Is open transport safe for a normal car?

Yes. The overwhelming majority of vehicles in the United States — including new dealer inventory — move on open carriers. Your vehicle is exposed to the same weather and road spray it would face if you drove the route yourself.

Will my car arrive dirty?

Usually somewhat, especially in winter or through rain. Road film is normal on open equipment and is not damage. If arriving showroom-clean matters, enclosed is the better fit.

Can an open carrier take an inoperable vehicle?

Many can, if the vehicle rolls, steers and brakes and the carrier has a winch. A no-roll or no-brake vehicle needs specific equipment, so tell us the exact condition and we'll quote accordingly.

Top load or bottom load — does it matter?

Top load slightly reduces exposure to road debris and any drip from vehicles above. It's a request, not a guarantee, and where it can be arranged it usually costs more.

Open auto transport

The everyday standard for shipping a vehicle

Multi-level open trailers move most of the vehicles on American highways, including brand-new dealer stock. More carriers run open equipment than anything else, which means shorter waits and lower prices on almost every lane.

How an open carrier actually works

A full-size open carrier is a two-level steel trailer that typically holds seven to ten vehicles. Cars are driven or winched up ramps, positioned to balance axle weight, and secured through the wheels with straps or chains at four points. The driver inspects and records the condition of each vehicle on a bill of lading before it moves.

Because the trailer is roughly 75 to 80 feet long, access matters more than most people expect. Residential streets with tight turns, low branches or steep grades often mean meeting the driver at a nearby shopping center or wide shoulder. That is still door-to-door service — it just respects what a legal, safe load can physically do.

Which vehicles suit open transport

Daily drivers, family sedans, SUVs and crossovers
Pickup trucks, including most lifted and dually configurations
Dealer inventory and wholesale units
Auction purchases and private-party buys
Inoperable vehicles that still roll, steer and brake, on winch-equipped trucks

When to step up to enclosed

Consider enclosed if the vehicle is exotic, freshly restored, show-prepared, unusually low, or simply irreplaceable to you. The relevant question is not whether open is "safe" — it is whether road film, weather exposure and ramp clearance are acceptable for this specific vehicle.

Open two-level car carrier loaded with sedans, SUVs and a pickup truck

Good to know

Lowest cost equipment type on the large majority of lanes
Shortest typical assignment window because supply is highest
Weather and road spray exposure is normal, not damage
Leave roughly a quarter tank of fuel and remove personal items

Questions

Open transport questions

Get a quote

Quote an open carrier for your lane

Tell us the route, the vehicle and its condition. We review current carrier-market conditions for that lane and come back with a quote we can actually stand behind.

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