Auto Transport Services Across the U.S.
Five ways to move a vehicle, one process behind all of them. Open, enclosed, door to door, expedited, and the Hawaii and Alaska ocean service, arranged through FMCSA licensed carriers.
- FMCSA licensed broker, USDOT 4321158
- $2M cargo insurance on every shipment
- Pickup typically 1-3 days after booking
- Door to door in all 48 contiguous states
Car Haul Direct arranges vehicle transport as a licensed broker, matching your shipment to vetted carriers and coordinating it from quote to delivery. The service you pick decides the trailer and the priority: open for most vehicles, enclosed for the hard to replace ones, expedited when the date is fixed, and a dedicated ocean service for Hawaii and Alaska. Every one of them is door to door, and every one carries $2M cargo insurance.
Defined Windows, Documented Coverage
The figures that hold across the whole Car Haul Direct service set.
48
Contiguous States Covered
Door to door coverage, plus Hawaii and Alaska coordination through the dedicated ocean service.
$2M
Cargo Insurance Coverage
On every vehicle CHD ships, whatever service you book, documented at both inspections.
1-3
Day Pickup Window
Typical metro pickup after booking; outlying areas can add 1-2 days.
7-10
Days Coast to Coast
Typical transit on lanes over 2,500 miles; shorter lanes run faster.
Five ways to ship a vehicle
The default for daily drivers, dealer inventory, and anything that does not need a covered trailer. The widest carrier network and the fastest dispatch.
A covered trailer for classics, exotics, show cars, and low clearance vehicles. Typically 40 to 60 percent above open pricing on the same lane.
Collection and delivery at the addresses you choose, with no terminal step in between. This is how CHD books every shipment.
Priority in dispatch when the date cannot move. It tightens the pickup window rather than shortening the road.
A two stage move: road transport to a mainland port, then the ocean leg. Quoted per shipment against the sailing schedule.
Not sure which you need?
Tell us the vehicle, the route, and the date. Most vehicles ship open; the exceptions are usually about value, ground clearance, or a fixed deadline.
Who we move vehicles for
From a single household car to dealer inventory and fleet repositioning, on the same licensed carrier network.
- Student Car Transport
- Car Relocation Services
- Luxury and Exotic Car Transport
- Online Car Buyers
- State-to-State Car Transport
- Hawaii Vehicle Shipping
- Military Car Transport
- Snowbird Car Transport
- Classic Car Transport
- Travel Nurse Car Transport
- EV and Hybrid Vehicle Transport
- Dealership Transport
- Fleet and Rental Transport
- Auto Auctions
- OEM and Manufacturers
- Motorcycle Transport
Picking the right service
Four questions settle it for almost every shipment.
Is the vehicle hard to replace?
If it is a classic, an exotic, a show car, or freshly restored, book enclosed. If it is a daily driver, open is the sensible choice.
Is the date fixed?
Report dates, closings, and auction collection deadlines are what expedited service is for. A window of a week or more usually does not need it.
Can a carrier reach both addresses?
Usually yes. Where a street cannot take a full size carrier safely, the driver arranges a nearby meeting point, which is normal rather than a problem.
Does the vehicle run?
A non-running vehicle can still ship if it rolls, steers, and brakes. Loading needs a winch, and it typically adds $100 to $200.
Is it going to Hawaii or Alaska?
Those move through the dedicated ocean service, which coordinates the road leg, the port handover, and the sailing as one shipment.
Is it more than one vehicle?
Dealer inventory, fleet repositioning, and auction lots run on the same process with scheduling built around your volume.
How Car Haul Direct ships a vehicle: 5 steps
The same five steps whichever service you book.
1. Get a quote
Run the route through the instant quote calculator on this page. A Car Haul Direct quote is held for 7 days.
2. Book with no deposit
Nothing is charged until a carrier is actually assigned to your vehicle. Booking puts your shipment into dispatch.
3. Pickup and inspection
Metro pickup typically lands within 1-3 days of booking. You and the driver walk the vehicle and record its condition on the Bill of Lading.
4. In transit with updates
Transit scales with distance, and coast to coast lanes over 2,500 miles typically run 7-10 days. You get status updates along the way.
5. Delivery and final walkaround
Meet the carrier at the delivery address, compare the vehicle against the pickup inspection, and sign the Bill of Lading.
What holds true across every service
The parts that do not change with the trailer you pick.
Car Haul Direct is a licensed broker
CHD is an FMCSA licensed auto transport broker, USDOT 4321158, and arranges transport through vetted, licensed carriers rather than operating the trucks itself. The authority is verifiable in the FMCSA SAFER system.
Every shipment carries $2M cargo insurance
Coverage applies while the vehicle is on the carrier, on open and enclosed alike. Condition is documented at the pickup inspection and again at delivery on the Bill of Lading.
Quotes hold for 7 days and take no deposit
A Car Haul Direct quote is held for 7 days, and nothing is charged until a carrier is actually assigned to your vehicle. Ask about available discounts when you book.
Auto transport services FAQ
Choosing a service, timing, coverage, and how booking works.
Open transport, enclosed transport, door to door service, expedited transport, and a dedicated Hawaii and Alaska ocean service. Door to door is how every shipment is booked; open and enclosed describe the trailer; expedited describes the priority.
Open transport for daily drivers and standard inventory, which is most vehicles. Enclosed for classics, exotics, show cars, freshly restored vehicles, and very low clearance cars. Expedited when a fixed date drives the move. Hawaii and Alaska shipments run through the dedicated ocean service.
Price depends on distance, vehicle size and condition, the service you choose, route demand, and timing, so every shipment is quoted individually rather than sold off a rate card. Run your route through the calculator on this page.
Enclosed typically runs 40 to 60 percent above open pricing on the same lane. The gap comes from fewer vehicles per load and specialised equipment.
Pickup typically happens within 1-3 days of booking in metro areas, and outlying areas can add 1-2 days. Expedited service tightens that window when a date cannot move.
Transit scales with distance. Coast to coast lanes over 2,500 miles typically run 7-10 days, and shorter lanes run faster. Hawaii and Alaska shipments run against a sailing schedule instead.
Every vehicle Car Haul Direct ships carries $2M cargo insurance while it is on the carrier, whichever service you book. Condition is documented at the pickup inspection and again at delivery on the Bill of Lading.
Car Haul Direct is an FMCSA licensed auto transport broker, USDOT 4321158. It arranges your shipment with vetted, licensed carriers and coordinates it from quote through delivery, and its authority can be checked in the FMCSA SAFER system.
No. A Car Haul Direct quote is held for 7 days, and nothing is charged until a carrier is actually assigned to your vehicle.
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Get Your Auto Transport Quote
Run your route through the instant quote calculator and see what your lane costs on the service you need. The quote holds for 7 days, and nothing is charged until a carrier is assigned to your vehicle.