CARSHIPMATH
Tool · checked 2026-11-02

Car shipping cost calculator

Enter the driving distance and a few details. You get a price range and days on the truck, built only from figures that FreightWaves Checkpoint, Sherpa, Web Auto Transport and Ship A Car publish — each one linked below. Sherpa and Ship A Car are brokers, Web Auto Transport is a broker too, and FreightWaves Checkpoint earns from quote links. It is an estimate, not a quote.

Your trip

Trailer
Does it run?
Pickup speed

Florida or Arizona in fall or spring? No source gives a percentage for snowbird season — see snowbird car shipping.

Estimated price range

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On the truck—
Pickup window—

    Compare several written quotes, and check every company's USDOT or MC number before paying anything.

    How the estimate is built

    1. Distance. Door-to-door, open carrier, running sedan — FreightWaves' baseline. Per-mile rates by band:
      DistancePer mileTypical total
      0–500 mi$1.25–$2.00$540–$1,100
      500–1,500 mi$0.65–$1.20$700–$1,800
      1,500+ mi$0.55–$0.95$1,050–$3,000+
      The price never drops as the distance grows: when a longer band's lower rate would give a smaller total than the shorter band's maximum, the shorter band's total is kept. The low end never goes under the source's typical low total for that band, so short trips start at $540. Terminal-to-terminal service can be cheaper where it's offered, but no source gives a number, so the calculator doesn't model it.
    2. Vehicle. SUVs and trucks add the difference between their typical totals and a sedan's in the same distance band (FreightWaves' vehicle table).
    3. Enclosed trailer: typically +30% to +60% (FreightWaves; elsewhere on the same page it says up to 50%). FreightWaves says fewer enclosed carriers run any given route, which can extend your pickup window by several days.
    4. Not running: +$150 to +$300 (FreightWaves; its FAQ says up to $350, for winch or forklift loading). Added last, as a flat fee.
    5. Peak season (June–August): Sherpa, a broker, says prices run 10–20% above its own average then. Applying that to FreightWaves' base is our choice.
    6. Expedited pickup: Web Auto Transport's own terms — pickup within 48 hours of your first available pickup date, +30% to +50% over its standard price. Its standard pickup: 1–5 business days from your first available pickup date.
    7. Combining them is our assumption. Each source gives its surcharge separately, on its own base. We add the percentages to one base (distance plus vehicle) instead of multiplying them.
    8. Days on the truck by distance: Under 500 miles 1–2 days · 500–1,000 miles 2–4 days · 1,000–1,500 miles 4–6 days · 1,500–2,000 miles 5–7 days · 2,000+ miles 7–10 days. FreightWaves' bands share their end points; a trip of exactly 1,000, 1,500 or 2,000 miles uses the lower row.

    Cross-check

    The calculator uses national per-mile bands, not your exact lane, so a route page can show a narrower range. FreightWaves: “Actual quotes can vary based on ZIP codes, seasonal demand, fuel costs, carrier availability, and whether your route is high-volume or remote”.

    Checkpoint

    Broker check

    Before you pay a deposit, look the company up in the federal FMCSA database. Type its USDOT or MC number (from the quote, contract or website footer) and open the official record. Nothing is sent to us.

    Open FMCSA record

    No number? Search by company name on the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot. Type safer.fmcsa.dot.gov yourself rather than using a lookup link from a quote or email: FMCSA warns of look-alike SAFER addresses. FMCSA — Fraud Alerts (last updated Oct 20, 2026)

    Broker or carrier?

    A broker arranges the move; the carrier is the company whose truck and driver haul the car. FMCSA: “Auto brokers only arrange the transportation of your car.” FMCSA — Consumer Advisory About Automobile Transporters (last updated Feb 10, 2015)

    What to look for on the record

    A clean record shows registration and status, not how good or honest a company is. FMCSA has also paused deactivating USDOT numbers for missed updates while it moves to its new registration system, so an ACTIVE status means a little less than usual right now. FMCSA — Temporary Suspension of the Biennial Update Requirement (Sep 10, 2026)

    Brokers: A broker must have a surety bond or trust fund of $75,000 in effect. It pays shippers or motor carriers if the broker fails to carry out its contracts — it is not insurance for damage to your car. 49 CFR § 387.307 — Property broker surety bond or trust fund (effective Jan 16, 2026; Cornell LII)

    Red flags

    If you pay by credit or debit card, FMCSA advises: “closely monitor the transactions with that company.” FMCSA — Consumer Advisory About Automobile Transporters (last updated Feb 10, 2015)

    Where to complain

    Sources

    Rates last checked 2026-11-02.