Car shipping service
Expedited Car Shipping
- Estimates clearly labeled
- Independent company rankings
- Free to compare
$0.70–$1.89 per mile
Average cost per mile
Standard rate before the expedited premium
$875 – $2,365
Typical total cost
Standard shipping; expedited costs more
3–5 days
Transit time
Depends on distance
Fixed deadlines
Best for
Free · No obligation · About a minute
Get a expedited car shipping quote
What is expedited car shipping?
The company pays a carrier more to fit your car in quickly, or books a smaller truck with fewer stops. You pay a premium over standard shipping, set for your route and date, in exchange for a shorter pickup window or a specific pickup date.
- Pickup sooner than a standard booking, often on a date you choose
- Date-specific pickup available from many companies for a fee
- Smaller trucks with fewer stops on some loads
- Available for open and enclosed transport
- Transit still depends on distance, weather and driving limits
Is expedited car shipping right for you?
- You're flying to your new home and need the car soon after
- You have a firm move, lease-end or deployment date
- You sold a car and the buyer needs it quickly
- A dealer or auction deadline is coming up
- You would rather pay more than wait a week for pickup
Expedited Car Shipping pricing
Price per mile by distance, from published industry studies.
| Distance | Sedan | SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Under 500 miles | $0.80–$2.20 per mile | $0.85–$2.35 per mile |
| 500–999 miles | $0.73–$1.89 per mile | $0.78–$2.02 per mile |
| 1,000–1,499 miles | $0.70–$1.89 per mile | $0.75–$2.02 per mile |
| 1,500–1,999 miles | $0.40–$1.89 per mile | $0.43–$2.02 per mile |
| 2,000+ miles | $0.35–$1.89 per mile | $0.37–$2.02 per mile |
Prices move with the season
No source publishes monthly prices for this service, so this is what the studies say about timing.
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.
What affects the price
How it works
- Enter your route and deadlineAdd your locations, vehicle and the date you need pickup or delivery by.
- Compare expedited offersCompare prices, pickup commitments and what each company refunds if it misses the date.
- Book and confirm termsConfirm the pickup date or window, the total price, deposit and cancellation terms.
- Priority dispatchThe company offers the load to carriers at a higher rate or books a dedicated truck.
Pros and cons
- Pro: Much shorter wait for pickup
- Pro: Specific pickup dates available
- Pro: Fewer stops on smaller, dedicated loads
- Pro: Helps you meet move, lease or sale deadlines
- Con: Costs more than standard shipping
- Con: Doesn't speed up the drive itself
- Con: Weather and road closures can still cause delays
- Con: Harder to arrange for large or non-running vehicles
Vehicles it suits
- Sedans and compact carsGood fit
- SUVs and crossoversGood fit
- Pickup trucksGood fit
- Electric vehiclesGood fit
- Luxury carsEither
- Exotic carsEither
- Modified or oversized vehiclesEither
- Non-running vehiclesConsider alternative
Expedited vs. Standard Car Shipping
- Price
- Higher, set per route and date
- Standard market rate
- Pickup wait
- Sooner, by arrangement
- Within a pickup window
- Pickup date
- Specific date available
- Pickup window
- Transit time
- Similar, sometimes fewer stops
- Depends on route and stops
- Truck
- Priority space or small trailer
- Multi-car carrier
Columns: Expedited shipping · Standard shipping
Full comparisonCompanies that list expedited car shipping
Researched companies ordered by Trustpilot rating, adjusted for review count.
Related services
- Open Car TransportThe most common and affordable way to ship a car, on a multi-car carrier open to the air (also called open-air transport).
- Enclosed Car TransportA covered trailer that shields the car from weather, road debris and view.
- Door-to-Door Car ShippingThe driver picks up and delivers as close to your addresses as a large truck can safely reach.
- Inoperable Car ShippingTransport for cars that don't start, steer or brake, loaded with a winch or forklift.
- Multi-Car ShippingShip two or more vehicles on the same truck, often for a lower price per car.
Insurance and safety
Carriers must carry liability insurance
Most for-hire interstate carriers must file at least $750,000 in liability coverage with the FMCSA. Cargo coverage for the cars on the truck is set by the carrier, so ask for the certificate.
Source: 49 CFR 387.9Authority can be checked for free
Any broker or carrier's USDOT number, operating status and insurance on file can be looked up in the FMCSA database.
Source: FMCSA company snapshotThe Bill of Lading is signed twice
You and the driver inspect the car at pickup and again at delivery. Note any new damage on the Bill of Lading before you sign, and photograph it before the driver leaves.
Source: FMCSA: Protect your move
Frequently asked questions
What is expedited car shipping?
A priority service that gets your car picked up sooner than standard shipping, usually by paying the carrier more or using a smaller truck with fewer stops.
Does expedited shipping make the drive faster?
Not much. It mainly shortens the wait for pickup. Drivers must follow federal hours-of-service limits, so a 2,500-mile trip still takes several days.
How long car shipping takesIs an expedited pickup date guaranteed?
Some companies offer date-specific pickup, but weather, breakdowns and road closures can still cause delays. Ask what is refunded if the date is missed and get it in writing.
How much does expedited car shipping cost?
Expect to pay more than standard shipping, and more again for next-day pickup, dedicated trucks or remote routes. The studies we cite don't publish the size of the premium, so compare written quotes.
Car shipping cost calculatorIs expedited shipping worth the extra cost?
It's worth it when waiting would cost you, for example in rental car fees, hotel nights or a lost sale. If your dates are flexible, standard shipping is better value.
How fast can my car be picked up?
Sooner than a standard booking, often on a date you choose. Rural pickups, large vehicles and peak season can make it take longer.
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
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