Open car transport is the default way cars move across the country. If you have ever been stuck behind a long truck on the New Jersey Turnpike with nine cars stacked on two levels, that is an open carrier. It is the cheapest option, the most available, and how roughly nine out of ten shipped vehicles travel. Big Apple Car Shipping books open carrier car shipping from all ten of our New York offices every week, and for most daily drivers it is what we recommend.
This page covers the equipment, exposure, loading, what open auto transport in New York costs by destination, and the few cases where enclosed is worth more. The quote tool beside the headline prices your lane.
What an open carrier actually is
The standard open car hauler is a semi tractor pulling a two-level steel trailer with hydraulic ramps. Loaded, the rig runs about 75 feet long and 13 feet 6 inches tall, the legal height limit on interstates. It carries eight to ten vehicles depending on length, with the top deck tilting to raise and lower cars.
The driver is an owner-operator or works for a small carrier, and the carrier holds the cargo insurance and FMCSA authority. As a licensed broker, we match your car to a carrier with a verified MC number, active insurance, and a route that passes your pickup and delivery points. The car shipping cost page explains how the money flows.
What rides on open auto transport
Almost everything. New cars from the port in Newark or Baltimore reach dealer lots on open carriers, so the car you bought new almost certainly made its first trip exposed to the weather. Rental fleets reposition on open trucks. Auction cars, lease returns, and the family Honda relocating to Charlotte all ride the same way. Industry estimates put open carriers at about 90 percent of all vehicle shipments.
Open is right for daily drivers, SUVs, stock-height pickups, lease returns, cars with ordinary wear, and any move where budget matters more than cosmetic perfection. Snowbird traffic to Florida, covered on the snowbird car shipping page, runs almost entirely open.
Exposure: what actually happens on the road
Your car is outdoors for three to seven days of rain, sun, dust, and whatever the trucks ahead kick up. It arrives dirty, and a wash solves that.
Real damage is uncommon. What we see is small: a rock chip in the windshield or hood, a scuff from a tie-down strap set badly, or a scrape during loading on a car with a low front lip. Hail is the one weather event that can do real harm, and dispatchers route around it when forecasts allow. Theft and vandalism essentially do not happen; the truck is either moving or parked with the driver nearby.
One New York note. From December through March, I-95 through New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, and I-81 down the Shenandoah Valley, are salted heavily, and a lower-deck car takes salt spray for hundreds of miles. It will not hurt a modern car, but for fresh paint or exposed metal, ask for the top deck or consider enclosed in winter.
Loading order, top deck or bottom, and clearance limits
The driver loads in reverse order of delivery and balances weight across the axles. Heavy pickups and SUVs usually ride the bottom deck; lighter sedans go up top. You do not get to choose, though a polite request for the top deck is sometimes honored. Top means less spray and no drips from above.
Height is a hard limit. The rig cannot exceed 13 feet 6 inches, so a lifted truck, a van with a roof rack, or an SUV with a cargo box may fit only in one slot or not at all. Tell us the real height when you book. Lifts over about 7 feet, dually pickups, and oversized tires often need a specialty carrier at a higher rate. Clearance matters too: cars under about four inches, like a lowered Civic or a Corvette with a splitter, can scrape on the ramps. Those belong on an enclosed trailer with a liftgate.
Open car transport prices from the NYC metro
Open is the cheapest option. For a running mid-size sedan booked about a week out from the five boroughs, Long Island, or Westchester, Florida runs $650 to $750. The Carolinas are $550 to $650, Georgia $650 to $750, and Illinois $700 to $800. Texas is $1,000 to $1,100, Colorado $1,100 to $1,200, Arizona $1,250 to $1,350, California $1,350 to $1,500, and Washington state $1,400 to $1,550.
Add $100 to $250 for an SUV or pickup, $100 to $200 if the car does not run, and $150 to $300 for expedited pickup. Prices climb January through March on southbound snowbird lanes, June through August everywhere, and in holiday weeks. Upstate pickups from the Albany and Buffalo offices sometimes run slightly higher because fewer trucks pass through. The New York to Florida route page breaks the busiest lane down by month.
Inspection, bill of lading, and cargo insurance
At pickup, the driver walks around the car with you and marks every existing chip, scratch, and dent on the bill of lading. Take your own photos of all four sides, roof, and wheels in daylight before loading, and sign only when you agree with what is marked. At delivery, repeat the walk-around and write any new damage on the bill of lading before the driver leaves. A claim without that note is very hard to win.
The carrier's cargo insurance covers damage the carrier causes in transit. On open trucks, policies typically carry $100,000 to $250,000 per load, plenty for ordinary vehicles. It does not cover hail or personal items left in the car. We confirm the certificate of insurance before dispatch. The car shipping checklist covers the photos and paperwork.
Open car transport on NYC streets: multi-car haulers versus hotshots
A 75-foot rig cannot turn onto a Brooklyn side street, park on Lexington Avenue, or use any Long Island parkway. For most metro pickups the driver asks to meet at a large lot nearby, explained on the door-to-door car shipping page. The alternative is a single-car flatbed or three-car wedge pulled by a pickup, which can reach a townhouse in Park Slope or a driveway in Bayside and often handles the first leg before the car transfers to a big carrier in New Jersey.
Hotshots cost more per car because the driver is moving one vehicle instead of nine, so they are reserved for tight pickups, short runs, or expedited jobs. If you can get your car to a lot off a truck route, the multi-car hauler is cheaper and skips the transfer.
Open versus enclosed car transport from New York at a glance
| Factor | Open carrier | Enclosed carrier |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Base rate; cheapest option | Typically 30–50% above open |
| Exposure | Weather, dust, road spray, debris | Fully covered, no weather or debris |
| Capacity per truck | 8–10 cars on two decks | 1–7 cars, often 2–6 |
| Availability and pickup speed | Most trucks; pickup usually within 1–5 days | Fewer trucks; often 1–3 extra days to dispatch |
| Best for | Daily drivers, SUVs, leases, budget moves | Exotics, classics, low-clearance, new EVs, show cars |
| Cargo insurance (typical) | $100k–$250k per load | Often $250k–$1M per load |
Questions about open car transport from New York
Is open car transport safe for a brand-new car?
Yes. Nearly every new car reaches the dealership on an open carrier, so it has already made one trip this way. Damage is uncommon and usually a small chip or scuff. If the car has fresh paint protection film or you are shipping in winter through salted corridors, enclosed is worth the extra cost.
Can I pick the top or bottom deck?
Not reliably. The driver loads for weight balance and delivery order, so heavy vehicles go on the bottom and lighter ones up top. You can ask for the top deck and some drivers will accommodate it. If avoiding spray and drips matters enough to pay for it, book an enclosed trailer instead.
Will my lifted truck or car with a roof box fit on an open carrier?
Only if we know the real height. The loaded rig cannot exceed 13 feet 6 inches, so tall vehicles fit only in certain slots or need a specialty trailer. Give us the measured height with the lift, rack, or box installed. Oversized tires, dually rears, and lifts over about 7 feet cost more and take longer to dispatch.
What happens if my car is damaged on an open truck?
Note the damage on the bill of lading at delivery before the driver leaves, photograph it, and contact us the same day. The carrier's cargo insurance covers transit damage the carrier caused, and your delivery note plus pickup photos are the evidence. Damage not written on the delivery paperwork is very difficult to recover.
How much cheaper is open than enclosed from New York?
Enclosed typically adds 30 to 50 percent. A sedan from Long Island to South Florida at $650 to $750 open becomes roughly $850 to $1,100 enclosed. To California, $1,350 to $1,500 open becomes about $1,800 to $2,250. For most cars that gap is the whole reason open is the default.