You pay for what you get is exactly how car transport costs are set. Every mile is accounted for and costs both the trucker and the end user money. Being in this industry for over a decade, we can tell you that it’s not cheap to drive a semi hauler with a trailer full of cars attached to it.
So to give you an idea of the costs involved when someone ships a car, we’ll tell roughly how much it costs a car hauler driver to drive per mile.
7 Core Factors Influencing Average Cost Per Mile
A lot of things impact the price per mile for driving a car hauler including fixed and variable costs but the core affecting costs include:
Fuel Prices: A Key Determinant
Fuel prices are a significant player in deciding the cost per mile to ship a car. The cost to ship a car rises with the surge in fuel prices. For instance, if a car transporter hauls for 500 miles, and the diesel costs $3.695 per gallon, then with a fuel efficiency of 6 mpg, the hauler will spend $307 on fuel alone. This translates to $0.614 per mile.
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 less-efficient car hauler that achieves 5 miles per gallon compared to a fuel-efficient one at 7.5 miles per gallon would be 1.5x the cost to ship a car.
Maintenance: The Hidden Expenses
Truck and trailer maintenance costs such as oil changes, tire replacements, electric issue repairs, and unexpected breakdowns add to the price per mile for car shipping. The transport reserves a small part just for these issues in the quote offered to move your vehicle.
With regular maintenance, car transports ensure the machine operates smoothly and doesn’t break down as much comparatively. This kind of 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. With time and increased mileage, the heavy tractor and trailer both depreciate in value. Let’s say a car hauler has a value of $50,000 with an expected lifespan of 500,000 miles. Its depreciation cost per mile would be $0.075 to $0.1 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
Car haulers are mandated by the FMCSA to carry insurance. Cargo insurance cost can range from $1,000 to $3,000 per year and sometimes even more. So we’ll take $2,000 as an average for our calculation. If the truck drives 100,000 miles per year, then the insurance cost per mile becomes $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. Data suggests an average heavy hauling truck drives 125,000 miles per year.
Furthermore, as per Bureau of Labor’s findings, the lowest earning truckers earned $38,640 in 2024, highest earners made $78,800 and the median earning came out to $57,440. So this gives us the following per mile wage ranges:
- Lowest: $0.309
- Median: $0.459
- Highest: $0.630
So let’s take the average $0.459 per mile cost for driver wages.
| Cost Component | Example Cost per Mile ($) |
|---|---|
| Fuel Prices | $0.614 |
| Maintenance | $0.17 |
| Truck lease Payments | $0.259 |
| Vehicle Depreciation | $0.1 |
| Toll Roads | $0.15 |
| Insurance Rates | $0.02 |
| Driver Wages | $0.459 |
| Driver Benefits | $0.160 |
| Total Per Mile Cost | $1.932 per mile |
The total cost a car transporter or even a regular transporter who’s hauling heavy cargo incurs per mile is $1.932 per mile. Of course this can increase further depending on truck type, load type, traffic and weather conditions, how well-maintained the truck is etc.
Now, since they carry multiple vehicles or cargo at once, the cost is distributed to ship a car so they can profit. Also, this price is highly contingent on fuel costs because if that changes, the cost to drive per mile changes instantly. See the cost calculation example below in this article to understand.
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 transporting just three cars, if all other factors are constant.
Route Difficulty: A Real Challenge
Routes with uneven or hilly terrain reduce the truck’s fuel efficiency because the driver has to frequently stop and then again power up, which consumes more fuel.
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. A new vehicle depreciates 20% on average in its first driving year and then it keeps decreasing by 15% every year after that.
Therefore, you might lose 20% of your car transport trailer’s value in its first year, even if you don’t drive it much.
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
These are the ever-changing costs depending on the number of miles driven, traffic conditions, weather, and economic conditions. The most significant variable cost is the fuel. For instance, as per AAA, one gallon of diesel costs $5.164 in California, while the same costs $3.461 in Kansas as of late 2025.
As per this fuel data, if a car transporter drives 200 miles in California, the fuel alone would cost them $1,032, while the same in Kansas would cost $692.
Since fuel prices keep going up and down throughout the year, because of government policies, and global fuel supply, the cost keeps changing.
Maintenance and repair expenses are also variables. Higher number of miles covered means more wear on the truck, leading to higher repair and maintenance costs. Currently, the average repair and maintenance cost per mile is $0.17.
Other variable expenses include toll costs, tires, and oil changes.
You need to consider both the fixed and variable costs to find the average cost per mile to drive a car transporter. Variable costs typically have a higher impact on the overall cost due to direct correlation with the number of miles you drive. So efficient route-planning and proper equipment maintenance can reduce overall costs to drive.
Calculating Average Cost Per Mile
We need to consider different factors to calculate the cost to drive a car transporter including the distance, fuel efficiency of the car hauler, current fuel costs etc.
Using these individual costs, we can achieve a total cost, divide it by number of miles and get an average cost to drive a car hauler. 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 California to New York using car shipping services, which is roughly 2,800 miles. The average fuel consumption for the Class 8 car transporter is 5.8 miles per gallon.
The diesel prices are currently averaging $5.164 per gallon in California, which is our place of origin, this puts the fuel expenses alone for this trip around $2,492. Diesel cost would’ve been lower if the shipment had been going from New York because fuel is comparatively cheaper there.
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 + $0.459 driver wage per mile + $0.16 for truck driver benefits = $0.789 x 2800 = $2209)
Applying these amounts into the formula: ($2,492 + $1372 + $2209) / 2,800 = $2.168 per mile. Thus, the cost per mile to drive a car hauler comes out to $2.168 per mile.
According to the American Transportation Research Institute’s 2025 report, the average cost per mile to drive a truck was $2.26 in 2024, including the fuel. Seeing our own conclusion of $2.168 per mile, we’re only off by 4-5% and that too because ATRI considers all trucks and we’ve focused on Class 8 car haulers.
Conclusion: What we’ve found from these calculations is that the cost to drive a car hauler in areas where fuel prices are high, you’ll incur a higher cost of $2.168 per mile. For other states with diesel costs close to the national average, you’ll incur $1.932 per mile.
Reducing Average Cost Per Mile - 5 Practical Tips & Strategies for Affordability
Slimming Down Your Vehicle For Transport
A heavier vehicle or a larger SUV can typically cost more to ship as these use up more space and fuel when shipping. Also, transport companies only ship a standard weight on their flat rates and anything above that can cost more.
However, you can reduce this cost per mile by removing the excess weight from your vehicle. For instance, if your car weighs 4,000 pounds with around 500 pounds for the extra add-ons or personal items, you can remove the heavy items to reduce the cost of shipping. We recommend removing any personal items from inside the car. Spoilers, antennas, or spare parts should also be removed.
Reducing the Fuel Load
Another strategy to reduce the cost per mile is to reduce the fuel load. It is recommended to empty your vehicle’s gas tank to about a quarter full before shipping to another location. This will significantly reduce the weight of your vehicle and hence the cost per mile to drive the car carrier.
For example, if a gallon of gasoline weighs around 6 pounds, a full tank of 15-18 gallons can add 90-108 pounds to your car’s overall weight. But by reducing the fuel load, you can cut an average weight of 67-81 pounds, which is a great idea to reduce the average shipping cost.
Altering Vehicle Dimensions
If you’ve made any modifications to your car, remove the add-ons to reduce the average cost to drive your vehicle to a new location. This is because elements like spoilers, antennas, or other such removable items significantly increase your car’s dimensions, taking up more space and eventually increasing the shipping cost.
Therefore, it is best to remove those unnecessary add-ons and put them inside the car before shipping.
Reducing Transport Distance
As it is mentioned by various sources, distance is the major influencing factor when it comes to car shipping costs. So you can reduce the car shipping price by reducing the distance. One way to do so is by opting for terminal-to-terminal shipping or you can also arrange for your vehicle pickup and drop-off at an urban location.
For instance, a location in a metropolitan area will cost less than a rural locality. That’s because these areas are a transportation center with multiple shipments occurring in a day, which lowers the cost per mile.
Bundling Shipments for Discounts
Many transporters offer bundling discounts, if you ship over one car with them at the same time. So if you’re a family with more than one vehicle to ship, consider shipping them all together with the same carrier. This will reduce the overall car shipment cost for you.
For instance, if for your car type, model, and distance, the average cost per mile is $1, shipping two cars at once might reduce this cost to $0.7 or $0.8 per mile.
Driving a Car Long Distances Vs. Shipping It Via Transporter - 5-Point Comparison
You have two options when shipping long distance, either to drive your vehicle all the way to your new location or free yourself from the stress and ship it via a transporter. To help you choose the best option, here’s a 5-point comparison with the example of a 1,000-mile journey.
Fuel Costs for Driving vs. Shipping
According to the current National Average Gas Prices, on average, it’ll cost you around $3.183 per gallon of regular gas. And since a standard car takes 25 miles per gallon on the highway, if you drive a distance of 1000 miles, that’ll take around 40 gallons. And after calculations, driving a 1000 miles distance can cost you around $127.
While if you choose to ship your car via a transporter, fuel expense is included in the shipping services and shipping is around $0.60 per mile. That means $600 for a thousand mile journey. However, keep in mind this price tag includes other expenses too and not just the fuel price.
Wear and Tear on Your Vehicle
According to research, driving long distances adds to the mileage of your car, which eventually lowers your car’s value. Plus, there’s a risk of wear and tear involved. On the other hand, when you ship your car through a vehicle shipping company, you receive it in its original condition. And in case there’s some damage, you’ll get covered for it.
The Value of Time and Convenience
The hours spent driving and the convenience also matters when deciding whether to drive your car to your new place or have it shipped by a transporter. For example, depending on speed and breaks, driving a distance of 1000 miles can easily take up to 15 hours.
And mind you, the time for rest breaks in between or the time taken for post-trip recovery is not included in this. While shipping with a transport company, they’ll handle all the work and transport your vehicle within a calculated time.
Accommodation and Food
Keep in mind, when driving your car for 1,000 miles, on average you’ll have to take one overnight stop. And hotels/motels in the U.S. can cost you around $70-$100 per night, depending on the area and the facilities. However, you can avoid these additional expenses if you choose to ship your car via a transporter.
The Risk Factor
There’s a lot of risk involved, when driving your car over a long distance. For instance, your car could meet with an accident, it could break down in the middle of your journey, or you would have to pay expensive speeding tickets.
On the other hand, car shipping companies relieve you from all of this, as they’re fully insured and offer coverage in case of damage.
| Expenses | Car Shipping | Car Driving |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | - | $127 |
| Accommodation | - | $70-$100 just one day |
| Food | - | $100 (For 2 days) |
| Total | $600-$650 | $297-$327 |
Note: To calculate the fuel price for car driving, we have assumed it’ll take 25 mpg for a standard car, which is the average on highways. So for a thousand miles, it’ll be around 40 gallons, which means $3.183 x 40 = $127
Sources:
- Gas: $3.183 for mid-grade gasoline
- Accommodation: $70-$100 per day (LM Chamber)
- **Food: $**46 per day per person (Budget Your Trip)
If you’re looking for a car shipping service, we’re just a call away. Hop in to experience the most affordable and secure shipping process.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How much does it cost to have someone drive your car to Florida?
It depends on a lot of elements, including the distance. But the typical cost ranges from $0.50-$1 per mile. For example, transporting an automobile over 1,100 miles (from NY to Florida) will cost around $600-$1,100.
How much does it cost to transport a car in the US?
Generally, you have to pay around $500-$1,500 to move a car in the U.S. And the factors that count includes distance, shipping method, your car type, and the season.
How do I transport a car across the US?
There are multiple ways to transport a car across the U.S. You can pick from driving yourself, hiring a driver, or choosing to ship via a vehicle shipping company. And if you choose the shipping method, there are further options including open car transport and enclosed transport. You can pick an option as per your choice and savings.
How much does it cost to move a car 1000 miles?
The charges to move a car over a stretch of 1,000 miles is about $600-$1,000. But this is just an estimate and the actual price can change depending on different circumstances.
How much does wear and tear cost per mile for a car?
Calculating the wear and tear cost per mile for your car is a complex job, as it incorporates various elements. For example, the make and model of your car to how it’s been driven. However, the IRS has announced a standard mileage rate for a business car to be around 70 cents, and this includes the depreciation element too.
What is the actual cost per mile to drive a car?
According to AAA, it is around 70 cents, when driving 20,000 miles per year. However, this is not the exact price, it’ll change with fuel and maintenance costs plus other expenses like depreciation and insurance.
How much does it cost to ship a car 150 miles?
If you’re transporting your car over a distance of 150 miles that’ll cost you around $150-$300. But this is not the exact price, as it’ll change with your shipping company and chosen shipping method.
How much gas do I need for 1000 miles?
It is based on the fuel efficiency of your car. But usually to cover this distance you need around 40 gallons of gas.
How much gas will I need to drive 500 miles?
You will need twenty gallons for 500 miles. But it also depends on your car’s gas utilization and can be even more.
Parting Words:
Fuel and distance aren’t the only factors to consider when figuring up car transportation expenses. Your car’s type, make, and model, condition, route, and professional handling needed for your car all affect the price. Also, since it requires skilled drivers, specialized tools, and careful planning, all of this has an impact on the cost too.
So you can anticipate a price range from a few hundred to more than a thousand dollars, covering tolls, charges, insurance, and other fees. But don’t be scared because of the higher initial cost, this also guarantees a safe and effective move for your vehicle. Plus, at the end of the day, you are paying for both transportation and 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.
