The short answer
Dealer and fleet transport is priced per unit on a lane, and the biggest lever is load density — moving four to nine units on one corridor drops cost per vehicle substantially versus one-offs. Beyond that, cost is driven by lane direction, seasonality, vehicle size and how tight your pickup windows are. Volume accounts price on rate cards with invoicing terms rather than card-at-pickup.
- Multi-unit loads on a single lane price materially below one-off moves.
- Backhaul direction matters: shipping against the dominant flow is cheaper.
- B2B accounts are invoiced on terms, not charged at pickup.
- Standing lanes can be set up as recurring flat rates.
What drives dealer transport cost
- Units per load on the same corridor — density is the single biggest lever
- Lane direction relative to seasonal freight flow
- Auction yard pickups with gate-pass and closing-time constraints
- Inoperable or trade-in units requiring winch loading
- Pickup window width — same-day requests price like expedited
Practices that lower cost per unit
- Batch auction wins into a single weekly pickup rather than dispatching each win.
- Give a three-day pickup window on non-urgent units.
- Keep a standing rate card on lanes you run monthly.
- Stage units at one address rather than three lots across the metro.
- Disclose non-runners at booking so the right trailer is assigned the first time.
How a volume account works with us
Dealer and fleet accounts run on rate cards with agreed per-unit pricing on named lanes, invoicing terms instead of pay-at-pickup, and a portal where your team sees every unit's status, documents and invoices in one place. Orders can be placed directly without going through a customer quote flow, and tracking notifications can be suppressed where your own team communicates with the buyer.
Carrier quality at volume
Every carrier is monitored continuously for active authority, current insurance and safety record. On repeat lanes we track which carriers actually run each corridor and how they perform on on-time pickup, on-time delivery and damage, then route your units toward the carriers with the strongest record on that specific lane.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost a dealership to ship a car?
- It depends on lane and load density. Single units price like retail moves; four or more units on one corridor drop the per-unit cost significantly. Standing lanes can be set as recurring flat rates.
- Do dealers pay at pickup like retail customers?
- No. B2B accounts are invoiced on terms, with all units, documents and invoices visible in the portal.
- Can you handle auction pickups?
- Yes, including Copart and IAA yards. Provide the gate pass and buyer release at booking so the driver is not turned away at the gate.