Two primary factors contribute to the amount you pay for shipping your car: the actual cost of shpping your car and the overhead of the car shipping company. The largest proportion of the cost is the actual moving of the vehicle by the car carrier. The car carrier’s costs include:
Fuel – Since semi trucks only get 5-7 miles per gallon when hauling a trailer loaded with cars, the cost of diesel fuel has a big impact on the total cost of shipping a car. While prices did rise earlier this year due to the increasing cost of diesel fuel, they have leveled out and even dropped a bit over the past three months.
Truck Payments – A new truck and trailer can cost $150,000 or more. Car carriers must make monthly payments on the loans that most take to purchase their trucks.
Truck Maintenance – Since most trucks are driven 100,000 miles per year or more, they require regular maintenance to keep them running well. Maintenance includes tune-ups, oil changes and tire replacements.
Insurance – Car carriers pay to insure their trucks and trailers, just like you insure your vehicle. In addition, they are legally obligated to have insurance to cover the value of the vehicles they transport.
Driver Pay and Benefits – Whether drivers own their truck or are employees driving a company truck, driver’s must be paid for their time. Most drivers receive benefits (e.g. health insurance and retirement) as well.
In addition to the direct costs of transporting your vehicle, car shipping companies must also pay overhead expenses, such as customer service, marketing, rent and more. However, overhead expenses are typically only a small portion of the total cost of car shipping.