A classic or exotic car asks more of the carrier than a daily driver: more care in loading, more protection on the road, and often a different kind of trailer.
Enclosed transport
Most owners choose enclosed transport. The car travels inside a covered trailer, protected from rain, sun, dust and stone chips, and enclosed carriers typically have liftgates or extended ramps that lift a low car on without scraping the splitter. It costs more than open transport because the trailer carries fewer vehicles.
What to tell us
The car's approximate value, its ground clearance, any modifications, whether it runs, and anything the carrier should know about starting or moving it (a battery cut-off, a fuel pump switch, a tricky clutch). We pass it to the carrier so the driver is prepared.
White glove service
For the highest-value cars, ask your coordinator about our white glove service, which is built around enclosed transport and closer handling of the car and the schedule.
Documentation
Photograph the car in detail at pickup, including the underside and the interior, and go through the Bill of Lading carefully. Check with your own insurer whether your policy covers the car in transit; many classic car policies do, and some owners add transit coverage for the trip.
What enclosed transport changes
Inside a hard-sided enclosed trailer the car is out of the weather, out of sight at truck stops, and away from stone chips and road spray. Enclosed carriers typically run two to six cars rather than nine or ten, so the car is handled fewer times and the driver has more room to work around it. Most have a hydraulic liftgate, which loads a low car level without the ramp angle that scrapes a splitter. The FMCSA cargo securement rules for automobiles in 49 CFR 393.128 apply in the same way, but enclosed carriers more often use soft wheel straps rather than frame chains, which matters for a car with original undercoating or a fragile chassis.
The cost difference against open transport is real, and for a car whose paintwork or value makes a single chip expensive, it is usually small by comparison. Our enclosed car transport page explains the service.
Insurance limits and agreed value
A carrier's cargo policy has a limit per load and sometimes per vehicle, and a high-value car can exceed a smaller carrier's limit. Tell us the car's approximate value at booking so we assign a carrier whose coverage fits. Then call your own insurer: many classic car policies on an agreed-value basis cover the car in transit, and if yours does not, a short-term transit rider is inexpensive. Under the Carmack Amendment, 49 U.S.C. 14706, the carrier's liability is for actual loss, and an agreed-value policy makes that figure clear before anything happens.
What the Terms say: covered transport and top loading are Additional Services (Section 1); the customer must declare modifications, low clearance and the vehicle's condition at booking (Section 3c); the carrier's cargo liability and the claim process are governed by federal law (Section 9 of our Terms and Conditions).
Briefing the driver
Write a one-page sheet and tape it inside the windshield: how to start the car, any battery cut-off or fuel pump switch, how to shift to neutral, the parking brake, the ground clearance and any points that must not be used for tie-downs, and your phone number. A driver who has to guess how a 1960s choke works or where a carbon-fiber splitter begins is a driver you have not helped. If the car has a cover, say whether it should travel on or off; most carriers prefer off, because a cover can chafe in a moving trailer.
The inspection on a collector car
Go slower than usual at both ends. Photograph the paint in raking light, the wheels, the underside at the front and rear, the interior including the dash and seats, and the odometer. Note existing stone chips and swirl marks on the pickup Bill of Lading; a carrier's standard diagram is coarse, so add written notes. At delivery, inspect before the car comes fully off the liftgate if the driver allows it, and before you sign, as Section 4d of the Terms requires.
White glove service
For the highest-value cars, our white glove service is built around enclosed single or two-car transport, closer coordination of the pickup and delivery times, and more direct contact with the driver. It is the right choice for a concours entry, a car heading to a major auction, or anything where the schedule and the handling both matter. The enthusiasts page describes who typically uses it.
Non-running classics and projects
Many collector cars do not run, or run but should not be driven. Say so at booking so the enclosed carrier assigned has a winch and liftgate, and tell us if the car cannot roll or steer. A project car on a rotisserie or a body shell needs a different arrangement again; ask us before booking.
Related questions
- Is open or enclosed car transport cheaper?
- Can you ship a modified, lowered or oversized vehicle?
- Is my car insured during transport with Rivalane?
Go deeper: Classic Car Transport: How to Ship a Classic Car Safely.
