Open Carrier Car Transport
Open trailer shipping is easily the most popular vehicle shipping service there is. It’s effective, convenient, safe, and, also super affordable. For the longest time, people assumed car shipping was extremely expensive. It’s simply not true. And when you consider the time, fuel, hassle, and outright danger of driving the vehicle yourself to its new home, choosing car transport is the smart choice.
With open car transport, the vehicle is simply loaded onto an open trailer, safely attached, and then driven to its future destination. Sometimes the carrier is a double trailer and others it’s a single. With both these types of trailers, multiple cars can be shipped at the same time. However, no matter which carrier is used, the safety and security of your vehicle remains the same. It is exposed to the elements, but only in the same way as if you were driving it yourself. This saves you all kinds of time and hassle. Still, you want to choose a top-notch shipping company if you’re going to go this route.
When Open Car Transport Is Recommended
Open car transport is recommended when you’re looking for a reliable and cost-effective way to ship your vehicle. It’s the most commonly used transport method and is ideal for standard vehicles that don’t require extra protection from the elements. Open transport offers faster availability, flexible scheduling, and lower pricing compared to enclosed options.
Open car transport is a great choice if:
- You are shipping a standard daily-driver vehicle
- You want the most affordable shipping option
- You need single-car or multiple-vehicle transport
- You require hot shot service for quicker pickup and delivery
- Your vehicle does not require climate or weather protection
Open and Enclosed Auto Transport: Key Differences
| Feature | Open Auto Transport | Enclosed Auto Transport |
| Trailer Type | Open-air carrier | Fully enclosed trailer |
| Cost | More affordable | Higher cost |
| Vehicle Protection | Exposed to weather and road elements | Maximum protection from weather and debris |
| Common Use | Most widely used transport method | Premium transport option |
| Suitable Vehicles | Standard cars, sedans, SUVs, pickup trucks | Luxury, exotic, classic, antique, and high-value vehicles |
| Transport Options | Single car, multiple vehicles, hot shot | Soft-sided, hard-sided, hot shot |
| Delivery Speed | Faster availability due to more carriers | Slightly longer scheduling time |
| Best For | Budget-conscious shipping | Extra protection and peace of mind |
How Long Does Open Car Transport Take?
The transit time for open car transport depends on several factors, including distance, route, weather conditions, traffic, and carrier availability. Short-distance shipments may take just a few days, while long-distance or cross-country transport can take a week or longer. Weather conditions such as snow, heavy rain, or storms may cause delays, and certain routes with high demand or limited carrier availability can also affect delivery time.
While open transport is generally faster to schedule due to the large number of available carriers, actual transit times can vary based on road conditions and pickup and delivery locations.
Open Trailer Shipping with Chicago Car Transport
Chicago Car Transport is a highly respected shipping company that has taken the industry by storm over the years. Our wide array of services combined with a well-oiled customer service team and skilled drivers have made us much in-demand. Plus, our open car transport and other niche shipping services are reasonably priced. In fact, we continually beat the quotes of most of our competitors. And finally, the carriers are driven by well-vetted drivers with loads of experience. They operate with the single focus of getting your car to its destination swiftly and safely.
Another perk of our shipping services is that it’s all designed door-to-door. This way you don’t have to go out of your way to meet up with the vehicle once it arrives. Even better, there are no restrictions on the type of vehicles we can ship. Bus, van, trailer, truck, boat, motorcycle, military vehicle, we’ll take care of it – no problem!
If you’re a business and need commercial vehicles shipped, we do that as efficiently as all of our personal transport jobs. Plus, we can accommodate a corporate relocation. When you’ve got a team in place like ours, there’s no shipping task too big for us!
Contact our team today and they’ll answer any outstanding questions.
How it Works
Get a Quote
Request a free quote by entering your pickup and drop-off addresses along with your vehicle information.
Vehicle Pickup
On the scheduled pickup date, the carrier will arrive at your location to load the vehicle and complete a detailed inspection.
Prepare Your Vehicle
Prepare your vehicle by removing personal items, securing loose parts, and ensuring it is clean and operable for inspection at pickup.
Vehicle Delivery
Once your vehicle arrives at the destination, it will be carefully unloaded and inspected with you present.