What is Enclosed Car Transport?

Enclosed auto transporters use a covered, contained transport truck to move your car. Enclosed shipping offers an additional level of protection that open car carriers can’t provide. This premium car transport option ensures that your vehicle will arrive in the same condition in which it left, protected from road hazards and adverse weather conditions.

If you have a special car, such as a classic vehicle or an auto with a custom paint job, enclosed transport is the safest, most secure option available. Caravan Auto Transport offers free quotes from the best licensed, insured car transporters who will care for your baby the same as, or better than, you would yourself. Click ‘Get Quote’ for free quotes from the best enclosed auto transport companies in just minutes!

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Benefits of Shipping Via a Covered Vehicle Trailer

There are distinct benefits to choosing a covered vehicle trailer for shipping your vehicle across the country. While it may not be the most cost-effective method of transport, enclosed trucks provide a priceless level of safety and security to anyone who treasures their vehicle.

Protection

If you’re looking to ship a classic, exotic, luxury car, or a vehicle with a custom paint job, you’ll want to arrange for an enclosed truck. Covered trailers can prevent weather damage from harsh sunlight or severe sleet and snowfall. They also protect cars from unexpected transit damage from rocks and debris on the roadway and keep the vehicle cleaner. Covered transport trucks come in two varieties: those with soft and those with hard sides. Soft-sided trucks are made from a canvas material that allows for opening during loading, unloading, and inspection. Soft-sided enclosed trailer transport is usually cheaper, but these trucks are not always equipped with lift gates and don’t protect the car completely from dust and dirt. Hard-sided trucks, which resemble a typical 18-wheel rig used for shipping, offer the highest level of protection for your car. These trucks hold fewer vehicles, which typically reduces transit time.

Security

Enclosed transport vehicles provide additional security during shipping because the contents aren’t visible. For example, when the hauler parks overnight, thieves can’t readily see the vehicles, thereby diminishing the risk of break-ins. This concealment is a major benefit to anyone looking to ship a rare or valuable vehicle.

Safety

Enclosed trailers provide safety from the dangers that can pop up on the highway during a long cross-country journey such as flying road debris, rock damage, bugs, weather damage, etc. When it comes to valuable cars, even the slightest scratch or dent can seriously affect the vehicle’s value. Traditional open trailers can’t protect against any of these hazards. Additionally, a non-stacking truck ensures that no oil or fluids leak down on lower-level vehicles. And enclosed vehicle carriers usually hold fewer cars than open trailers. Fewer cars in transport at any given time means a smaller number of cars being loaded and unloaded along the way, resulting in less risk of harm to your car.

Better Insurance

Enclosed haulers often carry more comprehensive insurance policies, providing a higher level of protection for your vehicle.

Hydraulic Lift Gates

Enclosed trailers are custom made with hydraulic lift gates that ensure your car is always level from loading to unloading. These liftgates prevent strain on the car’s drive train and suspension system. They also allow for safe loading and unloading of a vehicle that has low ground clearance.

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The Best Enclosed Auto Transport Companies of 2023

AmeriFreight

A
8.9

Exceptional!

based on 12650+ data points.

Location

Peachtree City, GA

USDOT

Year Founded

2004
A

Location

Peachtree City, GA

USDOT

Year Founded

2004
  • Enclosed
  • Classic
  • Luxury

ABC Auto Shipping

A
8.7

Exceptional!

based on 1050+ data points.

Location

Laguna Hills, CA

USDOT

Year Founded

2013
A

Location

Laguna Hills, CA

USDOT

Year Founded

2013
  • Enclosed
  • Classic
  • Motorcycle

Sherpa Auto Transport

8.6

Exceptional!

based on 2100+ data points.

Location

Charlotte, NC

USDOT

Year Founded

2017

Location

Charlotte, NC

USDOT

Year Founded

2017
Sherpa Auto Transport is here to help you get your car where it needs to go. Based in Charlotte, this licensed and bonded company ships cars of all makes and models to and from North Carolina and other states. It gives all customers an upfront, transparent pricing that is backed by a Price Lock Promise: Sherpa Auto Transport will tell you the amount it will cost to ship your car and stick to it! No bait-and-switch pricing! This BBB-accredited auto transporter also boasts of a solid track record of safety and service, with a team of experienced drivers completing hassle-free shipments day in and day out. It even has a Clean Car Guarantee – free car wash after delivery. So whether you need a local pickup or cross-country delivery, your car is in good hands with Sherpa Auto Transport.
  • Enclosed
  • Classic
  • Luxury
  • Motorcycle

Nationwide Transport Services

8.6

Exceptional!

based on 500+ data points.

Location

Cape Coral, FL

USDOT

Year Founded

2009

Location

Cape Coral, FL

USDOT

Year Founded

2009
For over a decade, Nationwide Transport Services has provided industry-leading solutions for freight shipping, heavy hauling, and auto transportation to anywhere in the world. This third-party trucking broker is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale and has multiple locations in Florida, as well as offices in Kentucky and New Jersey. It has a fleet of over 150,000 trucks nationwide that can transport loads of all sizes, including vehicles, construction equipment, farming implements, and other types of machinery. Nationwide Transport Services specializes in port-to-port shipments, too, and will even assist you in filling out customs paperwork. Whether you’re transporting freight from one local job site to another, across state lines, or overseas, Nationwide Transport Services has you covered. It is accredited and rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau.
  • Enclosed
  • Classic

Priority Auto Relocations Inc

8.6

Exceptional!

based on 500+ data points.

Location

Boca Raton, FL

USDOT

Year Founded

2012

Location

Boca Raton, FL

USDOT

Year Founded

2012
Priority Auto Relocations, Inc. is a leading auto transport broker with many years of experience. Located in Boca Raton, FL, this full-service car transporter has the highest quality carriers servicing all 50 states and the Caribbean. It specializes in secure door-to-door shipments, moving automobiles to anywhere in the country with no terminals or transfers along the way. Known for its ""five-star” automotive relocation service, Priority Auto Relocations is reliable and professional at all times. It is upfront in answering inquiries, accurate in its pricing, and sensitive to the needs of every customer. Priority Auto Relocations is BBB-accredited with an A+ rating. It is fully licensed, bonded, and insured, so you can be confident that your car will be safe in this company’s care.
  • Enclosed
  • Classic
  • Motorcycle

Enclosed Car Haulers Cost

How much does enclosed car transport cost? Expect to pay around $2 per mile to ship your vehicle in an enclosed carrier. Using a closed carrier may cost as much as double what you would pay to transport the same car the same distance via an open-air trailer. Here are factors that influence shipping rates with an enclosed car hauler:

Distance

When calculating the expense of enclosed auto transport, expect to pay about twice what open auto transports charge. Open trailers cost about $1 per mile, with the cost per mile dropping the farther the shipment. But shipping via enclosed trailer can add an additional $800 to $3,000 to that cost, depending on your car’s specific needs. There are other variables to consider. If you’re moving to a major city, it’s easier for the driver to drop off the vehicle but if you’re moving to a higher elevation you might pay more in fuel costs to haul vehicles up an incline.

Enclosed Haulers

Covered trailers offer many advantages that end up adding to the overall cost. Enclosed auto transport carriers hold between 1 to 5 vehicles, depending on the type of truck, as opposed to 8 to 10 on open auto transport carriers. They also utilize specialized equipment and procedures to secure the vehicle and protect it from the elements. There are fewer enclosed trailers available and they’re used less frequently than open trailers, so you’re also paying more for access to these vehicles.

Pick-up and Drop-off Points

Where you’re moving plays a major role in the cost of shipping your car. If you’re moving to a big city where there are heavily used traffic routes and multiple drop-off locations, you’ll save money. Drivers will easily be able to find places to drop off your vehicle for pickup. But if you’re moving to a more rural area, you’ll pay more for enclosed transport as the carrier will have to go out of its way to find and access a safe drop-off location.

Vehicle Weight & Size

Just as with open-air carriers, covered carrier companies charge by the weight and size of your car. The larger and heavier the car, the higher the fuel costs for the transport vehicle and less room for additional cars.

Time of Year

If it’s winter, and you’re moving to a part of the country that experiences snowy weather, the cost of a closed carrier will most likely rise. Not only are there fewer scheduled routes around this time, but more security measures have to be taken due to the added risk. A hauler driving on ice-covered roads or dealing with poor visibility will face greater danger, resulting in higher insurance costs. These will most likely be passed on to you, the customer.

Delivery Time

Carrier companies determine an approximate delivery time based on the route, the drop-off point, weather conditions, and the number of cars being transported. The average delivery time for an covered trailer, which is smaller and holds fewer cars, is about two weeks. If you’re looking to have your car delivered more quickly, you’ll pay more for expedited shipping.

Enclosed Auto Transport Quote

Request a free quote now from Caravan Auto Transport’s network of enclosed car transport companies. Our partners work nationwide, transporting hundreds of luxury, antique, and collectible vehicles every day, over tens of thousands of miles. When you find an enclosed auto transporter through Caravan Auto Transport you get the assurance of:

Free Shipping Quotes

Save yourself all the time-consuming legwork of trying to find and contact shippers when we can do it for you. Caravan Auto Transport provides multiple quotes, giving you the opportunity to choose from several fully-vetted shippers.

Nationwide Coverage

Our network covers the entire contiguous US – from one end of the country to the other. We’ll find you the best shippers wherever you are, or wherever you’re going.

Licensed Transporters

All of the companies we work with maintain appropriate state and federal licensing so you won’t have to worry about doing the research. It’s always hard to determine which companies are legitimate or not, but Caravan Auto Transport takes all the guesswork out of the process, only working with the very best.

Insurance Coverage

Every company we work with maintains the proper amount of insurance coverage required by state or federal law, ensuring that you don’t need to be concerned about damage to your baby along the way. And if the unthinkable should happen, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re fully covered.

Experience

Rest assured your car is in good hands with our network of top-quality enclosed car transport companies. They have years of experience handling transport for antique, collector, and show car owners nationwide.

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