Mercury Auto Transport vs RoadRunner Auto Transport

This audit gives Mercury Auto Transport a score of 77/100 — Strong Recommended Option. We recommend this broker based on the reviewed authority, identity, reputation, customer-experience, pricing, route, and brand evidence. The total combines 20/20 legitimacy, 20/25 reputation, 12/20 customer experience, 9/15 pricing, 8/10 route and service, and 8/10 brand evidence. All links + FMCSA active clean; high review volume but mixed CX

The October 14, 2026 SAFER snapshot matches the existing broker exactly: AM FREIGHT OPERATIONS INC, DBA ROADRUNNER AUTO TRANSPORT, USDOT 3124544 / MC-89820. It lists SHIPPER/BROKER, ACTIVE USDOT registration, authorization as Broker of Property (Except Household Goods), and no out-of-service date. The same snapshot warns that carrier registration information and carrier VMT are outdated and gives an October 7, 2021 MCS-150 filing date. Active authority does not erase that warning or independently verify a current bond or assigned-carrier insurance. The Sherpa snapshot misplaced in this folder belongs to SHERPA AUTO TRANSPORT LLC, USDOT 4085166 / MC-1555035, and is excluded from RoadRunner authority evidence. Zero inspections or crashes in a broker record is not a carrier safety endorsement. Favorable saved averages include Trustpilot 4.5/5 from 2,097 reviews and ConsumerAffairs 4.5/5 from 1,221; BBB’s separate A+ business grade is not its 4.25/5 customer rating. Transport Reviews displays five stars and 135 reviews, explicitly describing its rating as based on the last two years, not an all-time shipment-success rate. Dan L’s September 10, 2026 RoadRunner BBB review praises dispatch communication and delivery; the company thanks him the next day. Steve’s August 30, 2025 Transport Reviews account praises the assigned Shaunessy Transport carrier’s professionalism and communication. On ConsumerAffairs, Richard’s October 1, 2026 account describes a flexible Saturday pickup and safe California-to-Wisconsin delivery. Paul’s October 9 account praises upfront pricing and pickup while still noting a missed ETA without an update. Yelp reviewer Steve N, July 14, 2026, reports no price surprises and excellent driver communication but acknowledges pickup was two days later than initially advised. These accounts show successful shipments without establishing that every schedule or price is guaranteed. The cross-platform spread is material: Google shows 4.1/5 from 8,647 reviews, whereas the Phoenix Yelp listing shows 1.7/5 from 118. The V2/linked-branch BBB totals are 141 complaints in three years and 16 in the last 12 months, not 282 and 32 and not a RoadRunner-only rate. A September 30, 2026 BBB and ConsumerAffairs account by Nègmawon alleges a $1,200 quote became $1,800 after waiting 12 days against an approximately 72-hour pickup expectation; this is the same account on two platforms, not two independently verified incidents. Karen H’s August 23 BBB review describes a missed pickup and difficulty reaching support. A July 27 V2 complaint specifically naming RoadRunner alleges a $1,385 price, written assurance against an increase, and a later $1,795 charge; it is marked resolved following the response and customer acceptance. A June 26 complaint raises door-lock damage and a dispute over repair estimates. Yelp reviewer Jill R, September 17, alleges window/paint damage and difficulty accessing $150 additional coverage; the capture does not establish liability or a final claim outcome. Transport Reviews includes an October 12 account alleging repeated price increases. Negative-filtered captures and anonymous Reddit anecdotes do not establish prevalence, and similar accounts across sources may overlap. Source evidence reviewed October 16, 2026; the existing 70/100 score is historical and was not recalculated from this upload.