The car shipping checklist
Everything you need to do before the truck arrives. Print this page, work through it, and pickup will be smooth.
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Why prep matters
A good pickup starts with a prepped car. Drivers carry 6 to 10 cars per trailer and run on tight schedules. When your vehicle is washed, fueled, photographed, and ready to roll, loading takes 15 minutes. When it is not, loading drags out and the whole trailer slips behind.
This checklist covers the prep that matters: cleaning for inspection accuracy, removing valuables and personal items, fuel level, keys, photos, alarms, and edge cases. Do all of it and pickup is calm. Skip half and you may hit a snag.
The full pre pickup checklist
Work through every line. Each one prevents a problem.
- 1Wash the exterior of the car so dirt does not hide existing damage.
- 2Clean the interior, vacuum, and wipe down the dash.
- 3Remove all personal items from the trunk and cabin.
- 4Take the car down to a quarter tank of fuel (not more, not less).
- 5Photograph every panel: front, back, both sides, roof, wheels, undercarriage if accessible.
- 6Photograph the interior, including the odometer reading.
- 7Note any existing scratches, dents, or paint chips with close ups.
- 8Disable toll tags (Sunpass, EZPass, FasTrak) so they do not rack up charges en route.
- 9Disable aftermarket alarms or note the disarm sequence for the driver.
- 10Remove dash cams, radar detectors, and GPS units.
- 11Fold in mirrors if they fold.
- 12Retract the antenna if retractable.
- 13Check that the parking brake releases cleanly.
- 14Top off the battery so the car starts cold.
- 15Note any fluid leaks or mechanical quirks for the driver.
- 16Remove EZ Pass and toll transponders so they do not charge during transit.
- 17Lower or remove roof racks, ski boxes, and any aftermarket roof attachments.
- 18Lock the gas cap if your car has a locking gas cap, and give the driver the key.
- 19Hand the driver one key, keep a spare for yourself.
- 20Have your ID and the BOL paperwork ready at pickup.
The 5 things customers forget most
If you only do five things from the list above, do these.
Quarter tank only
Full tanks add weight to the trailer (fuel surcharge to the carrier) and pose a safety risk. Quarter tank is the standard.
Photograph everything
Time stamped photos of every panel are your damage protection at delivery. Take them in good light, take them with a clean car.
Remove personal items
Carrier insurance does not cover personal property. Take laptops, documents, sunglasses, and valuables out of the car.
Disable toll tags
Active toll transponders will rack up charges if the trailer passes toll readers en route. Bag them, remove the battery, or pull them.
Disable alarms
An alarm that randomly arms during transit drains the battery and stresses the driver. Disable it or share the disarm code.
Special vehicle prep
Low clearance vehicles
Lowered cars, sports cars, classics. Tell us at quote time so we send a carrier with a liftgate or low approach trailer.
Lifted trucks and SUVs
Lift kits over 4 inches need a taller trailer position. Declare the lift at quote time.
Modified vehicles
Body kits, wide tires, aftermarket spoilers. Declare modifications at quote time so the carrier plans loading.
Inoperable vehicles
Car does not start? Carrier needs a winch and steering must work. Declare inop at quote time.
Electric vehicles
Battery should be charged to 30 to 50 percent. Disable autopilot, parking sensors, and sentry mode if your car has them.
Convertibles
Soft top should be up and secured. Hard top should be in place. Confirm the top latches cleanly before pickup.
Day of pickup
What to do in the hour before the driver arrives.
1. Move the car to open space
Pull the car out of the garage. Park on the street or driveway so the driver can load it onto the trailer.
2. Final walk around
Re photograph the car one more time with a time stamp. Confirm fuel level, mirrors folded, alarms disabled.
3. Meet the driver
Walk the car together. Driver fills out the BOL inspection form, you both sign.
4. Hand off keys and BOL
Give the driver one key and the signed BOL. Keep your copy of the BOL for delivery inspection.
Delivery day
Delivery is the mirror image of pickup. Driver calls 24 hours ahead. You meet at the delivery address. Walk the car together with the BOL inspection form. Compare to the pickup photos. Sign off if condition matches, note any new damage if it does not. Pay the balance to the driver and you are done.
Do not skip the delivery inspection. Even at 9 PM in the rain. Even if you trust the driver. The BOL is your only post delivery proof, and signing it without a careful walkaround forfeits damage claims.
What customers say
Verified shipments. Real names. Real routes.
“Used their checklist, prep took 30 minutes, pickup took 15 minutes. Easy.”
“Photographed everything, took out personal items, quarter tank. Delivery inspection matched perfectly.”
“Prep matters. Followed every step on this list and the whole shipment was painless.”
Frequently asked questions
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