Suppose either you or your family member serve in the United States military. First things first: Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. At Direct Express Auto Transport, we are truly grateful for all you and your families do to support, defend, and protect our country. And we want to make it as easy as possible for you and your family when you need military car shipping services.

Maybe you’ve shipped cars before, or perhaps this is your first time shipping a vehicle. Any time you need to move your car from one place to another, it’s a challenge, especially if you cannot be there to either drive it yourself or do the organizing and planning legwork from the comfort of your home.

Fortunately, the Direct Express Auto Transport team is here to help ease the burden by walking you through all the steps to transport your vehicle. This guide covers two things. First, it tells you what you’ll need to do regarding your car to prepare for deployment. Second, it will help guide you through the tricky waters of how to go about moving your car if you’re already deployed.

What to do with Your Car During Military Deployment

When you’re facing deployment, whether it’s your first one or the umpteenth, there are a million things to do in a short period. We’ve taken the sting out with these simple tips and reminders. This list shares answers to military car shipping questions so that you don’t have to figure out what to do with your car while on deployment.

• Change your car insurance while deployed. Contact your insurance agent, broker, or provider. Speak to a real, live human being, and don’t try to do this via computer. Talking to a real person will make updating your car insurance a much easier process. Unfortunately, you can’t cancel the insurance and reactivate it when you return stateside. But you can reduce the coverage to the required minimum. And while you’ve got someone on the phone, ask about a military discount. 
•  Service your vehicle. Nothing is worse than getting home from months abroad to a car that is running improperly or doesn’t run at all. When leaving for deployment, get it serviced before you go rather than after you return. It will help prevent any potential problems from worsening.
•  Safely store your documents. Find a safe place to keep your insurance card, title, and registration. Consider supporting the insurance card and registration in or near your vehicle. But not the title. Keep that with your folks back home. If something needs to be done with the vehicle, it’ll be easy for whoever is acting on your behalf to know precisely where the necessary papers are. Some people prefer a lockbox or filing cabinet. Decide what’s best for you and your family. 
•  Decide on the right storage option for your car. If your home has a garage, it’s easy. If not, research your car storage options. Maybe a friend or family member will allow you to store your vehicle in their garage. Or perhaps a covered storage facility or storage unit is the right fit.
•  Make duplicate sets of keys. You’re in the military, which means you know that the best-laid plans sometimes go awry. Maybe a loved one has car problems and needs to use yours (with permission, of course). It’s possible that the place you’re storing your car can no longer accommodate it. Having a duplicate set of keys entrusted to a close friend or family member makes their ability to protect and care for your vehicle much more manageable. After all, it’s better to have the keys and not need them than to need them and not have them.

Military Car Shipping Personnel

Sometimes the “home sweet home” you leave is not the same place you’ll return to after deployment. Let us help make it easier on both you and those coordinating your relocation with this step-by-step while you focus on staying safe and accomplishing the mission at hand.

With technological advances, much of the research and planning is online, allowing you to be part of the process even while deployed. 

• Step 1: Get shipment quotes. Most interstate car shipping companies have online quote calculators. Reputable transport companies won’t ask for personal information. If asked, choose open-air shipping, which is safe and sufficient for 97% of vehicles. (Enclosed trailers are usually for $100,000+ cars.) 
•  Step 2: Research shipping companies and book your transport. Reading online reviews is worth a little time to ensure you choose a reliable company. Some car shipping companies are all talk and have no follow-through. The logistics of hauling multiple vehicles to and from numerous locations can get very complicated quickly. Read Trustpilot reviews to see what others are saying. Direct Express Auto Transport makes it easy to book online. Plus, you can call and talk to one of our helpful customer service members.
•  Step 3: Get your documents together. While not much documentation is required to ship a vehicle, the person acting on your behalf should still have easy access to anything needed.
•  Step 4: Ship your car. Military bases do not allow auto transport trailers onto their premises. If you are shipping from or to a military establishment, you’ll need to arrange for someone to meet the transport outside the gates. Make sure the fuel level is left at a quarter of a tank. (Not so much that it adds extra weight for the transporter, but enough to get your car off the trailer and to its final destination.)

Vehicle Shipping While Deployed Overseas 

At Direct Express Auto Transport, we appreciate all you do for this great country. And we want to make shipping your car–especially while you’re on deployment–as easy and seamless as possible. That’s why we’ve put together these FAQs. Contact us at 800-600-3750 with any further questions or concerns. Schedule your transport over the phone or book online.

The Original Car Shipping Quote Calculator

Direct Express Auto Transport originated the instant car shipping quote calculator in 2004. It is still the best, most sophisticated, reliable tool available anywhere online. We offer three options that we call tiers of car shipping estimates. The standard rate is the cheapest car shipping quote, but it may take longer. Use it if you are patient. We recommend the expedited car shipping rate and have countless satisfied customers because the shipping process tends to go quicker. The rush rate is our highest level of car shipping service, and many customers are glad they went with that method.