Ship a Car Direct
Ship a Car Direct is a U.S. auto transport brokerage that arranges door-to-door vehicle shipping through a screened network of 2,500-7,500+ third-party carriers for individual consumers, snowbirds, military, students, and luxury-car owners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ship a Car Direct does
Ship a Car Direct is a privately held, asset-light auto transport brokerage founded in 2008 (originally as Honesty First Auto Transport, rebranded in 2011) and headquartered in Los Angeles with a legal domicile in Colorado. The company operates as a licensed and bonded transportation broker (MC#632461), connecting consumer customers with a screened network of approximately 2,500 to 7,500 third-party carriers to arrange door-to-door vehicle transport across all 50 U.S. states, including specialized routing for Hawaii via maritime partners. Core products include Open Car Transport (the standard, lower-cost option), Enclosed Car Transport (for vehicles typically valued above $70k), Classic Car Transport, Express Auto Transport, and use-case-specific offerings for military PCS moves, snowbird seasonal relocations, college-bound students, and corporate relocations. Its technology stack consists of an online instant-quote calculator, a proprietary Damage Protection mobile app (iOS/Android) for vehicle-condition documentation, and a proprietary carrier-screening database.
The company monetizes through a brokerage service fee/commission charged only after a carrier is assigned and confirmed, plus ancillary fees ($100 cancellation fee post-assignment, $150 non-operational-vehicle fee, $100 dry-run fee). No upfront deposit is required and no terminal-to-terminal service is offered, differentiating it on convenience. Its principal competitive claims are the "industry's only" Damage Free Guarantee - reimbursing customers up to $500 when a carrier's insurance fails to pay a valid claim - and a stated >80% carrier rejection rate that purports to leave only elite carriers in its network. Ship a Car Direct has aggregated roughly 50,000+ five-star reviews across reviews.io (4.9), TransportReviews.com (4.8), and ConsumerAffairs.com, and holds a Better Business Bureau A+ accreditation.
Ship a Car Direct sells exclusively direct-to-consumer through its website (shipacardirect.com), a phone inside-sales channel (866-221-1664), and a broad set of organic and referral sources including Google Search, Yelp, BBB, Forbes, Reddit, Bing/Yahoo/MSN, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and 8+ niche lead aggregators such as moveBuddha.com, TransportReviews.com, TransportRankings.com, Towing.com, and Reviews.org. The stated customer segments span individual relocating consumers, snowbirds, military families, college families, luxury and classic-car owners, and corporate relocation accounts. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, consistent with a lean brokerage without owned trucks, drivers, or terminal infrastructure; no parent company, institutional investor, funding rounds, or M&A activity is disclosed in the input data.
Ship a Car Direct firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ship a Car Direct
- Legal name
- Ship a Car Direct Inc.
- Website
- https://shipacardirect.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ship a Car Direct is a U.S. auto transport brokerage that arranges door-to-door vehicle shipping through a screened network of 2,500-7,500+ third-party carriers for individual consumers, snowbirds, military, students, and luxury-car owners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ship a Car Direct industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Auto Transport Brokerage
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Automotive / Vehicle Transport Brokerage (TLADAMAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Vehicle Pickup/Delivery & Concierge (Key Handling, Inspections, Condition Reports) (HSAKAFAL), Classic, Exotic & High-Value Vehicle Transport (HSAKAFAG)
Keywords
Where Ship a Car Direct is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ship a Car Direct business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Transportation Brokerage / Service Fee: Ship a Car Direct acts as a licensed and bonded transportation brokerage (MC#632461). The company charges a service fee/deposit that constitutes its revenue. The fee is charged only after a carrier is assigned and confirmed to pick up, transport, and deliver the vehicle(s). No upfront deposit is required to initiate the service. If a customer cancels after a carrier is assigned, a cancellation fee of $100 is charged. The company does not charge terminal-to-terminal fees and does not add markup on the carrier's transportation cost — it earns revenue through its service fee/brokerage commission.
- Carrier Transportation Cost (passed through): The carrier's balance-due amount for transportation is collected upon delivery (Cash or Cashier's Check). Ship a Car Direct facilitates this transaction but the primary transportation revenue flows to the contracted carrier.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Open car transport (most common, most affordable) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Enclosed car transport (premium protection) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Long distance car movers pricing by distance |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vehicle size-based pricing (Denver page) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Service fee / Deposit (brokerage commission) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Ship a Car Direct product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ship a Car Direct is a licensed and bonded U.S. auto transport brokerage (MC#632461) that matches consumers with a network of vetted third-party carriers for door-to-door vehicle shipping. The company earns a service fee charged only after a carrier is assigned and backs shipments with a Damage Free Guarantee of up to $500 if carrier insurance fails to pay a damage claim. It serves individual and use-case-specific customers (relocations, snowbirds, military PCS, college, luxury/classic) with open and enclosed transport options, and provides a free Damage Protection App for documenting vehicle condition.
Product overview
Ship a Car Direct operates as an auto transport brokerage platform that connects customers with a network of vetted car shipping carriers. The core offering consists of vehicle transport services including Open Car Transport and Enclosed Car Transport as the primary shipping methods, supplemented by premium services like Door-to-Door Auto Transport, Classic Car Transport, and Express Auto Transport. The company differentiates itself through its Damage Free Guarantee Program, which provides reimbursement for damage claims when carrier insurance fails to pay. Additional value-added services include a Damage Protection App (mobile application for iPhone and Android) for documenting vehicle condition, and a Quote Calculator for instant pricing estimates. The company provides state-specific shipping services across all 50 U.S. states, including specialized routes for Florida, Texas, California, Hawaii, New York, and Arizona. The business model emphasizes carrier screening, door-to-door service, no upfront deposit requirements, and white-glove customer care. The company was founded in 2008 (originally as Honesty First Auto Transport) and is licensed and bonded (MC#632461) with an A+ BBB rating.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Open Car Transport
- Enclosed Car Transport
- Door-to-Door Auto Transport
- Classic Car Transport
- Express Auto Transport
- State-to-State Car Shipping
- Cross Country Car Shipping Long-distance door-to-door vehicle transport spanning the continental U.S., typically 7–10 days for coast-to-coast deliveries.
- Military PCS Vehicle Shipping Car shipping service tailored for active duty service members and their families executing Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, emphasizing reliable timing and vetted carriers.
- Snowbird Auto Transport Seasonal door-to-door vehicle shipping service for customers who split time between two residences, typically moving vehicles between northern and southern states each year.
- Ship a Car to College Door-to-door vehicle shipping service designed for students and parents transporting a car to or from a university, avoiding long student drives during move-in and move-out periods.
- Long Distance Car Movers Professional long-distance vehicle shipping service for customers relocating across the country, providing pick-up, delivery, and move coordination through dedicated coordinators.
Quantifiable outcome
- Screened out over 80% of car shipping carriers that did not meet elite standards, ensuring only the best carriers handle shipments.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ship a Car Direct
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Ship a Car Direct technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Ship a Car Direct partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ship a Car Direct competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- uShip: Online marketplace and brokerage for vehicle shipping and other freight, connecting consumers with carriers. Functionally overlaps with Ship a Car Direct's brokerage model and is named in Ship a Car Direct's competitive comparisons.
- Montway Auto Transport: One of the largest U.S. auto transport brokerages, offering open and enclosed vehicle shipping nationwide. Directly comparable to Ship a Car Direct — Ship a Car Direct publishes comparison content positioning itself against Montway on price, guarantees, and service quality.
- SGT Auto Transport: U.S. auto transport broker offering door-to-door open and enclosed vehicle shipping. Directly competes with Ship a Car Direct and is explicitly named in Ship a Car Direct's comparison marketing.
- AmeriFreight: Auto transport broker providing open and enclosed vehicle shipping with add-on insurance options. Comparable brokerage model and is referenced in Ship a Car Direct's competitive materials.
- RoadRunner Auto Transport: Auto transport brokerage providing open, enclosed, and expedited vehicle shipping across the U.S. Listed by Ship a Car Direct as a primary competitor on its comparison pages.
- Easy Auto Ship: U.S. vehicle shipping brokerage offering open and enclosed transport for individuals, military, and dealers. Direct competitor named in Ship a Car Direct's competitive comparison content.
- Sherpa Auto Transport: Vehicle shipping broker emphasizing customer experience and a 'Clean Car Guarantee.' Named in Ship a Car Direct's comparison pages as a competing broker with a similar value proposition around guaranteed quality.
Broad incumbents
- Carvana: Online used-car retailer that ships vehicles directly to buyers across the U.S. Operates its own logistics arm but also consumes third-party auto transport capacity, competing indirectly for carrier supply and customer attention.
- Copart: Large online salvage vehicle auction platform that generates significant auto transport volume internally and via broker partners. Adjacent incumbent that drives demand for the same carrier network Ship a Car Direct draws from.
Regional players
- Transport Reviews: Vertical-specific review and lead-generation platform for auto transport brokers. Comparable because it sits in Ship a Car Direct's customer-acquisition funnel and is the source of much of its top-rating reputation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ship a Car Direct social profiles
Digital presenceShip a Car Direct financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ship a Car Direct leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Ship a Car Direct funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ship a Car Direct M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ship a Car Direct
What does Ship a Car Direct do?
Ship a Car Direct is a licensed and bonded U.S. auto transport brokerage (MC#632461) that matches consumers with a network of vetted third-party carriers for door-to-door vehicle shipping. The company earns a service fee charged only after a carrier is assigned and backs shipments with a Damage Free Guarantee of up to $500 if carrier insurance fails to pay a damage claim. It serves individual and use-case-specific customers (relocations, snowbirds, military PCS, college, luxury/classic) with open and enclosed transport options, and provides a free Damage Protection App for documenting vehicle condition.
Is Ship a Car Direct a public or private company?
Ship a Car Direct is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ship a Car Direct founded?
Ship a Car Direct was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ship a Car Direct based?
Ship a Car Direct is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ship a Car Direct make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Transportation Brokerage / Service Fee is the primary driver. The others are carrier Transportation Cost (passed through).
Who are Ship a Car Direct's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are uShip, Montway Auto Transport, SGT Auto Transport, AmeriFreight, RoadRunner Auto Transport, Easy Auto Ship and Sherpa Auto Transport. Broad incumbents are Carvana and Copart. Transport Reviews is listed as a regional player.
Does Ship a Car Direct have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ship a Car Direct.
What industry is Ship a Car Direct in?
Ship a Car Direct's product category is Auto Transport Brokerage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAMAM, Automotive / Vehicle Transport Brokerage, with a secondary code of HSAKAFAL, Vehicle Pickup/Delivery & Concierge (Key Handling, Inspections, Condition Reports). Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.