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.
Looking for a car to be driven from Delaware /NJ area to Seatle, LA mid December..
Check out Autodriveaway. They have an available from NJ to Seattle on Dec. 20, 2013. Here’s the link: http://www.autodriveaway.com/view_car_list
I live in las vegas need to drive to ohio or somewhere within a couple states. Ill just rent a car from wherever that is. Im about to graduate truck driving school on dec 3rd. Im going to work in ohio or n. Carolina i have a choice. So let me know
Hello there,
We are a middle aged couple from the Netherlands and will travel beginning december from south California to the south of Florida. We like to take it easy and spent around 3 weeks going accross and fuel will be for us.
Experience in truckdriving all over europe and ample driving experience in the US in cars and motorhomes
18 years proven no claim on my car insurance and have international drivers license.
If anyone thinks we might suit than please do contact us. [email protected]
Thank you and warm greetings from Holland
Mans Dekens and Gree Tillema
My brother and I have planned a road-trip across the US (from LA to Washington D.C.) and would love to experience it driving someone’s car. We are two young, responsible Australian guys with a clean driving record and flexible dates. We are both university graduates looking at enjoying our summer (your winter!) driving through and exploring the countryside.
We can drive a car between the 18th of November ’till the the 14th of December.
Please let me know if you’re interested 🙂
Hi,
I have my 2006 Honda Accord EX-L, 33 miles per gallon, sunroof, leather interior, power windows, auto transmission.. Looking to get it from Las Vegas Nevada to North Carolina (either Raleigh NC or Thomasville, NC). I could give you the car Nov 20th. Let me know if you are interested.
Hi my name is kerry mancino. I am about to graduate from trucking school on dec 3 i can leave on like the 13th. I am heading to chester north carolina for my intern for my job. Ill be traveling with my son of 13. Message me back if you still need your car to go to north carolina. ill pay for all the fuel and oil it needs to get there
My boyfriend (28) and I (25) are looking for a car to drive from Ann Arbor, MI (or nearby) to the San Francisco Bay Area leaving anytime after Jan 24 2014. We both have clean driving records. I’m trying to move my things back to CA so an empty car is preferable.
I am looking for someone to drive a Honda CRV from San Jose CA to Alexandria VA (just outside Washington DC) anytime in November. Some non valuable household belongings will be stacked in the far back but all seats will be empty. Thanks.
I am planning to go to DC during December can drive your car during that time. Let me know if this works for you. I do own a car and good driving record.
Hi Jean,
My brother Lawrence and will be flying into LA (from Australia) on the 18th of November and we have planned to drive from LA to Washington D.C. to meet with my family there.
If you still require two responsible, flexible and well mannered young men please let me know 🙂
Pat.
My husband I would like to drive your car from Lansing, Mi or the Michigan area to Florida. We want to leave about Oct 30, 2013. We both have good driving records and could furnish good references. We have bought a Car in Fl. and do ot want to end up with 2 cars down there. We have a place in Bradenton. If interested call 517-256-1672
Reply
My mom and I would like to drive someones car from Maine (anywhere in new england) to Florida in the beginning of November. We both have great driving records and are reliable on the road. Just want to do a little mother/daughter road trip. Reply if you need your car delivered.
Fiance and I (29 & 30) can provide car transport from Austin, TX to the east coast of NC (or Charlotte and the area) and are willing to go anywhere Northeast and even Southeast of that. Really flexible and clean driving records as well as insured. We are looking to leave anywhere from October 10 to the 20th. Please reply if interested!
I hate tight schedules when I travel. When one have only 20 minutes to spend at ones favorite attraction, but waste hours to see uninteresting things. So I think, it’s much better to be flexible at your travel.
looking to drive someone’s vehicle from east coast to west coast retired us government holds class B CDL
excellent driving record with copy of record to present.
I have a Suburu Outback that I would love to have driven from Connecticut to Seattle sometime before Mid-December. The back would be filled with household items, however, passenger seat open and would consider putting a storage rack on top if necessary.
I am planning a trip to seattle from Delaware.. Me and my wife and 2 kids will travel in a week… I have many experience in driving over 2000miles in a week and have clean driving history, no ticket, accidents…
my cell – 302-528-0031
Looking for someone to drive my car from Cleveland, OH to Chandler, AZ sometime around the end of November. Contact me if interested.
I may want my suburban driven from Chicago to Salt Lake City any time between end of November and December 20. Still trying to decide if this makes sense. Please let me know if you are interested i driving it. No pets preferred, and responsible drivers. Thanks, Bill F
Able to drive car to San Francisco from Los Angeles either Oct 3 or 4.
Clean record, able to provide high reliability information.
MY SON & I WOULD LIKE TO DRIVE SOMEONES VEHICLE TO DENVER FROM THE BAY AREA. I’M 73 MY SON IS 43 BOTH GOOD DRIVERS WE WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE IN THE NEXT WEEK. ANY ONE HAVE A VEHICLE THEY WANT DROPPED OFF IN DENVER?
Will drive your car or truck from Southern California to Lampasas Texas. you pay the gas. Wish to leave around the first of Oct 2013. Send me an email.
My wife and I are planning a trip from the New York area to the West Coast. We would like to perhaps get in touch with someone who is looking to transport a car. The Tri-state area is open for pick up and Arizona is our destination, but we will go anywhere in the area within a few hundred miles. Background check is just fine and we are both NYS licensed drivers. Please contact us at the above email address. We are looking to leave in January of 2014.
hello,
we (my boyfriend 34years) and me (32years) are looking to drive
someones vehicle from New York down to Miami.
We are good drivers and serious. I´m an architect and my boyfriend a manager.
We are leaving New York on 22th of December.
please contact us if we can help you by driving your car down the coast.
Hi
I have a vehicle in the New Hampshire/Massachusetts area that needs to be driven to Oklahoma hopefully within the next week. Can be flexible on pick up and drop off locations.
Val
[email protected]
I am an independent contractor whose work takes her all around the US. I am in Austin right now and would like to find a car delivery that would take me to Columbus Ohio or thereabouts in the next few weeks. I have an excellent driving record and can provide personal and professional references. I will be in Vegas mid-November and would like to drive to the Long Beach, CA area while out west.
Looking to drive someones vehicle from miami/ft. lauderdale area to baltimore or anything close to it. DC, new york, philadelphia area would be fine too. Person must show documents that they own the car. Im 31 yrs of age, good driving record and insured by USAA. Must be paid for trip.
Hi there. Im in Austin and needing to move myself and a small load of suitcases, and boxes to Las Vegas. Leaving most of my stuff in storage and only taking the bare essentials with me as I am looking to take a break from Austin. If you need your car driven from anywhere near Austin to Las Vegas or San Francisco area (have friends there that could take me the rest of the way to Vegas) then please contact me. Looking to leave asap. Clean record and USAA insured
Need someone to help me drive a rental truck from Madison, Wisconsin, to San Diego, California, in early November 2013. Really need to get there.
I would like to drive someones vehicle from Denver to Tampa. I am packing up things and moving, so I would need an empty vehicle. I’m at [email protected]. Thx!
I am going to be driving my parents’ car back home after Christmas, so I’m wondering if anyone needs to have their car taken out just before Christmas…. I live in Southwestern MI (near South Bend, IN) and my parents live in Southern CA (about an hour west of LA). So, just to be clear, I’d be interested if you want me to drive your car from MI/IN/Chicago to Southern CA, leaving Dec. 20 or 21. You don’t have to pay me – you just pay gas and I’ll pay lodging.
I’m mid-40s and am a responsible, mature person. I have been driving for 30 years with no accidents and not even a speeding ticket! If something looks like it’s going to work out, I’ll certainly give you references (and will appreciate you giving me references). We both want to know that we can rely on the other. My wife and 2 children (tweens) may join me, or they may fly. If that makes a difference to you, let me know.
I am trying to decide if I want my suburban transported from Chicago to Salt Lake City around the time you want to go. Not sure yet if I will do this, but please let me know if that works for you. No smoking and preferably no pets, unless perhaps the dog is small and doesn’t shed. No cats thanks.
Best, Bill F
Hello I am a 49 year old male with a wonderful driving record. I used to have a CDL, but now am disabled from driving cross country. I am looking for a car to drive from Colorado to Georgia. My schedule is the around the 3rd week of October. Email: [email protected]