How accurate are the calendar prices?

Daily prices are estimates based on recent prices for similar routes, days of the week and seasons. They show relative highs and lows well, but your actual quote can differ.

Why do prices change by date?

Weekends, month-end, holidays and seasonal peaks bring more demand for the same trucks. Midweek pickups in quieter weeks tend to cost less.

If I pick the cheapest day, will the truck come that day?

Carriers usually schedule a pickup window of one to five days. A flexible window around a low-priced date gives you the best chance of that price.

Can I be told when prices drop?

Yes. Price alerts will notify you when estimates on your route fall below your target.

Car Shipping Price Calendar

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Prices move with the season

What shapes timing and price for your route.

Summer moving season and the holidays tighten truck space, while mid-January to February is usually the quietest stretch of the year.

Direct Connect Auto Transport reports 2026 versus 2025 running 3% to 8% higher.

Published seasonal figures

2026 versus 2025Rates run 3 to 8 percent higher than 2025.Source: Direct Connect Auto Transport
Snowbird routesSnowbird corridors add 5 to 8 percent in season.Source: Direct Connect Auto Transport
Military PCS seasonPCS season runs 5 to 15 percent above off-peak rates.Source: Direct Connect Auto Transport

How long the truck takes

Federal rules allow 11 hours of driving a day, about 500 miles once loading and breaks are counted. Add the pickup window before the car is loaded.

Days in transit by trip length
Trip length	Days on the truck
Under 500 miles	1–2 days
500–999 miles	2–3 days
1,000–1,499 miles	3–5 days
1,500–1,999 miles	4–7 days
2,000+ miles	5–10 days

What can add days

Other pickups and drop-offs on a multi-car load
Weather, mountain passes and road closures
Rural or hard-to-reach addresses
An ocean leg to or from Alaska or Hawaii, which follows sailing dates

Tips for a better price

Book a few weeks ahead
More lead time gives carriers room to fit your car onto a truck already heading your way.
Give a pickup window
A window of several days is easier to fill than a single fixed date, and usually quoted lower.
Meet near a highway
Pickup close to a main corridor or metro area is quicker to schedule than a remote address.

Prices for your dates

No published study prices individual days, so we don't show a daily calendar. Send your route and pickup window and licensed companies quote those dates.

Get a Quote for My Dates

Best time to ship a car How Haulwide works

Where these figures come from

Published industry studies, not Haulwide shipments. Checked Sep 16, 2026.

SGT Auto Transport(opens in a new tab)
Published Sep 9, 2026. 30 months of the company's own shipping data (January 2024 to June 2026) across all 50 states and 1,581 state-to-state lanes, limited to completed single-vehicle open transport deliveries and mix-adjusted for distance.
Move.org(opens in a new tab)
Published Mar 4, 2026. Nearly 800 broker quotes analyzed, priced for a running 2025 Toyota Camry with a one-week lead time using October 2025 quotes.
Kelley Blue Book(opens in a new tab)
Published Jan 12, 2026. Quotes requested from eight transport companies for a 2025 Honda Accord on three routes from Orlando, on standard open carriers.
Direct Connect Auto Transport(opens in a new tab)
No publication date given. The company's own carrier data for an operable sedan on open transport; the page states no publication date.
RoadRunner Auto Transport(opens in a new tab)
Published Sep 1, 2026. The company's completed shipment history, which it describes as over 1 million vehicles delivered across 30+ years, updated September 2026. Its nationwide average is $1,215 at a median distance of 987 miles and a median $1.23 per mile.

The sources disagree, so figures are shown as the span across them rather than a single price. Pricing methodology

Price calendars for popular routes

Timing, transit and published prices for each route.

Popular city routes

Published prices for the distance between these cities.

Frequently asked questions

All FAQs

How accurate are the calendar prices?
Daily prices are estimates based on recent prices for similar routes, days of the week and seasons. They show relative highs and lows well, but your actual quote can differ.
Why do prices change by date?
Weekends, month-end, holidays and seasonal peaks bring more demand for the same trucks. Midweek pickups in quieter weeks tend to cost less.

If I pick the cheapest day, will the truck come that day?
Carriers usually schedule a pickup window of one to five days. A flexible window around a low-priced date gives you the best chance of that price.
Can I be told when prices drop?
Yes. Price alerts will notify you when estimates on your route fall below your target.
Price alerts