What It Costs in 2024

Shipping a truck or heavy-duty pickup is much like shipping a car. Auto transport companies offer truck shipping on open or enclosed carriers across the United States.

In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides team will explain how truck transport works and highlight some of the best car shipping companies for transporting trucks.

Whether you need to send your pickup truck one state over or across the country, you can find an auto shipper for the job. The shipping process is fairly straightforward. Decide what type of truck transport service you need, compare quotes and complete the shipment.

Decide Between Open vs. Enclosed Truck Shipping

You can choose between open or enclosed auto transport to ship your truck. Open carriers can fit more vehicles, so they’re cheaper to use. Open shipping is the most popular type of regional and cross-country truck shipping, but it leaves vehicles exposed to the elements.

If you want to protect a vintage or top-of-the-line truck, choose enclosed transport. This protects your truck from the elements on all sides. Enclosed trailers transport fewer vehicles, so they’re more expensive. Our research shows enclosed transport costs about $300 to $1,000 more than open truck shipping, depending on the distance.

Read more: Open vs. Enclosed Car Shipping

Flatbed Truck Shipping

Open and enclosed carriers can comfortably fit stock pickup trucks. But if your truck has a high lift kit or oversized tires, you might need flatbed transport. Oversized trucks can be too tall or wide to fit on a standard carrier, and the shipping company won’t risk damaging it. Most brokers can provide quotes for flatbed transport over the phone. Be aware that this type of shipping will cost more since a flatbed trailer can only move a few vehicles at a time.

Truck Shipping Quotes

Once you know the service you’re looking for, we recommend comparing free quotes from multiple auto transport companies. Depending on the season and the carrier networks a company works with, you may find different shipping rates from each.

Truck Shipping Services

If you find a truck transport quote that looks good, book the shipment with the company. Some companies may require you to make a small down payment when you book. Another option is to pay for the shipment in full with a credit card. You may also be able to make a partial payment when the carrier is dispatched and pay the remainder in cash when your truck is delivered.

Auto transport companies usually pick vehicles up within about a week. If you want faster service, you can pay more for an expedited shipment or guaranteed pickup date.

After booking, you’ll need to complete these tasks:

• Remove personal items from the truck and make sure it’s in good working order.
• Communicate with the carrier to schedule pickup.
• Meet the carrier for pickup, inspect your truck and sign the bill of lading noting its current condition.
• Communicate with the carrier to schedule the truck delivery.
• Meet the carrier at drop-off, inspect the truck again and sign the bill of lading.

Damage is rare, but it does occur. If you have an issue, you’ll work with the carrier’s insurance company to file a claim. Some car shipping brokers provide extra insurance coverage as well.