The phrase “you pay for what you get” never rang so true as when it comes to car transport. Every mile your beloved four-wheeled companion travels is not just a journey but an investment. You’re not merely sending your car on a road trip; you’re entrusting it to the expertise of a professional car shipping service like Easy Auto Ship. But how much does it cost to drive a truck per mile that carries cars, you ask? It varies, but don’t worry; we have provided a calculation formula in this guide to help you get close estimates.
There’s much more to car shipping than meets the eye, especially regarding the financial aspects. As a savvy car owner, you’re not just looking to ship your beloved four-wheeled companion from point A to point B. No, you want to ensure the ride is smooth, safe, and doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket. That’s where we at Easy Auto Ship come in. We’re here to simplify the complex world of car transport for you, starting with a critical question -
So, let’s navigate this winding road together, lifting the hood on the car shipping industry and decoding the costs of shipping a car from the perspective of the truck driver. We’ll be your trusted co-driver, ensuring you’re well-equipped to make informed decisions when shipping a car.
13 Factors Influencing Average Cost Per Mile
Fuel Prices: A Key Determinant
Fuel prices are a significant player in deciding the cost per mile to ship a car. When fuel prices surge, the cost to ship a car rises, too. For example, if a car transporter’s route spans 500 miles and the fuel cost is $3.8 per gallon with a fuel efficiency of 7.5 miles per gallon, the total fuel cost would be $250. It results in a cost of $0.5 per mile to ship cars.
Vehicle Efficiency: The Role of Fuel Consumption
The car transporter’s fuel efficiency directly impacts the cost per mile for car shipping. If a vehicle can travel longer distances with less fuel, the cost per mile to move cars decreases. For instance, a fuel-efficient car hauler that achieves 7.5 miles per gallon compared to a less efficient one at 5 miles per gallon would be 1.5x the cost to ship a car.
Maintenance: The Hidden Expenses
Maintenance costs like tire replacements, oil changes, and unexpected repairs contribute to the average price per mile for car shipping. Regular maintenance ensures the car transporter operates smoothly, reducing the risk of costly breakdowns and delays in Shipping. This typical maintenance cost can go up to $0.17 per mile.
Vehicle Depreciation: A Silent Contributor
Vehicle depreciation, including the initial cost to acquire the car transporter, can affect car shipping costs per mile. As the transporter ages and accumulates miles, its value decreases. For example, if a transporter tasked to ship cars has a value of $50,000 and its expected lifespan is 500,000 miles, the truck depreciation cost would be $0.050 to $0.075 per mile.
Toll Roads: An Unavoidable Cost
Using toll roads can add to the ship car cost per mile. If a car transporter must frequently use toll roads, these fees are factored into the shipment expenses. The toll cost comes out to $0.15 per mile.
Insurance Rates: A Mandatory Expense
Higher insurance rates inflate the cost per mile. For example, if a transporter’s insurance rate is $2000 annually and drives 100,000 miles per year, the insurance cost per mile to ship a car would be $0.02.
Driver Wages: A Significant Factor
The driver’s wages influence the average cost per mile to ship a car, especially if the driver is paid per mile driven. Newcomers are paid $0.3 per mile, while experienced ones are paid $0.5 per mile. Let’s take the average $0.4 per mile cost for driver wages.
| Cost Component | Example Cost per Mile ($) |
|---|---|
| Fuel Prices | $0.50 |
| Maintenance | $0.17 |
| Truck lease Payments | $0.259 |
| Vehicle Depreciation | $0.06 |
| Toll Roads | $0.15 |
| Insurance Rates | $0.02 |
| Driver Wages | $0.4 |
| Driver Benefits | $0.160 |
| Total Per Mile Cost | $1.719 per mile |
The total cost a car transporter or even a regular transporter who’s hauling heavy cargo incurs per mile is $1.719 per mile. Now, since they carry multiple vehicles or cargo at once, the cost is distributed to ship a car so they can profit.
Some Additional Costs:
Load Weight: The Heavier, The Costlier
A heavier load can be a major factor in car shipping cost per mile, as it directly affects fuel efficiency. For instance, a transport vehicle carrying five cars will naturally consume more fuel than one transporting just three cars, all other factors being equal.
Route Difficulty: A Real Challenge
The difficulty of the route is another element to keep into account when you ship a car. Routes characterized by lots of hills or uneven terrain can lead to lower fuel efficiency, further escalating the price to ship a car per mile. To illustrate, a hilly 100-mile route may demand more fuel compared to a flat one of the same distance.
Traffic Conditions: A Time and Money Consumer
When shipping a car, one has to consider the impact of traffic conditions. Heavy traffic can delay the transport vehicle, resulting in additional fuel being consumed which in turn increases the expense for car transportation.
Climate and Weather: An Unpredictable Factor
Climate and weather conditions play a significant role in the cost to ship a car. Adverse weather situations can detract from the fuel efficiency and necessitate extra maintenance - these factors can inflate the cost per mile when you ship a car. For example, transport vehicles driving in heavy snow or rain might experience up to a 15% drop in fuel efficiency.
Regulatory Compliance: A Legal Obligation
The expenses incurred due to adhering to transport and environmental regulations has an impact on the cost per mile when shipping a car. These rules require transport permits, vehicle inspections, and emissions testing - all these can add to the overall expenses over time.
Driving Habits: A Personal Influence
The personal driving habits of those operating the transport vehicle also contribute to the cost when you ship a car. For example, according to Exxon Mobil,aggressive driving habits can decrease fuel efficiency by up to 33% on highways and 5% within town limits, thus affecting the cost per mile when you ship a car.
2 Types of Trailer Driving Costs
When examining the various driving costs associated with car transport trailers, it is crucial to understand the differentiation between fixed and variable costs.
Fixed Costs
Fixed expenses are the expenses that don’t change, regardless of the miles driven. You would incur these even if your car transport trailer is parked in your yard and not covering any distance.
One of the most prominent examples of fixed costs is the depreciation of your car transporter. The average new vehicle depreciates by approximately 20% in its first year and then by 15% each year after that, according to Carfax. Therefore, purchasing a new car transport trailer for $50,000 could lose $10,000 in value in its first year, even if you don’t drive a mile.
Another critical fixed cost is the insurance for your car transport trailer. As per the Insurance Information Institute, the average annual insurance cost for commercial truck insurance ranges from $800 to $2,000 per vehicle. This cost is consistent regardless of the miles driven. Additional fixed expenses include license and registration fees.
Variable Costs
On the other hand, variable expenses are the ones that fluctuate depending on how many miles you drive. It’s essential to note that the more you move or ship vehicles, the higher these costs will be.
One of the most significant variable expenses is fuel. For instance, if the average price of diesel is $3.8 per gallon, and your car transport trailer gets 7.5 miles per gallon, for every mile you drive, it’s costing you approximately 50 cents in fuel alone. Plus, fuel prices keep going up and down so it greatly varies throughout the year.
Maintenance and repair expenses are also variables. The more miles your transporter covers, the more wear and tear it experiences, increasing maintenance and repair costs. The average cost for repair and maintenance for large trucks is around 17 cents per mile.
Other variable expenses include tires, oil changes, and toll costs.
The cost to ship or transport a car varies significantly based on these fixed and variable costs. Both must be considered when calculating the average cost per mile to drive a car transporter.
However, the variable expenses often have the most significant impact since these costs directly correlate to the number of miles driven. Hence, efficient route planning and regular maintenance can significantly reduce these expenses, thereby reducing the overall cost of car shipping.
Calculating Average Cost Per Mile
Calculating the average expense to transport a car with a car transporter can be like solving a puzzle – it requires breaking down various elements and combining them to get the final picture. So, let’s dive in!
To calculate the transport expense, it’s crucial to consider various factors. These include the distance the car needs to ship, the type of vehicle being shipped, the vehicle transporter’s fuel consumption rate, and the current fuel prices. With these details, you can quickly determine the average cost per mile.
Here’s a simple formula for calculating cost per mile: Total Cost (Fuel Cost + Maintenance Cost + Other Expenses) / Total Miles Driven.
Now, let’s translate this into real-world numbers. Say you’re planning on shipping a sedan from New York to California using car shipping services, which is roughly 2,800 miles. With an assumed average fuel consumption for the car transporter at 7.5 miles per gallon and diesel prices averaging $3.8 per gallon, this puts the fuel expenses alone for this trip around $1,420.
Next, we need to factor in maintenance costs. These can significantly vary depending on the transporter’s age, condition, and make. But for simplicity, let’s assume it’s $0.15 per mile for things like tires and oil changes and $0.259 for truck lease payments. Therefore, this comes out to $1372 for a 2,800-mile trip.
Lastly, we must tack on additional expenses, such as tolls, driver’s wages, and insurance fees. These expenses, too, can fluctuate tremendously. In this example, we’ll put these expenses at about $880. ($0.02 for insurance + $0.15 for tolls + $0.4 driver wage per mile + $0.16 for truck driver benefits = $0.57 x 2800 = $1596)
Applying these amounts into the formula: ($1,420 + $1372 + $1596) / 2,800 = $1.72 per mile. Thus, the cost per mile to ship a car using the car transporter comes out to $1.72.
According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the average marginal cost per mile accrued by motor carriers in 2019 fluctuated between $1.65 and $2.00. This reaffirms the immense range of expenses that can be accrued, showing that the price per mile to move and ship a car using a car transporter can differ significantly.
Please note that these are mere estimations. Actual expenses may vary widely depending on specific circumstances. For instance, if you were to ship a larger vehicle like an SUV or luxury car, the average would understandably increase due to heightened fuel consumption and elevated insurance rates.
Remember that the aim isn’t just to transport a car from point A to point B. It’s about doing so as efficiently and affordable as possible. This process is vital to understanding the average expense when you ship a car. So, next time you need to ship a car, remember these essential factors. You might save time, stress, and money by considering these expenses while exploring car shipping options.
Reducing Average Cost Per Mile - 5 Practical Tips & Strategies for Affordability
Slimming Down Your Vehicle For Transport
One method to reduce the average cost per mile for car transport trucks is to remove unnecessary items from your vehicle before Shipping. This is because transport companies often put a limit on the weight of the vehicle being transported. Any extra weight can cause additional fees, increasing the price to ship a car.
For instance, if you were to ship a vehicle that weighs 3,500 pounds with an additional 500 pounds of addons like spoilers, antennas, spares, and personal items, you may end up paying for an extra 500 pounds that could have been avoided. Therefore, removing any heavy personal items before you ship your car is advisable.
Reducing the Fuel Load
Emptying the vehicle’s gas tank to about a quarter full before Shipping can significantly reduce the overall weight, lowering the cost per mile. The decrease in weight translates to lower fuel consumption for the transport truck, lowering the shipping expense.
For example, if a gallon of gas weighs roughly 6 pounds, a full 15-18-gallon tank adds 90-108 pounds to the vehicle’s weight. By reducing this to a quarter full, you can eliminate around 67-81 pounds, helping to reduce the average cost of transporting a car.
Altering Vehicle Dimensions
Another factor influencing the cost of shipping a car is its size. Unnecessary add-ons to your car, such as spoilers, antennas, and other modifications that increase the vehicle’s dimensions, should be removed and placed inside the car.
This would reduce the space the car takes up on the transport truck and potentially put your car into a lower-size category, thereby reducing shipping expenses.
For example, a car with a large spoiler might be classed as a larger vehicle, but removing the spoiler and placing it inside the car could be shipped as a smaller vehicle, saving you money.
Reducing Transport Distance
The distance your automobile needs to travel will significantly affect your shipping costs. It logically follows that the fewer miles a transport truck needs to drive, the lesser the average price per mile.
One way to achieve this is by opting for terminal Shipping or arranging for your vehicle to be picked up and dropped off in metropolitan areas closer to your actual locations.
Transporting cars to and from urban areas generally more affordable as these areas are often transportation hubs with plenty of transport trucks available, which reduces the cost per mile.
Bundling Shipments for Discounts
If you’ve got more than one vehicle to ship, consider shipping them all at once. Many companies offer bundling discounts if you ship multiple vehicles simultaneously.
For example, if the average cost per mile to transport one car is $1, shipping two cars simultaneously might reduce this to $0.8 or even $0.7 per mile per car, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars.
Driving a Car Long Distances Vs. Shipping It Via Transporter - 5-Point Comparison
When it comes to long-distance shipping, decisions about how to transport your car can be tricky. You might be torn between driving your vehicle the entire way or opting for a shipping service. To help you make an informed decision, let’s dive into a detailed expense comparison with the example of a 1,000-mile journey.
Fuel Costs for Driving vs. Shipping
Fuel consumption is a significant expense when driving your car for long distances. Assuming your car gets an average of 25 miles per gallon and with the current national average gas price at around $3.8 per gallon, you’d spend approximately $155 on gas to drive 1,000 miles.
On the other hand, when you choose to ship your car, fuel expenses are incorporated into the shipping service’s overall price. At Easy Auto Ship, our average price per mile to transport a vehicle is approximately $0.60, totaling around $600 for a 1,000-mile journey. While Shipping might initially seem more expensive, keep in mind that it includes expenses beyond fuel.
Wear and Tear on Your Vehicle
Driving your car for long distances can lead to significant wear and tear, potentially requiring costly maintenance or repair work down the line. On a 1,000-mile journey, you’d add a hefty number of miles to your car’s odometer, which could depreciate its value. In contrast, when you ship your vehicle, it’s securely loaded onto a transporter and doesn’t accumulate any additional miles. This can help maintain your car’s value and save potential maintenance expenses.
The Value of Time and Convenience
When pondering the question, “What Is The Average Cost Per Mile To Drive,” it’s essential to consider the value of your time. A 1,000-mile journey could take upwards of 15 hours, depending on speed and breaks. This doesn’t include any time required for rest and recovery post-trip. When you ship your car, the transport company handles all the logistics, saving you significant time and effort.
Accommodation and Food
Driving a car for 1,000 miles typically requires at least one overnight stop. Accommodation expenses vary, but a reasonable average is around $45 per night. Add in food and drink expenses; you could be looking at an extra $50 per day. These additional expenses are nonexistent when you ship your car.
The Risk Factor
Long-distance driving has risks, including potential accidents, breakdowns, or expensive speeding tickets. Car shipping companies are fully insured, providing peace of mind and protection for your vehicle during transit.
| Expenses | Car Shipping | Car Driving |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | – | $155 |
| Accommodation | – | $90 (for 2 days meal) |
| Food | – | $100 (For 2 days) |
| Total | $600-$650 | $345 |
Note: For fuel, we’ve used 25 miles per gallon for a sedan, which is the typical average on highways. So for 1000 miles, we’ll need 40 gallons, which means $3.88 x 40 = $155.
Sources:
- Gas: $4.460 mid-grade (AAA)
- Accommodation: $90 for a night (Statista)
- Food: $46/day for one person (Budget Your Trip)
Driving your car long distances can seem affordable initially, but when you factor in fuel, wear and tear, time, accommodation, food, and risk, shipping your car might be more economical and stress-free. Remember, at Easy Auto Ship, we are always ready to help you ship your vehicle safely and affordably.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How much does it cost to have someone drive your car to Florida?
The expenses of having someone drive your car to Florida can vary considerably, depending on the distance traveled and the service provider utilized. Generally, the price ranges from $0.50 to $2.00 per mile. For instance, if you’re seeking car shipping services from New York to Florida (approximately 1,100 miles), it could be anywhere from $550 to $2,200.
How much does it cost to transport a car in the US?
When contemplating the expense of transporting a car within the US, you must factor in various aspects, such as the distance, type of car, season, and the chosen ship a car method. The average shipping quote can range from $500 to $1,500. However, this range is a broad estimate with potential for higher or lower shipping prices based on specific circumstances.
How do I transport a car across the US?
There are several shipping options available to transport a motor vehicle across the US. You could drive the car, hire a professional driver, or use a car transport company who specializes in this job. If you opt to ship a car with a transport company, choices range from using a closed trailer (more expensive but offers increased vehicle protection during shipping) to an open trailer (less expensive to ship the car, though there is more exposure to the elements throughout travel).
How much does it cost to move a car 1000 miles?
Regarding shipping quotes for moving a car around 1,000 miles, the price typically falls between $600 and $1,000. The variance primarily relies on the specific type of car being shipped and the chosen transport method.
How much does wear and tear cost per mile for a car?
Calculating the wear and tear expense per mile for shipping your car can be intricate as it takes into account factors like the make and model of the car being shipped, the maintenance care it requires during transport, and how the car is driven. In general, shipping your car involves some risk of wear and tear, but choosing a reputable transport service can help ensure your vehicle arrives safely at its destination. Nonetheless, the IRS standard mileage rate for business vehicle use, which includes a depreciation element (wear and tear), is set at 26 cents per mile.
What is the actual cost per mile to drive a car?
When considering the actual expenseof driving a car, fixed expenses (like depreciation and insurance) and variable expenses (like gas and maintenance) are included. According to AAA, the average cost to own and drive a car is around 70 to 76 cents per mile for a medium-sized sedan, assuming a yearly mileage of 10,000 to 20,000.
How much does it cost to ship a car 150 miles?
The quote to ship a car for a distance of 150 miles will largely depend on the selected shipping company and the services you opt for. Typically, you can expect to pay anywhere between $1.00 and $2.00 per mile, meaning the total car shipping fee could range from $150 to $300.
How much gas do I need for 1000 miles?
As for fuel consumption, the amount of gas you will need for a 1000-mile journey hinges on your car’s fuel efficiency. For instance, let’s take a car offering 25 miles per gallon. In this case, you would require approximately 40 gallons of gas to cover a distance of 1000 miles.
How much gas will I need to drive 500 miles?
If you’re wondering how much gas you will need to cover 500 miles, you’d need about 20 gallons for a car with a 25-mile per-gallon fuel efficiency. However, this is only an estimate; the actual fuel consumption could be higher or lower depending on driving habits and conditions.
Parting Words:
As we wind up our discussion on the cost per mile to transport a car using a transporter, it’s crucial to keep in mind a few key points. The process of shipping cars is not merely about how much it costs to fuel a transporter. Rather, it involves a careful examination of the entire car shipping operation.
Note that the cost to ship a car doesn’t just factor in the miles covered. The price also takes into account the type of car, its condition, and the travel route. Shipping vehicles is not as straightforward as taking a casual drive down the freeway. Instead, it involves seasoned professional drivers, specialized equipment, and significant planning.
Car shipping prices can vary greatly based on these variables, ranging from a few hundred dollars to more than a thousand. However, don’t let these figures deter you. Safely moving your car from one location to another justifies these car shipping costs.
When determining the overall costs to ship a car, remember that the price you pay includes more than just the driver’s time and effort. There will also be insurance costs, toll charges, and other expenses. So when you think about the expense of transporting a car, understand that you are paying for gasoline and for serene peace of mind.
If you’re considering shipping your car and need professional advice, our team of qualified auto transport specialists is just one call away at (888) 687-3243.