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,
we need a 2006 Buick Lucerne driven from Phoenix, AZ to Tampa, FL in
August or September. Will pay all gas or neg. fee. Front passenger seat is
stuck and can’t be used. Everything else is fine, Please email if you are
interested. Clean driving record please and references. Thank you very
much,
Katrin
Aug. 3, 2018
Driver willing to bring a car from the San Francisco Bay Area to the New York / Tri-State Area at the end of September / beginning of October. I’m a responsible driver with a clean record and lots of experience on the road. Shoot me an email at [email protected] if you have driver needs aligned with these dates and places. Thanks in advance!
Available to drive your vehicle from Portland, Oregon area to Los Angeles, California area, mid-August. Longtime driver with lots of cross-country miles and clean driving record.
Peter
FLORIDA TO COLORADO:
Looking to drive your truck/towing-capable vehicle from South/Central Florida to Colorado.
50 yo, clean driving record. AAA Gold Membership.
Trip dates can be coordinated, as I will travel Wednesday to Sunday time frame when it works for both parties.
Dates are flexible for me.
I am available to drive a car from New England area to Seattle, WA (or surrounding area) My driving in record is spot clean, I have made the trip across country 10+ times. Available today.
Thanks!
Courtney
Retired, very experienced cross-country driver, with a perfect driving record and excellent references, will drive your vehicle from Southern California to basically anywhere in the US and Canada. I’ve driven every major road several times over between Southern California and the east coast. You must cover gas, food, and lodging.
Hello,
I am trying to get home for Christmas this year from the Seattle area to Rhode Island and am looking to leave around the second week of December. If this accommodates anybody I would be thrilled to drive home and get someone’s car safely cross-country in the process. Honestly, any way east from where I am now would be helpful for me! Feel free to reply if you are interested and we can set up a Skype or something to meet before traveling (and if it helps, I’m a great driver with no road rage!)
I recently moved to Washington, DC from MN and am looking to drive a (preferably large-ish) vehicle from the Twin Cities, MN to the DC area early to mid-October to move out more of my belongings.
I have a clean driving record and would be making the trip with my father (also clean driving record); we’d be happy to deliver your vehicle.
Let me know!
Planning a late summer, early fall trip to California -San Francisco-. If anyone needs a car delivered to the west coast call or text me 301 616 1335. I’m a mature man, with a good driving record, and references you can trust. Located out side of Washington D.C. , I can travel to your car. willing to meet in person, if you call. Could also drive west to east. Thank you. Note, west coast has excellent public transportation, can deliver your car anywhere from San Diego to Seattle. Will drive uhaul for cash,( expense money).
CALIFORNIA TO FLORIDA: WILLING TO DRIVE CROSS COUNTRY FOR HAULING PURPOSES/TRUCK or SUV TRANSPORT ASAP 7/2018 – early 8/2018 QUICKLY! Seeking to move the remainder of my teen daughters pers. items Calabasas to Boca Raton, Florida.
Exper. driver 30+ years & need to get done before kids back from Summer camp! CA License – No tickets etc. No Charge for Transport – also comfortable towing boats. LMK! Thanks, Christi
Wants to drive from NY city area or NJ to Cleveland OH on July 28 or 29. Clean records.
50 year old.
I’m looking for a driver to take our car from Nashville to Phoenix to arrive by 8/10. Happy to pay for fuel. No smokers or pets please.
Thanks!
Are you still looking? I think I might be able to help?
I’m Edward I going to Texas from New York I have clean driver license no smoke. If someone need a driver let me know . My dates is early agoust
Non-smoking law student and military veteran looking to drive your car from New York City or surrounding area to Seattle or surrounding area on July 27. I’ve done the cross-country drive multiple times. I’ll cover gas and all expenses, I just don’t want to have to pay for a rental car.
Looking to drive your car or truck from Seattle area to Philadephia area at the end of August. We are a responsible dad and daughter team headed out for college and we road trip together often. I drive a manual transmission every day, so a stick is no problem.
Hello Looking for a father and son and well behaved dog to drive from Oregon to New England. We can help drive your car for you
I have a 2005 Chevy Malibu in Anchorage that I need brought to PA. Any chance of you and your daughter wanting to travel the AlCan any time in August?
Responsible family with commercial pilot and lots of driving experience. Hoping to find an RV driveaway this fall after 9/15 originating somewhere in Texas (or Alaska) and ending somewhere in California or Arizona. Can be flexible.
Thanks and please contact me through our website:
http://www.belugaair.com
We are looking to drive a vehicle from the New York/New Jersey area to South Florida. On or around July 25th. If you need this done than please lmk by email or phone.
Alan
[email protected]
718-395-1870
Hello, I need to find someone who is either willing to pay a neg fee for my boyfriend (was commercial driver) to drive their RV, LUXURY SUV OR SPORTS CAR from Cocoa Beach/ Melbourne Florida area to the Phoenix Arizona area flexible dates beteen July 11th -mid July . Please respond asap if you have someone. He had a commercial license for years and a very good driver. Thanks!
J’aime
213-290-2161 please text, then call.
[email protected]
Hello, I need to find someone who need a suv or luxury sedan from Cocoa Beach/ Melbourne Florida to Arizona somewhere beteen July 11th -mid July . Please respond asap if you have someone. My bf wants to help me drive to Florida but needs a way home. He had a commercial license for years and a very good driver. Thanks!
J’aime
213-290-2161
We’re moving from southern California to North Carolina at the end of July. Available driver for an empty 26 ft. moving truck to deliver on east coast, DC or NY in mid August.
HI!
I am seeking to drive a truck from Los Angeles to South Florida within the next few weeks.
Are you still seeking a driver? 818-292-7155
I need a driver from New Orleans to Charleston, SC in mid July. 2015 Jeep Wrangler, good condition.
If interested, email me @ [email protected].
I’ll pay for gas & lodging, etc. A return ticket if you’d like.
We are taking our son to Portland OR on Aug 21st, 2018 from Denver, CO. If someone needs an SUV delivered to the area, we would be a great option. We plan to fly back.
Hi,
I am shifting from Bloomington, IL to Phoenix AZ by 2nd week of July.
I am looking for someone who can drive me from here to AZ, I have 3-4 bags.
Let me know if someone can help me with it. We can discuss more.
Thank You.
Aloha!
We are planning on driving from Minnesota to Seattle over the last two weeks in September 2018. We are attending a wedding in Montana along the way. Both of us have clean driving records and can provide references as needed.
Please email if interested in transporting your vehicle from Minnesota to Seattle.
Mahalo,
Athena
Hi, my girl friend and I are planning to drive from Chicago area to California in early August. Looking to do some site setting along the way. If you need your car driven from Chicago to California, let me know.