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

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. FLORIDA TO TEXAS DRIVER FOR FREE HONEST AND SAFE
    posted March/2017

    I am available to drive a car from Fort Lauderdale, Florida area to Austin, TX or Houston , TX area at the beginning of August 8th or 9th /2017.
    Also available to drive a car from Austin, TX to Fort Lauderdale or nearby areas after August 23.
    Clean driving record. No accidents or tickets. Non-smoker. Very experienced in long-distance driving & a retired federal law enforcement agent.

    Reply
    • Hi Frank,

      I am a researcher for an Australian food programme and we are filming in Miami. We are looking for someone to drive our presenters car from Miami to Alabama airport around the 9th / 10th May and having read your post, wondered if this could be of interest to you?

      Reply
  2. Late 60’s retired couple will transport your vehicle from Arizona to New England. We are from Massachusetts and Maine, now living in Mazatlan, MX. Dates are open. We would travel to Arizona for the pick up. We have driven this route 3 times in the past with our own vehicle. Contact Glenwood Paulsen: Email [email protected] or call 520-381-9933.

    Reply
  3. Professional, conscientious 51 year old experienced, non-smoking driver with clean record will deliver your car from Wisconsin to Ohio or Ohio to Wisconsin. Call (920)385-0900 or email [email protected].

    Reply
  4. Professional, considerate 52 year old experienced driver will deliver your car from Southern California to as far as Miami between Mid April to May 2017.
    I’ve driven every type of vehicle across America 5 times.

    Reply
  5. I can drive your car from anywhere in North Carolina to Cleveland. Or anywhere in Florida to Cleveland within the next few weeks. Your car could be to you by April 1, washed and pretty.

    Kelly K
    216- 618- 8425

    Reply
  6. I am available to drive a car from Pittsburgh, PA area to Austin, TX area at the end of June/beginning of July.
    Also available to drive a car from Austin, TX to Pittsburgh, PA after July 6th.
    Clean driving record. No accidents or tickets. Non-smoker. Very experienced in long-distance driving.

    Reply
  7. Hello,

    I am a very responsible individual who is willing to drive someone’s vehicle from Denver, CO to Dallas, TX (DFW) March 24th as I am heading home to visit family and doing Military training.

    You may contact me via email [email protected]

    Reply
  8. Hey there, I am looking to drive back to Brooklyn from Houston on April 13th – April 15th. Do you have anything available for that time frame with those locations?

    Reply
  9. I am moving my niece to Texas in a couple weeks and would like to drive back to Michigan. Please let me know if you are needing a car brought to Michigan (preferably Dallas area to Northern Michigan (Traverse City would be perfect!)).

    Reply
  10. Looking to drive a vehicle from Portland, OR area to the east coast (TN). I’ll be departing Portland around the April 1, 2017.

    -Patrick

    Reply
  11. Clear driving record and love of the road looking to drive vehicle from Alaska (kenai/sodotna, anchorage, or Tok) to Oregon/WA.

    Reply
  12. Mature husband & wife driving team with many cross country driving experiences looking to drive a vehicle from California to Minnesota/Wisconsin area sometime in late April to early May. Excellent driving records, non-smokers, no pets. If interested call Gene at 612-723-9183.

    Reply
  13. Free to travel ,now until May 1. Spending my winter skiing at Deep Creek Lake Md. and helping at a stable. Prefer a cross county drive, (friends and family in calif. ) but will go any where, at cost. Good references, three past drives. I’m honest , dependable and in good health, a non smoker. If you need a car delivered -call or text- 301 616 1335

    Reply
  14. I need a car driven from Atlanta, Georgia to New York City sometime in April. Please contact me if you’re interested. Thanks! Michael

    Reply
    • I’m a teacher from Long Island NY and I’m doing a workshop in Athens GA June 19-22. Let me know if you can wait until June.

      Reply
  15. Hello everybody

    I\’m James with girlfriend Laurie.
    we will be visiting long Island , NY for few weeks .
    We are dropping a car off for a friend and to visit her mother and would love to drive your car back to the Charlotte- Gastonia area to drop off . rather than fly back.
    we are flexible on return date. from 03/17 to 03/25/17
    if you email (car drop off )

    Thanks

    Reply
  16. Hello We are looking to from Florida to Chicago on March 14. We need space for a cage in the back because we are bringing a friends dog back. We are 52 and 56. Professional couple. Please call us if you would like us to drive your vehicle for you. My husband is a safety engineer so,we will be very careful. Steve and Colleen 708-557-9999

    Reply
  17. Leaving Naples Fla April 30th 2017 to Boston or Cape Cod Mass. Sober non smoker great driver excellent driving record. Call 617 827 6000

    Reply
  18. Safe, mature driver to drive your vehicle from the Norfolk/Boston, Ma area to Western North Carolina in Early to Mid March 2017. Flying up, then driving back.
    Must be able to load two boxes of equipment, 150 lbs each.
    One is a 12″ x 12″ x 12″, the other is 32″ x 12″. Both boxes will be new and clean.. Fit easily in a trunk, hatchback, van, truck, etc..

    Reply
  19. I want to drive a car from north Carolina to colorado i am experienced in driving if u need to talk to me my number is 5134029452 my name is seger

    Reply
  20. Looking to drive from Alaska, Washington, or Oregon down to Texas, Oklahoma, or Louisiana area around mid-August. Two drivers, both mature with no prior accidents or tickets. Email me at [email protected] if you have a car you need to move in those areas.

    Reply
  21. This article is so interesting and I want to appreciate you for sharing as I love reading articles related to travelling as I have to go to many cities for my business purposes, Keep on sharing and updating about new things

    Reply

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