Get loads | Equipment
Car hauler loads: where to find them and who will set you up
Updated
Car hauler loads come from vehicle transport marketplaces such as Central Dispatch and Super Dispatch and from auto transport brokers and programs. The brokers and programs in the table below name car haulers on their own pages, among them ACERTUS, Montway Auto Transport and RunBuggy. Their gates differ: RunBuggy wants authority older than 365 days, while ACERTUS takes six months of DOT time or a track record of Central Dispatch ratings.
At a glance
- Who names car haulers
- The brokers, programs and load boards in the tables below
- RunBuggy
- Authority older than 365 days, $1 million auto, cargo by vehicle capacity
- ACERTUS
- Six months of DOT time or 10 or more Central Dispatch ratings at 95% or higher
- Super Dispatch instant booking
- More than five successful loads, 90 days on your DOT date and a verified USDOT, plus rating, cancellation, trailer-capacity and cargo-limit checks
Brokers and programs that load car haulers
| Broker or program | Authority age | Liability | Cargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| RunBuggy Load program |
Older than 365 days | $1 million | $100,000 to $300,000, by vehicle capacity |
| ACERTUS Freight broker |
Six months of DOT time or 10 or more ratings at 95% or higher | ||
| ACV Transportation Freight broker |
$1 million | $100,000 |
Load boards that list car haulers
What a car hauler needs to haul for hire
| Rule | For a car hauler |
|---|---|
| USDOT number | Needed at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. The weight is the greatest of GVWR, GCWR or actual weight. Placardable hazmat triggers commercial motor vehicle status at any weight. |
| CDL | Class A at 26,001 lb combined with a trailer over 10,000 lb. A pickup with a car trailer uses the same thresholds as other hotshots, so loading fewer cars does not cancel the GVWR or GCWR trigger. A tractor with a vehicle-hauling semitrailer is Class A when its weights or ratings meet the combination trigger. |
| Medical card | Drivers need medical certification at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. Certification and carrying the paper card are separate. CDL and CLP drivers have an exception from carrying the card, while non-CDL drivers generally carry the certificate. |
| Operating authority | Hauling regulated freight for hire in interstate commerce needs your own MC authority. No 26,001 lb exemption applies to a for-hire carrier moving federally regulated property that belongs to others. Private carriage, exclusively exempt commodities and exclusively exempt commercial-zone operations follow different rules. |
| Insurance minimum | $750,000 public liability at 10,001 lb GVWR or more. That is the interstate for-hire minimum for nonhazardous freight and it is not a cargo limit. A nonhazardous fleet of only vehicles under 10,001 lb GVWR that needs authority has a $300,000 public liability minimum while hazardous cargo has its own schedule of limits. |
| UCR | Interstate carriers register every year, whether for hire, private or exempt. UCR is separate from MC authority and vehicle plates. Solely intrastate carriers are excluded. |
| IFTA and IRP | Applies over 26,000 lb or at three or more power-unit axles in two or more jurisdictions. The weight line is over 26,000 lb for a two-axle power unit or a combination, with only power-unit axles counting toward the three. Occasional travel may use fuel trip permits instead of IFTA while IRP restricted plates and other exceptions need base-state review. |
| Heavy vehicle use tax | Form 2290 applies at a taxable gross weight of 55,000 lb or more. Taxable weight includes the equipped vehicle, the customarily used trailer and the maximum customary load, with state registration rules affecting the calculation. Expected use of 5,000 miles or less (7,500 miles for agricultural use) can suspend the tax, but you still file. |
| Hours of service and ELD | Applies at 10,001 lb or more in interstate commerce. Drivers who must keep records of duty status use an ELD. Paper logs are allowed when records are needed on no more than 8 days in any rolling 30 days or the vehicle model year is before 2000. |
| Car tiedowns | Each car, light truck or van of 10,000 lb or less needs restraint at front and rear. That means at least two tiedowns under 49 CFR 393.128. Heavier vehicles follow 49 CFR 393.130 instead. |
Where car hauler loads come from
Marketplaces
- Central Dispatch verifies your authority and insurance before your account goes active and keeps checking the insurance after that. Shippers pay you under the transport agreement.
- Super Dispatch gives verified carriers a no-cost version with Super Loadboard access.
- uShip charges nothing to join and takes a transaction fee on each job.
Auto transport brokers
- ACERTUS works with carriers under their own MC authority for interstate moves. It pays in 30 business days, or in one business day at 4% or two business days at 3%.
- Montway Auto Transport asks for your MC certificate, state permit and DOT number. It advertises two-day quick pay with no added fees.
- Ready Logistics asks for at least $1 million in auto liability, with more depending on your fleet size and scope. Cargo coverage is required too, with the limit set by your trailers' carrying capacity, your fleet size and your operations. Its private marketplace is built on Central Dispatch.
- RPM's page doesn't say whether you need your own authority, so ask before you set up.
Load programs
- RunBuggy wants $1 million in auto liability. Its cargo minimum depends on vehicle capacity: $100,000 for one vehicle, $150,000 for two or three, $250,000 for four to six and $300,000 for seven or more.
- Auto Hauler Exchange works with carriers under their own authority. It advertises ACH within 48 hours of delivery confirmation, with no quick pay fee.
- Carpool Logistics pays by ACH within 48 hours of delivery confirmation, with no fee, on moves booked and tracked for the full journey in its app with a condition report and POD.
Load boards
DAT, Truckstop and 123Loadboard list car hauler as an equipment type.
Getting set up as a new carrier
Super Dispatch lets a verified carrier request loads, and each request needs the shipper's acceptance. Book Now opens once you meet all of these:
- More than five successful loads and more than three completed-load ratings
- At least 90 days on your DOT date in MyCarrierPortal
- Late cancellations under 10% and rating performance over 80%
- A verified FMCSA USDOT number, with your FMCSA business start and largest trailer capacity on record
- Active cargo coverage with a limit that fits the load and the shipper's terms
ACERTUS counts 10 or more Central Dispatch ratings at 95% or higher in place of six months of DOT time. RunBuggy waits until your authority is older than 365 days.
Check a company's rules first. The "what does this load need" tool shows the coverage and paperwork RunBuggy, Super Dispatch and other companies publish, next to the federal rules for your truck. What does this load need
Pickup car haulers and the CDL
For a pickup and car trailer run without a CDL, the truck and trailer ratings count however few cars you load. The hotshot page walks through what that means for your loads.
Working with a dispatcher
A dispatcher who promises guaranteed freight books under your authority and insurance. Central Dispatch and Super Dispatch check both before you haul.
Pay no deposit, and keep your passwords and marketplace accounts to yourself. Dispatcher fees and warning signs are covered in the truck dispatcher guide.
Deadhead and pricing
Count deadhead before you trust a revenue post, and plan the return run before you accept the outbound load. Central Dispatch includes its Price Check tool and sells saved-search notifications as an add-on.
Frequently asked questions
Can a new authority get car hauling loads?
Super Dispatch lets a verified carrier request loads, and each request needs the shipper's acceptance. ACERTUS takes six months of DOT time or 10 or more Central Dispatch ratings at 95% or higher, and RunBuggy wants authority older than 365 days.
How much cargo insurance does a car hauler need?
RunBuggy sets its cargo minimum by vehicle capacity, from $100,000 for one vehicle to $300,000 for seven or more. Ready Logistics sets the limit by your trailers' carrying capacity, your fleet size and your operations.
Is Super Dispatch free for carriers?
Super Dispatch gives verified carriers a no-cost version with Super Loadboard access. Book Now takes more than five successful loads and at least 90 days on your DOT date in MyCarrierPortal, along with rating, cancellation, trailer-capacity and cargo-limit checks.
How fast do auto transport brokers pay?
ACERTUS pays in 30 business days, or sooner for a fee: one business day at 4% and two at 3%. Montway says its quick pay takes two days and costs nothing extra, and Auto Hauler Exchange says it pays by ACH within 48 hours once delivery is confirmed.
Do I need a CDL to haul cars with a pickup?
The pickup's and trailer's ratings decide it, even with one car on the deck. A pickup pulling a car trailer falls under the same CDL thresholds as any other hotshot rig.