For our most recent shipment, we transported a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette from Houston, TX to Princeville, IL via an enclosed trailer shipping method. The Corvette was shipped for 978 miles, costing $1,430.00 total, or $1.46 per mile.
Our most recent shipment included a fully functional car, which means that it had the ability to start up, run, and drive itself during pickup. This particular shipment is representative of a good portion of the country, as it goes from the Gulf Coast all the way up to the Midwest.
The Route
The 1,573-kilometer route from Houston to Princeville is almost due north right through the center of the country. Shippers normally depart from Houston via Interstate Highway 45 northbound to Dallas and continue to Interstate Highway 35 northbound via Oklahoma City and Wichita.
From there the route continues north to Kansas City and connects to Interstate Highway 80 eastbound towards Des Moines and finally to Interstate Highway 74 eastbound to central Illinois, where Princeville is situated northwest of Peoria. With such a route that follows major interstates all the way through, a shipment of this kind would normally take two to three days to deliver after pickup.
Low Ground Clearance
The 7th generation Chevrolet Corvette which was manufactured between 2014 and 2019 features a front splitter which is too low to allow clearance from a standard car hauler ramp that has an elevation of 14 to 18 degrees. In general, it is the same issue that occurs with practically all generations of Corvettes, therefore, its transportation requires careful preparation and planning compared to ordinary sedans or SUVs.
In most cases, carriers of this generation of Corvettes use approach ramps that are shorter and positioned before the regular ramp in order to reduce the loading angle to 6-10 degrees. Moreover, there is always a spotter who stays outside the car while the loading process is going on, he or she controls the front end of the car and makes sure that the wheels enter the transition ramp in a straight line to avoid any contacts. It does not influence the performance of the car on the road.
Enclosed Transport
Enclosed trailers shield a vehicle from road debris, weather, and the general wear that comes with hundreds of miles on the highway. That matters for a car with the kind of paint and trim a Corvette owner tends to care about. Crossing from the Gulf Coast up into the Midwest also means the car passes through a range of weather conditions along the way, which enclosed transport protects against better than an open carrier would.
Once loaded, the Corvette gets secured using four-point wheel strap tie-downs rather than chains attached to the frame. That keeps pressure off the suspension and steering components for the full 978 miles.
Transport Summary
- Origin: Houston, TX 77041
- Destination: Princeville, IL 61559
- Distance: 978 miles
- Service cost: $1,430.00
- Cost per mile: $1.46
- Vehicle: 2016 Chevrolet Corvette
- Condition: Operable
- Trailer type: Enclosed
- Route: I-45 north to Dallas, I-35 north through Oklahoma City and Kansas City, then I-80 east and I-74 east into Princeville
