Carrier type should follow the shipment’s physical and risk profile. The same company may use different equipment for a running sedan, a low show car, an inoperable SUV, and an excavator.
Open and enclosed auto carriers
Open multi-car trailers are efficient for ordinary vehicles. Enclosed trailers offer weather and debris protection, lower public exposure, and equipment better suited to many valuable or delicate vehicles.
Flatbeds, rollbacks, and lowboys
Flatbeds and rollbacks can load inoperable or oversized vehicles with ramps or winches. Lowboys and step decks lower the deck height for tall or heavy machinery and may require permits and escorts.
Ocean and specialty carriers
RoRo vessels, container ships, rail equipment, cranes, and modular trailers each solve different route or cargo problems. Ask what will physically carry the shipment, not only which company sold the booking.
Continue your research
Frequently asked questions
Related guides
Vehicle and Boat Transport Modes: Truck, Rail, RoRo, Air, and Containers
Specialty Trailers for Heavy Equipment: Flatbeds, Lowboys, and More
Open vs Enclosed Auto Transport: Which Should You Choose?
Shipping a Non-Running Vehicle: What to Disclose and What to Expect
Shipping Jet Skis, Personal Watercraft, and Boat Trailers
Car Shipping Cost by Vehicle Type: Sedan, SUV, EV, and RV Factors
Leave a review for your broker
Shipped with one of the 4,900+ brokers we audit? Your review helps other people avoid bad actors — or find the good ones. Reviews are checked automatically before publication. One review per device or network per broker.