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Auto Transport Rates Per Mile: Average Cost to Ship a Car

What's in this article?
  1. What’s The Average Cost To Ship A Car As Per Mile(Pm)?
  2. Good Examples Of Car Shipping Price Per Mile - Shorter Distance Average Auto Cost
  3. Good Examples Of Car Transport Cost Per Cost Mile - Longer Distances Auto Cost
  4. Factors That Influence Car Shipping Cost Per Mile In Auto Transport?
  5. Seasonal Car Shipping And Car Transport Cost Per Mile
  6. Your Geographic Location To Ship A Car
  7. Roadway Access To Move A Car
  8. Car Size Prices Per Mile-Shipping Prices Per Mile
  9. Immediacy
  10. Understanding Auto Transport Quotes For Car Shipping Cost Per Mile In Auto Transport
  11. Type Of Transport To Ship A Car
  12. Distance
  13. Gas Rates
  14. Most Affordable Means Of Auto Transport
  15. Car Shipping Discounts To Look For In Auto Transport
  16. Discounts And Savings In Shipping Costs
  17. How To Calculate The Average Cost To Ship A Car?
  18. Bottom Line
Auto Transport Rates Gas Rates - Auto Ship Rates/Car Transport Rates

Any autoshipping company that gives you a flat-rate quote over the phone is doing you a dis-service, plain and simple. There are just too many factors that can influence the overall cost of shipping an automobile for there to be any accuracy in a one-size-fits-all quote. What is possible is a base quote per mile, i.e. a generic expression of cost on a particular type of transfer, but this doesn’t take into account any situational factors that could drive the cost up or down.

If you’re thinking of having your autoshipped somewhere, you would be well-advised to consider some of the things that can add or subtract from what you might expect to pay. Be prepared to convey all the details of your specific case to your carshipping company, so you can get the most accurate quote possible. No one wants to pay extra car movement costs related to expenses that were not originally identified.

What’s the Average Cost to Ship a Car as Per Mile(PM)?

No matter whether you are across the country or to a new city, a long-distance move is an event that needs elaborate and careful planning. One of the most overwhelming elements of moving to a new city is getting your car to your new location. However, things can start to get a little tricky when it comes to the average per milecost of shipping your car.

Sure, you can drive your car to your new location all by yourself and enjoy a nice road trip. But it is always better to have a car shipped by a transport company. When you choose a car shippingcompany, the more miles you travel, the cheaper the per milecar transfer costs. It is primarily because your car travels for a longer distance on the carrier, so the average vehicle shippingcosts less. The larger truck will have more space for vehicles, distributing the cost per mile to ship a car. So, the more miles the carrier truck travels, the lesser the per-mile cost. However, there are factors that can influence the car shipping costs.

As per the latest statistics, shipping a car 100-200 miles costs $2/mile. While to ship a car 200-300 miles is going to cost $1.5/mile. In case you want to move a car over 500 miles, you might only have to pay $0.90/mile.

The shipping carrier sets the cost of shipping. So, it will vary from one shipping company to the other.

Good Examples of Car Shipping Price Per Mile - Shorter Distance Average Auto Cost

Here are a few good examples of shipping your car per mile -

If your car covers a distance of 100 miles, you have to pay $1.50/mile. So, the car shipping costs $150.

When you are shipping a car 300 miles, the cost per mile is going to drop to $1.20. This means that the total shipping cost will be $360.

If you are transporting your car 600 miles, it is at $0.90 per mile. Thus, you are paying $540 as your average vehicleshipping cost.

You will notice that the cost of car shipping 600 miles will cost only $180 more than a 300-mile trip. It implies that the more the distance, the lesser the car transfer cost charged by a vehicle transport companies.

Good Examples of Car transport Cost Per Cost Mile - Longer Distances Auto Cost

If you want to move your car across a country, it means it will cover a longer distance. However, longer distances mean larger discounts on average cost to ship your vehicle. For instance, if you are shipping your car from one coast to the other and it covers 2500-3000miles, it might cost you $0.70/pm.

If the distance between the pickup and deliverylocations is 2000 miles, the cost will be $1400 for door to door service.

Let’s take a look at the average cost to ship a car-

500 miles with $1 pm - $500

1000 miles with $0.90 p.m. - $900

2000 miles with $0.70 per mile - $1400

Thus, when you are shipping your car across the country, you can enjoy the best car shipping price. Most reputable car shipping industries will charge you an average of $0.70 per mile for cross-country shipping.

Factors that Influence Car Shipping Cost Per Mile in Auto Transport?

The figures we have mentioned above only give a rough estimate of shipping your car per mile. There are many factors that can influence the actual automobile shipping rates.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the things that can affect car transport costs, so you don’t have any nasty surprises for your shipping project:

SEASONAL CAR SHIPPING AND CAR TRANSPORT COST PER MILE

This is especially important when the weather makes driving difficult. For instance, if you live in the northeast and you’re looking to ship sometime between November and March, there’s a pretty good likelihood of winter weather causing complications. Even if there is no actual bad weather at shipping time, car shipping charge is likely to be higher during this period because fewer means of transport even risk making trips into wintry locations. It is advisable to ask for the shipping quotes first to make sure.

Supply and demand have an impact on the average cost to ship a car per mile. Demand is more in the peak months as the car transport companies get lots of shipping requests during this time. In the summer months, with an increase in demand, there is less space on the car carriers. So, it affects vehicle shipping fees and can increase to $200-$300 per trip.

But that doesn’t mean that the shipping fee during the winter months can be less. Average vehicle shipments rate can increase due to inclement weather. A car shipping company determine the price after taking into consideration the risk of snowstorms or other elements.

If you want to save money on shipping prices, then plan your vehicle transport early. You can inquire about the car shipping rates and learn if the broker or carrier provides any offer or discount at any time that you can take advantage of. Most autotransport industries offer free car shipping quotes so that you can decide on the autotransport provider you want to work with.

Demand for car shipments tend to be much higher during the peak car shipping season, such as before Christmas, Thanksgiving, or New Year. Make sure you don’t transport your car during such times to avoid paying more to the auto shipping providers.

Try to be flexible with your car shipping dates as it will help you find the best vehicle shipping company.

Auto Transport Rates Car Size - Seasonal Auto Ship Cost/Car Transport Cost

YOUR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION TO SHIP A CAR

Where are you located in the country? Remember that a transportvehicle will have to make the trip to wherever you are to pick up your vehicle, and if you happen to live somewhere that’s difficult or impossible for a movement to get to, special considerations come into play. If the open car moving carriers simply cannot reach the mountain top you live on, you may have to drive the vehicle to a lower elevation for pickup at an agreed-upon point. Difficult locations like a relatively remote area with meager road access will add time to the pickup and drive up auto transport rates.

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ROADWAY ACCESS TO MOVE A CAR

Speaking of road access, this also plays a significant role in the overall cost to transport a car. Not only is the pickup point important here, but the kind of highway routes leading to the drop-off point also matter a great deal. Ideally, the truck driver would be able to drive most of the distance between these two points on multiple-lane interstate highways. This kind of scenario could actually reduce your final fee because it makes travel easy for the car shipping industries.

CAR SIZE PRICES PER MILE-SHIPPING PRICES PER MILE

The size and weight of the car being shipped matter a great deal because of the space they take up on a transfer, and because of the overall allowable weight, a transport can accommodate. You can expect a larger, heavier car to price more to move than a smaller, more compact car. Auto shipping industries offer voyaging quotes P.M. based on the car size.

IMMEDIACY

If you can provide a relatively broad window of time for the vehicle shipment, it will be much easier to match your request to a convenient pickup time for a transport that is scheduled to be in your area. On the other hand, if you are really pressed for time and can only give a few days’ notice, this is more likely to cause a shipper to specially schedule a transport to handle your request, and of course, this will result in higher cost to move a car per mile.

Auto Transport Rates Your Geographic Location - Car Shipping Costs Per Mile
Understanding Auto Transport Quotesfor Car Shipping Cost Per Mile in Auto Transport

Vehicle transport quotes for car shipping often include a costper mile component. This metric calculates the price based on the distance your vehicle needs to travel. Typically, longer distances result in higher overall costs. Car voyaging companies consider factors like fuel expenses, driver compensation, and vehicle size when determining the price per mile. It's crucial to review these car shipping quotes carefully, ensuring they also account for any additional services or insurance. Comparing car shipping quotes from different providers can help you find the best deal for safe and reliable vehicle transport while understanding the cost p aspect of the pricing structure.

TYPE OF TRANSPORT TO SHIP A CAR

The kind of transport your vehicle is shipped on is another factor that has a pretty big impact on the cost to move a vehicle per mile. If your vehicle is shipped on an open, unprotected transport this will price significantly less than if you require shipping on a covered, fully enclosed mode of transportation.

Open transport will cost you less because the car shippers won’t have to take measures to protect the vehicle. They will only provide basic car voyaging services.

If you are shipping high-end cars or sports cars, you need to make sure that the vehicle is protected during transport. Hence, you should go for an enclosed auto transport. Enclosed transport will cost you a little more than open transport, but it is worth it.

Let’s take a look at the two types of car hauler options.

  • Open Transport: Most often than not, people choose open auto transport service as it is the cheapest way to get your car picked up and shipped. It also ensures more flexible shipping dates as more trucks are available for transport services. However, you need to keep in mind that open car shipping leaves your car open to damage from debris and other elements. So, dents and paint chips can occur during the car transport service. Usually, most voyaging services cover this under their insurance.
  • Enclosed Transport: In case you are shipping a classic or sports car, enclosed carrier is a better choice as it will protect your car from elements, such as debris, dust, and rain. Nevertheless, enclosed car trucks can carry just a few vehicles at a time. Enclosed transport can raise the average cost to transport a vehicle by up to 50% in comparison to open shipping services.

DISTANCE

Another most obvious factor that can have an impact on the average car shipping price is the distance. The more miles the carrier has to cover to get the vehicle shipped, the higher will be the car shipping rates pm. The price of shipping can fluctuate based on the carrier you choose. So, look through different car shipping industries to find out how much they charge depending on the distance.

Often, car shipping companies charge less money to shift a car over a longer distance. This is mainly due to the open highways. For example, if you are shipping your car from Miami to Boston, the carrier has to incur heavy traffic in certain areas. Thus, it can lead to delay in shipping cars.

However, if the car is being shipped from Boston to Los Angeles, most of the roads are free of traffic. Hence, the distance can be covered within a shorter time. Therefore, distance is one of the big factors that determine vehicle shipping prices.

GAS RATES

The cost of gas is an expense to the shipper, so you can expect that any destination involving high mileage is going to require a great deal of fuel, which will become part of the shipping rates pm. Check out this link from fueleconomy.gov for current fuel costs.

Most Affordable Means of Auto Transport

When you want to transport a car, you tend to look for the cheapest way to save money. Open car transport with terminal-to-terminal service is one of the most affordable and cost savings option you have at hand. With an open car carrier, you can accommodate up to 10 vehicles which let operators save a great deal of money on oil, fuel, and transport price.

As the driver doesn’t have to transport your car to your office or home, terminal-to-terminal transportcosts you less. But there are times when the final price of door-to-door service might cost you more than terminal-to-terminal voyaging.

If you are on a budget and looking to ship your car with the cheapest option, ship it off-season. Voyaging your car in early fall or during summer might price you a great deal of money since the shipping demand is extremely high during this time. Get a free shipping quote today by calling us at the phone number at top of this page.

Car Shipping Discounts to Look for in Auto Transport

To grab more customers, car shipping firms offer discounts. In case you are searching for affordable vehicle voyaging, don’t forget to check the discounts offered by the transport company.

The types of discounts offered by shipping companies are given below-

  • Military Discount Price: Often, car shipping industries offer discounts to military personnel to help them with their unprecedented move. It is a way of recognizing their service.
  • Senior Discount: All old people survive on a fixed income and have to make sure their expenses are within a specific budget. So, many transport companies provide senior discounts.
  • Multicar Shipping Costs Discount: If you are shipping multiple vehicles at once, you can get a certain discount.
  • Student Costs Discounts: Some car transport companies provide student discounts to help students move in the fall or summer to their college.
  • Early Bird: There are some companies that offer discounts when you sign up for your vehicle transport within 48 hours of receiving your quote.
  • First-Time Shippers Quotes: If it is your first time shipping a vehicle with a company, you can get a first-time shipper discount.

Discounts and Savings in Shipping Costs

Discounts and savings in shipping fees refer to reduced expenses when transporting goods. These price-cutting measures can result from various factors, such as bulk shipping, negotiated contracts, or utilizing efficient shipping routes. Discounts may also be offered by carriers for loyalty or early payments. Companies can optimize savings by using cost-effective packaging, minimizing transit times, and exploring eco-friendly shipping options. Employing these strategies helps businesses reduce shipping expenses and increase their competitiveness in the market.

How to Calculate the Average Cost To Ship a Car?

Before you ship your car, you need to have an idea about how much it is going to price you pm. To calculate, you just have to multiply the total distance by the rate per mile. It helps you have a budget in mind to ship your car cross country or within U.S.

Bottom Line

So – what can you expect to pay for an automobile shipping rate p.m.? A generic rule-of-thumb kind of calculation would start like this:

(Mileage) x (Cost for size of car) + Shipper Fee = Base Cost

Keep in mind that the resulting base price will almost certainly be driven higher or lower when some of the factors discussed above are added in. To find out just which ones apply to your customized scenario, it’s best to have this information in hand when you are negotiating with a shipper to have your car transported.

Auto Transport Rates Per Mile/Auto Ship Cost

Frequently Asked Questions

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Joe Webster always knew the auto transport industry would be a great career option. And with decades of experience, Joe is now an established consultant for A1 Auto Transport.

Joe was born in Santa Cruz, California. During high school, Joe worked as a mechanic; a job continued to work part-time during his bachelor's degree.

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A-1 Auto Transport is a disclosed agent for the following shipping companies:

Trans Global Auto Logistics, Inc.
3401 E Randol Mill Rd
Arlington, TX 76011
NO. 018191NF
CFR Rinkens
15501 Texaco Avenue
Paramount, CA 90723
NO. 013055NF
ABC Worldwide LLC
2840 NW 2nd Ave #105
Boca Raton, FL 33431
NO. 025472F
CSI Logistics
435 Division Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07201
FMC 22206
Intl Cargo
45 Campus Drive
Edison, NJ 08837
NO. 17858N
ShipYourCarNow LLC
1160 South Rogers Circle Suite 1
Boca Raton, FL 33487
NO. 025646
Merco Air & Ocean Cargo, Inc.
6 Fir Way
Cooper City, FL 33026
NO. 021869F
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