The rate you're quoted is the rate you pay. The pickup date is the day they show up.
Someone in Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA books a vehicle shipment. They find a transport company online, get a quote that looks reasonable, confirm a pickup date, and start planning around it. Pickup day arrives. No carrier. They call — "route adjustment." New date proposed. Then another call: the rate has changed. The client is already at the destination, already committed, already past the point where they can easily say no. The final invoice is 38% higher than the original quote. The car arrives four days late.
This scenario has a name in the auto transport industry: it's called the bait-and-hold. Low quote wins the booking. Locked-in client gets the real price at pickup when they have no leverage.
Red Roadside's auto transport service was built as a direct structural response to this failure. Vetted carriers. Confirmed rates. Pickup dates that hold. And a communication process that sends you a signal at every milestone — because a driver who knows exactly where their car is throughout transport doesn't have to become anxious about it.
Industry-standard, cost-effective method for most vehicles. We vet every carrier assigned.
Full protection for luxury and classic cars in Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA from weather and debris.
We pick up at your address and deliver directly to the destination. No terminals.
Coordinated deliveries across all 48 contiguous states with milestone updates.
Time-sensitive shipments for when standard windows don't work. Disclosed upfront.
Non-running vehicles shipped with specialized loading equipment.
Broker gives a low quote. Pickup is confirmed but never happens. Rate increases at the last minute when you have no choice. Final cost is 40% higher.
Quote built from real variables. Carrier vetted for insurance and DOT status. Pickup confirmed 24-48 hours in advance. Price is locked.
A: 7–14 days minimum for standard open transport. Expedited options exist for tighter timelines.
A: Open is standard and affordable. Enclosed is for high-value or classic cars needing full protection.
A: Yes, with disclosure at booking so we send a carrier with the right loading equipment.
"Red was the opposite of every horror story. The carrier was assigned 48 hours before pickup and the price matched the quote exactly." — Chidinma O.