How to Choose an Auto Transport Company

Published Oct 2, 20262 min read

Lists of the “best” car shipping companies go stale the week they are published, and most of them were never a method. You can still choose carefully. The method is public records plus the contract in front of you.

Four checks

Authority. A broker should have FMCSA broker authority. A carrier should have carrier authority. Bigfella Auto Express is a brokerage, USDOT 4133743, MC-1583439. Look it up yourself on SAFER. The longer checklist is how to research auto transport companies.
Who hauls the car. If you booked a broker, a carrier still has to be assigned. You should see that carrier before money moves. The role split is broker versus carrier.
Insurance. Cargo coverage is the assigned carrier’s policy. Ask for the certificate. The plain-language version is carrier insurance.
Paperwork. Condition at pickup and delivery belongs on the bill of lading. Read what a bill of lading does.

What to do with the price

Get the quote on the same facts from each company. Throw out any process that wants a large charge before a carrier is named, unless you understand exactly how that charge is refunded. On this site, $0 is charged today and you approve the carrier first. A number that no carrier will run is explained in why cheap quotes sit.

There is also a short site page with the same intent: choose an auto transport company.

What this guide will not do

It will not rank competitors, invent star scores, or tell you a marketplace listing is the same thing as a contract. Get A Quote if you want a Direct Quote from Bigfella. Then run the four checks on us the same way you would on anyone else.

Questions people ask

Is a broker a bad sign?

No. A broker who will not identify the carrier, the authority, or the payment timing is a bad sign. The license type is not.

Should I pick the company with the most reviews?

Read how to verify the company. Review counts are easy to inflate and easy to weaponize. They are not a substitute for SAFER and the contract.

Do I have to call to get a real price?

Not here. The quote form shows a Direct Quote before booking. Call [1(346)637-2326](tel:+13466372326) if you would rather talk through an access problem.