How Does Car Shipping Work?
Car shipping follows a fixed order. You get a quote and book, a licensed carrier is assigned to your route, the driver inspects and loads your car at pickup, it travels on the carrier's truck, and you inspect it again at delivery before paying the carrier. Each step leaves a record, mostly on the bill of lading, showing who had your car and what condition it was in.
Short answer first: our help center answer on who moves your car when you book with Rivalane explains the roles in a few lines. This guide walks through every step and links to the detail where you need it.
How to Ship a Car, Step by Step
Here is the whole process, from the first quote to the moment you have your keys back.
1. Get a quote
A car shipping quote is built from a handful of things: the distance and route, the size and condition of the vehicle, open or enclosed transport, the season, and how flexible your pickup date is. Routes between major cities usually find a carrier faster than remote ones. Run your route through our car shipping calculator for an estimate, and compare quotes for the same service. Our guide to comparing car shipping quotes explains what to line up.
Booking a quote online takes a few steps. Rivalane's fee is due only once a carrier accepts your order, and the balance goes to the carrier at delivery.
2. Choose how the car travels
Most cars ship on open car transport, the multi-car trailers you see on the highway. Enclosed transport costs more and keeps the car covered, which suits classic, exotic and freshly restored cars, and our comparison of open and enclosed car shipping helps you pick. You also choose where the car is picked up and dropped off. Door-to-door shipping brings the truck as close to your address as it can safely reach, while terminal-to-terminal shipping means leaving the car at a lot and collecting it from another.
3. Book and check your order confirmation
When you book, you receive a written order confirmation with the price, the service and the terms. Read it before a carrier is assigned, because that is when changes are simplest. At Rivalane, booking costs nothing, nothing is due to Rivalane until a carrier accepts your order, and you can cancel at no cost before that. Our help center explains what the order confirmation shows.
4. A carrier is assigned
Next, the order is offered to licensed carriers that run your route. Once a carrier accepts it, your shipment is dispatched. At Rivalane this typically takes one to three working days from booking, depending on the route and your dates, and you receive estimated pickup and delivery dates. Our guide to what happens after you book car shipping covers this stage in detail.
5. Prepare the car
Preparation is quick. Wash the car so marks are easy to see, photograph every side, remove personal items and loose accessories, take off any outside racks, and leave no more than a quarter tank of fuel. Tell the company in advance if the car does not run. Our checklist on how to prepare your car for shipping covers the details, including toll tags.
6. Pickup and the first inspection
On pickup day, the driver inspects the car with you and records every existing mark on the bill of lading. You both sign it, and the car is loaded onto the trailer. Keep your copy, because it is the record you will compare against at delivery. If you cannot be there, an adult you designate can do the inspection and sign for you.
7. Transit
Your car travels on the carrier's truck, secured on the trailer, and the carrier's cargo insurance covers it while it is in the carrier's care. That protection comes from the carrier, not the broker. Rivalane customers can follow their car with real-time tracking, and if a carrier runs late, our dispatch team lets you know. How long the trip takes depends on distance, the carrier's other stops, traffic and weather, and our guide to how long it takes to ship a car across the country explains what moves the dates.
8. Delivery and the final inspection
At delivery, inspect the car again with the driver before you sign. Any new damage goes on the bill of lading with the driver present, because signing without a note confirms the car arrived in good condition. You then pay the carrier's balance, which Rivalane customers pay in cash, certified funds, a cashier's check or a money order made payable to the carrier. If you find new damage, our help center explains how to file a damage claim.
Who Actually Moves Your Car?
Two kinds of company appear in car shipping. A carrier owns the trucks and runs the drivers. A broker arranges the shipment: it prices your route, finds a licensed carrier with the right equipment and dates, and stays your point of contact through delivery.
Rivalane is a licensed broker, registered with FMCSA under USDOT 4178374 and MC-1608310. We do not own trucks. The carrier we assign moves your car, and its insurance covers the car in transit. Every carrier we assign holds active FMCSA operating authority and cargo insurance, and we confirm both before pickup. Our guide to auto transport brokers and carriers explains how to check which one you are dealing with. You can look up any company's USDOT or MC number on the FMCSA SAFER system, and our help center shows how to verify Rivalane on FMCSA.
How Much Does Car Shipping Cost?
There is no single price, because a quote moves with the distance, the route, the size and condition of the vehicle, open or enclosed transport, the season and how flexible your dates are. Longer trips cost more in total but usually less per mile. A quote far below every other quote for the same service is a warning sign rather than a bargain, because the price only holds if a carrier accepts it.
Our guide to why car shipping quotes change breaks down the factors, and the calculator gives you an estimate for your own route.
How Long Does Car Shipping Take?
Two clocks run. The first is the wait for a carrier, which at Rivalane typically takes one to three working days from booking. The second is the trip itself, which depends on the distance, the route, the carrier's other pickups and drop-offs, and the weather.
Pickup and delivery come as estimated dates rather than fixed appointments, and Rivalane does not guarantee delivery dates. If you need the car by a certain day, say so when you book and leave room in your plans. A guaranteed pickup date is available as a paid add-on, and our help center explains what Rivalane can and cannot guarantee.
Is Car Shipping Safe?
Yes, when a licensed carrier with active cargo insurance moves the car and its condition is recorded at both ends. Most of the risk sits in choosing the company. Our guides to whether it is safe to ship a car and auto transport scams cover how to check a company before you pay.
What Should You Ask Before You Book?
A few questions tell you most of what you need to know about a company. Is it a broker or a carrier, and what is its USDOT or MC number? When is its fee due, and what happens if no carrier accepts the order at the quoted price? Does the quote cover open or enclosed transport, door-to-door service and your pickup window? Who insures the car in transit, and how do you pay the carrier at delivery?
Clear, written answers are a good sign. Vague ones are a reason to keep looking. Our guide to questions to ask an auto shipping company explains what a good answer to each one looks like.
Frequently Asked Questions
