Moving Companies That Ship Cars & Furniture
Quick answer: Yes, some moving companies ship cars. Allied Van Lines and United Van Lines move vehicles on their own auto transport trucks, and PODS refers you to partner car shippers, but booking a dedicated car shipper separately often costs less. Shipping a standard sedan costs about $900 - $1,800 for moves of 250 miles to cross-country. Compare quotes from the best car shipping companies against your mover’s price before you book.
rating
4.7 / 5
- Refundable deposit
- Discounts available
rating
4.5 / 5
- Price lock promise
- Free car wash
rating
4.4 / 5
- Price matching
- One-day pickup
rating
4.9 / 5
- Transparent pricing
- Fully insured
Jump to the car shipping info you’re looking for:
Do moving companies ship cars?
Yes, some moving companies ship cars. United Van Lines and Allied Van Lines run their own auto transport trucks, while PODS refers customers to partner car shippers. Many movers still suggest shipping your car separately for these reasons:
- Cost: Booking car shipping through your mover can cost more than hiring a car shipper directly, since you lose the chance to compare quotes. Getting separate quotes could save you hundreds of dollars.
- Limited space: Cars need padding and special equipment to load into a moving trailer, so movers can’t stack furniture on top of them.
- Vehicle size: SUVs and pickup trucks often won’t fit inside a standard moving trailer, and other items can shift around a car in transit.
Car shipping options: Pros & cons
The auto transport industry offers a variety of options to move your car, whether you’re going from Los Angeles to New York or all the way to Alaska or Hawaii. Here’s how the three most common options compare.
Open transport
Open carriers haul about 8 - 10 cars at once on single- or multi-level trailers, and they’re the most common way to ship a car.
- Lower prices than enclosed
- Most widely available option
- No wear & tear from driving
- Exposed to road debris & weather
- Not ideal for high-value cars
Enclosed transport
Enclosed transport keeps your vehicle inside a covered trailer, which makes it a strong choice for luxury, classic, or antique cars. See how the two compare in our open vs. enclosed auto transport guide.
- Protection from debris, weather & theft
- Added privacy for your vehicle
- Best for luxury & classic cars
- Higher shipping prices
- Not worth the cost for most cars
Vehicle trailers
You can tow your car yourself with a rental auto trailer, like U-Haul’s auto transport trailer, which carries up to 5,290 pounds.
- Cheapest DIY option
- You control the schedule
- Car & belongings arrive together
- Risky without towing experience
- Exposed to road hazards
Moving companies that ship cars
Shipping your car and belongings with one company isn’t always the cheapest route, but it can simplify your move. To compare a mover’s bundle against separate quotes, the moveBuddha Mover Marketplace collects up to five no-obligation household moving quotes from vetted movers with one request.
Allied Van Lines
Few movers handle vehicles in-house, but Allied Van Lines ships cars on its own car carrier trucks. Allied moves cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, boats, and other recreational vehicles on open or enclosed carriers, with door-to-door service for domestic and international moves. Its car shipping quotes also include guaranteed dates.
rating
4.23 / 5
PODS
You can’t load a vehicle into a PODS container, and PODS doesn’t ship cars itself. Instead, PODS refers customers to its preferred car shippers, Mr. Car Shipper and ACERTUS, so you can coordinate your car’s transport alongside your container move.
rating
4.8 / 5
United Van Lines
United Van Lines says it runs the industry’s largest fleet of company-operated auto transporters. That lets United ship your car with the same company handling your household move, so you deal with one point of contact.
Mayflower
For flexibility on pickup and delivery, Mayflower offers car transportation with both door-to-door and terminal-to-terminal options. Terminal-to-terminal service can lower your price if you’re willing to drop off and pick up your car yourself.
Mayzlin Relocation
Mayzlin Relocation doesn’t ship cars directly, but it can arrange car shipping for its customers through a third-party auto shipper. Ask Mayzlin to coordinate your car’s pickup and delivery with your household move when you request a quote.
How to choose a car shipper
There’s more to picking a car shipper than getting a free quote. Compare the best car shipping companies on these factors:
- Licensing: Active USDOT number, verified on FMCSA’s SAFER system
- Insurance: Damage coverage, exclusions for personal items
- Reputation: BBB rating, recent customer reviews
- Quotes: Two to three car shippers, plus your mover’s price
- Coverage area: Alaska, Hawaii, international service
- Vehicle type: Motorcycles, inoperable vehicles (e.g., Sherpa Auto Transport)
What affects car shipping costs?
Shipping a standard sedan costs about $900 - $1,800 for moves of 250 miles to cross-country. Distance, transport type, and service speed drive where your quote lands, so keep these factors in mind:
- Distance and route: Longer moves and less-traveled routes cost more, and demand changes with the time of year.
- Transport type: Enclosed transport costs more than open transport because each trailer carries fewer cars.
- Service speed: Expedited pickup usually costs extra. Guaranteed dates vary by company, so ask before you book.
- Pickup and delivery: Terminal-to-terminal shipping is usually cheaper than door-to-door, but watch for terminal storage fees.
- Vehicle type: Classic, oversize, or inoperable vehicles cost more to ship because they need extra handling or coverage.
Pro tip: Get quotes from two to three car shippers before you book, and check them against our car shipping calculator to spot an inflated price.
Why use moveBuddha
- Save 30% on average: On average, moveBuddha users save more than 30% by comparing movers before booking.
- $1,000 in added coverage: When you choose a moveBuddha Certified mover, you get $1,000 in added move coverage, plus dedicated support throughout your move.
- Dispute mediation included: If something goes wrong, moveBuddha provides dispute mediation with Certified movers to help resolve the issue and protect your move.
FAQs
Do moving companies ship cars?
Yes, some moving companies ship cars, including Allied Van Lines and United Van Lines, which run their own auto transport trucks. Others, like PODS, refer you to partner car shippers. Compare your mover’s price with quotes from the best car shipping companies before you book.
Is it cheaper to ship a car separately from your move?
Shipping a car separately is often cheaper because you can compare quotes from dedicated car shippers instead of taking your mover’s price. A standard sedan costs about $900 - $1,800 to ship for moves of 250 miles to cross-country, so get two to three car shipping quotes alongside your moving quote. See our guide to the cheapest way to ship a car for more ways to save.
Can you pack items in your car when shipping it?
You can pack some items in your car, but carriers like Sherpa Auto Transport limit you to about 100 pounds in the trunk or cargo area. Car shipping insurance usually won’t cover those belongings, so leave valuables out. Our car shipping checklist covers what else to do before pickup.
Does PODS ship cars?
No, PODS doesn’t ship cars, and you can’t put a vehicle in a PODS container. Instead, PODS refers customers to its preferred car shippers, Mr. Car Shipper and ACERTUS. Compare their prices with our car shipping calculator before you book.
Is open or enclosed car shipping better?
Open car shipping is better for most cars because it costs less, while enclosed shipping is better for luxury, classic, or high-value vehicles. Enclosed trailers protect against road debris, weather, and theft. Compare both in our open vs. enclosed auto transport guide.
How we chose the best moving companies
The moveBuddha team has spent nearly 10 years evaluating moving companies using a rigorous review system to identify the best moving companies. Our thorough methodology evaluates each moving company's services, cost, customer service, and reputation:
Moving services (35%):
We verify operating authority, insurance, and service scope against FMCSA/SAFER and state databases. We confirm availability via standardized mystery-shopping calls (packing tiers, storage type, specialty handling, delivery windows, valuation), and then review contracts alongside complaint and claims patterns over time.
Customer feedback (28%):
We run structured post-move surveys through our Better Moves Project with verifiable documentation. We emphasize on-time performance, care of goods, and estimates’ accuracy, and we investigate outliers before they influence scores.
Online reviews (7%):
We aggregate ratings across multiple third-party sites to reduce platform bias, analyze overall trends and company response behavior, and discount obvious spam/fake signals such as sudden bursts, duplicate language, and low-history profiles.
State availability (12%):
We confirm USDOT numbers, broker vs. carrier status, and any required state permits, then score a state-by-state service matrix that accounts for coverage gaps, seasonal limits, and lane strength. We award additional credit for documented cross-border or specialty lanes.
Additional services (12%):
We verify whether add-ons are performed in-house or subcontracted, look for crew training/certifications for high-value or oversized items, count only documented offerings (tariffs, photos, written service descriptions) confirmed via mystery shopping, and reward robust pre-move planning (virtual surveys, itemized crating).
Quotes/Payment options (6%):
We test standardized move profiles to assess estimate type (binding, not-to-exceed, non-binding), line-item transparency, and disclosed surcharges, require clear written policies for deposits, refunds, and cancellations, and award points for secure, flexible payment methods and customer portals.
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