Open transport
Open Auto Transport Services
The standard for daily drivers.
Most popular, most affordable. The same trucks the dealers use, done right. Based in Austin, TX, door-to-door, nationwide.
What Is Open Auto Transport?
The most affordable way to ship a car, and the right one for most vehicles.
Open auto transport moves your vehicle on a two-deck open carrier, the same equipment dealerships and rental fleets use to haul new inventory across the country. A typical open car carrier runs 7 to 10 vehicles per load, each driven up the ramps and secured to the deck at the wheels. It is the industry standard for vehicle shipping in the US, and the default for a reason: open trucks run every major corridor every day, which keeps rates affordable and pickup windows short. If you have watched a load of new cars roll down the interstate on an open trailer, you have seen exactly how your car will travel.
The honest tradeoff is exposure. On an open trailer your car rides through the same weather and road grime it would meet on any highway drive, with no protection from the elements. That is what enclosed transport is for, and we offer it. For a garage-kept collector car or a fresh respray, we will tell you to book enclosed. For a daily driver, a lease return, a college move, a fleet relocation, or a car bought online out of state, open car shipping is the right call, and the savings are real: enclosed runs 40–80% more on the same route.
Affordable does not mean careless. We run a broker model built on relationships: every open auto transport shipment goes to a vetted carrier we know by name, and we choose the carrier ourselves rather than taking whichever truck bids lowest. Cargo insurance on open carriers typically runs around $100,000 per vehicle, and we share the carrier's certificate of insurance before pickup so you can confirm coverage yourself. If you want extra margin, request a top-load spot on the upper deck or at the front of the trailer, where the car avoids most road debris and any fluid drip from vehicles loaded above.
Who Open Car Shipping Is For
Most of the cars on the road belong on an open trailer.
Open is for vehicles where dependable car hauling at the best price matters more than shielding the paint from a week of ordinary weather.
Daily drivers & family vehicles
- Sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks
- Lease returns and end-of-lease drop-offs
- Students' cars headed to campus
- The second car in a household move
Online purchases & dealer trades
- Vehicles bought online or sight unseen
- Out-of-state dealership purchases
- Auction wins headed home
- Dealer-to-dealer inventory transfers
Relocations & seasonal moves
- Cross-country job relocations
- Military PCS moves
- Snowbird migrations south and back
- College moves each fall and spring
Fleets & multi-vehicle
- Rental and corporate fleet repositioning
- Multi-car family relocations
- Dealer inventory rebalancing
If this describes your vehicle, send us the route. Estimates are free and take about a minute.
How Our Open Auto Transport Works
01
Tell us about the car
Origin ZIP, destination ZIP, year/make/model, and when you can ship. The estimate comes back by text, usually within minutes.
02
Lock in the rate and date
We confirm a price, schedule a pickup window, and dispatch a carrier we've worked with. You get the driver's name and MC number before they leave.
03
Pickup
The driver arrives at your address, inspects the car with you, photographs every panel, and signs the Bill of Lading, then drives the vehicle up the ramps and straps it down at the wheels.
04
Delivery
You receive updates en route. The vehicle is photographed again at drop-off, and you inspect and sign the Bill of Lading to close out the shipment.
Open Car Shipping Cost
What open transport costs, and what moves the number.
Open transport is the most affordable way to ship a car: the cost of the truck and driver is shared across 7 to 10 vehicles, and plentiful carriers keep rates in check. Enclosed runs 40–80% more on the same lane.
- DISTANCE
- Cost rises with mileage while the per-mile rate falls. A short regional haul prices near the carrier's minimum, and a coast-to-coast move costs more in total but far less per mile.
- VEHICLE PROFILE
- Length, height, weight, and whether the car runs all matter. A compact sedan fills one standard slot, an oversized truck takes up more of the deck, and a non-runner requires a winch and extra labor to load.
- TIMING & SEASON
- Flexible pickup dates price below tight ones. Season matters too: snowbird lanes run higher southbound in fall and northbound in spring, and summer relocation demand lifts rates nationwide.
- Regional (under ~500 miles)
- $450–$800
- Cross-country
- $900–$1,500
Send the route and the vehicle. We'll text your open transport estimate within minutes.
Why Choose Nick's Auto Transport for Open Auto Transport?
Open transport is where this industry competes hardest on price, and where corners usually get cut to win the booking. We keep the rate competitive and run the job properly.
Affordable without the lowest-bid gamble
Open economics favor you: many vehicles share one truck, and trucks run full on every major route. We pass that on while choosing the carrier ourselves, so the price stays competitive and the auto hauler carrying your car is one we picked, not whichever truck bid lowest.
Top-load spots on request
Upper-deck and front positions avoid most road debris, and nothing rides above your car to drip fluid on it. It is a sensible upgrade for a newer vehicle on an open trailer, and we will arrange it with the carrier when you book.
Vetted carriers we know by name
The operators we dispatch are ones we have worked with repeatedly, held to the same standard as our enclosed work. You are never handed off to whichever truck bid lowest, and we send the carrier's certificate of insurance before pickup.
Photos and a Bill of Lading at both ends
The driver photographs your car and records its condition on the Bill of Lading at pickup, then repeats both at delivery. Condition is documented before and after transit, so any question at delivery is answered by the record.
What Our Customers Say
Fast and efficient service. Nick was able to find me a driver who took good care of my vehicle, and at a very reasonable price. I highly recommend Nicks Auto Transport, for anyone looking to ship your vehicle!
Nick is deff the guy to talk to when moving exotic cars in the state of Texas! Deal in confidence! 🙏🏻
Nick’s Auto Transport is by far the best! He was so kind and helped us with any questions we had about the process. Our vehicle arrived safely, on time, and exactly as promised. Would definitely recommend!!
Nick was great at getting our vehicle transported, his team was communicating to us the entire transport. From pick up to drop off we had ZERO issues. I would highly recommend him and if I need another vehicle transported I'll use him again. Thanks for your…
Frequently Asked Questions About Open Auto Transport
Still have a question? Text or call 1-866-512-1871.
How much does open auto transport cost compared to enclosed?
Open is the affordable option: enclosed runs 40–80% more on the same route. Typical open pricing is $450–$800 for regional moves under about 500 miles and $900–$1,500 cross-country. For a daily driver, a lease return, or an online purchase, open is the right call. We recommend enclosed when a vehicle's value or finish justifies full protection.
Is my car safe and insured on an open trailer?
Yes. Open carriers deliver new dealership and rental inventory every day, and your car is loaded the same way: driven up the ramps and strapped at the wheels. Cargo insurance typically runs around $100,000 per vehicle, and we share the dispatched carrier's certificate of insurance before pickup. Your car's condition is photographed and recorded on the Bill of Lading at both ends.
Will my car be exposed to weather during open transport?
Yes, and we would rather tell you plainly than surprise you at delivery. Your car sees the same rain, sun, and road grime it would on a highway drive of the same distance, so plan on a wash when it arrives. A top-load spot reduces debris exposure, and enclosed transport removes exposure entirely. We offer both and will give you a straight recommendation.
How quickly can an open carrier pick up my car?
Usually within 1–3 days of booking. Open carriers are the most plentiful trucks in the industry, so a trailer with an available slot is rarely far from you. Once loaded, transit covers roughly 400–500 miles per day: a few days regionally, about a week coast to coast. If you have a hard date, tell us up front and we will dispatch around it.
What is a top-load spot and should I request one?
Top-load places your car on the upper deck or at the front of the trailer. Those positions avoid most road debris, and because nothing rides above your car, there is no risk of fluid dripping onto it. It is worth requesting for a newer car or recent paint work when you want open pricing with extra margin. Ask when you book and we will arrange it.
Why book open auto transport through Nick's Auto Transport?
One person handles your shipment from estimate to delivery. Your car goes to a carrier we know by name and have dispatched before, never to whichever truck bids lowest. The price you book is the price you pay, with no cash due at delivery, and the car is documented with photos and a signed Bill of Lading at both ends.
Will the price change after I book?
Rarely, and never without your say-so. The price you book is the price you pay, and we hold it. Two things can move a locked price: a change to the shipment itself, such as a new destination or a vehicle that turns out to be non-running, or an unusual market swing on your route, meaning diesel, driver supply, or seasonal demand shifting enough that no carrier will run the lane at the quoted rate. That second one is uncommon. If it happens we call you before anything is charged, and you decide whether to go ahead.
The man behind it all
Hi, I'm Nick.
“Cars have been my obsession for as long as I can remember. I build them, race them, and drive them. That hands-on background means I understand the care every vehicle deserves, whether it's an exotic, a restored classic, or a daily driver.
When you book with Nick's Auto Transport, you're not routed through a call center. You deal with me personally, from the first text to final delivery. I treat every car like my own, and my reputation rides on every shipment.”
Let's move it the way it deserves.
Tell us where the car is and where it's going. We'll text your open transport estimate within five minutes. Fully insured, door to door.