Hot Shot
The Hot shot method of car shipping uses either a single or dually truck (a pickup with dual rear wheels on either side). On most occasions, a single hot shot vehicle is used to move a vehicle locally, or over small distances. Nevertheless, if a rapid shipping is needed it can be utilized for long-distance hauls. However, expedited shipping is at the request of the customer. While this service costs a bit more, it also has a shorter pick up window time. It’s important to know that no matter which style of open trailer shipping you choose; your vehicle is safe and secure. 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.
Expedited vs. Hot Shot Car Transport: What’s the Difference?
Both expedited and hot shot car transport are designed for faster delivery, but they serve different needs.
- Expedited transport prioritizes your vehicle within standard carrier networks, reducing wait times and scheduling delays while still using traditional auto transport equipment.
- Hot shot transport, on the other hand, uses dedicated equipment, often a medium-duty truck or specialized hot shot trailer, to move your vehicle immediately in a point-to-point route without stops.
This makes hot shot transport ideal for urgent, time-sensitive shipments that require fast pickup, direct delivery, and personalized handling, while expedited shipping is better suited for faster service within standard transport systems.
When Is Hot Shot Hauling the Right Choice?
Hot shot hauling is the right choice when speed, urgency, and direct delivery are critical. This service is commonly used when a vehicle needs to be picked up immediately and transported point-to-point without stops, rather than waiting for standard carrier availability.
It’s ideal for last-minute relocations, dealership transfers, auction purchases, breakdown recoveries, or situations where delays could result in lost time or money. Hot shot transport is also a smart option for oversized vehicles, specialty equipment, or high-priority shipments that require a dedicated medium-duty truck and personalized handling.
The only drawback: because the truck is dedicated to a single shipment, there is no shared space for other vehicles, which can make hot shot hauling slightly more expensive than standard multi-vehicle transport. Despite this, it remains the fastest and most flexible solution when timing is critical.
Hot Shot Shipping with Chicago Car Transport
Chicago Car Transport is a highly respected shipping company that has been taking the industry by storm since 2006. 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 with our standard or specialized transport services, but please note that hot shot transport is not available for these larger vehicles.
We are here to cater to your needs! And if you’re in need of full load shipping, we do that as efficiently as all 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 you may have.
How Hot Shot Hauling Works
Get a Quote
Start by requesting a custom hot shot hauling quote with your pickup and delivery locations, load dimensions, weight, and timeline.
Direct Transport
Your shipment moves point-to-point with no stops, transfers or terminal handling.
Immediate Dispatch
After booking, a dedicated hot shot truck is assigned to your shipment and dispatched immediately.
Vehicle Delivery
The car is delivered directly to the destination. Final confirmation is completed at delivery.