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 to drive a car from Southern california, either San Diego area or LA area up to Toronto, Canada or close enough that I could bus there. Vancouver. Alberta. Montreal. Buffalo. New York. Im flexible in terms of timing. Only 1 responsible 28 year old graduate student. trying to find an affordable and enjoyable way to visit my fiance in Toronto. no pets, friends or family tagging along.
760-808-7102
Joe
looking to drive from newyork to seattle at the end of may
email [email protected]
Would love to transport your car from Washington DC area to San Francisco area while at the same time, moving my son home from college. I am a 58 yo female with excellent driving record. We would like to leave somewhere around May 7-8 and arrive to meet your needs or ours, which would be May 14. Contact: Cell # 916-849-3014.
I am looking to drive a car to Florida or Georgia from SE Wisconsin or the Chicago area. I have a lot of flexibility location-wise. I would be able to pick up between Sat. 4/10 – Wed. 4/13, with delivery within 3-4 days. I have driven vehicles for the Autodriveaway company several times in the past, and have a clean driving record and valid WI driver’s license. I am a 48 year-old adult woman who loves road trips and saving money. Please contact me at [email protected]. Thank you.
Hi
My husband and I are looking for a car to drive from San Francisco to Florida around late April/early May. We do have some flexibility with dates. Both have clean license, and long distance and highway driving experience.
Thanks
I am looking for anyone who might need a full size truck moved from LA, Las Vegas, or anywhere between the two, to the east. I live in West Virginia but OH, VA, or KY would be close enough.
I have a horse and horse trailer in Las Vegas that I want to tow back home. (don’t want to rack up miles on my pickup driving out there just to drive back).
I am a very experienced tower, have a clean driving record, and many references. I am 48 years old.
Some time after the first week in May and before June is what I am hoping for.
I will drive your SUV, Van or Full sz car from Boston to the San Francsico Bay Area at the end of April….
I am a dad, moving my daughter home from Boston. 64, recently retired, active, licensed, no violations, insured by state farm. Respond to [email protected]
Thank you.
Will be headed to San Diego from West Palm Beach on March 21st with my husband, son and well behaved dog. Need a sedan or SUV. Please contact me at [email protected]
Looking to drive car, SUV, pickup,Van across US. Seattle to NYC area. Perfect driving record, 50 years of age, sometime around March 21st. Please call me at 206-227-0583.
I’m interested in becoming a driver, I have driven for your company before, I can be reached at 1-504-717-3568
From where? I need a mid size SUV driven from Fort Lauderdale, FL to the Seattle, WA area around May 2011. If you or anyone else is seeking a car to use to travel across country let me know.
[email protected] or 305-921-9665
Hello Recently unemployed, Im looking for any driveaway car or truck, I live in Fort Pierce, Fl. Will drive from Florida to anywhere in US or to Florida. 47 years old, safe driver, valid drivers license and insurance. Please call or e-mail me 561 685-2950 [email protected] Craig Corey Todays Date January 13th 2011
Seeking a van or truck or large car to drive to Chicago, IL from Santa Barbara, CA.
Will probably take 4-5 days.
Will be traveling with my very well behaved dog.
Excellent driving record.
Please contact me at 805-245-4977
I actually decided to make a quick movie about this, I would be honored if you could maybe take a minute to look it and perhaps leave a message about what you think, I left the movie link in the “website” field, hopefully you can get to it, thanks a lot
Has anyone here been paid to do a driveaway? Are there companies that pay the driver to deliver the car? I shuffled through the Autodriveaway site and it mentions that they do not pay there driver. I’m very curious if this could be a serious source of income.
Chris: To my knowledge, there are no companies that pay to do a driveaway.
Hi! I’m a military wife currently living in Northern Virginia. I have to go home to care for my mom next week in the Tampa, Florida area for a couple of weeks. I am looking for someone that needs a vehicle driven from FL to Washington DC/Northern Virginia, so that I can bring some things back to my home in VA (preferably a mini van or an SUV). I’m 40 years old with a clean driving record and insurance. Would like to drive from FL to VA around September 24th but that date is flexible a day or two either way.
Tracy
[email protected]
Tracy: I do not arrange for drive away trips, I only wrote about them. To arrange for a drive away, contact one of the companies I listed in my article – I have provided live links to the companies within the content of the article.
Would you please provide the link to your article on the subject of driving autos from point a to point b? My email address is [email protected]
Sweet, that’s exactly what I was shooting for! You just saved me alot of digging around
Sweet, that’s exactly what I was shooting for! You just saved me alot of digging around
I do not generally respond to blogposts but I’ sure will in this case. Wow a big thumbs up for this 1!
I’m new to blogging & your blog is really sharp. I started the process of making my own blog. Do you mind if I use your color scheme for it? I don’t want to copy you I just like the colors you picked. Sincerely, Sun Auto Sales, 1835 Glenwood Ave, Youngstown, Ohio 44511 330-746-6022
I would like to know how to get a position for driving cars cross country? [email protected]
cell phone 313-330-1839 John Austin
John – contact the companies in my article. I have linked to them in the body of the post, so you can contact them through their particular websites.
This was really,really helpful to me. Do you folks have a donate button? I hate when trols get everything they need and don’t bother to say thanks to the owner Seriously ., i have no issues expressing my thanks for informative posts!! Thanks again. Jim Roberts, Low Auto Insurance Store,1 W Federal St, Youngstown, Ohio 44503, 330-967-0909
I did this back in college in the late 80s and it was awsome. Got one car for 10 days from NY to LA. Then we got another car 2 weeks later, also for 10 days from SF back to NY. It was an awesome and cheap way to see the country.
Ray, if you work for the airlines, surely you are aware that you will lose your “fly for free” pass privilege if you are caught using them for business purposes. That is a violation of your flying privileges.
I will drive your car across country and get home on my own. I work for the Airlines and fly for free and love to take road trips. I have a clean driveing record and a clean police record. Please contact me if you know anyone that would like a car or truck moved. [email protected]
It’s definitely a great option, especially with the advent of the internet that makes it so easy to find these kinds of deals.