- Type of vehicle: size and weight
- Vehicle Condition: operable or inoperable. Inoperable means the car does not start.
- Type of trailer: open or enclosed
- Distance/mileage: amount of miles between your pickup and delivery locations
- Location: urban/metro or rural area
- Modifications: lowered, lifted, larger tires, racks on top, etc.
- Seasonal fluctuations: seasonal supply and demands change on certain routes
What is Open Auto Transport?
Whether you’re moving, selling your car, or going on an extended vacation, you need to get your vehicle to its destination safely. However, many drivers are skeptical about car transport services because they’re concerned about the costs. Luckily, open car transport services are both affordable and efficient.
Open car transport is the most popular car shipping method because of one reason: Cost savings. A two-tier trailer can hold up to twelve vehicles which means greater guaranteed availability and lower overall costs.
To make sure you experience both, Guardian only uses the highest-rated carriers in the auto shipping industry today. At Guardian, we’re confident that the more you learn about our car shipping services, the more you’ll see that there is no better way to ship your car.
Advantages of
Open Auto Transport
Cost Effective
In addition to being available throughout the year, an open car carrier is also the most cost-effective option when it comes to car shipping. The high demand employs more drivers and car carriers, and then savings are passed onto customers like you.
Open-air carriers can also ship multiple vehicles each drive. Carriers can fit between 10 and 12 cars on a standard two-tier trailer which saves fuel, time, and money in the long run. Because of the extra space and low fuel costs, it’s also less expensive to ship your car long distances, which means you’re saving money from the get-go.
No Cancellation Fees
Guardian understands that sometimes plans change. Life is unpredictable, and things happen that may be out of our control. If you’re no longer able to ship your vehicle, you won’t be charged for your shipment arrangements as long as a driver has not yet been dispatched for your pick-up date.
If a driver has already been confirmed to pick up your car, Guardian will refund you everything except for a courtesy service fee which goes directly to our driver and carrier.
No Upfront Charges
Unlike many other auto transport companies, Guardian doesn’t require payment upon placing an order. You won’t be charged a cent until a driver has been dispatched and is scheduled to pick up your car on an agreed-upon date.
We also don’t require your vehicle’s title and registration for transport. Many other companies ask for this paperwork for liability reasons, but Guardian likes to keep things simple: All you need is your keys, and Guardian takes care of the rest.
Door-to-Door Service Included
To make the process even more seamless, door-to-door service is a standard for all of Guardian’s customers. The driver will pick up and deliver your vehicle as close to the locations that you need. In most cases, this quite literally means door-to-door service.
If there are hazards on the road, like low-hanging trees, road closures, or extreme weather conditions, then Guardian will work with you to find an accessible spot for pick up or drop off. If one can’t be found on your preferred date, then Guardian will arrange the soonest available time to get your vehicle where it needs to be.
Full Insurance Coverage
When you get a quote from Guardian, our full insurance coverage is included, down to the last penny. There are no hidden fees after you book because what you see is what you get. For all of our cars, we provide a $100,000 coverage limit.
Additionally, each carrier is vetted carefully before we decide to work with them. We ensure that they are currently complying with strict insurance standards to ensure that your car is in the safest hands possible.
The driver will also inspect your vehicle upon pick up and drop off to ensure that everything stays the same during the trip.
Only Vehicle and Keys Needed
We do not require the vehicle title or registration to be handed over to the carrier for transport. Just be ready with your keys and vehicle and we will take care of the rest!
We do recommend having just around a quarter tank of gas: In case of unpredictable situations, you must have enough gas to get from access points to the original destination.
Research Your Car Shipping Options
If you have to ship your car, you can choose from three car shipping options that are sure to meet your needs and preferences. Here’s everything you need to know about enclosed, expedited, and open car transport.
Enclosed Auto Transport
Enclosed car shipping guarantees your vehicle protection with the covered trailer, providing extra safety around the wheels. Enclosed car transport is ideal for those who have luxury cars, classic cars, or new cars and want to protect them from dust, weather, and sun exposure. Since very few auto carriers have enclosed transport trailers, they are more expensive than open car carriers.
Expedited Auto Transport
Expedited car shipping is ideal for those who need their cars to be picked up as soon as possible. When you choose expedited transport, you’re at the top of Guardian’s priority list with a guaranteed pick-up preferred date, even if it’s only a day or two later. Expedited auto shipping is the most expensive option since a driver is dispatched immediately.
Open Auto Transport
Open car transport is the cheapest way to ship a car, and it is the most reliable car shipping option. Open carriers are uncovered and can fit multiple vehicles, between 10 to 12 cars at once. They are the most common types of trailers in the auto transport industry, so availability is usually flexible, and they’re easy to come by.
Check out what else you get with Guardian’s open auto transport option.
Open Car Shipping Services
Even open car shipping services is our basic option, Guardian works hard to ensure that you are satisfied with every part of the process by providing benefits and perks just for being our customer. At Guardian, the three-point mission statement—excellent communication, easy processing, and proactive service—is what brings customers back.
Here’s what else Guardian provides to its open car transport customers:
Fast and Available Service
Since open car transport is the car shipping industry’s standard, open transport car shipping is more efficient and is more readily available than expedited or enclosed auto transport options. This means you can quickly secure an open-air car shipping service on short notice due to the high availability.
There are no restrictions on the types of vehicles that these carriers will pick up. They are made to suit all vehicles regardless of size, height, weight, or model. With open car shipping, you have more flexibility when shipping your car and choosing pick-up and drop-off dates.
The Cost of Open Car Auto Transport
The cost of open auto transport is on the cheaper side because of the thousands of open carriers that are all over the country. However, a lot goes into determining the cost which depends on multiple factors:
- The starting and ending locations. Distance plays a significant role in how much it will cost to ship your car. Going 500 miles versus 2,000 miles is a big difference in time and cost. The further your vehicle is going, the more expensive it will be.
- The route that is taken. Large freight trucks like open-air carriers can’t drive on certain roads like parkways and city streets. Because of this, the driver may have to take a different route which could add time and fuel to the trip.
- The time of year. This may come as a surprise, but shipping your car in the spring and summer months will generally be more expensive than in the winter. That’s because there’s a higher demand for traveling when the weather is nice, especially since most car shows happen between spring and fall, and June, July, and August are the most popular months to move.
Open transport car shipping is the least expensive option for shipping your car, so you can feel confident that you’re getting the best price available. Even so, you can get a better idea of how much it will cost to ship your car by getting a free and instant quote.
Get Open Car Shipping with Guardian Auto Transport
If you’re moving or need to get your car from Point A to Point B without the bells and whistles that expedited or enclosed auto transport may provide, then open carrier auto transport is your best choice.
But with something as important as shipping your car, you need to work with a company that you can trust.
That’s where Guardian comes in: With more than 20 years of experience in the auto transport industry, Guardian is one of the country’s leading open auto transport carriers. That’s because we provide essential vehicle shipping services:
- Excellent communication throughout the entire auto shipping process
- 24/7 dedicated agents
- Access to a network of thousands of drivers
As you can see, there’s no question as to why we have a 99.4% customer satisfaction rate. Get your free instant quote today on open carrier auto transport and learn more about how Guardian can help you today.
Guardian Auto Transport
Open Transport FAQs
How much will it cost to ship my car?
Multiple factors influence the cost of your transport service:
Can I ship personal items during open car transport?
You are permitted to have up to 100 pounds of cargo inside your vehicle during transport. The driver will make sure that your load is secured, below window level, in the rear or trunk of the car, and not behind the driver’s seat. Keep in mind that insurance doesn’t cover personal property. If there is an instance of theft, Guardian can’t cover any losses. That’s why we recommend that you don’t ship any personal items in your car unless it’s necessary.
Do I have to be at the pickup or delivery locations?
You don’t have to be present at the pick-up or delivery location, but you must assign a contact for the driver to speak to on both days. The contact must be at least 18 years old and will be responsible for signing the Bill of Lading which is the vehicle inspection report.
What is the difference between open and enclosed transport?
With open transport, your vehicle is transported on an open-air trailer. Over 95% of vehicles in the auto transport industry get transported via open trailer. It is considered very safe and used to transport new vehicles to dealerships. With an enclosed transport, your vehicle is transported inside of a hard-side or soft-side enclosed trailer. The vehicle is protected from any outside elements, including dust, weather, and sun exposure. Enclosed transport is more expensive due to only a small percentage of drivers having this equipment. We recommend enclosed transport for luxury, exotic, or classic cars.
How quickly can a car be shipped using open auto shipping?
Per the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) guidelines, freight drivers can drive up to 11 hours per day after a consecutive, ten-hour break. Under other circumstances, a truck driver may only be permitted to drive per their 60/70-hour duty limit (or “weekly limit”). Depending on these factors, with a truck traveling at around 65 miles per hour, with the permitted break times, with traffic and pick up and drop off downtime into account, the driver may travel between 400 and 600 miles per day.
