Car hauling dispatch that fills the deck before it books the trip
A car hauler gets paid per car, so an empty slot is money you drove for and never got. Whether you run a three-car wedge behind a pickup or a nine-car high mount, the job is the same: stack pickups along one route so the deck leaves full and comes back full. Our car hauling dispatcher builds those loads and sends every one to you to confirm or pass.
License line
Wedge behind a pickup: non-CDL or Class A
Under 26,001 lb combined, no CDL; at or over it with a trailer rated over 10,000 lb, Class A.
Stinger or high mount behind a tractor: Class A
States can add requirements. Check your exact ratings with the Do I need a CDL checker.
Source: 49 CFR 383.91(a)(1) · checked Oct 2026
What car hauling paid in 2026, from one large data set
Car hauling doesn't have a national rate index like dry van or flatbed, so we use one large, named data set and say exactly what it covers. An auto transport company's report on two and a half years of its own shipments found carrier pay per mile rose 22.8% in the first half of 2026, while what customers paid rose 14.6%.
The trigger was fuel: diesel went from $3.72 a gallon in February to $4.92 in March 2026, and carriers wouldn't move cars at the old prices. When fuel moves like that, the rate you accepted last month can be a losing rate this month.
How we protect you when fuel moves: we price each load against today's diesel, not last month's, and we don't hold you to a quote a broker made weeks ago. If fuel jumps between booking and pickup, we go back to the broker before you roll, and if the numbers no longer work, passing is always an option.
Distance changes everything per mile. Short moves cost far more per mile than cross-country ones, because loading, unloading and inspections take the same time on a 300-mile run as on a 2,500-mile one.
Customer price per car, per mile (open carrier)
- About 300 miles
- $2.04
- Cross-country
- $0.55
Enclosed transport ran about 32.3% above open. These are prices customers paid per car; carrier pay is a share of that.
Source: SGT Auto Transport, The State of Auto Transport 2026 (Aug 26, 2026; shipments Jan 2024-Jun 2026) · checked Oct 2026
Car hauler dispatch service math: cars, pay per car and miles
Pick your rig, then fill the deck. The scorecard turns cars times pay per car into a rate per mile, then takes out our fee and fuel. Every default is an EXAMPLE. Diesel starts at the EIA U.S. average for the week of September 28, 2026 ($6.38 a gallon); change it to what you're paying.
Try leaving one slot empty and watch the rate per mile drop. That's why a car hauling dispatcher plans pickups along a single path, lines up the next set of cars near the last delivery, and counters any single-car run that would pull you off route.
- Gross3 cars at $650
- $1,950
- Rate per mile
- $2.44
- Dispatch fee 7%
- −$137
- Fuel
- −$567
- Left before fixed costs
- $1,246
A short deck changes everything: one empty slot is pay you drove for and didn't get.
Source: U.S. EIA, U.S. average on-highway diesel price, week of Sept 28, 2026 · checked Oct 2026
Dealer and auction freight
Repeat runs between dealerships, auctions and rental lots. Good volume, tight pickup windows, gate passes and release paperwork.
Private customer moves
Single cars for families and buyers. Often better per car, but more stops, more scheduling and more questions.
Inspections every time
A condition report with photos at pickup and delivery, signed by both sides, every load. No exceptions.
Loading order and routing
A multi-car load is a puzzle: the first car off has to go on last, heavy SUVs and pickups belong where your axles can carry them, and a tall vehicle on a top deck can push you over a height limit. Most states cap height at 13 ft 6 in and some allow 14 ft, so routing matters as much as the stops. We sequence pickups and deliveries so you aren't unloading three cars to reach the fourth.
Running empty is the expensive part
A car hauler driving home with an empty deck burns the same fuel as a full one. That's why we look for the return load before you leave and accept a slightly lower price per car when it keeps the deck full on the way back.
Paperwork before your first car
For-hire interstate car hauling needs a USDOT number and MC authority, liability filed with FMCSA, and cargo coverage sized for full loads of vehicles. A current medical examiner's certificate from an examiner on FMCSA's National Registry, kept on file for each driver. Heavier wedge combinations and every tractor rig also need IRP plates and IFTA.
Source: 49 CFR 387.9; FMCSA insurance filing requirements · checked Oct 2026
Car hauling dispatcher fee and questions
Hotshot car haulers and nine-car carriers pay the same percentage: 7% while your MC is under 6 months, 5% after, 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited time). No setup fee, no contract, nothing when you don't haul. Pricing and terms.
Every load is your call. You confirm or pass, and the rate con comes from the broker straight to you. We dispatch car haulers with their own authority; we don't hire drivers.
Do I need a CDL to haul cars?
It depends on your rig's weight ratings, not on the cars. A pickup pulling a wedge trailer may stay under 26,001 lb combined and need no CDL, or cross that line and need a Class A. Stinger and high-mount carriers pulled by a tractor are Class A. Check your labels with our CDL checker and your state DMV.
How much does a car hauler make per load?
It depends on how many cars you carry, the pay per car and the miles. Per-mile prices for shipping a car are much higher on short moves than cross-country ones, because loading and unloading take the same time either way. Our per-car scorecard turns your cars, pay and miles into a rate per mile.
Can a new MC haul cars?
Yes, with the right cargo coverage. Many car shippers and brokers ask for higher cargo limits than general freight because vehicles are valuable, and some want authority history. While your MC is under 6 months, our fee is 7%, and we start with brokers and dealers that work with new carriers.
Do you help with vehicle inspection photos?
We make sure the inspection is part of every load before it books: the condition report on the bill of lading at pickup and delivery, with photos of every panel, and the app or form the broker requires. We can't take the photos for you, but we won't book a load without that step clear, because it's your best defense in a damage claim.
What insurance does a car hauler need?
Public liability filed with FMCSA for for-hire interstate work, and cargo coverage high enough for the most valuable full load you'll carry. Brokers and dealers often ask for cargo limits well above general freight. Some also check for coverage of cars while they're being loaded and unloaded. Confirm each broker's requirement before you buy.
Book my car hauler with a full deck
Apply in about 2 minutes. Tell us your rig, how many cars it carries and your lanes. Every load comes to you first, with the inspection steps already clear.