3rd Week of January 3071 1.3:1 2nd highest priced orders ship next
4th Week of January 2232 1.3:1 The number winnows down
1st Week of February 1923 1.4:1 A period of stability takes over
2nd Week of February 2411 1.5:1 Car transport prices remain elevated …
3rd Week of February 2357 1.4:1 Because there are more car shipping to TX
4th Week of February 2946 1:4.1 It stays that way until October
End of February / Begin March 2901 1.8:1 Twice as many vehicles are shipping to TX

Bottom Line: When To Ship A Vehicle To Austin, TX

When is the ideal time to ship a car to Austin, TX? Probably only in November, and early December. The Winter, all of Spring, and as well the Summer months, are far more expensive shipping to Austin. Which makes the reverse route in each season the exact opposite. 

The Winter season is by far the toughest for car shipping to Austin, especially around the auto transport snowbird migration in late December and January, as shipping costs soar. 

The Autumn season is ideal weather, and car transport quotes tend to be lower than average. 

The Original Car Shipping Quote Calculator To Austin, Texas

Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping quote 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 Austin, TX.

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.

Direct Express Auto Transport Changed The Car Shipping Industry

Direct Express Auto Transport started doing business in 2004. We came into the car shipping industry with a novel idea. Before us, no company had an instant quote calculator on their website. It simply did not exist. 

Further, no car shipping company would even provide an auto shipping quote without first knowing the caller’s personal information, such as name, telephone number, email, and physical address. We were astounded by that. So we threw a monkey wrench of sorts into the industry. 

Direct Express Auto Transport installed on our website the car shipping industry’s first instant quote calculator. We did not ask then and do not ask now, for any personal information before giving a quote. 

Top Banner Photo By Ryan Friesen – Downtown Austin, Texas from across the Colorado River, October 2022, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=133926838

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

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  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

    Read more

Continue reading

photo of Santa Monica pier and car transport logistics

Car Transport Logistics To Santa Monica, California

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Transport Logistics, Auto Transport Tips, Car Shipping Advice, Car Shipping Routes, Car Shipping Service, Car Transport Service, Vehicle Shipping.

Car Transport Logistics To Santa Monica, California

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

photo of Santa Monica pier and car transport logistics

Car Transport Logistics To Santa Monica, California

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

The car transport logistics to Santa Monica, CA, including shipping route, timeframe, and expense, are the most important factors from any other region in the USA. An auto transport service will likely ship your vehicle reliably fast, and securely. Planning will save you money.

One in eight Americans are Californian. With nearly 39 million people, based mainly along the coastal metropolitan areas of San Diego, the Los Angeles Basin, and the San Francisco Bay Area (including Oakland and San Jose), it is no surprise that numerous auto transport carriers will ship your car to Santa Monica.

Santa Monica, CA is located in the Los Angeles Basin, which has an enormous freeway system to accommodate car shipping services from every region in the country.

Direct Express Auto Transport, with over 20 years of experience in car shipping to Santa Monica, CA, explains in this blog the hurdles, shipping routes, and likely number of days it will take for your vehicle to get there.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Most vehicle shipments to Santa Monica, CA are considered long distance, over 1,000 miles.
  • Because of its proximity to Los Angeles, Santa Monica benefits by making it easier for carriers to amalgamate full loads.
  • The Los Angeles Basin, and Santa Monica by extension, is one of the biggest car shipping hubs in the country.
  • A good rule of thumb for car transport logistics is to factor every 500-mile distance as one day on the road in transit. 

In This Blog Article:

Ship Your Car To Santa Monica From Northern California

The Pacific Coast Highway and I-5 get a workout from the San Francisco Bay Area to Santa Monica, CA in the L.A. Basin. It is only a 400-mile trip and usually takes only one day. Sometimes two days, and rarely more. Both Los Angeles and San Francisco are major port cities, and that also creates lots of car shipping activity between southern and northern California. 

Car Shipping To Santa Monica From The Southwest

The Southwest states (AZ, NM, NV) are so much easier for car shipping services to Santa Monica, CA than in the Mountain states or even the Pacific NW. There are roughly 12 million people in those three states, which means 1 in 27 Americans live in the Southwest states.

For starters, the weather is less of an issue in the Southwest region. And there are major cities (Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Albuquerque) that make amalgamating full loads much quicker. 

The largest city in the Southwest is Phoenix, which is about 400 miles drive to Santa Monica, California. A car mover carrier from Phoenix to Santa Monica would almost certainly follow I-10. 

Your vehicle shipment is likely to take only one day in transit, and maybe two days.

Auto Transport To Santa Monica, CA From The Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest states (WA, OR, ID), like Santa Monica, CA, are on the left side of the country, which is to say the west side. There are roughly 14 million people in those three states, which means 1 in 25 Americans live in the Pacific Northwest. 

Fortunately, the Pacific Northwest has three major cities, Seattle, Portland, and Boise, that make it somewhat easier to amalgamate a full load of 10 vehicles to Santa Monica, CA. We have found that western Washington (think Spokane), southern Oregon (think Eugene), and almost all of Idaho tend to take longer.

The route from the Pacific Northwest’s largest city, Seattle, to Santa Monica, CA, is about 1,200 miles. The most common route from Seattle to Santa Monica is a straight shot down I-5. So easy. No Google Maps is required for that. 

Your car is likely to be on an automobile shipping carrier for a minimum of three days, and possibly four days.

Car Transport To Santa Monica From The Mountain States

The Mountain states (CO, MT, WY, UT) are wide open and have an enormous geographic territory relative to a small population. The four Mountain states combined have about 11 million people, according to the 2020 census. That means 1 in 33 Americans live in the Mountain states. 

Denver and Salt Lake City stand out as the major cities, which makes car transport services timely. 

Everywhere else in the Mountain States, it is hit-and-miss and may take longer. The Mountain states can be difficult for car shipping to Santa Monica, CA because of the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains and huge land area. 

The route from Denver to Santa Monica, for instance, is about 1,000 miles and your auto transport carrier would most likely traverse I-70, I-15 to I-10. 

Your vehicle is likely to be on a car shipping carrier for a minimum of two days, and probably three or four days.

Ship A Vehicle To Santa Monica From The Upper Midwest

The Upper Midwest states (MN, IA, MO, OK, KS, NE, SD, ND) have combined a sparse population relative to their expansive geographic size. It is more difficult, and thus typically longer, to amalgamate full loads to Santa Monica, California. 

The eight Upper Midwest states, sometimes called The Plains, together tally about 26 million people, according to the 2020 census. That means 1 in 12 Americans are from the Upper Midwest.

The largest city in the Upper Midwest, Minneapolis, is almost 1,900 miles from Santa Monica. From Minneapolis, for instance, your vehicle is likely to follow routes down I-35, I-80, I-76, I-70, and I-15 to I-10, before reaching Santa Monica. 

Your car is likely to be on a vehicle transport trailer for a minimum of four days, and more likely five to six days.

Vehicle Transport Services To Santa Monica From Texas

Texas, the Lone Star State, has over 30 million people. That means 1 in 10 Americans are Texans. 

East Texas and West Texas differ dramatically in terms of population, climate, geography, and even culture. East Texas is very green with many forests and coastal plains. The overwhelming majority of vehicle transport services are destined for East Texas. 

West Texas, on the other hand, is not nearly as populated or busy as the eastern part of the state. In many respects, West Texas has more in common with the nearby southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona. 

Dallas and Houston are the biggest cities in Texas. To ship your car from Dallas to Santa Monica is about 1,400 miles. The easiest route is the southern one, and a carrier would follow I-30, and I-20 to I-10 to Santa Monica, CA.

A vehicle transport service would likely take a minimum of three days, and probably four or five days to complete the journey.

Car Shipping Services To Santa Monica From The South

The Southern states (GA, TN, KY, AL, MS, AR, LA) are a relatively straight shot west for car shipping services to Santa Monica, CA. Because it is an almost exclusively southern route, weather conditions are normally good year-round. 

The seven Southern states together tally about 38 million people, according to the 2020 census. That means 1 in 9 Americans are from the deep South. And that’s not counting the Carolinas, Florida, and Virginia. 

Atlanta, Georgia, is the biggest southern city and about 2,200 miles from Santa Monica. From Atlanta, the car shipping service would take I-22, I-20, I-40, and I-15 to I-10 before arriving in Santa Monica, CA.

Nashville is about 2,000 miles from Santa Monica, CA, which is about 200 miles closer than Atlanta. A car shipping service does even less thinking about the route and can just jump on I-40 leaving Nashville to arrive in Santa Monica on I-10 four or five days later.

Automobile Shipping To Santa Monica, CA From The Midwest

The Midwest states (IL, MI, OH, IN, WI) are heavily populated with large cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee. It makes the Midwest ideal for car shipping services by having so many large hubs. 

The Midwest also has an abundance of medium size towns. Think Springfield, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, Dayton, Lafayette, and Madison. Those towns also make it easier to ship a car to Santa Monica, CA.

The five Midwest states together tally about 47 million people, according to the 2020 census. That means 1 in 7 Americans are from the Midwest.

Chicago is about 2,000 miles from Santa Monica. A car shipping service would likely take I-88, I-80, I-76, I-70, I-15 to I-10.

Your vehicle is likely to be on an auto transport trailer from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA for a minimum of four days, and probably five or six days. 

Ship A Car To Santa Monica, CA From Florida

Over 22 million people reside in Florida. Many more if you count the Snowbirds who flock there by the hundreds of thousands every winter. So it ebbs and flows. Florida’s 22 million people, according to the 2020 census, means 1 in 14 Americans are Floridians.

About one-quarter of Floridians, or over 6 million people, reside in Greater Miami, which is roughly 2,700 miles away from Santa Monica, CA. 

From Miami, the vehicle shipping service is likely to travel on I-75 to I-10, and then stay on I-10 for thousands of miles to Santa Monica, CA. 

Your car shipper will probably take a minimum of six days, and more likely seven or eight days to reach Santa Monica from Miami.

Auto Shipping To Santa Monica From The Carolinas

The Carolina states (NC, SC) are a long way from Santa Monica, CA as well. The two Carolina states together tally about 16 million people according to the 2020 census. That means 1 in 20 Americans are from the Carolinas. 

The largest NC city is Charlotte, which is about 2,400 miles away. An auto shipping service starting in Charlotte would likely take I-85, I-22, I-20, I-40, and I-15 to I-10 before arriving in Santa Monica.

Your vehicle is likely to be on a car shipping trailer for about five days. But more likely six or seven days. 

Ship A Car To Santa Monica, CA From The Eastern Seaboard

The Eastern Seaboard states (NY, PA, NJ, DE, MD, DC, VA, WV) together are about 60 million people according to the 2020 census. That means almost 1 in 6 Americans live on the eastern seaboard. An enormous auto transport hub. 

New York City and Philadelphia are both about 2,800 miles from Santa Monica, CA. A car transport service is likely to take I-80, I-76, I-70, and I-15 to I-10 to arrive in Santa Monica, CA.

Your vehicle is likely to be on a car shipping trailer for a minimum of six days, and more likely seven to eight days.

Auto Transport Services To Santa Monica From New England

The New England states (MA, RI, CT, NH, ME, VT) combined are about 15 million people according to the 2020 census. That means almost 1 in 20 Americans live in New England.

From New England’s biggest city, Boston, a car transport carrier is likely to travel about 3,000 miles and take routes I-84, I-71, I-70, and I-15 to I-10 before arriving in Santa Monica, CA.

Your vehicle is likely to be on a car shipping trailer for a minimum of six days, and more likely seven or eight days.

Bottom Line: Car Transport Logistics To Santa Monica, CA

The car transport logistics to Santa Monica, CA, including shipping route, timeframe, and expense, should be considered first before shipping a car there. A car shipping service will likely transport your vehicle reliably fast, and securely.

As a consumer, it is important to understand the logistics involved in vehicle shipping from your region of the country to Santa Monica, CA.

The Original Car Shipping Quote Calculator To Santa Monica, California

Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping quote 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 Santa Monica, California.

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. 

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

    Read more

Continue reading

photo of downtown Houston view from park to ship a car

The Ideal Time To Ship A Car To Houston, TX

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Transport Quote Calculator, Auto Transport Tips, Best Seasons To Ship A Car Advice, Car Shipping Advice, Car Shipping Cost Calculator, Car Shipping Service, Expedited Rate Auto Transport, Rush Tier Car Shipping, Seasonal Fluctuations, Vehicle Shipping.

The Ideal Time To Ship A Car To Houston, TX

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

photo of downtown Houston view from park to ship a car

The Ideal Time To Ship A Car To Houston, TX

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

The change in seasons affects Houston car shipping quotes, carrier fees, and timeframes. When is it most ideal to ship a car to Houston? Depending on the season, your approach to transporting a vehicle to Houston should also change.

We include in this blog, great advice on what you should do to have a successful experience. We have learned the ideal time to ship a car to Houston, Texas in all the seasons and share our wisdom with you here in this article.

OUR RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

Direct Express Auto Transport has over 20 years of expert experience in car shipping to Houston, Texas. For many years, we have logged the number of single-vehicle Sedans, SUVs, Pickup Trucks, and Vans system-wide (not just our orders) that are available to ship on the most widely used auto transport load board. 

To make it more informative in our study, we do not include multiple vehicle orders, which are anywhere from 2 to 10 vehicles on a vehicle transport trailer, because we are better able to assess market volume changes. Direct Express Auto Transport has been doing this kind of market analysis for the better part of twenty years. Our saved data is exhaustive and reveals a story of what to expect when shipping a car to Houston.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Car shipping to Houston is affected by the seasons.
  • The highest vehicle shipping cost to Houston is around the Christmas and New Year holidays during the Winter season.
  • The cheapest auto transport quotes to Houston are in the Autumn season, particularly in November and early December.
  • The car shipping cost to Houston is elevated, higher than most routes, for the Winter, Spring, and Summer seasons.
  • Year-round, vehicle shipping to Houston normally costs more than the reverse.

In This Blog Article:

Do Not Book A Car Shipment To Houston Too Early

In the auto transport industry, as far as the carriers are concerned, it does not matter to them when an order is booked. In other words, it is not first come … first served. So nobody has reserved a spot, a space, on a transport trailer simply by booking their order weeks or even months in advance. 

What matters to vehicle transport carriers are their profits. To that end, they choose orders, which they call loads, that are the highest paying, or logistically make the most sense with an eye always on the bottom line. The carriers seek to maximize their profit, like everybody else.

Do not book an automobile shipment to Houston, TX too early. You might be priced too low, in which case, your car will likely be rejected by the carriers and won’t ship. Or if it does ship, it will be the last to do so, and probably far later than you had hoped. 

Conversely, booking too early might also mean you unwittingly committed to a higher-than-necessary price to ship your car in a timely fashion. The high price might have been the market rate at the time of booking, but in the interim, auto shipping rates may have come down and you won’t enjoy the savings. 

It is always best to have the current market pricing, which guards against both too low and too high a transport price. 

Book Your Vehicle Shipment To Houston About One Week Before Availability

Direct Express Auto Transport has been in the car shipping industry for a long time. Over twenty years. We say a good rule of thumb is to book your car shipment to Houston, TX about 7 days before availability. 

Most auto transport carriers will not commit to a vehicle shipment more than three days in advance of availability. What has anyone gained, therefore, from booking weeks in advance? The answer is nothing, of course. 

So why book much earlier than one week before availability?

Transporting A Vehicle To Houston, TX In The Spring Season

In the Spring Season, the volume of orders to Houston is higher than normal. The Spring Season in Texas is nothing like the Spring Season in Florida. The ratios stay elevated car shipping to Houston, TX throughout the Spring. It is close to 2 to 1 the entire season.

The Toughest Time Of Year To Ship Your Car To Houston

Other than the New Year’s holiday, the most prolonged and toughest time of year for auto transport pricing to Houston, Texas occurs in the Spring and Summer Seasons. 

With so many vehicles shipping to Houston, and so few leaving, the reverse route from Houston, TX becomes incredibly cheap. Enjoy it while you can. 

Spring Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Spring Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of March 3289 1.6:1 The ratio is nearly 2-1 cars shipping to TX
2nd Week of March 3730 1.6:1 It stays that way for several weeks
3rd Week of March 3339 1.6:1 College Spring Break in Texas
4th Week of March 4212 1.9:1 Spring Break to Texas creates demand
1st Week of April 4462 1.8:1 More Spring Break shipments
2nd Week of April 4117 1.9:1 The 2-1 ratio to TX elevates quote prices
3rd Week of April 3914 1.8:1 It is more expensive car shipping to TX …
4th Week of April 4213 1.7:1 Than shipping from Texas in the Spring
1st Week of May 4027 1.9:1 Car shipping is nearly twice as costly to TX
2nd Week of May 4193 1.5:1 There is not much let up in May
3rd Week of May 4513 1.3:1 There is also a spike in cars leaving TX
4th Week of May 4086 1.4:1 But there are still more coming than leaving
End of May / Begin June 4254 1.4:1 Memorial Day creates more backlog

Auto Transport To Houston, TX In The Summer Season

Auto transport prices to Houston in the Summer Season are just as busy as in the Spring. The auto shipping ratio of vehicles available to ship to Houston, TX is still much higher. Which keeps vehicle shipping costs higher. 

The month of August becomes extremely busy shipping to Houston, as both the timeframe and cost rise significantly. If at all possible, avoid auto transport to Houston, TX in August. 

Conversely, you will win in August shipping from Houston.

Avoid Shipping Your Vehicle To Houston Around The 4th of July

Car transport carrier drivers enjoy being home as much as you do for the 4th of July festivities. The hometown parade. The barbecue with family and friends. A mid-summer rest with the people you love. 

That means fewer vehicles are getting shipped right in the middle of the busy Summer Season. Orders get backlogged. When the carriers get back to work in early July, they transport to Houston, TX the highest-paying freight first with no regard to how long a customer has been waiting. For about two weeks thereafter, many customers find it both more expensive and frustrating.

The thing to do, and here is your tip, is to avoid vehicle shipping to Houston the last week of June and the first two weeks of July. That is not a good time to ship a car.

College Students Create A Spike In Auto Shipping Every August

There is a very discernible car shipping spike every year in the late Summer Season. Texas has many popular universities and colleges that attract students from all over America. For many, it is an ideal place to go to college. 

Texas colleges on the semester system create a mid-August boost in auto transport to Houston that lasts until the end of the month.

Summer Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Summer Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of June 4296 1.4:1 Summer is a busy time shipping to Texas
2nd Week of June 3384 1.4:1 Pricing stays stable & high in May, June, July
3rd Week of June 3629 1.3:1 It is much cheaper shipping FROM Texas
4th Week of June 3676 1.4:1 Because more are shipping cars to Texas …
1st Week of July 3193 1.5:1 Auto transport quotes remain higher to TX
2nd Week of July 3091 1.5:1 The 4th of July holiday created more pressure
3rd Week of July 2630 1.4:1 No break in pricing shipping to Texas
4th Week of July 2389 1.7:1 The imbalance shipping to TX gets worse
1st Week of August 3408 2:1 There are twice the cars shipping to TX
2nd Week of August 3751 1.9:1 College kids shipping cars to Texas
3rd Week of August 3378 2.2:1 Families relocating to Texas before school
4th Week of August 3402 2.4:1 A horrible time to ship a car to Texas
End of August / Begin September 3164 2.2:1 Because more than twice the vehicles are shipping TO Texas than FROM Texas

Vehicle Shipping To Houston, TX In The Autumn Season

Vehicle shipping to Houston in the Autumn Season is easy. It is considered a slower time of year in the car shipping industry. Auto transport costs remain stable and more affordable throughout most of the Autumn Season. It is the cheapest and most ideal time of year to ship your car to Houston, TX. 

Hurricanes & Thanksgiving Can Cause Shipping Delays

National weather forecasters can see hurricanes forming in the Gulf of Mexico days in advance. Car transport carriers know how long they have to get out of Texas, and they avoid entirely any route there. They wait it out, which usually takes but a few days, a week at most. Those of us in the auto transport industry can tell you that climate change is real. 

September and October are the two most susceptible months for hurricanes, but of course, there are exceptions. Hurricanes create a backlog of vehicle shipments to Houston, TX that are usually overcome within a week after the event. 

At the end of November comes Thanksgiving. Like everybody else, auto transport carriers like to be home for Turkey Day too. 

Because Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, drivers are usually home by the Wednesday before and don’t return to the road until the Monday after Thanksgiving. Essentially a five-day break for many. It takes about a week for the vehicle shipping freight system to recover and return to normal. 

Autumn Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Autumn Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of September 3165 2:1 Extremely high ratio of 2-1 car shipping to TX
2nd Week of September 2720 2.3:1 Shipping to TX is very high cost early Sept
3rd Week of September 2308 2:1 Higher than normal throughout September
4th Week of September 2260 1.7:1 The almost 2-1 ratio to Texas continues
1st Week of October 1817 1.8:1 Pricing remains high due to the imbalance
2nd Week of October 2372 1.4:1 Ratios are a big deal to car shipping quotes
3rd Week of October 2294 1.3:1 Car Shipping Quotes start to come down
4th Week of October 2593 1.2:1 There is almost parity in the market
1st Week of November 2461 1:1 Best time to ship a car to Texas is now
2nd Week of November 1893 1:1 Early November is a great time to ship a car
3rd Week of November 1565 1.2:1 November is okay for car shipping to Texas
4th Week of November 2514 1.1:1 Vehicle shipping interrupted by Turkey Day
End of November / Begin December 2832 1.1:1 Thanksgiving causes a minor backlog

Shipping A Car To Houston, TX In The Winter Season

When we talk about seasonality in the vehicle transport industry, late December and early January are the big reasons. It becomes hectic, expensive, and stressful during that period shipping a car to Houston, TX.

When Is The Ideal Time To Ship A Car To Houston In The Winter?

If at all possible, you should avoid shipping a car to Houston, TX in the last week of December and the first two weeks of January.

During the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, the auto transport carriers and brokers, and most of all the customers, are stressed.

But not all customers understand the auto transport industry, and why the order they placed weeks ago might still be waiting to ship.

Winter Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Winter Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of December 1890 1.1:1 The lull from November continues
2nd Week of December 1883 1.1:1 Early December is ideal to ship a car
3rd Week of December 2679 1.4:1 The snowbird rush to TX begins in earnest
4th Week of December 4189 1.2:1 Carriers want to be home for Xmas too
1st Week of January 4822 1.1:1 The busiest week of the year is New Year’s
2nd Week of January 3234 1.2:1 Highest priced orders ship first
3rd Week of January 3071 1.3:1 2nd highest priced orders ship next
4th Week of January 2232 1.3:1 The number winnows down
1st Week of February 1923 1.4:1 A period of stability takes over
2nd Week of February 2411 1.5:1 Car transport prices remain elevated …
3rd Week of February 2357 1.4:1 Because there are more car shipping to TX
4th Week of February 2946 1:4.1 It stays that way until October
End of February / Begin March 2901 1.8:1 Twice as many vehicles are shipping to TX

Bottom Line: When Is The Ideal Time To Ship A Car To Houston, TX

When is the ideal time to ship a car to Houston, TX? Probably only in November, and early December. The Winter, all of Spring, and as well the Summer months are far more expensive shipping to Houston. Which makes the reverse route in each season the exact opposite. 

The Winter season is by far the toughest for car shipping to Houston, especially around the auto transport snowbird migration in late December and January, as shipping costs soar. 

The Autumn season is ideal weather, and car transport quotes tend to be lower than average. 

The Original Car Shipping Quote Calculator To Houston, Texas

Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping quote 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 Houston, TX.

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.

How To Select The Ideal Car Shipping Rate To Houston, TX

Direct Express Auto Transport uniquely has three levels of service on every route, including shipping a car to Houston. The customers who choose the highest Rush rate are typically happiest with the service. 

The customers who choose the Expedited rate are often satisfied with the results. 

Those who book the Standard rate to Houston, TX during the busy snowbird season are frustrated while waiting their turn. 

We are writing this blog to give good advice to unaware customers. The smartest thing to do if you are in a hurry to ship a car is to go with the higher Rush or Expedited rates. 

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

    Read more

Continue reading

ship a car fort-lauderdale photo of homes

When To Ship A Car To Fort Lauderdale

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Auto Transport Quote Calculator, Auto Transport Tips, Best Seasons To Ship A Car Advice, Car Shipping Advice, Car Shipping Cost Calculator, Car Shipping Service, Seasonal Fluctuations, Vehicle Shipping.

When To Ship A Car To Fort Lauderdale

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

ship a car fort-lauderdale photo of homes

When To Ship A Car To Fort Lauderdale

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

Seasonality greatly affects Fort Lauderdale car shipping quotes, overall cost, and level of service. Here is when to ship a car to Fort Lauderdale. Depending on the season, your approach to shipping your vehicle to Fort Lauderdale should change.

We include in this blog tried and true tips and strategies that will help you have a successful experience. We think we know the best way to ship a car to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in all four seasons.

OUR METHODOLOGY:

Direct Express Auto Transport has over twenty years of experience shipping cars to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We track daily the number of single-vehicle Sedans, SUVs, Pickup Trucks, and Vans system-wide that are available to ship on an auto transport load board. 

We omit here in our study multiple vehicle orders, those that are anywhere from 2 to 10 vehicles on the car transport trailer because we are better able to assess market volume changes. The numbers tell the story of car shipping to Fort Lauderdale, and we share the past year’s results in this blog.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Car shipping to Fort Lauderdale is affected by the seasons.
  • The highest vehicle shipping cost to Fort Lauderdale is around the Christmas and New Year holidays during the snowbird Winter season.
  • The cheapest auto transport quotes to Fort Lauderdale happen just four months later in the Spring season.
  • The late Summer season collides with college student auto shipping, and for a while, costs rise.
  • The Autumn season is an ideal time to ship your car to Fort Lauderdale.

In This Blog Article:

Shipping A Car To Fort Lauderdale In The Winter Season

We start with the hard part first, shipping a car to Fort Lauderdale in the winter season. Specifically, over the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. 

When we talk about seasonality in the vehicle transport industry, late December and early January are the big reasons. No other time is as hectic and stressful as that period. 

Direct Express Auto Transport has over twenty years of experience shipping cars to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We track daily the number of single-vehicle Sedans, SUVs, Pickup Trucks, and Vans system-wide that are available to ship on a popular auto transport load board. 

We omit in our study multiple vehicle orders, those that are anywhere from 2 to 10 vehicles on the car transport trailer because we are better able to assess market volume changes. The numbers tell a story and we share the past year in this blog. 

Here is what typically happens to the sheer number of vehicles shipping to Florida on any given day in the Winter Season from December to February. It is often called Snowbird season as well. 

Winter Season Auto Transport To Florida Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To FL Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From FL Comments About Winter Season Car Shipping To Florida
1st Week of December 3288 1.3:1 Thanksgiving causes a mini-backlog
2nd Week of December 2056 1.6:1 Early December mirrors November volume
3rd Week of December 3306 1.5:1 The snowbird rush to FL begins in earnest
4th Week of December 4085 1.8:1 Carriers want to be home for Xmas too
1st Week of January 6785 2.1:1 And New Year’s … busiest week of the year
2nd Week of January 5400 2.2:1 Highest priced orders ship first
3rd Week of January 3770 1.6:1 2nd highest priced orders ship next
4th Week of January 3417 1.6:1 Eventually all the snowbirds ship a vehicle
1st Week of February 2153 1.3:1 It took a month for a return to normalcy
2nd Week of February 2311 1:1 February is so calm compared to January
3rd Week of February 1711 1:1 Crickets … nothing but crickets
4th Week of February 1627 1:1.3 Late February is a very good time to ship
End of February / Begin March 1791 1:1.5 An ideal time to ship a car to Florida

When Is The Best Time To Ship A Car To Fort Lauderdale In The Winter?

If at all possible, you should avoid the last two weeks of December and the first two weeks of January. It is hectic for everybody. Just look at the chart and see how the number of vehicles available to ship skyrockets fourfold around the holidays. It is more than the car transportation system can handle. 

During the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, the vehicle transport carriers and brokers, and most of all the customers, are stressed. The carriers and brokers understand what is happening … why some orders ship and others that are priced too cheap – don’t. 

But not all customers understand the auto transport industry, and why the order they placed weeks ago is still languishing in their cold driveway.

Do Not Book A Vehicle Shipment To Fort Lauderdale Too Soon

The auto shipping industry is not first come, first served. Once Christmas arrives, the vehicle shipping cost rises incrementally almost daily for four weeks. If a customer booked too early, he will likely have too low a price when the time comes to ship his car. He will have to wait. Or add money to rectify the dilemma. 

The carriers are not concerned with when any particular order was booked. They are only concerned with maximizing their profit, as anyone would be. The carriers quite naturally choose to haul the highest-paying vehicles available. For them, it is a feeding frenzy. Kind of like Piranha. 

The car shipping carriers have a dilemma to contend with once in Fort Lauderdale. There is very little freight leaving Fort Lauderdale. Because there are so many competing car transport carriers swarming to Fort Lauderdale, and elsewhere in Florida, in late December and all of January, chances are high that a carrier returns home with a half-empty trailer. That means he must make money on the trip to Fort Lauderdale. He doesn’t have the luxury of transporting cheap orders. 

Book Your Car Shipment Order To Fort Lauderdale About One Week Prior

A good rule of thumb is to book your vehicle shipment to Fort Lauderdale about 7 days before availability. The overwhelming majority of auto transport carriers will not commit to picking up a car shipment more than three days in advance of the vehicle availability. 

So why book much earlier than that? It is almost always best to have current vehicle transport market pricing. If it’s high, then there’s no way around it, you gotta pay. Because other cars will ship and yours won’t.

How To Select The Best Car Shipping Rate To Fort Lauderdale

Direct Express Auto Transport uniquely has three levels of service on every route, including shipping a car to Fort Lauderdale. The customers who choose the highest Rush rate are typically happiest with the service. 

The customers who choose the Expedited rate are often satisfied with the results. 

Those who book the Standard rate to Fort Lauderdale during the busy snowbird season are frustrated while waiting their turn. 

We are writing this blog to give good advice to unaware customers. The smartest thing to do if you are in a hurry to ship a car is to go with the higher Rush or Expedited rates. 

Transporting A Vehicle To Fort Lauderdale In The Spring Season

When the Fort Lauderdale snowbirds return home in the Spring season, starting in late April, throughout all of May, and into early June, the above scenario repeats itself in reverse.

This blog, however, is about shipping a vehicle to Fort Lauderdale during the four seasons. We are advising you on the best strategy during each season. 

In the Spring Season shipping a vehicle to Fort Lauderdale, the volume of orders returns to normal. The Spring Season is nothing like the Winter Season. 

Spring Season Auto Transport To Florida Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To FL Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From FL Comments About Spring Season Car Shipping To Florida
1st Week of March 3593 1:1.3 March is generally calm
2nd Week of March 3708 1:1.4 Normal low activity in March to FL
3rd Week of March 3102 1:1.6 A great time to ship to Florida
4th Week of March 2226 1:2 Snowbirds leaving
1st Week of April 2716 1:2 Snowbirds leaving Florida
2nd Week of April 2228 1:2.5 The best time to ship a car to Florida
3rd Week of April 1950 1:3 Cheap car shipping period to Florida
4th Week of April 2659 1:2.7 Snowbirds leaving is great for the reverse
1st Week of May 3230 1:2.9 May is ideal for shipping to FL
2nd Week of May 2181 1:4.3 Vehicles ship to Florida quickly because …
3rd Week of May 2262 1:3.7 There are fourfold cars leaving Florida
4th Week of May 1886 1:3.4 May is cheapest month to ship to Florida
End of May / Begin June 3166 1:2.1 Memorial Day

After the Winter Season, there are a couple of months of relatively normal vehicle shipping activity to Fort Lauderdale and the rest of Florida.

Why May Is The Cheapest Time Of Year To Ship Your Car To Fort Lauderdale

And then there is May, which is ridiculously advantageous for shipping a vehicle to Florida. The cheapest Vehicle Transport pricing of the year to Fort Lauderdale occurs in May. Why is that, you ask? In May, there are tens of thousands of snowbirds (retirees, college students, and many others) who hibernated in Fort Lauderdale for the winter and are returning home to the north. With so many leaving Fort Lauderdale, and so few coming, the reverse route to Fort Lauderdale becomes incredibly cheap. Enjoy it while you can. 

In May, auto shipping quotes from Fort Lauderdale usually skyrocket as demand for car transport carrier space is very high. Available carrier space is in short supply. The inverse is true. There is an overabundance of auto transport carrier space available to Fort Lauderdale, which drives down the price. Therefore, May is the cheapest time of year to ship a car to Fort Lauderdale. 

Auto Transport To Fort Lauderdale In The Summer Season

Auto transport to Fort Lauderdale in the Summer Season is busier than the Spring or Autumn seasons, but not nearly as hectic as the Winter season. Vehicle Transport quotes are fairly stable throughout the summer but rise significantly in August. 

The snowbirds finally return home at the end of May, with a few stragglers in early June. 

Like the rest of the country in the Summer Season, auto shipping traffic tends to be families and individuals relocating from and to other states. There are more vehicle shipments than in the slower months of February, March, and April. And considerably more than September, October, and November. 

Avoid Shipping Your Vehicle Around The 4th of July

Car transport carrier drivers enjoy being home as much as you do for the 4th of July festivities. The hometown parade. The barbecue with family and friends. A mid-summer rest with the people you love. 

That means fewer vehicles are getting shipped right in the middle of the busy Summer Season. Orders get backlogged. When the carriers get back to work in early July, they transport to Fort Lauderdale the highest-paying freight first with no regard to how long a customer has been waiting. For about two weeks thereafter, many customers find it both more expensive and frustrating.

The thing to do, and here is your tip, is to avoid vehicle shipping to Fort Lauderdale the last week of June and the first two weeks of July. That is not a good time to ship a car.

Summer Season Auto Transport To Florida Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To FL Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From FL Comments About Summer Season Car Shipping To Florida
1st Week of June 3228 1:1.9 Snowbird season FROM FL continues
2nd Week of June 2973 1:1.6 Early June is ideal car shipping TO FL
3rd Week of June 2483 1:1.5 It is cheap auto transport to Florida
4th Week of June 2834 1:1.2 A transition starts to happen in Florida
1st Week of July 2440 1:1.3 The 4th of July creates a mini backlog
2nd Week of July 3328 1:1.1 A week of parity shipping TO and FRO
3rd Week of July 2331 1.3:1 Suddenly it is more costly car shipping to FL
4th Week of July 2075 1.2:1 But only slightly more expensive TO Florida
1st Week of August 3287 1.4:1 August is not a good month shipping TO FL
2nd Week of August 3419 2.1:1 College kids shipping cars to Florida
3rd Week of August 3062 2.1:1 Families relocating to Florida before school
4th Week of August 2901 2.1:1 A horrible time to ship a car to Florida
End of August / Begin September 2610 2:1 Because more than twice the vehicles are shipping TO Florida than FROM Florida
[INSERT CONTENT]

College Students Create A Spike In Car Shipping Every August

There is a very discernible automobile shipping spike every year in the late Summer Season. Florida has many popular universities and colleges that attract students from all over America. For many, it is an ideal place to go to college. 

Those Florida colleges on the semester system create a mid-August boost in auto transport to Fort Lauderdale that lasts until the end of the month. Of the nearly 800,000 Florida college students, roughly 17% are from out-of-state, which means tens of thousands suddenly require vehicle shipping services. 

Vehicle Shipping To Fort Lauderdale In The Autumn Season

Vehicle shipping to Fort Lauderdale in the Autumn Season is easy. It is considered a slow time of year in the car shipping industry. Automobile shipping costs remain stable and affordable throughout most of the Fall or Autumn Season. 

Autumn Season Auto Transport To Florida Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To FL Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From FL Comments About Autumn Season Car Shipping To Florida
1st Week of September 2302 1.9:1 Extremely high ratio of 2-1 car shipping to FL
2nd Week of September 2295 1.6:1 Shipping to FL is very high cost early Sept
3rd Week of September 3601 1.4:1 Higher than normal throughout September
4th Week of September 4005 1.4:1 The high ratio to FL continues
1st Week of October 2139 1.8:1 Pricing remains high due to the imbalance
2nd Week of October 3254 1.5:1 Car shipping cost to FL is still very high
3rd Week of October 2700 2.7:1 Ratios are way out of whack to Florida
4th Week of October 2568 2.9:1 Car shipping costs to Florida skyrocket
1st Week of November 2622 2.5:1 Pricing remains high due to the imbalance
2nd Week of November 2008 2.1:1 Early November is a bad time to ship to FL
3rd Week of November 1518 1.4:1 mid-November starts to calm down
4th Week of November 2243 1.3:1 Vehicle shipping interrupted by Turkey Day
End of November / Begin December 2422 1.7:1 Thanksgiving causes car shipment backlogs to Florida for a week or more
[INSERT CONTENT]

Hurricanes and Thanksgiving Create Minor Backlogs

The only blips on the screen when it comes to vehicle shipping to Fort Lauderdale in the Autumn Season are hurricanes and Thanksgiving. And both are momentary. 

National weather forecasters can see hurricanes forming in the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico days in advance. Car transport carriers know how long they have to get out of Florida, and they avoid entirely any route there. They wait it out, which usually takes but a few days, a week at most. 

September and October are the two most susceptible months for hurricanes, but of course, there are exceptions. Hurricanes create a backlog of vehicle shipments to Fort Lauderdale that are usually overcome within a week after the event. 

At the end of November comes Thanksgiving. Like everybody else, Vehicle Transport carriers like to be home for Turkey Day too. Because Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, drivers are usually home by the Wednesday before and don’t return to the road until the Monday after Thanksgiving. Essentially a five-day break for many. It takes about a week for the vehicle shipping freight system to recover and return to equilibrium. 

Bottom Line: When To Ship A Car To Fort Lauderdale

When is the best time to ship a car to Fort Lauderdale? Probably the Spring,  Summer, and Autumn Seasons. Car shipping quotes tend to be lower and service faster. The Winter Season is far more costly.

As far as car shipping to Fort Lauderdale goes, some seasons are much easier than others. The Winter season is by far the toughest, especially around the auto transport snowbird migration to Fort Lauderdale in late December and January, as shipping costs soar. 

The Spring season is a good time to ship a car to Fort Lauderdale, especially in May when snowbird backhaul prices plummet to Fort Lauderdale. The Summer season is relatively fine. The Autumn season is ideal weather, and car transport quotes tend to be lower than average. 

The Original Car Shipping Quote Calculator To Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping quote 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL.

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.

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

Related Articles

  • Open vs Enclosed Car Transport Service

    Read more

Continue reading

Ship A Car To Dallas

When To Ship A Car To Dallas

Written by Mike Rupers on . Posted in Car Shipping Service, Car Transport Calculator, Car Transport Cost per Mile, Door To Door Auto Transport, Eco-Friendly Auto Transport, Pickup Truck Car Shipping, Seasonal Fluctuations, Vehicle Shipping.

When To Ship A Car To Dallas

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

When To Ship A Car To Dallas

When To Ship A Car To Dallas

Get Your Car Shipping Quote!

Related Topic Resources

After over 20 years in the auto transport business, we’ve learned the best time to ship a car to Dallas, Texas in all four seasons. Depending on the season, your approach to shipping a vehicle to Dallas should change. Seasonality has a dramatic effect on Dallas car shipping quotes, overall costs, and level of service. 

We include in this blog savvy tips and strategies that will help you have a successful experience.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Car shipping to Dallas is affected by the seasons.
  • The highest vehicle shipping cost to Dallas is around the Christmas and New Year holidays during the snowbird Winter season.
  • The cheapest auto transport quotes to Dallas are in the Autumn season, particularly from late October to mid-December.
  • The car shipping cost to Dallas is elevated, higher than most routes, for the Winter, Spring, and Summer seasons.
  • Year-round, vehicle shipping to Dallas normally costs more than the reverse.

In This Blog Article:

Shipping A Car To Dallas In The Winter Season

We start with the hard part first, shipping a car to Dallas in the winter season. Specifically, over the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. 

When we talk about seasonality in the vehicle transport industry, late December and early January are the big reasons. No other time is as hectic, expensive, and stressful as that period shipping a car to Dallas. 

Direct Express Auto Transport has over twenty years of experience shipping cars to Dallas, Texas. We track daily the number of single-vehicle Sedans, SUVs, Pickup Trucks, and Vans system-wide that are available to ship on the auto transport load board. 

We omit here in our study multiple vehicle orders, those that are anywhere from 2 to 10 vehicles on the car transport trailer because we are better able to assess market volume changes. The numbers tell the story of shipping to Dallas, and we share the past year’s results in this blog. 

Here is what typically happens to the sheer number of vehicles car shipping to Texas on any given day in the Winter Season from December to February. It is often called Snowbird season as well.

Winter Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Winter Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of December 1890 1.1:1 The lull from November continues
2nd Week of December 1883 1.1:1 Early December is ideal to ship a car
3rd Week of December 2679 1.4:1 The snowbird rush to TX begins in earnest
4th Week of December 4189 1.2:1 Carriers want to be home for Xmas too
1st Week of January 4822 1.1:1 The busiest week of the year is New Year’s
2nd Week of January 3234 1.2:1 Highest priced orders ship first
3rd Week of January 3071 1.3:1 2nd highest priced orders ship next
4th Week of January 2232 1.3:1 The number winnows down
1st Week of February 1923 1.4:1 A period of stability takes over
2nd Week of February 2411 1.5:1 Car transport prices remain elevated …
3rd Week of February 2357 1.4:1 Because there are more car shipping to TX
4th Week of February 2946 1:4.1 It stays that way until October
End of February / Begin March 2901 1.8:1 Twice as many vehicles are shipping to TX

When Is The Best Time To Ship A Car To Dallas In The Winter?

If at all possible, you should avoid the last two weeks of December and the first three weeks of January. It is hectic for everybody. Just look at the chart and see how the number of vehicles available to ship skyrockets fourfold around the holidays. It is more than the car transportation system can handle. 

During the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, the auto transport carriers and brokers, and most of all the customers, are stressed. The carriers and brokers understand what is happening … why some orders ship and others that are priced too cheap – don’t. 

But not all customers understand the auto transport industry, and why the order they placed weeks ago is still languishing in their cold driveway.

Do Not Book A Vehicle Shipment To Dallas Too Soon

The car shipping industry is not first come, first served. Once Christmas arrives, the vehicle shipping cost rises incrementally almost daily for four weeks. If a customer booked too early, he will likely have too low a price when the time comes to ship his car. He will have to wait. Or add money to rectify the dilemma. 

The carriers are not concerned with when any particular order was booked. They are only concerned with maximizing their profit, as anyone would be. The carriers quite naturally choose to haul the highest-paying vehicles available. For them, it is a feeding frenzy. Kind of like Piranha. 

The car shipping carriers have a dilemma to contend with once in Dallas. There is very little freight leaving Dallas. Because there are so many competing car transport carriers swarming to Dallas, and elsewhere in Texas, in late December and all of January, chances are high that a carrier returns home with a half-empty trailer. That means he must make money on the trip to Dallas. He doesn’t have the luxury of transporting cheap orders. 

Book Your Car Shipment Order To Dallas About One Week Prior

A good rule of thumb is to book your vehicle shipment to Dallas about 7 days before availability. The overwhelming majority of auto transport carriers will not commit to picking up a car shipment more than three days in advance of the vehicle availability. 

So why book much earlier than that? It is almost always best to have current auto transport market pricing. If it’s high, then there’s no way around it, you gotta pay. Because other cars will ship and yours won’t.

How To Select The Best Car Shipping Rate To Dallas

Direct Express Auto Transport uniquely has three levels of service on every route, including shipping a car to Dallas. The customers who choose the highest Rush rate are typically happiest with the service. 

The customers who choose the Expedited rate are often satisfied with the results. 

Those who book the Standard rate to Dallas during the busy snowbird season are frustrated while waiting their turn. 

We are writing this blog to give good advice to unaware customers. The smartest thing to do if you are in a hurry to ship a car is to go with the higher Rush or Expedited rates. 

Transporting A Vehicle To Dallas In The Spring Season

When the Dallas snowbirds return home in the Spring season, starting in late April, throughout all of May, and into early June, the above scenario repeats itself in reverse.

This blog, however, is about shipping a vehicle to Dallas during the four seasons. We are advising you on the best strategy during each season. 

Spring Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Spring Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of March 3289 1.6:1 The ratio is nearly 2-1 cars shipping to TX
2nd Week of March 3730 1.6:1 It stays that way for several weeks
3rd Week of March 3339 1.6:1 College Spring Break in Texas
4th Week of March 4212 1.9:1 Spring Break to Texas creates demand
1st Week of April 4462 1.8:1 More Spring Break shipments
2nd Week of April 4117 1.9:1 The 2-1 ratio to TX elevates quote prices
3rd Week of April 3914 1.8:1 It is more expensive car shipping to TX …
4th Week of April 4213 1.7:1 Than shipping from Texas in the Spring
1st Week of May 4027 1.9:1 Car shipping is nearly twice as costly to TX
2nd Week of May 4193 1.5:1 There is not much let up in May
3rd Week of May 4513 1.3:1 There is also a spike in cars leaving TX
4th Week of May 4086 1.4:1 But there are still more coming than leaving
End of May / Begin June 4254 1.4:1 Memorial Day creates more backlog

In the Spring Season, the volume of orders to Dallas is higher than normal. The Spring Season in Texas is nothing like the Spring Season in Florida. The ratios stay elevated car shipping to Dallas in the Spring. It is close to two to one the entire season.

The Toughest Time Of Year To Ship Your Car To Dallas

Other than the New Year’s holiday, the most prolonged and toughest time of year for auto transport pricing to Dallas, Texas occurs in in the Spring Season. 

With so many vehicles shipping to Dallas, and so few leaving, the reverse route from Dallas becomes incredibly cheap. Enjoy it while you can. 

However, car shipping quotes to Dallas skyrocket as demand for car transport carrier space is very high. Available carrier space is in short supply.

Auto Transport To Dallas In The Summer Season

Auto transport to Dallas in the Summer Season is not as busy as in the Spring. But the ratio of those shipping cars to Dallas is still much higher than those leaving. Which keeps vehicle shipping costs higher.

College Students Create A Spike In Car Shipping Every August

There is a very discernible car shipping spike every year in the late Summer Season. Texas has many popular universities and colleges that attract students from all over America. For many, it is an ideal place to go to college. 

Texas colleges on the semester system create a mid-August boost in auto transport to Dallas that lasts until the end of the month.

Summer Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Summer Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of June 4296 1.4:1 Summer is a busy time shipping to Texas
2nd Week of June 3384 1.4:1 Pricing stays stable & high in May, June, July
3rd Week of June 3629 1.3:1 It is much cheaper shipping FROM Texas
4th Week of June 3676 1.4:1 Because more are shipping cars to Texas …
1st Week of July 3193 1.5:1 Auto transport quotes remain higher to TX
2nd Week of July 3091 1.5:1 The 4th of July holiday created more pressure
3rd Week of July 2630 1.4:1 No break in pricing shipping to Texas
4th Week of July 2389 1.7:1 The imbalance shipping to TX gets worse
1st Week of August 3408 2:1 There are twice the cars shipping to TX
2nd Week of August 3751 1.9:1 College kids shipping cars to Texas
3rd Week of August 3378 2.2:1 Families relocating to Texas before school
4th Week of August 3402 2.4:1 A horrible time to ship a car to Texas
End of August / Begin September 3164 2.2:1 Because more than twice the vehicles are shipping TO Texas than FROM Texas

Auto transport to Dallas in the Summer Season is fairly steady and predictably higher than normal. Auto transport costs remain elevated throughout most of the Summer.

Vehicle Shipping To Dallas In The Autumn Season

Vehicle shipping to Dallas in the Autumn Season is easy. It is considered a slow time of year in the car shipping industry. Car shipping costs remain stable and more affordable throughout most of the Fall or Autumn Season. It is the cheapest and best time of year to ship your car to Dallas.

Hurricanes & Thanksgiving Can Cause Interruptions

National weather forecasters can see hurricanes forming in the Gulf of Mexico days in advance. Car transport carriers know how long they have to get out of Texas, and they avoid entirely any route there. They wait it out, which usually takes but a few days, a week at most. 

September and October are the two most susceptible months for hurricanes, but of course, there are exceptions. Hurricanes create a backlog of vehicle shipments to Dallas that are usually overcome within a week after the event. 

At the end of November comes Thanksgiving. Like everybody else, auto transport carriers like to be home for Turkey Day too. 

Because Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, drivers are usually home by the Wednesday before and don’t return to the road until the Monday after Thanksgiving. Essentially a five-day break for many. It takes about a week for the vehicle shipping freight system to recover and return to equilibrium. 

Autumn Season Auto Transport To Texas Avg. Daily Single Vehicles Avail. To TX Ratio Of Vehicles Shipping To/From TX Comments About Autumn Season Car Shipping To Texas
1st Week of September 3165 2:1 Extremely high ratio of 2-1 car shipping to TX
2nd Week of September 2720 2.3:1 Shipping to TX is very high cost early Sept
3rd Week of September 2308 2:1 Higher than normal throughout September
4th Week of September 2260 1.7:1 The almost 2-1 ratio to Texas continues
1st Week of October 1817 1.8:1 Pricing remains high due to the imbalance
2nd Week of October 2372 1.4:1 Ratios are a big deal to car shipping quotes
3rd Week of October 2294 1.3:1 Car Shipping Quotes start to come down
4th Week of October 2593 1.2:1 There is almost parity in the market
1st Week of November 2461 1:1 Best time to ship a car to Texas is now
2nd Week of November 1893 1:1 Early November is a great time to ship a car
3rd Week of November 1565 1.2:1 November is okay for car shipping to Texas
4th Week of November 2514 1.1:1 Vehicle shipping interrupted by Turkey Day
End of November / Begin December 2832 1.1:1 Thanksgiving causes a minor backlog

The Autumn Season is perhaps the best time of year to ship a car to Dallas, or anywhere else for that matter. 

Bottom Line: When To Ship A Car To Dallas

As far as car shipping to Dallas goes, some seasons are much easier than others. The Winter season is by far the toughest, especially around the auto transport snowbird migration to Dallas in late December and January, as shipping costs soar. 

The Autumn season is a good time to ship a car to Dallas. The Autumn season is ideal weather, and car transport quotes tend to be lower than average. 

The Original Car Shipping Quote Calculator To Dallas

Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping quote 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 Dallas, Texas.

The Standard rate is the cheapest car shipping quote. Use the Standard rate if you can be patient. 

The Expedited rate is the most recommended and best auto transport quote. We have many very satisfied Expedited rate customers because the vehicle shipping process tends to go quicker. 

The Rush rate is our highest level of auto transport quotes and service, and many customers are glad they went with that method too. If in a hurry, go Rush rate. You will be glad you did. 

Car Transport Cost: FAQ

  • Should You Ship Your Car Open or Enclosed?

    About 97% of all vehicle shipments are shipped on an Open Trailer. It’s proven to be a very safe method with statistically very few problems. You may notice new cars being delivered to dealerships in an open trailer, and that’s because it’s safe. If you have a collector car or really expensive automobile, say around $75,000 or more, then we recommend shipping it in an Enclosed Trailer. Expect to pay about 33-50% more for an Enclosed transport. Our auto shipping costs calculator automatically adds the extra enclosed car transport estimate to your quote, so you can experiment with the quotes if you like.

  • How Long Will It Take To Pick Up My Vehicle?

    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.

  • How Do I Prepare My Vehicle For Shipment?

    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.

  • How Are Car Shipping Quotes Calculated?

    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.

  • Non-Running Vehicles Cost More

    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.

  • How Long Does It Take To Deliver My Vehicle?

    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.

  • Can I Put Stuff In My Car When I Ship It?

    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.

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