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.
I need someone to drive my 2011 Ford Pickup from Bowling Green, Ky to Yuma, AZ or Southern California.
[email protected]
When do you need your truck taken to Arizona? My husband and I are 50ish with excellent driving records.
Will be heading from VA to Pacific Northwest during the summer 2015 via northern route. If you have a vehicle to be relocated, let me know.
I have a car I would like driven from Philadelphia area to Juneau, AK in June. Are you interested?
Hi there,
My husband and I are travelling south from Seattle during November 2015. We are expecting to visit LA, Vegas, Dallas, New Orleans, Savannah & Miami. If you need a car moved in November to/from any of those places (or places close by) please get in touch! We’re pretty flexible with dates and locations at this time.
Cheers,
Savannah
Hi I have an Acura MDX that I need transported from Miami, FL to Nashville, TN. I’m pretty flexible with the dates, but I need it transported by the first week of May/end of April 2015. Email me if you’re interested! Thanks!
Jennifer,
Wonder if you would be interested in the MDX being moved April 2, 2015. My wife and I are going north from Florida and could drop it off in Nashville.
Let us know.
Looking for someone to drive a minivan from the Seattle area to Boston. Dates are somewhat flexible (would prefer sometime in Feb). My email is [email protected]
I am on an extended visit in the Portland area and will be moving back East in the beginning of April (after the 7th). I know you want the van moved by February, but in case you still need it moved to Boston in April, let me know. 🙂
-Heather
Hi Heather….April may work fine for us. Can you pls send your contact info? My email is [email protected]
I will transport your vehicle from Seattle or Portland area to anchorage during the month of July 2015
Hello I am looking to drive your car/smaller SUV from Syracuse NY to Arizona or somewhere in between in later May. Thx 🙂
I need someone to drive my car from San Antonio to Indianapolis on Jan 31st. I will pay for Flight Ticket and boarding in addition.
are you still looking for someone to drive your car ?
Sammy Pearson Call Me I Can Drive Your
Car For You 602 810 2941
We need someone to drive our car (suv) from Naples/Ft Myers, FL in mid to late April to Cleveland.
Evil,
Would the beginning of April work?
My wife an I are from theWindsor Ontario area and have sold are car and are looking to get back to your area by Easter Sunday.
Evie,
I am planning a trip from FL to NY around the same time. Would love to drive your SUV to Cleveland! I am 28 years old, South African, have 3 forms of identification and a perfect driving history. Call me if you are still looking for someone. 5614108207
Tell me more..
My husband and I (professionals, both 50+) are hoping to drive a vehicle from San Francisco to the Twin Cities/Western Wisconsin March 7-14, 2015. Please email me if you need this service.
Hi!
If anyone has the need to have their vehicle relocated from Northern California (I live near Sacramento) to Michigan, I am moving that way in June of 2015. Clean driving record with several cross country trips already under my belt.
My email is [email protected].
Thanks!
Looking to transport a vehicle from Phoenix, AZ area to either Southern Montana, Idaho Falls, or Northern Wyoming in May sometime. Trip can be from North to South also (vice versa).
Hi,
I’m a Swedish student based in Los Angeles. I got both Swedish and California driver license and a clean record.
I have experience from driving for about 10 years, and I can drive both manual and automatic cars. I guarantee your car is in safe hands. I have been driving in snow, rain etc when I lived in Sweden, so all types of weather conditions are okay.
If you need to have your car either to LA or from the LA area fast, don’t hesitate to contact me. I want to help you. You just pay for gas and a small fee to get the job done, and if it’s not possible to find another car to get back, I need a plane ticket. However, I’m just driving the car from point A to B, as fast as possible. I’m not going for a sightseeing. I am very flexible, if you need anything to be picked up down the road etc. I sure help you with that too.
My contact information is:
[email protected]
310-623 29 52
Sincerely,
Mikael Johansson
I meed someone to drive my ford f150 pick up truck from Los Angeles to Detroit in a week or two
Al 818-788-7039
I was interested in driving you vehicle but need to no if you will pay every thing I need a plain ticket to la ok. let me no asap
I am looking to have a vehicle transported from Portland, Oregon to Des Moines, Iowa. sometime between now and Jan 29th 2015. I am somewhat flexible on schedule so long as it arrives after the 6th of February and before the end of Feb.
Does anyone need their car or van relocated to Oregon from Mississippi? We are in need of an extra vehicle to transport our belongings. We will be leaving around February 13th 2015 from Jackson MS to Portland OR.
Hi!
I am planning a trip from the Boston, MA area to Santa Monica, CA in early February 2015. Could also pick up a car in the Philadelphia area. I am a very good driver and have a perfect record. I need a car with AWD. Automatic transmission. Rental cars are just too expensive! Can anyone help me?
My Girlfriend and I are looking to travel route 89 (we can be reasonably flexible on pick up and drop off locations), between July 20th 2015 to August 20th 2015 and are looking to transport someones vehicle. We both have clean licenses, are non smokers and are reliable and safe drivers. Significant prior notice would be preferable as we have to book flights from the UK.
Please contact me on [email protected]
Thanks
Hi there,
Me and my friend are ready to drive your car from anywhere on the west coast to anywhere on the east coast. First full tank of gas is on you and we will take of the rest. We have clean driving records and vast driving experience.
Call or text at 323-342-3818
And e-mail to [email protected]
Does anybody needs their car transported from Houston to California in the next few weeks?
I’m 25 yr old male with clean driving record and 6 years of driving practice, both comfortable with manual and automatic transmission vehicles. Feel free to contact me on my e-mail address for details!
Hello!
My boyfriend and I are looking to drive from Ohio to Sacramento, CA in March. Does anyone have a car that needs to go in that area? I am a safe and responsible driver with a clean record. Please contact me if interested!
[email protected]
Hello! My boyfriend and I are available to drive from the Boston area to southern California mid-July 2015. We both have perfect driving records. Please e-mail [email protected] if you’re interested in making a plan!
Hi there! I am willing and able to drive from Boston, MA to Central Florida this January. I have a flexible window from 01/10/2014 to 01/16/2014. I am a 30 year old woman, non-smoker, excellent driver, and will be very careful to take good care of your baby! Please email me if we can work together.
I’m trying to help my brother-in-law find an affordable way to get from Syracuse, NY (or anywhere remotely close) to San Antonio, TX, where he has a new job waiting. The ideal situation will be to drive someone else’s empty vehicle down, so he can transport some of his belongings. He has a clean driver’s record and can pay for gas and tolls.
If you need a vehicle drive from New York to San Antonio, or someone close, please reply ASAP.
Typo: I meant someWHERE close.
I am leaving for Austin Texas and would like company in the car. I have an SUV. Want to drive down?
Hello there if you need someone to drive your vehicle I just need to no if you will pay for plain ticket back to my home town
Need to get my car from Boston to Seattle – 2001 Honda Civic. Car is ready for pickup after 1st week of Jan; if anyone is willing to bring it to Seattle, let me know. Thanks
/Sri
Hello there if you need a driver I need plain tickets to you place and when I deliver the vehicle I need a plain ticket home ok..
My girlfriend and I are relocating to the Bay Area in California in the beginning of January, and have to drive since I have a dog that is just a bit too big to fly (20lb Chihuahua Terrier mix). We are looking for someone with a car in the Baltimore / D.C. area who would like their car relocated to Northern California. Both of us have clean driving records. Please contact me if interested. Thanks!
Hi – Anyone looking to have their car driven from Houston to Austin on 30th Dec 2014? Me and my husband will be happy to do it.
Contact me at [email protected]
Thanks
I have a vw bug that I want to get from Va. to Grass Valley Calif or Sacramento. Please give me a call. B Whitney
Reply to Mason, Have Diesel VB bug in Va DC area and need it moved to Sacramento. B. Whitney
still looking to have my vw 2001 diesel bug driven from Virginia to Sacramento calif during he months of january or february 2015. please email me. at [email protected] thank you
I need to drive oneway from Phoenix to Chicago this Christmas 2014. I have a dog that does not do well on airplane flights. My dog will be living with my parents in Chicago.
If you have a car that you need to move from Phoenix to Chicago, I would be willing to drive it for you for free.
I know that this is a short notice, but you never know if my request is responding to someone’s need.
I’m a responsible 30 year old with an excellent driving record.
Please contact me at 312-860-0638