Best car shipping companies in 2025
Compare top-rated auto transport companies and find the right service for your vehicle shipping needs.
Here's the truth about finding a good car shipping company
You're looking at a sea of car shipping companies, and half of them sound identical. They all claim to be "the best," they all have five-star reviews (somehow), and they're all suspiciously eager to get your credit card number.
So how do you actually separate the legitimate companies from the ones that'll quote you $800, take your deposit, then call back saying "sorry, it's actually going to be $1,200"?
Let me save you some headaches. I've been in this industry long enough to know what matters and what's just marketing noise. The "best" car shipping company isn't the one with the flashiest website—it's the one that shows up when they say they will, doesn't play pricing games, and actually answers the phone when you call.
Here's what you actually need to look for (and what you can ignore).
The reality you need to understand first
No matter how hard you try to work directly with a car transport company that owns actual trucks, you won't be able to.
Here's why:
The shipping industry is massively fragmented. Truck companies look for orders on Central Dispatch and other load boards—platforms you as a regular person don't have access to. They don't advertise on the web. They don't have marketing teams or customer service departments. They just drive trucks.
So you're going to end up working with a broker. That's not inherently bad—good brokers provide real value. The trick is finding an actual broker that will handle your shipment from start to finish, rather than a lead generation website that'll sell your quote to 47 different companies for $2 and leave you drowning in spam calls.
The actual breakdown of who these companies are
Let me be direct about what you're looking at when you search for car shipping companies online. I've researched the major players people encounter, and here's what you need to know about each one.
The short answer
None of these companies are the actual transport company with the truck. Here's what they actually are:
- Actual brokers: Dellcy (us), Montway, SGT, Nexus, RoadRunner
- Marketplace: uShip
- Broker / Potential lead generator: A1 Auto Transport
1. The transparent brokers
These companies are upfront about being brokers. They take your order, find a carrier on load boards like Central Dispatch, and handle coordination. The key difference is whether they're honest about pricing and actually provide customer service.
Dellcy (that's us)
Status: Licensed broker (FMCSA MC-176457)
We're a broker, and we're not going to pretend otherwise. We don't own trucks. What we do is connect you with vetted carriers and handle everything from booking to delivery.
What makes us different: Transparent pricing upfront. No bait-and-switch. We don't sell your data to lead buyers. You work with us directly from quote to delivery—not 15 different salespeople calling you at dinner time.
What to expect: Instant online quotes based on real market pricing (not fake lowball numbers). We assign carriers quickly and stay in touch throughout the process. If something changes, we tell you immediately—not three days before your pickup.
Montway Auto Transport
Status: Broker
Reputation: Generally considered one of the more reliable large brokers. They have decent tech and customer service infrastructure.
What to expect: Like all brokers, they can't guarantee exact pickup dates because they're dependent on finding an available carrier. Some customers report being quoted low initially, then told they need to pay more to "secure a driver"—a common broker tactic when they misjudge market pricing.
The reality: They're popular and established, but you're still dealing with the inherent uncertainties of the broker model. Reviews are mixed—some great experiences, some frustration with price increases and delays.
Sources: ConsumerAffairs Reviews • Reddit Discussion
SGT Auto Transport
Status: Broker
Reputation: Similar to Montway—established broker with decent customer service ratings.
What to expect: They often market "guaranteed pickup" dates, but read the fine print. This either costs extra or is actually an estimate with wiggle room. Standard broker experience—they post your car on load boards and wait for a carrier to accept.
The catch: Like most brokers, your actual experience depends heavily on which carrier accepts your load. SGT handles the paperwork, but they don't control the truck.
Sources: ConsumerAffairs Reviews
Nexus Auto Transport & RoadRunner Auto Transport
Status: Brokers
Reputation: Mixed to negative. Both are known for aggressive low-price marketing to get your booking.
The bait-and-switch risk: A common complaint pattern: they quote you a suspiciously low price ($200-300 below everyone else), you pay a deposit, then a few days before your move they call saying "the carrier wants $200 more" or "we can't find a driver at that price."
Now you're stuck—your move date is approaching, you've already paid a deposit, and they know you're under pressure to say yes to the higher price.
Not saying it happens every time, but this tactic is common enough that you should be skeptical if their quote is the lowest by a significant margin.
2. The marketplace
uShip
Status: Marketplace platform
How it works: Think eBay for shipping. You list your car, and carriers (plus brokers pretending to be carriers) bid on your shipment.
The appeal: You might find a great independent driver willing to do your route for less than a broker would charge.
The risk: You have to vet the carrier yourself. There's no quality control. That "carrier" might actually be another broker adding their markup. Or it might be someone's cousin with a trailer and questionable insurance.
The cost: uShip charges a "match fee" that gets baked into the price, which can make it more expensive than going direct to a broker. Plus you're doing the legwork that a broker would normally handle.
Bottom line: If you're willing to do research and check reviews/credentials yourself, you might find a deal. But it's more work and risk than using an established broker.
3. The potential lead generator
A1 Auto Transport
Status: Broker / Potential Lead Generator
What we found: Based on customer reports and industry discussion, A1 appears to operate as both a broker and potentially as a lead generation platform.
Common customer experience: According to sources like Reddit discussions and industry reviews, some customers report receiving multiple follow-up calls from different brokers after submitting their information to A1.
What this might mean: If the reports are accurate, your contact information could be shared with multiple brokers who will compete for your business. Some people prefer this comparison-shopping approach. Others find it overwhelming.
Our take: We can't verify their exact business practices, but the pattern of customer reports suggests caution. If you decide to get a quote, be prepared for the possibility of multiple follow-up contacts.
Sources: Reddit: Are A1 Quotes Real? • Auto Transport Lead Providers Review
Note: This assessment is based on publicly available customer reports and industry discussions. We have no direct knowledge of A1's internal business practices. Your experience may differ.
What to be prepared for (the broker reality check)
Since you're dealing with brokers (whether you know it or not), here's how the game actually works:
You're not hiring the truck directly
You're hiring a broker to find a truck. The actual driver is an independent owner-operator who accepted your load from Central Dispatch or another board.
The "estimate" vs. real price problem
Brokers are guessing how much it will cost to get a trucker to take your car. If one company quotes you $800 while everyone else is at $1,200, the $800 is likely fake. They'll book you, fail to find a driver, then call asking for more money when you're desperate.
Deposit timing matters
Legit brokers charge a deposit after they've assigned a carrier and sent you the dispatch sheet. Sketchy brokers demand non-refundable deposits before they've even found a truck. That's a red flag.
Flexibility is required
Truckers operate on loose schedules. A "2-day pickup window" is standard. If a broker promises a specific hour for pickup, they're either lying or they'll charge you a premium for "guaranteed" service (which still isn't actually guaranteed).
Your actual checklist for choosing a car shipping company
Forget the marketing fluff. Here's what you actually need to verify before handing over your money and your car keys.
1. Verify their credentials (non-negotiable)
- •FMCSA license: Every legitimate broker and carrier must have an MC number. Look it up at FMCSA's SAFER system. Check that it's active and not revoked.
- •Insurance coverage:
- Broker bond: $75,000 minimum - Federal law requires brokers to have this surety bond. It protects you if the broker takes your money but doesn't pay the carrier. If you're working with a broker, confirm they have this bond on the SAFER system.
- Carrier cargo insurance: $100,000-$250,000 per load - This covers damage to your car during transport. Industry standard ranges from $100k-$250k. Higher coverage ($500k+) is rare and usually for exotic/luxury vehicles. Ask the carrier directly for proof of their cargo coverage.
2. Questions to ask before booking
- •"Are you a broker or a carrier?" If they dodge the question or claim to be a carrier when they're not, walk away.
- •"Is this price guaranteed?" Get it in writing. If they say "we'll try to find a carrier at this price," that's not a guarantee.
- •"How long until you assign a carrier?" 1-3 days is normal. If they can't give a straight answer, they might be lowballing the price and struggling to find drivers.
3. Red flags that mean "run away"
- •Significantly lower price than everyone else: If one company quotes $800 while three others quote $1,200, the $800 is bait. They'll come back asking for more.
- •Pressure to pay a deposit immediately: "This price is only good for the next hour" is a sales tactic. Real pricing doesn't expire in 60 minutes.
- •Can't provide MC number or insurance proof: If they can't produce these in 30 seconds, they're either unlicensed or stalling.
4. What a good quote should include
- •Exact pickup and delivery locations (not just cities)
- •Total price breakdown: deposit amount, balance due, and when payments are required
- •Transport type: open or enclosed
- •Estimated pickup and delivery windows (not exact dates—anyone promising exact dates is lying)
- •Insurance coverage details: how much, what's covered, deductible amount
- •Cancellation policy in clear language
Our recommendation
If you want transparent pricing and no spam: get a quote from us. We're upfront about being a broker, we don't play pricing games, and we don't sell your data.
If you want to compare: Montway and SGT are established brokers with generally decent reputations. If you want to gamble on finding an independent driver: uShip might work, but do your homework on whoever bids.
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Not a lead generation site. We're a licensed broker that handles your shipment from start to finish.
Guaranteed insurance on every load. Full cargo coverage included with every shipment we book.
Trusted by car owners nationwide
Larry Swenson
George Chiperi did a great job coordinating transport of my 2023 Corvette. White glove service to my door. Thanks George
Robert Goss
Great experience! First time I've ever bought a vehicle from across the country. A bit nerve wracking but turned out good!
Rayan Iesinger
Great, prompt service and at very fair price.
Ivan Dasic
Fast and reliable! Very satisfied i been using them to ship my cars in past this time they delivered my snowmobile with no issues at all! Would recommend to anyone!
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