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!
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.
The Best Enclosed Auto Transport Companies of 2023
AmeriFreight
Location
Peachtree City, GAUSDOT
Year Founded
2004Services
Enclosed
Classic
Luxury
AutoStar Transport Express
Location
Miami, FLUSDOT
Year Founded
2007Location
Miami, FLUSDOT
Year Founded
2007Services
- Enclosed
- Classic
- Motorcycle
- Luxury
Priority Auto Relocations Inc
Location
Boca Raton, FLUSDOT
Year Founded
2012Location
Boca Raton, FLUSDOT
Year Founded
2012Why Priority Auto Relocations Inc is A Top-Rated Auto Transport Company
Services
- Enclosed
- Classic
- Motorcycle
Nationwide Transport Services
Location
Cape Coral, FLUSDOT
Year Founded
2009Location
Cape Coral, FLUSDOT
Year Founded
2009Why Nationwide Transport Services is A Top-Rated Auto Transport Company
Services
- Enclosed
- Classic
ABC Auto Shipping
Location
Laguna Hills, CAUSDOT
Year Founded
2013Services
- 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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Click ‘Get Quote’ now to receive your free enclosed carrier transportation estimates today!