A complete, evergreen guide from the Compass TransitWorks dispatch team — built on the real questions our customers ask every day.
A well-prepared vehicle ships smoothly, gets accurate condition documentation, and arrives without surprises. A poorly prepared one creates loading delays, missed flaws on the Bill of Lading, and damage claims that go nowhere. This guide is the same checklist our Compass TransitWorks dispatchers walk customers through before pickup day.
Two things happen at pickup: the driver inspects the vehicle and documents its condition on the Bill of Lading, and the vehicle is loaded onto the carrier. Both steps go faster and more accurately when the car is clean, accessible, and prepped. Skipping prep is the single most common reason a damage claim later fails — flaws hidden under dirt at pickup are assumed to have been pre-existing when discovered at delivery.
Plan to spend 30–60 minutes on prep the day before pickup. It pays back in lower stress, faster loading, and a cleaner paper trail.
A clean vehicle reveals every pre-existing scratch, chip, and dent. Drive through a $5 car wash the day before pickup, or hand-wash if you prefer. Dry it. This is the single highest-ROI prep step. If the driver inspects a dirty car, road grime hides flaws, and any new damage at delivery becomes hard to claim.
Use a phone camera with timestamps enabled (most do by default). Take:
Keep these photos in a dedicated album. You'll compare them at delivery.
Industry standard limits personal items to under 100 pounds, trunk only, at your own risk. Carrier cargo insurance does not cover personal property — this is universal. Best practice: empty the car entirely. At minimum, remove:
Toll transponders are particularly important — leaving them mounted will rack up charges as the truck passes toll gantries.
Aim for about a quarter tank. That's enough to load, unload, and drive a short distance — but not enough to add unnecessary weight to the carrier (carriers are weight-regulated, and overloaded trucks fail DOT inspections).
Top off coolant, oil, and washer fluid. Make sure the battery has a strong charge and the terminals are clean. A vehicle that won't start at pickup or delivery delays the whole route and may trigger an inoperable-vehicle fee that wasn't in the original quote.
Tires should be at the manufacturer's recommended PSI. Under-inflated tires can be damaged during loading on the carrier's hydraulic ramps; over-inflated tires can shift during transit.
Disable the factory alarm or provide the driver with instructions to silence it. Remove or bag toll transponders in foil to block their signal. Both prevent annoying issues mid-transit.
Fold in side mirrors if possible. Retract or remove antennas. Remove or secure aftermarket spoilers, bike racks, ski boxes, running boards, and anything else that protrudes beyond the standard vehicle profile. Loose parts are the most common source of in-transit damage.
If the parking brake sticks, the gearshift requires a trick, the steering wheel locks oddly, or there's a particular way to start the engine — write it down for the driver. Drivers handle dozens of cars a week; they appreciate a heads-up.
Tell us at booking — not on pickup day. An inoperable vehicle requires a carrier with a winch and special loading equipment. The fee runs $100–$250 above standard and the carrier pool is smaller, so dispatch may take an extra day. Showing up with an inoperable vehicle the carrier wasn't expecting almost guarantees a missed pickup.
If you're shipping a classic, exotic, or luxury vehicle in enclosed transport:
More detail in our classic car shipping guide.
The driver calls 12–24 hours before arrival to confirm a 2–4 hour window. On arrival, they bring the Bill of Lading. You walk the car together. The driver marks any pre-existing flaws on the diagram. Both of you sign. The car is loaded (5–15 minutes). You hand over the key. The truck departs.
If the driver tries to skip the walk-around because they're in a hurry, politely insist. This is your right and protects both of you.
Save the signed pickup BOL. Photograph it if it's paper. Save your dispatcher's phone number and the driver's direct number. Track progress through your dispatcher or by texting the driver. Plan to be at the delivery address (or have a designated recipient) during the agreed delivery window.
Every booking comes with a prep checklist email and a follow-up call from your dispatcher 48 hours before pickup. We confirm the prep is done, walk through what to expect, and confirm the pickup window with the driver. It's the kind of hand-holding that turns a stressful logistics task into something routine.
Industry standard is up to 100 pounds in the trunk at your own risk, no valuables. We recommend emptying the car completely — personal items are not covered by carrier insurance.
Yes, or you can designate an adult to release the vehicle and sign the Bill of Lading on your behalf.
Generally no — the driver needs to drive the car on and off the truck. Disconnect only if instructed by your dispatcher for a specialty shipment.
Clean enough that pre-existing flaws are visible. A quick drive-through wash is fine.
Pickup still happens. The driver may note "inspected in rain — limited visibility" on the BOL. Take your own photographs anyway.
Yes, but document the existing crack on the BOL with a photo, otherwise the crack may be assumed to have grown during transit.
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