The short answer
Book your auto transport carrier and household movers separately but plan their arrival times with a buffer between them, since both need driveway and street access that doesn't overlap well. As a rule, let your car be the last major logistics piece to leave the old address, after the moving truck, so you retain a vehicle for last-minute errands and don't strand yourself without transportation during the final packing days.
- Auto transport pickup windows run 1-7 business days for Standard, or 1-5 for Expedited, so book both movers and carriers early enough to overlap those windows deliberately.
- A moving truck and an 80-foot car carrier both need significant street or driveway space, and scheduling them for the same window often causes access conflicts.
- Transit time for the vehicle depends on total distance and can run faster or slower than your household goods' delivery, so don't assume they'll arrive together.
- Pay At Pickup means the car shipping charge hits your card only when the carrier loads the vehicle, independent of any moving company deposit schedule.
- Keeping your car until after most packing is done avoids being without transportation during the final days at your old address.
When to book movers vs. your auto transport carrier
Book both around the same 30-day-out mark, but treat them as two independent timelines that need to be sequenced, not merged. Movers often want a specific loading day tied to your lease end or closing date, while auto transport works within a pickup window rather than a single fixed date. Give your car shipping company your ideal window early, and confirm your movers' exact date once it's locked, then work backward to make sure the two don't need your driveway at the same time.
Why your car should be the last thing to leave
- You'll likely need a vehicle for last-minute errands, returns, and cleaning supply runs during final packing days.
- If your move-out date shifts, having your own car still on-site gives you flexibility that a moving truck already gone does not.
- Scheduling the car pickup after the movers finish avoids two large vehicles needing the same space on the same day.
- It also gives you a final chance to do the pre-pickup wash and photo inspection without the house full of moving boxes in the way.
Managing driveway space for two large vehicles
An auto transport carrier can be 75 to 80 feet long fully loaded, and it needs a straight, clear approach — narrow streets, low branches, and tight cul-de-sacs are common reasons carriers ask for a nearby alternate meeting point instead of your exact driveway. If a moving truck is also on-site the same day, coordinate with both companies about which vehicle needs priority access and when, since asking a carrier driver to wait around for a moving truck to clear out isn't realistic on their tight multi-stop schedule.
Matching transit times to your own travel plans
- Estimate your car's transit time based on total distance, then build in a buffer of a few extra days.
- If you're flying to your new home, plan to arrive at least a day or two after your car's expected delivery window opens, not before.
- Household goods movers often quote a delivery spread (e.g., "7-14 days") — treat that similarly and don't assume it lines up exactly with your car.
- Confirm you'll have a way to get around at your new home if your car happens to arrive later than you do.
Cash flow: managing two different payment schedules
Moving companies often require a deposit weeks in advance to hold your date, which is standard in that industry. Auto transport should work differently: Pay At Pickup means $0 is due when you book the car shipment, and the full charge only hits your card the moment the carrier physically loads your vehicle. Keep these two payment schedules straight in your budget — your moving deposit is an earlier, separate expense from your car shipping charge, which lands later and only once.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I use the same company for both movers and car shipping?
- Not necessarily — they're different services requiring different equipment and licensing. What matters more is that both companies know your address's access constraints and that you sequence their arrival to avoid a driveway conflict.
- What if my moving truck and car carrier both need to be there the same day?
- Call both companies ahead of time to establish a rough schedule — for example, movers finish loading by midday, then the carrier arrives that afternoon. Most drivers can work with a scheduled window if you communicate it in advance.
- Can I ship my car before movers finish loading the house?
- You can, but it means going without a vehicle for whatever time remains at your old address. Most people prefer to keep their car until moving day tasks are essentially done.
- Will my furniture and car arrive at the new house on the same day?
- Rarely exactly, since movers and auto carriers run on different route logistics and delivery spreads. Plan for them to arrive within a few days of each other rather than simultaneously.