Driveaway Cars – Like Driving Someone Else’s Automobile for Free

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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.

Hit the road for free in someone else's automobile, with a driveaway car
Hit the road for free in someone else’s automobile, with a driveaway car

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.

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2,255 thoughts on “Driveaway Cars – Like Driving Someone Else’s Automobile for Free”

  1. Me and my wife want to take a road trip from Sarasota Florida to Detroit Michigan. We dont want to put the miles on our car and heard that this is a Service that can help us, but we can be of service as well.
    Leaving on October 25, let me know if this is a possibility.

    Reply

  3. I can drive a car from Cleveland, oh to Tucson, AZ. I have a clean driving record. Or vice versa. I am willing to spend the time and car for your vehicle.

    Reply

  5. I would like to drive an automobile from california to jackson, Ms. or somewhere close to their. Clean driving record. and fully insured.

    Reply

  6. I am available to drive a car, truck or SUV from Columbus, OH to Sacramento, CA the weekend of October 22nd. Let me know if you’re looking to have a car transported. I just need a car big enough for about three boxes of memorabilia to take with me. I have a clean record.

    Reply

  8. My husband and I need a vehicle to drive son’s wedding gifts from Dallas Ft Worth area to Los Angeles area. Would like to leave 10/6. Plan to arrive LA late 10/8. No charge to vehicle owner. I work for Airline and will fly back free. Excellent driving record. Vehicles needs to be at least small SUV to hold gifts.

    Reply

  9. I’m available to make a NY (or nearby) to LA (or west coast) drive, sometime in the next few months. I’m hoping to take my time (photographer), so I’m curious of what’s out there. We can discuss logistics when/if the right person seems interested.

    37, male, spotless driving record.

    Reply

  10. October 2, 2016. Looking to drive car from Portland, Oregon to Sacramento or San Francisco, CA. Will drive straight through.

    530-601-1870

    Reply

  11. Need to drive car and sister to Philadelphia or New Yorn from Raleigh. N.C. any time in October.
    Please call me. Reliable person. Call me 4843533431 Mirtha.

    Reply

  12. Free to travel anytime. Offering to deliver your car to or from it’s destination within the USA. No side trips. I give you my time to travel but will also buy my own food and lodging. Call or text 817 495 7190

    Reply

  13. My wife,small dog and I are looking for someone to drive us and a small boat trailer from the Lake George NY area to Tampa Fl area in our vehicle around Oct. or Nov. willing to pay and fly you back to where ever email if interested.

    Reply

  15. My friend and I would like to drive a car from Houston, TX to Tucson AZ – or Phoenix. No problem driving all the way to San Diego, CA or Los Angeles/ Santa Barbara as well as to San Francisco, as our trip end there. Start: the 2nd of October ( or the 3rd, after agreement)- arriving to :
    – Tucson / Phoenix- latest 4/5th of Oct,
    -San Diego- 6th/latest 7th of Oct,
    – Los Angeles/ Santa Barbara: 8th of Oct
    – San Francisco- 10th-11th-latest 12th of Oct.

    Both 35 y.old females, experienced drivers from Stockholm, Sweden, with perfect driving records.

    Best regards,
    Julianna
    / [email protected]
    0046760470020

    Reply

  16. I will drive your vehicle to Sheridan,Wy, or anywhere in east Tennessee or central Florida. I’m in downtown Seattle,Wa. Anytime after September. I would do it for free and pay my own way. Gas, motel…etc. I have a perfect driving record, am older and would drive straight through, no stops. Please contact me via email. [email protected]. Thanking you in advance.

    Reply

  17. My sister and I would love to drive your car or van from anywhere to wherever. We are two seniors needing to supplement our SS.
    We have perfect driving records and would treat your vehicle as our own.
    We are retired and could leave anytime.

    Thanks,

    Reply

  19. I would like to drive a vehicle from Minneapolis to Atlanta – leaving Sunday, September 18th and arriving in Atlanta on Tuesday, September 20th.

    Reply

    • What about driving from Charleston, SC to California – it can be anywhere from LA to Ventura to Santa Barbara – whenever.

      Reply

    • I would like to get off of my cruise ship in bar harbor and drive to Lisa angeles area. I am arriving in bar harbor 9/10. I could stay in the area a couple days if necessary. I’m 59 insured, good driving record. I live in Ventura area just north of LA. My email is [email protected] and phone is 805-218-4257

      Reply

  24. Leaving for California , sept 15 , and will be returning oct 2, if any one needs a car driven ,east coast to west coast, or west to east coast, at that time then please call 301 616 1335 .

    Reply

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