Auto Transport Company Reviews (2026): Vetted US Carriers, Independent Scoring
Top US auto transport carriers
Sherpa Auto Transport — 4.7 / 5
Locked-price quotes — best for first-time shippers and high-value cars.
Founded 2017. USDOT 3053476 / MC 51106. Quote includes a $300 price-lock guarantee; if carriers reject the quote, Sherpa pays the difference up to that amount.
AutoStar Transport Express — 4.6 / 5
Reliable long-haul dispatch on cross-country corridors — strong on CA↔FL, CA↔NY.
Tallahassee, FL. USDOT 2239014 / MC 600908. Well-rated on long-distance moves; consistent communication and on-time delivery.
RoadRunner Auto Transport — 4.5 / 5
Fast online quotes, deep carrier network — good for time-sensitive bookings.
Bethpage, NY. USDOT 3124544. Large carrier network with broad coverage; quote-to-pickup speed is among the fastest in the industry.
AmeriFreight — 4.5 / 5
Discount stacking — military, students, seniors, first responders.
Peachtree City, GA. Founded in 2004. USDOT 1251595 / MC 490644. Multiple stackable discount programs make AmeriFreight cost-competitive for eligible customers.
Easy Auto Ship — 4.4 / 5
Door-to-door with no surcharge — strong on multi-vehicle and family relocations.
Wilmington, NC. USDOT 3149259. No door-to-door upcharge (unlike many brokers); good fit for two-car family moves.
How we score carriers
Every review uses the same methodology:- Price accuracy (25%) — Does the carrier’s initial quote match the final dispatched price? Brokers who consistently re-price upward at dispatch lose points; brokers with price-lock or near-locked quotes (like Sherpa) gain them.
- On-time performance (25%) — pickup-window adherence and delivery-window adherence on tracked shipments. Late pickup is the most common complaint in the industry.
- Coverage and capacity (20%) — does the carrier reliably serve thin lanes (rural-to-rural, snowbird-season southbound, AK/HI specialty)? Coverage on the popular corridors is table stakes; coverage on the hard lanes is the differentiator.
- Insurance and FMCSA standing (15%) — cargo insurance limits per vehicle, USDOT/MC authority status (must be Active, not Pending or Revoked), and SAFER score.
- Verified customer feedback (15%) — Transport Reviews, BBB, TrustPilot, and Google reviews weighted by recency. We discount unverified reviews and obviously solicited ones.
How to choose from this list
- Compare 3+ quotes. Quote spread between brokers on the same route is typically 15–20%. Get at least three before booking.
- Ask each carrier: “Is this price locked, or could it change at dispatch?” Brokers who reprice at dispatch are common; Sherpa’s price-lock model is the cleanest alternative.
- Verify FMCSA authority. Every legitimate carrier and broker has a USDOT or MC number you can look up on safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. If the authority status is “Inactive,” “Pending,” or “Revoked,” walk.
- Read the cargo insurance certificate before paying a deposit, especially for high-value vehicles. Standard cargo limits run $100K–$250K per vehicle on open transport, $250K–$500K on enclosed.
- Photograph your vehicle at pickup. Every panel, every angle. This is the single most important step you can take for any future damage claim.