Door-to-Door Auto Transport
Standard on every shipment, no extra fee — carriers come to your address (or nearest accessible spot) in all 50 states.
Door-to-Door Auto Transport Snapshot
The Service
Door-to-door means the carrier comes to you — with real-world caveats
Standard on every Navi shipment. No extra fee. But "door-to-door" has limits, and we'll explain them honestly.
Door-to-door car shipping is the default service for every shipment we run. You give us your pickup and delivery addresses, the carrier comes to those addresses, and there's no fee for the door-to-door convenience. It's not a premium add-on — it's how modern car shipping works for most loads.
The honest part: "door-to-door" doesn't always mean "literally to your door." A 75-foot auto transport trailer can't fit on every street. If you live on a narrow residential road, behind a gated community with tight turns, in an apartment complex with restricted access, or on a road with low-hanging trees or weight restrictions, the driver works with you to pick the nearest safe accessible spot — usually a wide parking lot, a side street one or two blocks over, or a major intersection. We tell you this upfront because most brokers don't.
This page covers how door-to-door actually works in practice, what happens when the truck can't reach your address, how door-to-door compares to terminal-to-terminal, real pricing on common routes, and how we vet every carrier before they touch your vehicle.
Standard service · No extra fee · All 50 states
Quick Decision
Door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal — the 30-second answer
Door-to-door is the default. Terminal-to-terminal exists for niche cases.
Head to Head
Door-to-door vs terminal-to-terminal
Side-by-side on what actually matters for most shipments
The Process
How door-to-door auto transport works
4 steps from quote to delivery — no terminal trips required
Transparent Pricing
What door-to-door auto transport actually costs
Door-to-door is the standard service — pricing matches our regular rates with no convenience surcharge
Door-to-door pricing is the same as our standard open or enclosed transport pricing — there's no door-to-door upcharge. The price scales with distance, vehicle type, and transport method. Terminal-to-terminal is roughly 5–10% cheaper because it eliminates the carrier's first-mile and last-mile work, but you trade that savings for driving to terminals on both ends.
Door-to-door per-mile rate by distance
Real door-to-door route examples
Sample door-to-door pricing on high-volume lanes — open transport, sedan, standard urban pickup:
Prices shown are door-to-door open-transport sedans under normal demand. SUVs add ~$150. Trucks add ~$250. Enclosed runs 40–60% higher. Inaccessible pickup or delivery zones may add $50–150 if the carrier needs to deviate from a main route.
What changes the price on a door-to-door shipment
- Distance and route popularity. Per-mile rate steps down with distance. Major interstate corridors (I-95, I-10, I-40, I-80) price lower because carrier supply is steady.
- Vehicle size. SUVs add ~$150 to sedan rates. Trucks add ~$250. Larger vehicles take more deck space.
- Pickup zone accessibility. Within 30 miles of a major interstate, pricing is standard. Beyond 30 miles or down narrow rural roads, expect a $50–150 surcharge or a request to meet at a nearby accessible point.
- Urban density. Dense city pickups (Manhattan, central San Francisco, downtown Chicago) often involve carrier meeting points because 75-foot trailers can't navigate tight streets. Standard practice, not an upcharge — but plan for a 5–15 minute drive to the meeting spot.
- Transport type. Open is the default. Enclosed transport runs 40–60% higher and uses lift-gate loading for low-clearance vehicles.
- Season. Snowbird traffic (Northeast/Midwest ↔ Florida and Arizona) peaks Oct–Nov and Mar–May. Cross-country lanes through the Rockies and Sierras can see weather-driven shifts Dec–Feb.
- Booking lead time. Booking 5–7 days ahead usually beats next-day rates. Last-minute loads force carriers to deviate from planned routes.
Carrier Vetting
How we vet every carrier before they touch your vehicle
6 checks. No exceptions. Even the cheapest carrier doesn't get the load if they fail.
Door-to-door shipping puts the carrier in your driveway. That makes vetting more important, not less — the driver is going to be at your home, talking to you, walking around your vehicle. The carrier matters more than the rate. After 10+ years in this industry, here's what separates a good carrier from a bad one: vetting work, not luck.
A carrier that fails any one of these doesn't get your load. Doesn't matter if their rate is the lowest on the board. This is how we keep damage incidents rare — and why most of our door-to-door business is repeat customers and referrals.
Door-to-Door Realities
What happens when the truck can't reach your door
The honest operational reality of door-to-door — and how Navi handles it
The Navi rule: we flag accessibility issues BEFORE you book, not at pickup. Every other broker waits until the driver is already on your block and then asks you to walk over to a parking lot. We don't operate that way.
Honest Take
When door-to-door isn't the right call
A few cases where terminal-to-terminal or another option makes more sense
Customer Reviews
What customers say about door-to-door shipping with Navi
Recent reviews from customers who used door-to-door service
Ready to ship your car door-to-door?
From $329 · No door-to-door surcharge · No upfront payment · All 50 states
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to the most common door-to-door shipping questions
How does door-to-door auto transport work?
Door-to-door auto transport means the carrier picks up your vehicle from your address (or the nearest accessible spot) and delivers to your destination address (or its nearest accessible spot). No terminal trips. The service is included by default on every Navi shipment — no extra fee.
Is door-to-door more expensive than terminal-to-terminal?
Door-to-door is the standard service at our regular rate. Terminal-to-terminal runs roughly 5–10% cheaper because it eliminates the carrier's first-mile and last-mile work — but you have to drive to and from terminals on both ends. For most customers, the time saved by door-to-door is worth more than the 5–10% savings.
What happens if my location is inaccessible for door-to-door delivery?
If your street is too narrow, your community has access restrictions, or there are low-hanging trees or wires, the driver coordinates with you to pick the nearest safe accessible spot — usually a wide parking lot, a main intersection, or a wider side street one or two blocks over. We flag accessibility issues at booking, not at pickup.
How long does door-to-door auto transport take?
Transit times scale with distance. Short interstate (under 500 mi): 1–2 days. Mid-distance (500–1,500 mi): 3–5 days. Long-haul (1,500+ mi): 5–9 days. Pickup happens within 1–3 days of booking. Federal hours-of-service rules cap drivers at 70 hours per 8 days, which is why a truck can't run nonstop.
How does door-to-door car shipping work in apartment complexes?
Most apartment and condo complexes have parking lots that are too tight for a full-size auto carrier. Standard solution: meet at the nearest large parking lot — grocery store, shopping center, big-box retail. Your dispatcher coordinates the meeting point with you before pickup day, so there are no surprises.
Can I ship more than one vehicle door-to-door at the same time?
Yes. Multi-vehicle door-to-door shipments are common for families, dealers, and collectors. Multiple vehicles often qualify for discounted rates because the carrier consolidates loading at a single pickup. Multi-vehicle car shipping is its own service tier — request a multi-vehicle quote at booking.
Do you offer door-to-door service in rural areas?
Yes, but rural addresses sometimes involve a meeting point at a nearby town center, post office, or main intersection. Long unpaved driveways or single-lane gravel roads can't accommodate a 75-foot carrier. The dispatcher flags this at booking and coordinates the meeting spot — no surprises on pickup day. A $50–150 surcharge may apply for significant route deviation.
Is my vehicle insured during door-to-door transport?
Yes. Every Navi shipment is covered by the carrier's cargo insurance during transit. Open carriers carry $100K–$250K cargo coverage per vehicle. Enclosed carriers carry $250K–$1M. We verify active coverage on every carrier before assignment.
Do I have to pay upfront for door-to-door transport?
No. Navi requires no upfront payment. You only pay once your vehicle is dispatched to a carrier, which means you're not committed until we deliver on our promise. This is one of the things that separates us from broker marketplaces that often require deposits at booking.
How much does door-to-door car transport cost?
Pricing starts at $329 for short routes and scales with distance. Real examples: Boston to DC is ~$499 (440 mi). New York to Miami is ~$649 (1,300 mi). Coast-to-coast routes like LA to NY run ~$1,299 (2,800 mi). Door-to-door is the standard rate — no separate convenience fee.
Can I track my vehicle during door-to-door shipping?
Yes. Every Navi shipment includes real-time GPS tracking through Navi Track 360™. You get pickup and delivery ETAs, location updates throughout transit, and direct access to support — all tied to your order number.
Do I need to be there for pickup and delivery?
You or someone you authorize (18 or older) needs to be present at both pickup and delivery for the inspection walkaround, Bill of Lading signature, and condition confirmation. If you can't be there, designate a friend, family member, or coworker as your representative ahead of time.