RV & Travel Trailer Shipping Guide

In the captivating world of road travel, Recreational Vehicles (RVs) and travel trailers offer the freedom to explore and unwind amidst the comforts of home. But when it comes to transporting these beloved companions across vast distances, the journey can sometimes feel like uncharted territory.

If you have a chance to make this dream come true but don’t really have time to drive for a long-distance or you just don’t want the vehicle to wear and tear, Compare The Carrier, your expert co-pilot for all things vehicle transport, is here to help you with the trailer shipping from your exact address to the exact drop off location.

To help you understand the whole process of RV and trailer shipping, we have prepared this short guide that includes the following topics:

As the tourism industry keeps growing rapidly, more and more people are buying an RV or travel trailer from some business or private seller in other states or transporting one to their holiday destination. This type of vehicle offers a lot of comfort and pleasure facilities to its owners as well as an opportunity to spend some good quality time with their family and friends.

Owning an RV (recreational vehicle) can be an amazing way to spend quality time together with family and friends. Whether you use it to vacation with your young kids, travel during retirement, or tailgate before and after the big game, owning an RV offers many of the comforts of home. The challenge arises when you need it moved; no matter the reason we can help.

The tourism industry becomes more and more popular every day and more people buy RVs to fulfill their dream about visiting each of the 50 states or the biggest or most popular national parks. Traveling in a travel trailer or RV is also a great opportunity to spend some quality time with your family and/or friends.

If you are only planning to buy a vehicle, besides the cost of the vehicle you also need to think about how to ship it home. In such cases, experts in RV transportation are what you need. Compare the Carrier works with a number of companies which have been in the transportation industry for up to 30 years and they have shipped all kinds of vehicles including different types of Travel trailers and RVs.

If you need to have your trailer or RV shipped within the mainland, you should know that there are 3 main types of RV & trailer shipping. Let us tell you more about each of them.

Drive-away is probably the easiest type of shipping travel trailer, but at the same time, it’s definitely not the cheapest one. But we will tell you about the price a bit later. So with drive-away, you just hire an experienced driver, who will drive your vehicle from your exact location to your exact delivery address, which can actually be anywhere.

Towing is a type of transportation of trailers that do not have an engine but need to be pulled by a vehicle. Gooseneck trailers and 5th wheel trailers are usually transported this way.

But in case the regular motorhome doesn’t start, but rolls, steers, and brakes it can also be transported in such way. So once the driver arrives at the pick-up location, he attaches the trailer to his pickup truck or to the semi-trailer and goes to the drop-off address.

Hauling on a trailer is the last but not least popular type of shipping RVs. This way, any kind of RV or travel trailer is loaded on a flatbed or lowboy and shipped to the drop-off location.

This type of shipping is mostly used by dealerships and when the trailer is fully inoperable (so it can’t be hauled). If the RV or travel trailer is not that large (for example, Toy-Hauler Trailers, Cargo trailers, Lightweight trailers), the carrier can transport a few vehicles at a time.

Choosing the appropriate and most suitable type of transportation for your trailer is very easy. For that you only need to know that first of all, all recreational vehicles can be divided into 2 main types based on the availability of the engine.

So there are motors homes and trailers, which can be divided into smaller subcategories depending on the purpose of the use. Let’s take a closer look at the most popular of them:

RVs of class A, B, C Motorhome transport can are usually be driven away. They are rarely shipped on a flatbed or lowboy as they are usually rather high. But in case it is an inoperable vehicle, it can be loaded on a special trailer and shipped according to the oversized vehicle hauling.

Such types as Toy-Hauler Trailers, Cargo trailers, Travel trailers or Lightweight trailers can be both hauled and towed away and it only depends on your preference and budget. If you don’t want the vehicle to be subjected to wear and tear, you can have it loaded on the trailer and shipped anywhere within the US and even overseas.

5th Wheel trailers are usually only towed away due to the specific type of link between the trailer and the pickup truck or semitrailer.

RVs can also be divided into groups depending on their size. They can be small, regular, and oversized. Vehicles with a length up to 25 feet can be easily hauled or towed if they are less than 14 feet high including the transportation truck. In case the vehicle you need to ship exceeds these limits, it is considered oversized and requires special shipping logistics.

So, whether small or extremely large, open or fully enclosed, Compare the Carrier can offer you RV and trailer transport quotes from carriers who are experts in hauling, towing, or driving away your RV or trailer.

Traveling to Alaska in summer or escaping to Hawaii in winter to enjoy lots of magnificent places while living in your home on wheels is a thing probably everyone dreams of. And the companies we collaborate with are ready to make this dream come true as they also offer overseas RV and Travel trailer shipping.

For more detailed info about shipping to Alaska, you can check in our AK shipping guide.

All in all, there are two common ways to ship an RV or Travel trailer overseas or internationally:

This type of shipping is more popular for international shipping. It is suitable for all types of trailers that do not exceed the following size limits: 40’ length, 7’10” height, and 7’8” weight.

After vehicles are loaded and fixed inside the containers, they are stacked onto the vessel and shipped to their destination, where they are unloaded with a crane. The rate for shipping via a container starts at $2400 and grows depending on the size of the chosen container.

This method of overseas shipping is more popular for shipping vehicles to or from Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. The vehicle is simply driven on a large ship, then strapped to the deck inside the ship and transported to the destination, where it is loaded of the vessel in the very same way.

This method is more affordable and it has a height limit of 15’ which allows you to transport any kind of RV or travel trailer. The price starts at $1740 and grows depending on the size of the vehicle. Also, there is one disadvantage: inoperable vehicles are not shipped to Alaska, and if shipping to Hawaii, the vehicle should at least roll. So if it is an inoperable motor home, it may not start but should roll so it could be towed onto the vessel.

Every single RV or travel trailer is different and some of them can be customized with time. But, all in all, the cost for shipping an RV depends on various factors including mileage, the pickup and delivery locations, condition (operable or inoperable), size of a vehicle, type of transportation, etc. Let’s look closely at each of the factors.

· The first aspect is rather easy to understand, since the shorter the route is the cheaper it is to ship the trailer.

· The pick-up and delivery locations affect the price as well since if they are some faraway locations (for example, Neah Baym WA or Minot, ND), it rarely happens for the driver to find another vehicle to tow from such locations. So carriers have to go the extra mile to get back to large cities.

· The condition of the vehicle and its size also plays a huge role in the cost formation. Transportation of an inoperable vehicle may require extra help (like forklifts) for loading on the trailer and it always costs extra. Besides that, if the vehicle is oversized special escort service should be hired to ensure transportation safety. It goes before and behind the trailer to warn other vehicles.

· Type of transportation also affects the trailer shipping price. For example, drive away service usually costs more than shipping a vehicle on the trailer or towing it away, since you have to cover gas, payment to the driver, and sometimes even his way back as he goes without his trailer and will not be able to ship other vehicles to cover his way back.

Besides that, since the drive-away service is rarely used, it’s unlikely he will find another vehicle to drive away on the same route.

To help you find out the estimated cost for shipping an RV or travel trailer, we have prepared this table. You can see the rate per mile that changed depending on mileage and the size of the vehicle.

Please note these rates are sensitive to the above-mentioned factors.

Please note that all companies Compare the Carrier works with offer total prices that include: insurance coverage, fuel, driver pay, tolls, and permits.

Of course, a shipping manager of the company you choose will inform you in detail how to get exactly your vehicle ready for shipping as there may be some differences due to the types of RVs. But here are a few general tips to help you out:

– Remove personal items that are important for you or maybe needed while the vehicle is in transit;

– Turn off and unplug all electronics. Don’t forget to disconnect the gas and power supply;

– Make sure that all times you are planning to ship inside the RV are properly packed and secured, so they will not damage the interior;

– If your RV will be driven away or towed away, make sure that wheels, engine, fluids, brakes are in good condition. 

If you’re a visual learner, our recent video dives deep into the best practices for preparing your travel trailer for transportation. Let our host guide you through each meticulous step to ensure your trailer’s safety during its journey.

Not only does the video provide a hands-on demonstration, but it also emphasizes the importance of partnering with a reliable transport service like Compare The Carrier. For those serious about safeguarding their prized trailers, this is a must-watch.

If you have already started looking for a company to transport your vehicle, you know there are so many companies on the market. Some of them are experts in RV transportation, some only ship small cars or motorcycles. So how can you find a company that will provide you with the perfect service?

That is why we are here for you. Compare the Carrier collaborates with top companies from all corners of the country. And from the top companies, we can help you choose the company that will suit exactly your needs and budget.

When deciding whether to work with a company, we pay attention even to the smallest details because we want our users to experience an outstanding shipping service. Our team checks the company on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to make sure they are registered, bonded, and have active insurance on file.

We also check how long the company has been in business, and whether its drivers have clean driving records. And of course, we look through their reviews on Transport Review, TrustPilot, Google, Yelp, and others.

Besides that, our service is absolutely free and you do not need to pay anything to simply request a quote on our website. You only need to provide the zip-codes for pick up and drop off location, the vehicle details, and your email and/or phone number. Once you submit a request with Compare the Carrier, we will check what companies better suit your needs and you will receive quotes from the top US shipping companies.

It’s as easy as a pie!