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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Driveaway Cars - Like Driving Someone Else\'s Automobile for Free

2,253 thoughts on “Driveaway Cars – Like Driving Someone Else’s Automobile for Free”

  1. My wife and I are willing to drive your car down to Phoenix Arizona area from the Baltimore-Washington DC area. Anytime from Oct 10 to o/a November 10, 2019. Figure 4-5 days for delivery. Excellent driving record and fully insured. Please contact me at [email protected] anytime.

    Reply
    • My husband and I are looking to drive from Phoenix to Dallas around January 5th. 2020. We both have excellent driving records, no criminal history, and we are nonsmokers and nondrinkers. I am a 49 year old RN and my husband is a 72 year old retired veteran. Our cell 480-529-7004 or 602-323-7170

      Reply
  2. Does anyone need a driver from Boston to California within the next week or so? I am 22 years old, safe/defensive driver. Have a solid driving record, been driving for 6 years, and I have full insurance with statewide coverage.

    Please contact me if you are interested! [email protected]
    Feel free to reach out anytime.
    Thanks, Cole.

    Reply
  3. 2 Drivers available at the end of December for Cross country trip(s). The ultimate goal is from California to Boston or New York and back. Going across the Southern route, so states like AZ, TX, KY, FL, etc would be great. Please let me know if you’re needing anything transported. We can go as quickly as you need since my husband and I will both be able to drive. Clean driving record. Great insurance. Email to coordinate.
    -Alejandra [email protected]

    Reply
  4. My name is Victoria and I am looking to drive a car from California to Florida any day next week (from August 15th 2019). I’m looking to drive a car across the country with my friend to see the country. Must be in Florida (to deliver the vehicle) by August 20th or 21st.
    I have an excellent driving record and insurance. We can cover our own expenses so would just like to be paired with a vehicle.

    Please contact me at [email protected] if interested.

    Reply
  5. My husband and I are willing to drive your car down to Phoenix Arizona area from Wisconsin. Leaving September 18 or 19, 2019, excellent driving record and fully insured. Please contact me at [email protected] anytime.

    Reply
  6. Driver available on east coast week of August 18th – let me know what you have and maybe we can work something out! Lots of driving experience and a clean record. shoot me an email – [email protected]

    Reply
  7. My mom and I are hoping to drive from western Massachusetts to Los Angeles, leaving on or around August 11st. We have clean driving records, have driven cross country before, and can cover our gas expenses. Thanks!

    Reply
  8. @Dan

    I would be interested in taking your car from philly to sea. I am looking to head out there anyway. Contact me and we can exchange info.

    Reply
  9. Looking to have someone drive 2017 silverado pick up from FL. to RI. and return with 2018 Silverado pickup late July early August.

    Reply
  10. Looking to have someone drive 2017 silverado pick up from FL. to RI and return with 2018 Silverado pickup late July early August.

    Reply
  11. Hoping to drive any vehicle from Detroit metro area to somewhere near Washington D.C. within the next week or two. You pay gas and tolls if any. I cover all of my own expenses. Male in my 60’s with excellent driving record. No drugs or drinking. Personal references available.
    586-244-7200 anytime.

    Reply
  12. College educated mature husband and wife with perfect driving records, looking to drive your car to Daytona FL from Worcester MA/Providence RI around the beginning of Oct. 2019.

    Reply
  13. My partner and I are moving from New York City to Los Angeles in September. We’re looking to drive a car cross country starting on September 10th from the New York Area, with delivery to Southern California on or about September 24th. Excellent driving records, insurance. Will cover own expenses, just looking to be paired with a vehicle.

    Please contact me at [email protected] if interested.

    Reply
  14. Seattle to Phoenix Late August 2019 Hello, my name is Jeff. I am 65 retired. I have a license and CDL with all the endorsements. Would drive your vehicle or truck. Seattle to Phoenix, please contact me. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Need my car driven from Nyack, NY to the Denver/Boulder, CO area just when you’re going in September. I realize you’re headed out to CA so could arrange to get you
      there from Denver via AMTRAK? Is exploring that of interest?

      Reply
  15. Can drive San Francisco area to NYC, NJ or DC/Maryland July 16 to July 31, Clean License no accidents, mechanical person, retire hitech exec.

    Reply
  16. I would love to be able to transport a car from Houston to Dallas or Dallas to Houston. I currently have 2 mega bus trips scheduled this summer (one for Aug 1st and one for Aug 16th).

    Send me an email if you have any connections! [email protected]

    Reply
  17. Driver available to take car or pickup from Charlotte, NC area to Eugene, OR area late July to early August 2019

    Reply
    • What dates exactly? I wish I had seen this before because I was wanting to drive to Seattle. I’m going to be on vacation in Santa Fe, NM, Houston and Dallas, TX from July 17 until Aug 17th though. I’d be happy to do it when I get back up north! Don’t know if that would be too late

      Reply

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