State-to-State Car Transport for Dealers: What to Send

For a state-to-state dealer move, send your car transport service the full pickup and delivery addresses, a named contact and lot hours at both stores, the VIN, whether the car runs, and any release or gate pass it needs. Get that right before dispatch and the long middle of the trip mostly takes care of itself.

Most cross-country trouble starts at one of the two ends. The truck shows up at the selling store and nobody knows the car is leaving. Or it rolls into the buying store after the gate is locked and the only number on the order goes to someone who left at five. Neither problem has anything to do with the miles.

What makes a state-to-state move different from a local one?

On a trip across town, your porter can call the other store and sort out a mix-up in ten minutes. Once the car leaves the Carolinas, the people at the other end don't know your desk, your porters or how your lot works. Everything the driver needs has to be on the order, because there's nobody nearby to fill in the gaps.

Longer moves also mean the car rides with other units for part of the trip. The carrier plans the load around every pickup and drop on the truck. A wrong address or a closed gate doesn't just cost you a day. It can push your car to a later load.

What should the order include?

Send this with every state-to-state order, in one message if you can:

• Both full addresses. Street, city, state and ZIP. If the store has a separate service or reconditioning entrance where cars come in, say which one.
• A named contact at each end. A person and a direct number, not just the store's main line. Add a second name for the receiving store in case the first is off that day.
• Lot hours at each end. When the gate is open, when the desk closes, and whether either store is closed on weekends.
• The VIN, year, make and model. So the driver loads the right unit, especially on a lot with three of the same color.
• Condition. Does it run, drive and steer? Non-running units can be moved, but the carrier needs to know before dispatch so the right equipment shows up.
• Anything odd about the car. Lifted, lowered, oversized tires, a roof rack, a dead key fob. These change where a car can ride on the trailer.
• Keys and paperwork. Where the keys are at pickup, and any release the car needs to leave.

Releases and gate passes on cross-country orders

If the car is coming out of an auction or another dealer's lot, the release has to be in place before the driver gets there. A truck that arrives to a car nobody will let go of is a wasted trip. On an out-of-state pickup that usually means a new date, not a second try that afternoon.

If the release is still pending, book the move anyway and say so. Your transport company can line up a carrier running that lane and send it once the release clears. Our guide to auction gate passes and releases covers what the driver has to show at the gate.

What does the receiving store need to know?

Call the buying store before the car leaves. Tell them who is bringing it, about when, and who on their side signs for it. Then confirm three things:

• Who checks the car in, and where the driver should park the truck.
• What happens if the truck arrives near closing time.
• That whoever signs looks the car over and notes any damage on the bill of lading before signing.

That last one matters most. The BOL is the record of the car's condition at delivery. Our checklist for checking in a car delivered by a carrier walks the receiving porter through it.

How do you keep track of a car on a long move?

At FCT, the driver and truck are confirmed before pickup, and the pickup window and expected delivery window are confirmed before the truck rolls. If something changes on the road, you hear it from us first, not from the other store.

Dealers can also log in to the client portal at fctorders.com with their email and a 6-digit code. It shows every order in one place, the driver's live location while the driver is active, and the delivery BOL for each car once it's dropped.

Open or enclosed for an out-of-state unit?

Most dealer inventory rides on an open trailer, the same way new cars reach the lot. Enclosed is for classic, exotic and high-value units, or a sold car going to a buyer who expects it spotless. If you're unsure, our guide on open or enclosed for dealer inventory lays out when each one makes sense.

Booking a state-to-state move with FCT

FCT has moved cars out of the Charlotte area since 2012 and ships anywhere in the continental U.S. We handle dealer trades, auction pickups, customer deliveries and store-to-store moves, with one point of contact from quote to drop-off. A real person quotes every move.

The dealer desk is open Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 6 PM Eastern, at (980) 552-1101. Send orders any time through the quote form or by email to info@fcttransport.com.

Frequently asked questions

What should a dealer send for a state-to-state car transport order?

Both full addresses, a named contact and lot hours at each store, the VIN with year, make and model, whether the car runs, anything unusual about the car, where the keys are, and any release or gate pass it needs.

Can FCT move a dealer unit cross country?

Yes. FCT ships anywhere in the continental U.S. from its base near Charlotte, NC, on open or enclosed trailers.

Can you move a non-running car state to state?

Yes, non-running vehicles can be moved. It changes the equipment needed, so tell us before dispatch whether the car runs, drives and steers.

How do I track a dealer car on a long move?

Log in to the client portal at fctorders.com with your email and a 6-digit code. It shows all your orders, the driver's live location while the driver is active, and the delivery BOL for each car.

What should the receiving dealership do when the car arrives?

Have a named person check the car in, look it over against the bill of lading and note any damage on the BOL before signing.

Need a car moved?

FCT gives dealers one point of contact from quote to drop-off. Request a quote or call (980) 552-1101, and a real person gets back to you.