Cross-Country Shipping

What a coast-to-coast shipment really costs

The price of shipping a car across the country is easier to predict than most people expect, because the long lanes are the most competitive in the business. A sedan travelling from Los Angeles to New York, about 2,790 road miles, costs $1,450–$2,000 on an open carrier. The same car from Los Angeles to Miami, a slightly shorter run down I-10, is $1,400–$1,950. Enclosed transport on either lane is $2,000–$2,950. Those are the totals; there is no fuel surcharge or booking fee on top.

Per mile that works out to roughly 55–70 cents, the lowest rate on any kind of shipment, because a carrier's fixed costs for loading, dispatching and inspecting a car are spread over ten days of driving instead of one. The table above lists the busiest coast-to-coast lanes with their distances, open and enclosed ranges and the number of days the car spends on the truck.

The variables that move the price on a long lane are the same as anywhere but with different weights. Vehicle size matters more, because a large SUV or pickup takes a position that could have held a sedan for 2,800 miles. Season matters about the same as elsewhere: summer relocations push demand up 5–10%. Flexibility matters less, since the truck's route is fixed and your pickup is one stop on a long list, but a window of two or three days still helps the carrier plan the load.

Road miles, not map miles

Trucks follow the interstate network. Los Angeles to New York is 2,790 road miles even though the straight-line distance is about 2,450. Quotes and the calculator use road miles.

Corridor and season

I-10 across the south runs year-round; I-80 and I-70 through the Rockies slow or close in winter storms. Winter shipments shift south, which can add a day of transit.

Vehicle size

A full-size SUV or pickup adds 12–20% to a coast-to-coast price, because it displaces a smaller car on a truck that is full for the entire trip.

Trailer type

Enclosed carriers running the long lanes are scarcer than on regional routes, so the enclosed premium tends toward the top of the 40–60% band.

Summer demand

June through August is the relocation season. Coast-to-coast lanes fill first because families move between school years, and prices run 5–10% higher.

Two vehicles on one truck

The cheapest way to move a household's cars. Same pickup, same delivery, same truck, and each car prices 10–15% lower than it would alone.

Bringing a cross-country price down

Book early. Long-haul carriers plan loads a week or more ahead, and a car booked two to three weeks before the first available date gets placed on a truck that is already routing past both addresses. Give a pickup window of two to three days rather than a single date; on a coast-to-coast run that costs you nothing in practice, because the truck's arrival day is an estimate either way.

Ship in the shoulder months if the calendar allows. September, October, February and March are quieter on the long lanes than June through August, and the difference is usually the 5–10% seasonal factor. Choose open transport unless the car genuinely needs the protection; on a ten-day trip the price gap is several hundred dollars.

If you are moving two vehicles, ship them together. And compare the total with the true cost of driving before deciding: fuel for 2,800 miles, three or four nights of hotels, meals, a one-way flight home for whoever drove, and four days of your time. For most households the shipping price is the smaller number.

Insurance and what to check before a week on the road

A cross-country shipment spends seven to ten days and several thousand miles on the truck, so the paperwork matters more than on a short hop. The carrier's cargo policy covers the car for the whole trip; you receive the certificate of insurance before pickup and should read the limit and deductible. A specialist assigns higher-limit carriers to higher-value vehicles as a matter of course.

The pickup inspection is your baseline for a car that is about to cross three time zones. Photograph every panel, the wheels, the glass, the interior and the odometer in daylight. Make sure the bill of lading matches what you see. Remove toll transponders and anything loose; loaded trucks pass dozens of toll gantries and weigh stations on a coast-to-coast run.

At delivery, inspect in daylight where possible. Road dust after 2,800 miles is normal on an open carrier; a new chip or scrape is not, and it must go on the delivery report before you sign. Call us while the driver is present if anything looks wrong. We handle the claim with the carrier from there, and your own comprehensive policy is a second layer if it is ever needed.