Best Military Car Shipping Companies of 2024
Life as a service member can mean many huge life changes of the kind civilians only deal with once or twice in their lifetime. Part of service includes routine PCS orders (permanent change of station), which can include the “Gray Hair PCS” upon retirement.
Popular Shipping Companies
Civilian-owned or personally owned vehicles (POV) can become a logistical nightmare during a move for military families. Luckily, there are a lot of tools that can help. We’ll show you the lowest-cost and easiest ways to transport a POV while on a military move. Consider this guide a current update to the standard information and tools given at Military One Source (militaryonesource.mil) for your move.
Top 5 Shipping Companies For Military POV Moves
Montway Auto Transport
The average cost for shipping a car with Montway (after $50 military discount) is about $850. That’s about $200 less than the average cost for any other shipper we surveyed. Montway has a good reputation and is fully insured. The company’s drivers deliver door-to-door for pickup and dropoff, but can also meet at approved docks or facilities as well. If you are moving from or to base housing, Montway can also accommodate on-base access for an additional fee or arrange to meet outside of the gate to save you money.
Pros and Cons
- Lowest cost
- Reliable and insured
- Low price does not include covered trailer
Sherpa Auto Transport
Sherpa Auto Transport offers good rates and the highest military discount on our list. The discount is currently $100, bringing the average cost for automotive transport for military families down to about $1,040. Sherpa offers covered trailers and door-to-door service. Delivery to base housing can also be arranged.
Pros and Cons
- Fast and reliable
- Large military discount
- Door-to-door service
- Can be more expensive than some
AmeriFreight
The AmeriFreight military discount for car hauling is $35, bringing their average cost per move to $1,060, which is on par with most others on our list. AmeriFreight is also one of the more flexible freight companies on our list, offering moves for cars, trucks, sport utilities, motorcycles, boats, and even RVs. The company also offers flatbed service as well. Car hauling can be open or in covered trailers. There are several discount options for military families in these various services.
Pros and Cons
- Flexible and reliable
- High consumer ratings
- May require a deposit up front
SGT Auto Transport
SGT is one of the only shippers on our list that does not require an up-front payment. They also quote what they will bill, making budgeting easier. This could make up for a lack of military discounts for many. Payment is made upon delivery of the vehicle and will not exceed what was quoted. That said, SGT’s pricing is slightly more than the average for automotive transport.
Pros and Cons
- Up-front pricing, no deposit required
- Reliable and insured
- No military discount
RoadRunner Auto Transport
RoadRunner is one of the more highly rated freight companies on our list, but does not offer a military discount for many loads. RoadRunner also charges slightly higher than the average for shipping, but has a solid reputation and great online presence to make up for that. Tracking and dealing with a shipment is very easy via the RoadRunner website.
Pros and Cons
- High consumer ratings
- Strong online presence for easier access
- Higher cost than most others
What is the Cost of Military Car Shipping?
Shipping a vehicle can seem like a logistical nightmare, but in today’s market, it’s relatively easy. If you can rent a moving van, you can probably arrange automotive transport too.
The start is to know your beginning and end locations, with as much of an address for each as you can get. Postal ZIP codes are key, as that is usually what the mileage for the quote and billing will be based upon. Other details such as requirement for base access for base housing and such should also be included, as that extra security measure and wait can mean extra fees. Timing for the move is also critical, so it’s best if you can time the pickup and delivery to coincide with you or another responsible adult being there on either end. Most quotes for transport will include expected transport timing to let you know when the vehicle is most likely to arrive. Allow a day or so before and after in case it arrives early or late, as things can happen on the road.
All of the transport companies we’ve listed here, and most others as well, will have online quote calculators to give you a budget idea for your move.
The cost of the move is dependent on those factors. But this guide should give you an idea of the averages. We priced each of our top 5 for common base-to-base moves, not including gate fees for base access, and averaged them to show you what to expect. Each location is from one well-established military base in the continental U.S. to another as common duty stations from each branch. We quoted a newer model year (2019) mid size crossover-SUV (e.g. Toyota Highlander, Chevrolet Traverse, or Honda Pilot). These averages and the locations (with ZIP codes) for mileage assumptions can be used to give you a good idea of what the costs might be. Quotes include insurance coverage for the vehicle while in transport. Larger vehicles may incur a higher cost and smaller vehicles may cost slightly less.
| Starting Location (ZIP) | Arriving Location (ZIP) | Average Cost |
|---|
What to Consider When Shipping a Car?
Shipping a vehicle seems complicated, but really boils down to three things:
- Setting up the transport with arranged pickup and delivery times.
- Being there when the vehicle is picked up and delivered.
- Ensuring that your shipper has a reputation for reliability and is fully insured to cover your vehicle.
The reality is that this list of three basic things doesn’t include the several small sub-lists underneath them. Isn’t that how life works?
The most important thing to think about is insurance and the reliability of the shipper you’ll be using. Be sure that the vehicle transport company has a good reputation. The best ways to check this are to look at consumer reviews for the company, ask others you may know who’ve moved a vehicle about their experience and who they used, and look at the Better Business Bureau and similar sites for ratings. Most automotive transport companies have good reputations, but not all are completely up front about the fees and costs associated with your move. So it pays to check.
The next step is to talk to the company’s representative and/or comb their website to see what kind of insurance coverage they include in shipping. Most cover any loss or damage to the vehicle itself, but do not include damages to anything inside the vehicle, so be aware of that before stuffing your car’s trunk or back seat with items to be shipped with it.
For more on this topic, see our detailed guide on how to ship a car.
Finally, consider the size of the vehicle being shipped. A larger pickup truck will take up more space on the car hauler’s trailer and will thus likely cost more to ship than a compact car with a smaller footprint.
You can read more on Car Shipping and see our recommendations for the Best Car Shipping Companies in 2024 here.
Golden Wrench Winners for Best Car Shipping Companies
AmeriFreight is one of the most prominent and well known names in the auto transport industry. With coast-to-coast delivery and discounts available for military, seniors and students, AmeriFreight remains a big player in car shipping.
Montway Auto Transport is a very well known name in the car shipping world. This company simplifies the car shipping process and even includes the cost of insurance in the price. Their quote process is simple and they sustain excellent reviews within the industry.
Sherpa Auto Transport is a very trusted name in the car shipping industry. With door-to-door delivery and a large array of auto transport options available for the consumer, Sherpa is a great choice.
This nationwide shipping company is based in Chicago and is one of the only options available that offers a refundable deposit, should your plans change. They have a very easy quote process in place, even though they have not been in business as long as some of the other companies in the industry.
Easy Auto Ship is a newer player in the car shipping game, but very respected. This shipper has excellent reviews and many options to choose from, including motorcycle, classic and international shipping options.
Ship a Car Direct maintains a large network of qualified drivers, and is known for their damage free guarantee. The company maintains excellent ratings and reviews, and offers very reasonable prices.
This very reasonably priced company is a meta-search shipping option. uShip will provide you with quotes from multiple shipping companies to find the best deal for your needs. They have good reviews and many options available.
SGT Auto Transport is a highly rated car shipping company in the industry which offers a quick, instant quote process and a long track record of service.
This well known auto shipper uses a trusted network of approved carriers and can ship your car to far away destinations like Alaska and Puerto Rico. They are known for high quality service and reasonable pricing.
This nationwide auto transport company offers real-time, online vehicle tracking and instant quotes for the consumer. They are known for reasonable prices and a large list of shipping options.
