Transit time is the number of days between pickup and delivery, and it is driven by three things: distance, the carrier's route, and the rules drivers work under.
Distance and route
A truck covers a limited number of miles per day, so longer routes take more days. A carrier also delivers several vehicles on one trip, and your car's delivery depends on where it sits in that sequence. A direct lane between two large metro areas is faster than a route with rural stops.
Hours of service
Federal rules cap how many hours a driver can drive and work each day and require rest periods. That is why a coast to coast move cannot be done in two days even on an empty highway.
Pickup window versus transit
Two different clocks run on every order: the days until the carrier collects the car, and the days the car is on the truck. Your estimate covers both, but the transit part only starts at pickup.
Why we give estimates, not guarantees
Weather, road closures, mechanical problems and other customers' delays shift a carrier's schedule. Rivalane provides an estimated pickup and delivery date and does not guarantee either, as our Terms and Conditions state. Our guide below walks through typical timing by distance and what moves it.
Related questions
- Is my pickup or delivery date guaranteed?
- What if my car shipment is delayed?
- How far in advance should I book car shipping?
Go deeper: How Long Does It Take to Ship a Car Across the Country?.
