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.
hi….
i’m looking to drive from chicago to LA. great driving record, responsible, reliable and dependable.its open-ended right now. you can contact me at adshua at gmail.com for further info. thanks kk.
Still looking for a vehicle to drive? May be able to work something out…
I’m looking to drive a car from Los Angeles or surrounding area to GA in Mid-Late Sept. I am insured with a clean driving record. If you need a driver, call me at 310-721-7823. Thanks.
Im looking to drive a car from Georgia or surrounding states to California in early October, I have an excellent driving history and am insured as well as responsible, if you need a vehicle driven you can reach me at 323 252 6719 and my name is Jedd, thanks.
Looking to drive a vehicle to New Orleans on Sept.16, plan to be on the road that early morning in order to arrive there no later than 5pm. If you need a vehicle driven to New Orleans at that time you can call Les at 312-218-8288. Thanks.
Where are you starting your journey?
I’m moving to Dallas, TX I’m and excellent driver, no tickets or accidents. Very conconscientious driver/person. I live in between Palm Beach and Miami. I would appreciate the opportunity to drive your vehicle to a destination near or Dallas.
Call Nancy 561-305-7081
Due To Divorce i am moving back to Ohio from the Sacramento,Ca area with my clothes and two well behaved dogs. I am 32 male and have a good driving record. I need to leave by the end of the month a hope i can help someone out by getting there car to them, I have gas money. Call Brian at 916-730-9191
Due to a divorce I am re-locating and I, my friend and my dog are travelling from Fresno, California, to Toronto in mid September. The dog is used to travel long distance and is very well behaved.
I am a woman, 52 years old, and a careful, responsible and good driver with an absolutely clean record.
I am looking to drive someone’s car. Pick-up and drop-off is flexible. I can pick up your car somewhere in California or even Nevada since I am going to visit with relatives in Las Vegas on the way. I’m open to drop off the car somewhere on the way to Toronto, perhaps the East Coast, New York etc.
Drop me an email if you are interested and we’ll talk. Suggestions?
Thank you
ChrisEmail: gunsans@hotmail:disqus.com
Hello all,
I am a male 23-
year old recent college graduate of Villanova University and I would be able to
drive your car from NJ, NY, BOSTON etc out West (ideally California but would
also consider AZ or Nevada or anywhere to the west of and including Texas). No-smoker, with a spotless driving record–not even a
parking ticket– and can provide references. I drive manual or automatic, and
am looking to make my trip anytime after Christmas and before January 7th. The
reason for my trip is that I am traveling to Thailand to teach English and
using San Fran as my jumping off point.
Feel free to
contact me by email or phone,
[email protected]
or 8456416138
hope to hear from
you soon, Sonny
I want to learn more about driveaway jobs. I’m 41 and I’ve had driving jobs all my life. I’m interested in driveaway jobs permanently or maybe 6 months a year. I can’t ever seem to find enough information about it as far as what a driver is paid or how busy a driver can stay.
Hoping to drive car, truck of bike between Seattle area to the midwest near the end of August. I am a 53 year old teacher with clean records and a chauffer’s license. Kind of curious as to how this will work with gas prices up. The drive-away service that is linked says now it is more practical to ship multiple cars on a truck.
48 yo retired Paramedic/FF (trained driver) will be traveling from central Florida (Tampa, Orlando, Ocala) area October 30th to Denver CO to hopefully arrive on Nov 2nd.
Offering to drive your vehicle (car, truck, RV, Trailers – OK) to Denver area. Will pay fuel on standard vehicle, will split for large one.
email [email protected]
Two recent college graduates looking to take a trip from New York to California. Responsible individuals with years of driving experience and clean driving records. Flexible schedule, looking to leave at the end of the summer. If interested, please call Lucas at 646 262 0884 or Justin at [email protected]
today is july 24 2011. i need a reliable person to drive my 2004 nissan sentra 4 door from pembroke pines florida, 33028 to Blacksburg Va. 24060. needs to be picked up from my house between aug 5 thru aug 7 then driven to Blacksburg Va- home of Va Tech.
please respond if you know someone who is reliable and a safe driver. the car runs great!
[email protected]
I live in Mission Viejo. My family and I need to travel to San Francisco for a family wedding in October. There are 5 of us Me my wife, 2 sons and one daughter. We plan on staying in a hotel but the parking is $58 dollars per day and we plan on being their for 5 days. We would like to drive someone’s vehicle up there on October6th and one back if possible on October 10th. My wife and I have clean driving records. Cost to fly us all is too expensive and to park is over $250 and everyone knows once you get to San Francisco there is not no wherer to park if sight seeing. If interested please email [email protected].
I’m moving to CA from DC at the end of August. I have a clean driving record and will be traveling with my brother. If interested, please contact me at [email protected] or (818) 317-9372. Thanks!
I need to get from Tulsa(OK) to New York before Aug. of 2.
I have clean driving record, if you interested here is my contact info: (918)488-0041 & [email protected].
Natalie.
im looking to drive from Brooklyn to Florida in mid august
looking to drive a car from upstate ny (rochester) down to anywhere in florida after the 5 of july I am 27 years old. And am a safe driver.
Hi, I am planning to come up to Rochester to pick up a car in the next couple of weeks and bring it back down to Jacksonville, Fl where I live. If you haven’t already found a ride maybe we can work something out. If interested you can email me at [email protected] . Ann
Hello Ann. Have you already taken this drive? I have to take a car to my kids in Virginia this week and looking for a ride back down to Jacksonville. I’m looking at coming back Sept 2 or 3rd. Thanks, Eddie, [email protected]
I am taking my daughter back to School in Missoula Montana. Will be leaving August 18th from Southern California, L. A. Area and would love to get your car there for you.
Am willing to drive anywhere is USA, I live in Ft Lauderdale and have traveled extensively in the USA especially the Florida Northeastern corridor. Retired, good driving record and much experience.
I am looking at an RV I’d like to get from Ft Lauderdale to SF. I’ll pay the gas. Timing is sometime in July. Interested?
Iam interested in driving the RV for you..Contact me back at 910-398-8198 and let’s talk and see what we can Work out !
Stephen G….
Hello,
Wanted to know if you found a driver for your RV?
If not, You may call me @ 904.753.0225
or email me…….. [email protected]
hi there im prensa in sfla. i need to have my 2004 nissan sentra driven from pem pines florida 33028- to blacksburg Va. 24060 needs to be picked up between aug 5 thru 7 and driven directly to blackburg- home of Va Tech. what say you? thanks!
I am willing to drive to Atlanta , New York and back To Florida just e-mail me.
Need to drive my daughter to school in Orlando end of August — willing to drive your car from Boston area. Leaving Aug. 18-19
Retired peace officer from Colorado looking to drive your SUV or van from New Jersey to Colorado beginning of June
it’s funny how people don’t seem to understand that your post was purely informational.
Oneeyeopen: Yes, I’ve stopped correcting them. It’s beyond me why people
write and ask for contact information when it’s in the body of the article.
I guess they just don’t read it.
There are some disadvantages of this type of travel. For this type of travel your schedule must be flexible. The main thing is that the drivers must have clean driving records, three forms of identifications & be willing to undergo a criminal background check. If these are ok then driveaways are very economical option to rental cars especially for a person who has no car.