Open transport bills on a falling per-mile curve: $1.30–$1.85 per mile for a 500-mile haul, $0.90–$1.30 at 1,000 miles, and $0.46–$0.66 beyond 2,500. The typical 1,250-mile move runs $900–$1,315 open or $1,620–$2,559 enclosed. Here's the tier table, the popular routes, and how to avoid the lowball-quote trap this industry is known for.
Open carrier, standard sedan, 2025-26 published national ranges:
| Distance | Per Mile | Open Total | Enclosed Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 mi | $2.20–$3.20 | $330–$480 | $594–$936 |
| 500 mi | $1.30–$1.85 | $650–$925 | $1,170–$1,804 |
| 1,000 mi | $0.90–$1.30 | $900–$1,300 | $1,620–$2,535 |
| 1,250 mi | $0.72–$1.05 | $900–$1,313 | $1,620–$2,559 |
| 1,500 mi | $0.72–$1.05 | $1,080–$1,575 | $1,944–$3,071 |
| 2,000 mi | $0.55–$0.80 | $1,100–$1,600 | $1,980–$3,120 |
| 2,800 mi | $0.46–$0.66 | $1,288–$1,848 | $2,318–$3,604 |
Enter distance, vehicle class, trailer type, condition, and season for a low-to-high estimate with the open-versus-enclosed comparison built in.
Car Shipping Cost Calculator →| Route | Miles | Open Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| New York → Los Angeles | 2,790 | $1,283–$1,841 |
| Los Angeles → Miami | 2,730 | $1,256–$1,802 |
| Chicago → Los Angeles | 2,015 | $1,108–$1,612 |
| New York → Miami | 1,280 | $922–$1,344 |
| Seattle → Los Angeles | 1,135 | $817–$1,192 |
| Phoenix → Dallas | 1,070 | $770–$1,124 |
| Dallas → Atlanta | 780 | $702–$1,014 |
| Chicago → Atlanta | 715 | $644–$930 |
Snowbird lanes are the discount lanes. Northeast-to-Florida loads move in volume from October through December and back in spring, so carriers compete on them; the same miles through Montana in February do not. Lone destinations off the interstates pay a detour premium, and door-to-door on a street a 75-foot rig can't navigate means meeting at a nearby parking lot, which is normal, not a scam.
Because you're usually talking to a broker, not the truck. Brokers estimate, then post your load on national dispatch boards where carriers pick it at the price they'll actually run. A broker who wants your booking can quote low and let the market correct it: your $950 quote becomes $1,150 the week of pickup, when you no longer have time to re-shop. Auto transport is a lead-heavy vertical and the incentive structures show it. The defense is procedural: collect three to five quotes and treat the low outlier as bait, ask whether the number is guaranteed or an estimate, get the MC number (the federal operating authority) and check it, and never pay a large deposit to anyone who can't name the carrier.
Yes, under the carrier's cargo policy, typically $50,000 to $250,000 per load on open trailers. Ask for the certificate of insurance before pickup, photograph every panel at loading, and repeat at delivery in the driver's presence; damage claims live and die on those photos and the condition report you both sign. Your own comprehensive coverage usually sits excess, filling gaps rather than replacing the carrier's primary obligation.
Drive when it's short, the car's cheap, and you want the trip. Ship when it's one-way, cross-country, or the car matters. Quick math on the 1,250-mile example: driving burns roughly $125–$190 of fuel at 25-30 mpg and $3.00-$3.75 per gallon, a hotel night or two, two days of your time, and an oil-change interval's worth of wear, while shipping runs $900–$1,313 open. The fuel cost calculator prices your exact drive; for cars that deserve protection in transit, an enclosed wrap or PPF quote often rides the same decision.
Open transport with flexible dates on a popular route, booked one to two weeks ahead. Open trailers move 90-plus percent of vehicles and cost roughly half of enclosed. Flexibility matters because carriers build routes around loads that fit; terminal-to-terminal service saves a little more but adds handling risk and storage fees.
New York to Los Angeles, about 2,790 miles, runs $1,283 to $1,841 on an open trailer for a standard sedan; enclosed runs roughly 1.8 to 2 times that. Cross-country per-mile rates land at $0.46 to $0.66 beyond 2,500 miles. Published 2025-26 national broker ranges.
Fixed costs: dispatch, pickup, delivery, and the deadhead miles getting to your door don't shrink with distance, so short hauls price at $1.30-$1.85 per mile while thousand-mile moves drop to $0.90-$1.30. The per-mile rate falls fast; the total climbs slowly.
Carriers do, effectively. Brokers quote an estimate, post your load on national dispatch boards, and the carrier willing to take it sets the real number. That's why lowball quotes morph into +$100-$300 at pickup week. Ask if a quote is guaranteed, and treat any price materially below three others as bait.
Compare shipping against fuel, lodging, meals, wear, and your time. Driving 1,250 miles costs roughly $125-$190 in fuel alone at 25-30 mpg and $3.00-$3.75 per gallon, plus two days of travel; add a hotel each way and a wear-teardown argument (an oil-change interval's worth of highway miles) and shipping a $10,000-plus car starts looking reasonable, especially one-way moves. Run both numbers with our fuel cost calculator before deciding.