Methodology for car shipping company reviews

Whether you’re moving to a new state with multiple vehicles or sending a car to a buyer or family member, you’ll want to ensure your shipment’s safe arrival. Hiring a fully licensed vehicle shipping company can keep your car protected and minimize stress.

Research

We’ve researched and analyzed the auto shipping industry to understand what makes a quality provider.

We inspect and interact with each shipper’s website to inform prospective customers about what to expect at every step. This includes getting quotes from each provider we review by submitting online quote forms and calling company representatives.

We also read hundreds of customer reviews on third-party platforms, including Google Reviews and Yelp, to gauge each company’s quality and reputation. Our goal is to narrow each auto shipper down to a numeric rating that indicates its cost-friendliness, market reputation and customer satisfaction.

Review and rate

We filter all companies through a uniform rating system. We rate each provider we feature on USA TODAY Homefront on the same scale with the same grading criteria. We then average the score into a five-point numeric rating and convert it into a star rating. We display this score on every provider review we publish.

Like traditional movers, vehicle shipping providers have registration requirements. We confirm that each vehicle shipper we review carries the necessary federal registration before we score it.

Market standing (20 points)

Auto shipping companies must be registered to operate, whether carriers or brokers. Carriers directly handle your auto shipping needs, while brokers contract out your services to carriers and take a commission fee.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates vehicle shipping providers. It requires companies to have active United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Motor Carrier (MC) numbers. Individual drivers must carry active commercial driver’s licenses (CDL), which the companies are responsible for ensuring.

Cost (25 points)

Cost is a huge component of the customer experience. Companies that offer defined prices per mile or clear upfront quotes rank highly in this category. Costs vary depending on the transportation method, the number of cars on the transport vehicle or trailer, and the total mileage covered. 

We called each company we reviewed for sample quotes to check for fair pricing and an easy estimate process.

Services (25 points)

Companies that offer multiple shipping methods rate highly in this category. While the most common method is open shipment via an open trailer for multiple cars, many shipping companies offer additional services. We gave our highest ratings to companies that provide sea and air freight as well as closed and private transportation options for luxury and antique vehicles.

We also differentiate between companies that provide terminal-to-terminal and door-to-door service. The former involves shipping your vehicle to and from larger service hubs, whereas the latter is a more full-service option with pickup and delivery at specific addresses. Providers that offer a door-to-door option receive a higher score.

Customer experience (30 points)

Customer reviews are the core evaluation criteria for this category. We read hundreds of reviews from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google, Yelp, Trustpilot and social media to determine which companies provide optimal service to their customers. Markers of good service include timely pickup and delivery and minimal reports of damage to vehicles while in transit. 

Beyond this, companies that offer clear and concise insurance policies for any damage to vehicles in transit rate well here. Shippers that provide full coverage and an easy claims process ensure that customers feel secure when shipping their vehicles.