Open transport uses multi-level, open-air trailers to ship 7–10 vehicles simultaneously — the same method car manufacturers use to move millions of new vehicles from factories to dealerships every year.
It’s the most affordable, widely available, and fastest-dispatching method in the vehicle shipping industry. For the overwhelming majority of vehicles, open transport is the right choice.
An open carrier is a multi-level, open-air trailer — the long double-decker trucks you see loaded with cars on the interstate. Each trailer holds between 7 and 10 vehicles at once, positioned on two levels using hydraulic ramps that allow loading regardless of vehicle height.
Vehicles are driven onto the carrier and secured using wheel straps — heavy-duty, ratchet-style restraints attached to each wheel. Additional tie-downs are applied per DOT regulations. The vehicle doesn’t move once it’s loaded. This is the identical system automakers use to deliver new cars to every dealership in the country.
A condition report with photos is completed at both pickup and delivery, documenting the vehicle’s state. This report is your protection — any discrepancy between the two is what triggers a carrier insurance claim.
The economics of open transport are straightforward: a single driver operating a single truck can move 7–10 vehicles in one trip. The fixed costs of that trip — fuel, driver pay, insurance, tolls — get divided across every vehicle on the trailer.
Enclosed carriers typically hold only 2–6 vehicles, and the trailer itself costs significantly more to operate. That smaller payload and higher overhead is why enclosed transport runs 40–60% higher than open rates for the same route.
Because open carriers are so common — making up over 90% of the active transport fleet — there’s also significantly more market competition on popular routes. That competition keeps pricing transparent and gives customers multiple carrier options to choose from.
Open transport is safe for the vast majority of vehicles. The exposure to weather and road conditions during transit is comparable to driving the vehicle on the highway for the same distance — with the added benefit that a professional is securing, loading, and monitoring it the entire time.
What protects your vehicle is a combination of secure loading practices and mandatory carrier insurance. Every carrier operating legally in the US must carry cargo insurance as a condition of their FMCSA operating authority. Before we dispatch any carrier, we verify their insurance is active and their authority is in good standing.
The condition report at pickup is the critical document. It creates a written and photographic baseline. At delivery, if anything doesn’t match — that report is your basis for a claim. The process is established, documented, and enforced through the carrier’s insurance policy.
Open transport is the default choice for a reason. It combines affordability, carrier availability, and proven reliability into the industry’s most practical shipping solution.
Open transport consistently delivers the lowest rates in vehicle shipping. Carriers fit multiple vehicles on one trailer, distributing costs across shipments — savings passed directly to you.
Open carriers make up over 90% of the vehicle transport fleet in the US. More carriers means more competition, better pricing, and faster pickup windows on virtually every route.
Because open transport is so prevalent, pickup availability is typically 1–3 business days from booking on most major routes — significantly faster than enclosed alternatives.
Sedans, SUVs, trucks, minivans, crossovers — open transport handles them all. It's the same method automakers and dealers use to move millions of new vehicles nationwide every year.
Vehicles are wheel-strapped and secured with industry-standard tie-downs on every carrier we dispatch. The same methods used to ship new cars from factories.
Open transport has been the dominant shipping method for decades. It's a trusted, well-understood process — not an experiment. Millions of vehicles shipped safely every year.
Both methods use professional carriers with insurance coverage. The difference is in protection level, cost, and availability.
| Enclosed Transport | Open Transport | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Higher — 40–60% above open | Lower — most affordable |
| Carrier Availability | Specialty carriers — fewer options | High — over 90% of fleet |
| Dispatch Speed | 3–7 business days typical | 1–3 business days typical |
| Weather Exposure | Fully shielded from elements | Exposed to road conditions |
| Best For | Luxury, classic, exotic, high-value | Everyday vehicles, daily drivers |
| Insurance Coverage | Included with carrier | Included with carrier |
Real experiences from people who trusted Prime Vision Shipping with their vehicles.
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