CAR HAULERS / 3-CAR WEDGE TO 9-CAR STINGER
Car hauling dispatch that fills every deck
One car on the way out and nothing back is how car haulers go broke. We stack dealer, auction and private loads along one route, check the payment terms and inspection rules on each car, and send every rate con to you to sign.
Book my car haulerPER-CAR RATE PLATE
What one car pays, by distance
Car hauling is priced per car, and the per-mile price drops as the distance grows. Short runs pay the most per mile, cross-country runs the least. Pick how many cars and how far, and the plate shows what customers typically pay for that move on open transport in 2026.
That is the customer price, not the carrier price. Use it to judge whether a broker's offer leaves you a fair share.
CARS ON THE LOAD
1 to 4 is wedge or gooseneck territory; 7 to 9 is a stinger or high-mount.
Band: 500 to 1,500 miles, $0.65 to $1.20 per car per mile.
- Per car, this distance
- $520 to $960
- Cars
- 3
- What customers pay for the load
- $1,560 to $2,880
That is the shipper's price. When a broker sits in the middle, the carrier gets that minus the broker's cut, so your number is lower. We negotiate that cut down and show you the per-car rate on every rate con.
SOURCE: FreightWaves Checkpoint, COST TO SHIP A CAR IN 2026, UPDATED MAY 2026, CHECKED OCTOBER 2026. OPERABLE SEDAN, OPEN TRANSPORT; SUVS AND TRUCKS COST MORE.
WHAT WE HANDLE
A car hauling dispatcher on every car
Car hauling has more moving parts per load than most freight: several pickups, several customers, several payment terms. Here is what the desk takes off your plate.
Load boards and brokers
We work the car hauling boards and the auto transport brokers daily, and stack cars that share a route.
Dealers and auctions
Dealer trades and auction runs are repeat work once a dealer trusts you. We keep those relationships warm.
Route stacking
First pickup, last drop and every stop in between planned so the top and bottom decks earn on the same miles.
Inspection photos
Reminders to shoot every car at pickup and delivery and note damage on the bill of lading.
Payment terms
Broker terms, cash on delivery or certified check: checked before you accept, flagged when payment depends on the drop.
Gate passes and releases
Auction gate passes and dealer releases confirmed, so you don't drive to a lot that won't release the car.
AN EXAMPLE ROUTE
Seven cars, one direction
An example, not a client story. A 7-car stinger leaves an auction in Atlanta Monday with four dealer cars for Charlotte and Richmond. On the way, we add two private customer cars from Greenville to northern Virginia and one dealer trade into Richmond.
By Wednesday the trailer is empty in Richmond, and the next auction run north is already booked. No car rides alone, and the empty miles on the week stay under ten percent of the total.
That is the whole game in car hauling: stack cars that point the same way, and line up the next set before the last one comes off.
WEDGE, GOOSENECK, STINGER
Car hauler dispatch service by rig
| Rig | Usual cars | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Wedge (pickup) | 3 to 4 | Dealer trades, private moves, short notice |
| Gooseneck (pickup or medium duty) | 3 to 5 | Regional dealer and auction work |
| Stinger or high-mount (semi) | 7 to 9 | Auction runs and long multi-car routes |
Car counts depend on vehicle sizes and your weight ratings. A pickup-and-wedge rig rated at 26,000 lb or under can run without a CDL; heavier combinations with a trailer over 10,000 lb need a Class A.
SOURCE: eCFR, 49 CFR 383.91, CHECKED OCTOBER 2026.
Running a pickup and thinking about other freight? See hotshot dispatch.
PROTECT THE TRUCK
The car hauler's paper trail
Damage claims are where car haulers lose the most money. A few minutes at each pickup and drop saves most of it.
- Photograph every car at pickup: all four sides, roof, wheels, and close-ups of every scratch or dent
- Note existing damage on the bill of lading and get the shipper's signature
- Repeat at delivery and get the receiver's signature before you unload the next car
- Keep the photos with the rate con for each load, dated
- Confirm your cargo coverage limit per vehicle against the most expensive car on the deck
CAR HAULING SEASONS
Snowbirds, auctions and tax season
Car hauling has its own calendar. In the fall, retirees send cars south from the Northeast and Midwest to Florida, Arizona and Texas, and in spring the same cars go back north. Those runs fill up fast and pay well in the busy direction, and poorly in the other.
Dealer and auction volume has its own rhythm too: new model years, end-of-month sales pushes and tax refund season all move more cars. We plan your routes so you ride the strong direction when it is strong and find dealer work to bring you back.
HOW WE PRICE A LOAD
Per car, per route
A car load is a set of separate jobs riding together. We price each car on its own distance and its own pickup and drop, then add up the route. A car that adds 40 miles of detour has to pay for those miles, or it doesn't go on the trailer.
We also price what makes a car harder: inoperable vehicles that need winching, oversized trucks that take two spots, and pickups at private homes with no room to load. Each of those gets a line on the rate con you sign, so the extra work is paid instead of assumed.
FEE AND QUESTIONS
Car hauling at 5%
Same rate card as every truck. Details on dispatch cost. Waiting on broker pay? Factoring turns delivered loads into cash in days.
- Gross, seven cars
- $6,400
- Our fee at 5%
- $320
- A 10% desk
- $640
01Where do car hauling loads come from?
Mostly from car hauling load boards, auto transport brokers, dealers and auctions. Dealer trades and auction runs are steady; private customer moves fill gaps and pay well on short notice. We work all of them and build multi-car loads that fill your trailer on one route.
02Can I haul cars without a CDL?
Sometimes. A pickup and wedge combination rated at 26,000 lb or under can run without a CDL, which limits you to fewer or lighter cars. Over that rating with a trailer rated above 10,000 lb, the driver needs a Class A CDL. Federal safety rules still apply once you are over 10,000 lb in interstate work.
03How many cars can a wedge trailer carry?
Usually three, sometimes four smaller cars, depending on deck length and your weight ratings. Heavier trucks and SUVs cut the count. We plan each load by vehicle weights and lengths so it fits legally, not just by headcount.
04Do you help with vehicle inspection photos?
Yes. We remind you to photograph every car at pickup and delivery, all sides plus close-ups of existing damage, and to note it on the bill of lading the customer signs. Those photos are what protects you if anyone claims damage later.
05How much does car hauler dispatch cost?
5% of gross for one rig with an MC at least 6 months old, 7% while your MC is newer, and 4% for two rigs or more. Wedge or stinger, same rate. No setup fee and no contract.
06How do car hauling loads get paid?
It varies: some brokers pay on standard terms after delivery, and some loads are cash or certified check on delivery from the customer. We check the payment terms before you accept, and we flag any load where payment depends on collecting at the drop.
07Do you book enclosed car transport?
Yes, if you run an enclosed trailer. Enclosed loads are fewer but pay more per car, usually for classic, exotic and high-value vehicles. Shippers expect extra care, soft tie-downs and higher cargo limits, so we check your coverage before we put you on one.
08Can you book inoperable vehicles?
Yes, when you have a winch and the room to load them. Inoperable cars take more time at pickup and delivery, so they should pay more. We confirm the car's condition, how it will be loaded and the extra pay on the rate con before you sign.
09Do I have to take every car you find?
No. We negotiate, and the rate confirmation comes to you with every car, pickup and delivery listed. You sign it or say no. Declining costs you nothing.
NO CONTRACT / SAME RATE FOR EVERY RIG
Fill the decks. Both of them.
Apply in two minutes with your rig and car count. Every rate con, with every car listed, comes to you to sign.