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.
We are looking to drive your car from the Chicago area December 26th to Orlando. Experienced.
Ivy League educated and taking a humanitarian job in Haiti. I need to transport some of my personal belongings from NYC to Miami by July 26th. No joke. Pleas let me know if you have a car that needs to make this trip.
No scams please, I won;t fall for them and I don’t have the time to sort through them. Please email me at [email protected].
Thanks!
Hi,
I am looking to drive a car from LA or Phoenix to PA, NJ, NY around the 19th of July.
Clean records
Will want to transport a few belongings
I am planning to drive back east through NJ, PA & NY from LA through the south making stops along the way. Willing to share rental car and gas costs. NOTE: I will be conducting interviews with locals, so if you have timeframes to adhere to this may not work.
I’m looking for a vehicle that needs transported from northeast Ohio to east coast, preferably close to New London, Connecticut area for July 22nd . Will be picking up son from Coast Guard academy. Can call or text 330 592 9878. Mike
I am looking to drive someone’s vehicle to kc area from the 10th of this month and arriving in the kc metro by the 15th. It will be my wife and 1year old child. We will be departing from the philly area south jersey. I have a clean driving record and work as a teacher. Please hit me up if we could be of benefit to one another.
I’m looking for a car to drive NYC area to Cali — SF or LA.
Clean driving record. Male early 60’s.
Looking at the end of July or early August.
I need my 2003 Ford Mustang (manual) driven from Los Angeles to fort Riley Kansas or somewhere near 323 802 8664 contact me if anyone is interested
I can drive a car from Nashville , TN to Washington DC , july 12th , if you have a car let me know , just pay for Gas.
I can drive a car from San Francisco/ Bay Area (or Salt Lake City area) to Washington, D.C. basically any time from now until the end of July. I am an excellent driver with clean records all around. If interested please get it touch. Thanks! D.
wanting to drive a car from Seattle to Chicago around August 6 if you have a good car that will not strand me along the way. I am a very experienced driver with a perfect driving record. Love the open road and love road trips. Destination is ultimately Morhead KY, but Chicago is close enough. St Louis would be good or any other city close to my destination. Get in touch. Candace
My wife and I live on lake Petersburg illinois. I just recently retired , I would like to drive a vehicle to Wharton, Tx. 60 miles southwest of Houston. Non-smoker and excellent driving record. I will respect your car as if it were mine. I have local credible references as well. Thanks Randy 217-481-5213 no calls after 9pm
Hello;
I am a 27 year old responsible man with a clean driving record. I will be in LA toward the end of July and am looking for someone who needs theie car driven from LA to Denver. Myself and girlfriend are clean responsible non smoking people who will take good care of your vechicle and deliver it door to door.
Call Kyle @ 305 807 0761 if this works for you
Looking for a win – win situation
Need to find someone who wants a minivan/SUV driven the first week of September to Chicago from Boston. Want to leave around September 2, arrive September 5.
Sig
I can drive your car to Florida from Mpls or area the first week of August
I can drive your minivan from Orlando FL to Myrtle Beach, SC on July 2. Perfect record.
I am looking for someone that needs a car driven from San Francisco (Aug 22, 2015) to Seattle (August 29,2015). Please let me know if you are interested. 847-722-5571
Seeking a driver!
I’m checking other options besides towing an auto transport trailer with a u haul. Will be traveling from Indiana PA to Bloomington IL on Sunday June 28 and I will need my car for work the next morning.
Thank You
I need a car to drive from Boston, MA to Seattle, WA around the first week of August. Clean driving record and I have drivers insurance to cover me in other peoples’ cars!
Going to California next month, plan to fly, but could drive a car, truck, or U-Haul. Located between Pittsburgh pa and Washington dc. Over 50, don’t drink, don’t smoke. Would require gas money. If you need help e mail [email protected]. willing to drive either direction. Will not transport contraband.
We need someone to drive our son’s 2014 Ford Focus (manual shift) from N. VA to San Clemente, CA in July. Please contact me if you’re interested.
I will be going to CA on the 10th July I can drive your sons vehicle and drop it off. I’m in the military and have a family of 4. E-mail me if you would like me to drive your vehicle.
Armand0 – How does one contact you? Where are you located? I just wrote this guy Scott too as I have a car in Central VA (Lynchburg) and I am checking my options. Thanks.
Hi, I’m looking to make a trip out to California in late-July/early-August. I’m a graduate student with good driving record. Let me know if you still need some help. Regards.
Scott – Hi. Where are you located? How does one contact you? I have a car in Central VA that I would like to get to San Diego.
Hi, I may be available to drive your car from VA to San Diego around August 20th arrival. Let me know if you still need someone. Thanks. Jennifer Switzer 949-375-1633
i’m looking for a driver for a small cargo van from bridegport ct to sf, ca. i could possibly get the van to philly first
Hi Eric,
I will be traveling from Washington, DC to San Francisco at the end of the August and could have your car there by early September. I would be willing to discuss options to pick up the car in Philly or other nearby city. Let me know if you are still looking for someone!
Best,
Sarah
hi , i might be going that way in july. contact me thx rick g.
Hi, I may be able to drive your car if your dates are flexible and if you still need someone, around August 20th arrival. Thanks. Jennifer Switzer 949-375-1633
Hi Eileen – if you are still looking for a driver, I would be available on August 22nd to drive from VA to CA. Please let me know at [email protected].
Hi
Me and my family is going from los angeles to vegas on 28th sep and back on 30th so if somebody has a car thats need to be driven just send an email
I am looking for some one to drive me In there own car to va. Drop off I do not need transportation back. On July 1st please let me know if interested. Text 5702445248
My name is Randy . i am looking to drive for someone ASAP . i live in Pennsylvania right outside of Pittsburgh .. looking. to drive anywhere south. please. leave. me a response. on here . thank
I am looking to have some one drive me to va in there own car.
I will drive your car from TN to NYC from Aug. 15th to Aug. 19th, 2015. Prefer Nashville departure. Excellent driver in mid-40s; perfect record.
I would like someone to drive my Ford Escape from Boston Mass to Kansas City ( or close by ) somewhere between the end of July and the first week of August.
I might be able to, but then I’ll need to find a car from Kansas City to Seattle. Let me know if you know of anything.
I need a car driven from Seattle, Washington to Cleveland, Ohio around July 1, 2015.
Me and my friend could help you if we took the car on 8/13 and could get it to Cleveland around the 21st. Let me know if you’re interested.
Hello, If you can get me to Seattle, WA I will drive it to Ohio for you. I will get it there within a day or two at the most. Phone is (816)277-7172