Active FMCSA authority USDOT 2187528  ·  MC 759428  ·  $1M liability on file Pico Rivera, CA  ·  All 48 states (213) 297-7158
TES Transportation Inc, Los Angeles, CA
TES Transportation car hauler

What actually sets the price of shipping a car

There is no honest flat rate for auto transport. Here is what moves the number up and down, so you can read any quote you are given — including ours.

Pricing

Six things decide what a move costs

Any company quoting you a fixed price before knowing the route and the vehicle is guessing, and the number will change later. These are the variables that genuinely matter.

  • Distance and route. Not just miles — whether the route is a lane trucks already run. A busy interstate corridor prices differently from a remote one, even at the same mileage.
  • Vehicle size and weight. A trailer has finite length and finite weight capacity. A large SUV or a dual-rear-wheel pickup takes space that would otherwise carry another vehicle.
  • Running condition. A vehicle that runs and drives can be loaded normally. A non-running (inop) vehicle needs different handling and equipment on the trailer.
  • Timing. A flexible pickup window prices differently from a fixed date. Expedited placement on the next truck heading your way costs more than waiting for the next convenient one.
  • Season. Demand on certain corridors moves with the calendar, and pricing follows it.
  • How many vehicles. Multiple vehicles on one load share the cost of the truck. This is why dealer and fleet moves price very differently from single cars.

Carrier price versus broker price

A broker quotes you a number, then tries to find a carrier who will accept less. If nobody takes it, your price goes up or your car sits. We are the carrier, so the number we give you is the number for the truck that shows up.

Why there are no prices on this page

Because a table of prices on a web page would be fiction. Tell us the route and the vehicle and we will give you a real number, usually the same day.

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Quote turnaround
Usually same day
Obligation
None
Priced by
The carrier
Coverage
48 states
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Questions

Common questions

How much does it cost to ship a car?
It depends on the route, the vehicle, the timing and how many vehicles are moving. We will not put a fictional table of prices on a web page — send the details through the quote form and you will get a real number, usually the same day.
Is open transport cheaper?
Open transport is the best-value way to ship a car, because a Cottrell trailer carries 9–10 vehicles at once and the cost of the truck and driver is shared across the load.
Does a non-running vehicle cost more?
A non-running vehicle needs different handling and equipment on the trailer, so it is priced differently. Mark it as inop on the quote form and we will confirm before anything is booked.
TES car hauler loaded with new luxury SUVs
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Ready to ship your vehicle?

Tell us the route and the vehicle. You get a real number from the company that actually hauls it, usually the same day.

Office
7630 Industry Ave, Pico Rivera, CA 90660
Hours
Mon–Fri · 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM PT

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