Enterprise Auto Transport is an owner-operated, federally licensed & bonded nationwide auto transport broker (USDOT #2273104 / MC #774106). All logistics are managed via our central dispatch at (239) 273-4649— this is our only phone number.
Resource hub
Twenty years of hard-earned knowledge, written for people shipping a vehicle for the first time — and for collectors who have done it a hundred times.
Chapter 1
Open carriers move about 90% of shipped vehicles, including every new car delivered to a dealership. They cost less and have far better availability. Enclosed transport adds sealed walls, lift-gate loading and much higher insurance limits. Choose enclosed when the vehicle is exotic, collectible, freshly restored, very low-clearance, or simply worth more than you want exposed to weather and road debris.
Read the open vs enclosed guide →Chapter 2
Distance matters, but so does route density — a Los Angeles to Dallas lane has trucks running constantly, while a rural Montana pickup does not. Vehicle size and weight consume deck space. Operability adds winch time. Season matters enormously: Florida-bound lanes spike in October and reverse in April. Anyone quoting you a flat per-mile rate without asking these questions is guessing.
Chapter 3
Cargo coverage belongs to the carrier, not the broker. Ask for the limit and the certificate. Ours run $250,000 on open equipment and $1,000,000 on enclosed. Your personal auto policy usually does not cover a vehicle in commercial transit, and personal belongings inside the car are never covered.
Chapter 4
A legitimate quote names the equipment type, the pickup window, the insurance limit and the total price with the deposit broken out. If a price is dramatically below every other quote, it is a bid to win your booking — carriers will decline the load and the price will rise later, usually the week you need to travel.
Chapter 5
Book one to two weeks ahead most of the year. For the snowbird corridors — southbound October through December, northbound March through May — book three to six weeks ahead and expect higher rates. Summer is the busiest overall relocation season nationwide. Winter weather can add days to northern lanes.
Chapter 6
Wash it so existing damage shows in the photos. Empty it, including toll transponders and parking passes — we are not responsible for tolls or fees incurred while the vehicle is in transit. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel. Disable the alarm. Note any leaks. Photograph every panel, the roof and the interior with a timestamp. Hand the driver a spare key. Ten minutes of prep is the best insurance you will ever buy.
Chapter 7
Walk the vehicle with the driver, compare against your photos, and make sure the bill of lading reflects reality before you sign. At delivery, inspect before signing again — signing a clean bill of lading closes the door on a damage claim. Inspect in daylight if at all possible.
Chapter 8
A quote given without asking whether the vehicle runs. A large deposit demanded or full payment upfront via Zelle or Venmo. No DOT or MC number on the website. Pressure to book today. Refusal to tell you the broker fee. Refusal to provide an insurance certificate. Any of these alone is a reason to keep calling.
Checklist
Photos taken beforehand are not accepted by insurance companies — they must be taken at pickup, the day the carrier loads your vehicle.
All claims must be filed with the carrier, not with Enterprise Auto Transport. The assigned carrier holds the cargo insurance on your vehicle; as a licensed broker we arrange the transport and do not carry cargo coverage.
Red flag
A legitimate carrier wants the condition report to be accurate. A rushed signature helps only the carrier — not you. Never sign a Bill of Lading until you have done every step below.
Remember: verbal promises like “I’ll take care of that dent” are not evidence. If it is not written on the Bill of Lading, it did not happen.
Step by step
The Bill of Lading is the legal condition report for your vehicle and the only document a claim can be built on. The carrier issues it — here is exactly what to do, and what to say, at each stage.
Say it like this: “Can I get your CDL and see the DOT number on the cab before we start the inspection?”
Say it like this: “I need my copy of the Bill of Lading before you leave — paper copy or email it now and I’ll confirm I got it.”
Say it like this: “Give me a few minutes to walk the car in the light before I sign.”
Say it like this: “I need the signed delivery copy with my damage notes on it before you leave.”
No copy, no claim. Getting the Bill of Lading at both pickup and delivery is the customer's responsibility, and it is the single document that decides whether a damage claim goes anywhere.
Condition evidence
Photos taken before the truck arrives cannot be proven, and insurers do not accept them. Shoot this exact set when the driver is standing there, repeat it at delivery, and you have the evidence any claim depends on. Print it or keep it on your phone.
Turn on your camera's date and location stamp, back the photos up before the driver leaves, and keep the originals — not screenshots.
Enterprise Auto Transport
(239) 273-4649 · support@enterpriseautotransport.com · 0 of 40 steps complete
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Enterprise Auto Transport is a licensed broker. The assigned motor carrier holds the cargo insurance and issues the Bill of Lading, so damage claims are filed with the carrier — your photo set and both signed BOL copies are what support them.
Where we ship
Once you know the process, these are the state and route pages worth reading next. Each one covers seasonal pickup windows, transit times and open versus enclosed pricing for that corridor.
Open and enclosed semi-truck carriers, door-to-door delivery and a coordinator who answers the phone.
