Door-to-door car shipping
The carrier comes to you. Your car is collected at your address and delivered to the one at the other end, with no terminal, no storage lot and no extra charge for it.
- No terminals
- Vetted, insured carriers
- Dispatch 24/7
Door to door
- Pickup
- Your address, or nearby
- Delivery
- Their address, or nearby
- Terminals
- None
- Extra charge
- None
Door-to-door car shipping means the truck comes to you. You don’t drive to a depot, you don’t leave your car in a lot, and nobody has to collect it from a terminal at the other end. Every Carvoya shipment works this way.
What door-to-door auto transport means
You give us two addresses: where the car is now and where it needs to be. A vetted, insured carrier drives to the first, loads your car and drives it to the second. In between, the car stays on the truck. That is the whole service, and it is the default for open, enclosed and expedited shipments alike.
Door to door is also the reason your dates are windows rather than appointments. A carrier serving several addresses on one trip plans its stops around traffic, weather and each customer, so your dispatcher gives you a pickup window and the driver calls ahead as it gets close.
Door to door vs terminal to terminal
Some shippers in the industry offer terminal service, where you drop the car at a storage lot and collect it from another one. It can suit a carrier’s schedule, but it adds two trips for you and days in a lot for the car. Here is how the two compare:
| Compared | Door to door (Carvoya) | Terminal to terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Where the car is collected | Your address, or a meeting point nearby | A storage lot you drive to |
| Where it is delivered | The delivery address, or nearby | A lot you travel to and collect from |
| Time in storage | None planned | Often days at each end |
| Who hands over the keys | You or someone you choose | Terminal staff |
| Extra charge | None | Varies by company |
When the truck can’t reach your door
Car carriers are long, heavy trucks. A full-size open carrier can be around 75 feet long, and many streets, driveways and parking garages were never built for one. Door to door means the driver comes as close to your address as is safe and legal. Where that isn’t right outside, the driver calls ahead and agrees a meeting point with you, usually a wide street or a big open lot a few minutes away.
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Narrow city streets
Older neighborhoods in Boston, Cambridge or New York City, where parked cars line both sides.
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Gated or private communities
Check whether your HOA or building allows large trucks, and at what times.
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Low trees, wires and bridges
A loaded top deck sits high. Low branches and overpasses rule some roads out.
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Dead ends and steep driveways
A truck that cannot turn around has to stop at the end of the street.
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Campuses and business parks
Security gates and loading rules. Tell your dispatcher who the driver should call.
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Weekday rush and events
Busy streets at rush hour or on game days can move a pickup to a quieter spot or time.
Tell us about access up front
Low clearance, a gate code, a tight turn, a building that only allows trucks in the morning: put it in your quote notes or tell your dispatcher. It is the single easiest way to make pickup day smooth.
What happens at each door
The handover is the only part of door-to-door shipping you take part in. Here is what to expect at both ends.
Before pickup
- Your dispatcher confirms your pickup window
- The driver calls ahead as the truck gets close
- Name a backup contact if you might not be there
At pickup
- You and the driver do a thorough on-site inspection together
- Existing marks are noted on the pickup report
- You hand over the keys and the car is loaded
At delivery
- The car is unloaded at the delivery address or nearby
- Another thorough on-site inspection, checked against the pickup report
- You sign, take the keys, and the shipment is complete
How much door-to-door car shipping costs
There is no door-to-door surcharge. Your price comes from the distance between your two addresses, open or enclosed transport, the vehicle, whether it runs, your timing and how busy the route is. The quote form shows it in about a minute; for some trips, such as very short local moves and long coast-to-coast runs, a dispatcher prices it by phone instead.
Get your door-to-door price
Enter your pickup and delivery places to start. Your price appears as you go, with no obligation.
Prefer to talk? Call (413) 231-6888, 24/7
See what goes into the price on our car shipping cost calculator page, or compare open car transport with enclosed car transport.
Home pickup car shipping, step by step
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Request your quote
Enter your pickup and delivery addresses or ZIP codes. Your estimate appears straight away, with no obligation.
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We match you with a carrier
A dispatcher confirms both addresses, any access notes, your dates and the price, then books a vetted, insured carrier.
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Pickup and transport
The driver comes to your address, or the agreed spot nearby, within your pickup window, and does a thorough on-site inspection with you. We stay in touch on the way.
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Delivery and completion
The car is delivered to the address you gave us. You do another thorough on-site inspection with the driver and the shipment is complete.
Getting ready for the driver
- Make sure the person meeting the driver has the keys and a working phone.
- Wash the car and take dated photos so the walk-around is quick and clear.
- Keep personal belongings few. More than 50 lb in total adds a heavy-load fee.
- If the car doesn’t run, say so on the quote. A carrier with a winch is needed, which adds to the price.
The full checklist is in how to prepare your car for shipping. Questions about access? Call (413) 231-6888, 24/7.
Door-to-door questions
Still unsure? Call (413) 231-6888 any time, day or night.
What does door-to-door car shipping mean?
The carrier picks your car up at the address you give us and delivers it to the address at the other end, with no terminal or storage lot in between. If a large truck cannot safely reach the address, the driver arranges a nearby meeting point with you.
Does door-to-door shipping cost extra?
No. Every Carvoya shipment is door to door, and the price comes from your route and vehicle: distance, transport type, vehicle type and whether the car runs. There is no separate door-to-door charge.
Do I have to be there for pickup and delivery?
Someone has to be. It can be you or another adult you trust with the keys, such as a family member, a neighbor or a colleague. Give your dispatcher their name and phone number before the pickup window.
What if the truck can’t get down my street?
The driver calls ahead and arranges a meeting point close by, usually a wide street or a large, open parking lot such as a supermarket or a mall. You hand over or collect the car there.
Can you pick up from a dealership, auction or business?
Yes. Any address works as long as someone there can release the car and the keys to the driver. Dealers are welcome: mark yourself as a dealer on the quote form.
Is door to door available on enclosed and expedited shipments?
Yes. Open, enclosed and expedited shipments are all door to door.
From your door to theirs.
Get your estimate in about a minute, or talk to a dispatcher now. No obligation either way.
Dispatch answers 24/7 at (413) 231-6888