Don’t look now but the open road is calling. Faced with onerous security regulations, endless add-on fees, and uncomfortable planes that squeeze customers in like sardines, more and more travelers are opting for the highways rather than the skyways. Americans are rediscovering the joy of driving cross-country with the wind in their hair, the music cranked, and the freedom to check out quirky attractions that would forever have been overlooked from 30,000 feet in the air.
This resurgent love affair is also revitalizing driveaway companies, services that match drivers with customers who want their cars delivered to distant destinations. Vehicles need to be moved for a variety of reasons, including corporate relocations, military transfers, and quite often in the case of snowbirds who want to have use of their own car at their winter home but don’t want to do the driving. Car owners pay driveaway companies to move their cars and the company contracts with drivers to make the one-way trips. Driver are responsible for all but the first tank of gas, meals and accommodations along the way, and must put down a deposit (generally $300-400), which is refundable upon delivery of the car to the owner.
There are some limitations to this type of travel. Your schedule must be flexible and you must be willing to drive between the destinations required by the customer. The route and schedule are agreed upon prior to departure and offer enough flexibility for drivers to do some sightseeing along the way, however customers will often load trunks and back seats with their personal belongings, so there is room for only one additional passenger and limited luggage. Drivers must also have a clean driving record, three forms of identification, and be willing to undergo a criminal background check. If none of this is problematic, driveaways are like getting a free rental car, especially for those who have no car or own a vehicle that is not dependable.
Although driveaway companies can be found all over the country, some locations need more drivers than others; routes between eastern Canadian cities and Florida or Arizona, for example, are in high demand due to annual snowbird migration in the spring and fall. For more information, contact one of the following driveaway firms, or check your local Yellow Pages under “Auto Transporters”:
Auto Driveway (43 offices across the U.S. and Canada)
Toronto Driveaway (Toronto based)
Cars To Florida (Toronto based)
Photo Credit: Nate Steiner
Feel free to leave a comment below, however this site is solely a travel blog and as such is not in any way involved in the business of arranging for the transfer of vehicles. Use of this blog for such purposes hereby releases and forever discharges and holds harmless Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel, Barbara Weibel, and all successors and assigns from any and all liability, claims and demands of whatever kind or nature, either in law or in equity, which arise or may hereafter arise from such use.
Will drive your vehicle from South Carolina to Montana sometime toward the end of June! Please reply if you’re interested 🙂
Looking to drive someones car from New Jersey to Florida.. CDL A driver with record in good standing..
Looking for someone to drive my 2013 Toyota Camry from Pompano Beach fl . area to Detroit, Michigan area. June 1 or so
Al
i may be helpfull.live in riverview 33578 .have familly in warren michigan.im retired 50 year old man.have done this ride plenty.im flexible
I am offering personal vehicle moving service from South Florida area either a Northeast state or the Midwest. I will safely transport your vehicle from the Miami/Naples/Ft. Myers (email me if you are in another Florida region and we can discuss) area, to New England, the Midwest, or somewhere in between or along the way. I am an experienced driver with a clean driving record, also a licensed motorcyclist and can also do the same offer with a motorcycle. It saves you money and gets your car safely to its new destination.
I am a responsible driver with a Masters degree from an Ivy league school in Cambridge, MA and have done this trip several times in years previous. Email me to work out delivery to you location. Dates are extremely flexible, but should be between May 1st-May 28th.
Your car MUST be insured and in good mechanical condition. I can provide references upon request, and we can draft a contract per your request so both parties feel at ease with the agreement. Pet friendly and comfortable with trucks, SUVS, automatics or manual shifting.
email [email protected]
al im retired live in riverview area.my son has settled in warren michigan.i would like to help you and see my son.im 51 have safe driver license let me no if you intrested.i have done this ride plenty of times so its no trouble.
al my #813-898-0859 if you intrested please give me a call.or or if any one else needs a good driver between florida to new york as well.and florida to michigan give me a call im flexible and very dependable
I AM LOOKING TO DRIVE A CAR FROM THE SAN FRANSISCO CA. AREA TO SOUTH FLORIDA. I AM FLEXIBLE
John, I am interested in having someone drive my daughter’s fully loaded Subaru from San Fran to NY – as soon as I can make arrangements. Intersted in giving me a quaote?
Joe
Hello.
I am interested to doing the drive for you. I am a responsible 29 year old female teacher. I have a clean record and have been driving for many years. I am a teacher located in Montreal, however, a colleague of mine and me are looking to drive to San Francisco. We would not have a problem doing the trip in reverse.
Please contact me via email if interested. [email protected]
My wife and I are looking for a car to transport from central California to the New England area (R.I.), the last week of October. Let’s talk!
Hey Joe,
I live in Oakland, and will be visiting my family in NJ, so this would be very convenient.
I can do the drive whenever is best for you.
Clean record and have driven across the country without any issues.
Let me know,
Michael
Looking to drive someone’s car from Cal to NJ and possibly back.
I am considering buying a car in LA and need it delivered to the Tampa Bay area of Florida. Prefer someone willing to pay their own way and I just provide the car. Email me if interested…
Hi, My brother is looking to drive some ones vehicle from Florida Daytona area To New Hamphire. He drives all over the country for work and want to come to see me in Florida. Let me know Please!!
I am not interest in such opportunity because I have my own car. I love my car and also its drive.
Hey,
I am looking for a car to drive from Chicago to some place on the West Coast at the end of June… Anyone interested?
My wife is interested in visiting our daughter in California in June. We live in St Paul Mn please call Tom at 651 270 8352 or Susan. 651 788 5624
Looking to drive from Tennessee to Los Angeles, CA. I have a clean driving record and will not be coming back. Please contact me asap. I’m leaving Friday February 28th. Thank you.
Looking to travel to Anchorage Alaska in April/May. I’m in Salt Lake City but can get to most places in northwest for a pick up. Clean driving record, no tickets or accidents. Responsible male, 58 years old and 26 years old. Can be flexible on drop off location.
Looking to drive someone’s car from Phoenix to Arizona ,,,have clean driving record ,,,need no return …moving
So let me know ..thank you
have you moved yet …terrified drove from indiana to phoenix….I refuse to drive back through those moutains ever in lfe. I am here need to get home asap
I am looking for a vehical to drive from the N. Calif (Tahoe) area to the Atlanta Ga area in April. I have a small buffet to bring in a small U Haul. Any body have a trip going that way?
Looking to drive someone’s car from San Diego to anywhere in the northeast coast area, preferably Philadelphia or New York/New Jersey area. Moving home but don’t have a ton of money to ship all of my belongings. Perfect driving record. Please email me if interested. Thank you!
would like to drive a car to san diego calif or l a calif any time in april or august i drive a standard as well as a small truck or suv,, great driving record it would also be great to have a vehicle from calif back to boston also 2 to 3 week difference..
Looking to drive someone’s vehicle from Atlanta to anywhere. Just want to get out there and see the country. Will fly back or drive back in a rental, no worries there.
27 year old male, with stellar driving record.
Never been in an accident, and never received a ticket.
All you need to do is pay for gas one way.
Email me at [email protected]
Thanks!
Looking to drive someones car from Alameda, CA area to Atlanta, GA and return driving another persons car if needed from Atlanta, GA to Alameda CA ( The Bay area). Two retired females with excellent driving records and a flexible schedule. Can drive between March/April and August/Sept. 2014. Again time is flexible so this gives someone a wide range of possibilities to get your vehicle to where you need it to go. Any persons needing this, please email me.
Would like to drive from Alameda, Ca. ( the bay area) to Atlanta and return a car to the same area. My friend and I are retired healthy and vibrant females with excellent driving records. Please reply via email. Can do so between March and August. Time is flexible. Thanks
North to Alaska. We’ve visited there many times but never driven up. Driving the AlCan just for the experience is on my bucket list, but I just want to drive one way, sometime this Spring. Prefer to drive from a NW or mid-west state. Retired Air Force pilot. [email protected]
Looking to drive a car to Florida from Chicago land area even Milwaukee WI. No accident record, no ticket record. I love to drive. Would be available between Jan 14th 2014 to Jan 20th t and would like to arrive before Jan 29th. I will have my wife with me.
We are a gaggle of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with helpful info to work on. You’ve done an impressive task and our whole group shall be grateful to you.
I’m Moving to Los Angeles from Atlanta and I heard lots of people need their cars moved, so I will drive / Move your car for you. Contact me to make me an offer. Thanks
My husband and I would like to drive a car from the Michigan/Ohio/Indiana area to Seattle. We are very flexible on timing. We are both excellent drivers with good driving records, non-smokers. We have driven motor homes in the past. The reason we want to do a drive away is because we are moving to the Seattle area and need to purchase a used vehicle, and we do not want to buy a car until we arrive in Seattle.
I am a 57 year old male with a good driving record and I would like to drive your car from Brandon FL area to Louisville KY. area I have friends in the area and make the drive from time to time. I could be very flexible on a delivery date.
looking for someone to drive my car from Detroit to West Palm Beach Fl. Dec 26
I need 2 make some money 2 help my mother I drove a semi truck 4 20yrs and I got heart on the job and now I am on ssi if you need a driver I can give you my driver license and you can check me out
O.K. Let’s do it.
Spotless driving record, non smoke, non drink. Have extensive driving experience from cars to 18 wheel big rigs. Have CDL class A license and TWIC Card. TWIC Card is proof of federal background check including fingerprinting.
Schedule is flexible
Would like to drive your car to Tampa Florida from Los Angeles Ca Leaving Los Angeles on Dec. 17th, 2013