Open Car Transport

How Much Does Open Car Transport Cost?

Open car transport rates depend on distance, vehicle size, seasonal demand, and route popularity. Bold Auto Transport offers some of the most competitive open carrier rates in the industry. Here are the current averages:

Distance	Average Cost	Cost Per Mile
Under 500 miles	$630	~$1.26/mi
500–2,500 miles	$1,135	~$0.76/mi
Over 2,500 miles	$1,350	~$0.54/mi

The per-mile rate decreases as distance increases because fixed costs — loading, unloading, insurance, and driver time — are spread across more miles. A 2,500-mile cross-country shipment costs less per mile than a 300-mile regional move.

Factors That Affect Open Transport Pricing

• Distance: The primary cost driver. Longer routes cost more total but less per mile.
• Vehicle size: Compact cars cost less than full-size SUVs and trucks because they take less space on the carrier.
• Season: Summer (June–August) is peak season with higher rates. Spring and fall offer the best prices.
• Route popularity: High-traffic corridors (CA to FL, NY to FL) have more carrier availability and competitive pricing.
• Location: Urban areas with easy highway access cost less than rural or remote locations.
• Vehicle condition: Non-running vehicles require winch loading and cost more to ship.

Use our free car shipping cost calculator to get a personalized open transport quote in seconds.

Open vs. Enclosed Auto Transport: Which Should You Choose?

The choice between open and enclosed auto transport depends on your vehicle's value and your budget:

Feature	Open Transport	Enclosed Transport
Cost	$0.50–$1.50/mi	30–40% more
Weather protection	Exposed	Fully covered
Capacity	7–10 vehicles	2–7 vehicles
Pickup availability	Faster (more carriers)	Slower (fewer carriers)
Best for	Standard vehicles, daily drivers	Luxury, classic, exotic cars

Bottom line: If your vehicle is a standard sedan, SUV, truck, or minivan, open transport is the right choice. It saves you 30–40% and gets your car there just as safely. Reserve enclosed transport for vehicles worth over $50,000 or with irreplaceable sentimental value.

Pros and Cons of Open Car Transport

Pros

• Most affordable option — 30–40% less than enclosed
• Faster pickup times — more open carriers on the road means quicker scheduling
• Proven safe — used for 90% of all U.S. vehicle shipments including brand-new dealership inventory
• Higher capacity — 7–10 vehicles per load keeps costs low for everyone
• Widely available — carriers on virtually every route in the country

Cons

• Weather exposure — vehicles may encounter rain, dust, or road spray during transit
• Not ideal for high-value vehicles — luxury and exotic cars benefit from enclosed protection
• Minor cosmetic exposure — dust and light grime may accumulate (washes off easily)

Actual damage from open transport is extremely rare. Bold includes full coverage insurance with a $0 deductible on every open carrier shipment, so even in the unlikely event of damage, you pay nothing.

Who Should Use Open Car Transport?

Open carrier transport is the right choice for the majority of vehicle shippers. It's ideal for:

• Relocations — Moving to a new state and need your car shipped door-to-door
• Online car purchases — Bought a vehicle on Carvana, eBay Motors, Cars.com, or from a dealer in another state
• Snowbird seasonal moves — Shipping between northern and southern states for winter
• Military PCS moves — Service members relocating to a new duty station
• College students — Sending or receiving a car at school across the country
• Standard vehicles — Any sedan, SUV, truck, or minivan regardless of age

Most Popular Open Transport Routes & Transit Times

The lanes below see the most consistent open-carrier capacity in our network. Quoted prices are real averages we've seen over the past 90 days for standard sedans and SUVs in operable condition. Larger vehicles (full-size trucks, three-row SUVs) typically run 10–15% higher.

Route	Distance	Average Open Rate	Transit Time
California → Texas	~1,400 mi	$850–$1,050	5–8 days
Florida → New York	~1,280 mi	$800–$975	4–7 days
Texas → Florida	~1,150 mi	$750–$925	4–7 days
California → Florida	~2,750 mi	$1,150–$1,400	8–12 days
Illinois → California	~2,050 mi	$1,000–$1,250	7–10 days
New York → Texas	~1,650 mi	$925–$1,150	6–9 days
Washington → California	~1,150 mi	$700–$875	4–7 days
Michigan → Florida	~1,300 mi	$800–$975	5–8 days

Reverse-direction routes (e.g., Texas → California) can run 5–10% higher because of the freight imbalance — more carriers head from California than to it. Heading into peak snowbird season (October–December for southbound, March–May for northbound), expect another $75–$150 premium on the trafficked corridors.

When to Book Open Car Transport

Lead time is the single biggest variable shippers control. Bold dispatches most open carrier shipments within 48–72 hours of booking, but locking in your pickup window early gets you better drivers, lower rates, and more flexibility on dates.

• 3+ weeks out: Best pricing, full choice of carriers, flexible pickup dates. Recommended for cross-country shipments and any move tied to a closing date or PCS report-no-later-than.
• 1–2 weeks out: Solid availability on most lanes. Pricing is normal-market. This is the booking window most of our customers use.
• Under 7 days: Possible on high-volume corridors (CA↔TX, FL↔NY, TX↔FL) but expect a $50–$150 expedite premium. Rural origin or destination ZIPs may require an extra 2–3 days regardless.
• Same-week pickup: Available — see our expedited auto transport page for guaranteed pickup windows. Premium runs 25–40% over standard open rates.

Seasonal note: June–August is peak shipping season, with rates 10–20% higher across the board and pickup windows that can stretch 2–4 days longer. The cheapest months to ship open transport are February, March, and October — carrier supply is plentiful and demand softens.

What to Expect on Pickup & Delivery Day

Open carrier shipments are simple, but knowing what happens at each step removes the unknowns. Here's what your pickup and delivery look like in practice.

Before pickup

1. The dispatched driver calls you 24 hours in advance with an estimated 2-hour pickup window. They'll call again 30–60 minutes before arrival.
2. Wash the vehicle so existing scratches and dings are easy to document. Skip wax — fresh wax can streak in transit.
3. Remove all personal items from the cabin. Federal cargo rules allow up to 100 lbs of personal items in the trunk; anything over is at your own risk.
4. Reduce fuel to a quarter tank. Heavier vehicles cost more to haul and a quarter tank is plenty for loading and unloading.
5. Disable any toll tag, alarm, anti-theft, or kill switch that could trigger during transit.
6. Have a set of keys ready to hand to the driver, plus your photo ID.

Inspection & loading

The driver completes a Bill of Lading (BOL) inspection in front of you — walking the vehicle, marking any pre-existing damage on a diagram, and taking photos. You sign the BOL to acknowledge the vehicle's condition at pickup. Do not skip this. The BOL is the legal record that determines insurance coverage if anything happens in transit. Take your own timestamped photos of every panel, the wheels, and the interior.

Loading takes 15–30 minutes. The driver positions the vehicle on the carrier deck (top decks ride first; bottom decks are loaded last and unloaded first), secures the wheels with soft straps or wheel nets, and chocks the tires. Modern carriers use wheel-only restraint systems that never touch the frame, axles, or suspension.

In transit

Once the carrier rolls, you'll have the driver's direct cell number for status updates. Federal hours-of-service rules limit drivers to 11 hours of driving per day, so most carriers cover 400–550 miles per day on average. Bold's dispatch team monitors every shipment and pushes proactive updates if weather, traffic, or mechanical issues affect ETA.

Delivery

The driver calls 24 hours before delivery to coordinate the drop window. At delivery, you (or your designated recipient) walk the vehicle with the driver, comparing its condition against the BOL. If everything matches, you sign and the shipment closes. If there's a discrepancy — even something minor — note it on the BOL before signing. Damage claims require BOL notation at delivery; signing a clean BOL closes your claim window.

Payment of the carrier balance (the portion not paid at booking) is due on delivery in cash, certified check, or money order. Bold confirms the balance amount with you 48 hours before delivery so there are no surprises.