We recently completed the delivery of a 2019 Acura RDX from Owings Mills, MD to Sugar Land, TX. This delivery traveled 1,465 miles via open trailer for $1,200.00 or $0.82 per mile.
The RDX was operational at pickup and driven by the driver on the ramp. The car was also in proper condition to move. This might seem like something minor, but it’s often the reason why things don’t go according to plan during the pickup process.
The route
This 1,465-mile haul takes you down the mountains of Appalachia and through the deep south down to Texas.
Owings Mills is located northwest of Baltimore; therefore, you will begin the route on I-795 and turn onto I-695, which will take you west to Frederick via I-70. You will continue your route south on I-81 through the Shenandoah Valley through Winchester and Roanoke to Bristol, Virginia.
Once you reach Knoxville, the load will continue west on I-40 to Nashville, and then south to Birmingham, Alabama on I-65.
Your route takes you west to Shreveport, Louisiana on I-20 and then to Dallas, Texas. From there you travel south to Houston, Texas by I-45 before reaching Sugar Land, Fort Bend County via I-69.
Preparing the vehicle for pickup
We have mentioned what we need to know about condition at pick-up time. This is the other side of things – getting your car ready before the truck shows up.
Keep one-quarter of a fuel tank. Just enough to move around and position the car while loading and unload. Otherwise, you will only add dead weight to an overloaded trailer.
Disarm the alarm system, or let us know about it. It could be quite a headache for us having the alarm system working on a deck in the middle of the night when there is no access to the car. Disabling the alarm is better but letting us know how to turn it off is okay too.
If you have a toll transponder, disable it or remove it from the car. An active toll transponder is likely to run up charges from multiple states as the car moves on our trailer. We don’t want to pay tolls you did not make.
Also, remove any loose personal items from the car. They move along with the trailer anyway. The 100-pound allowance includes the trunk or cargo area contents only if packed properly.
Detach or make sure exterior attachments are secure. Roof carriers, spoilers that were installed afterwards, anything that might cause resistance to the wind or contact with another vehicle on the deck.
Fold the mirrors and retract the antenna. Little things, but they count especially when vehicles are loaded tightly.
Report any known leaks. A vehicle leaking oil or coolant is loaded on the lower deck rather than on top of another vehicle. It is a standard procedure if the carrier knows about it and a problem if they do not.
Also, bring keys, preferably two. One key is needed to load and unload. It’s better to keep the extra one with you instead of in the vehicle.
It does not take much time. It saves the situation when a driver comes up and cannot unload because the vehicle awaits the next carrier.
What $0.82 per mile reflects
There are two factors that will work towards an increased price at the median.
Distance acts as a drag on price. The pickup and loading cost a carrier roughly the same in all loads, along with securement and coordination and delivery costs. At 1,465 miles, this cost can be distributed across a good amount of distance. For a shorter haul, the same cost will be higher than twice per mile.
Vehicle size helps in raising the price a little. The RDX is a small luxury SUV, which means it is bigger than a sedan but far smaller than a full-size SUV. It fits into a standard position in the truck.
The route is positive. Mid-Atlantic region to Texas through Atlanta and Birmingham has heavy traffic of freight, and both Baltimore and Houston are big markets. Availability of the carrier is not an issue.
Open transport
The vehicle was delivered on an open trailer since this is how most vehicles in this country are delivered.
This is a current production crossover with a modern factory clear coat. Enclosed delivery is only required in cases where rock chips will be a monetary issue; hence, this particular case did not require enclosed delivery because this is not a daily driver SUV going to a new home.
Ground clearance was never a problem. This vehicle has a high ground clearance such that ramp angle was not an issue here.
Transport summary
- Origin: Owings Mills, MD 21117
- Destination: Sugar Land, TX 77479
- Distance: 1,465 miles
- Service cost: $1,200.00
- Cost per mile: $0.82
- Vehicle: 2019 Acura RDX
- Condition: Operable
- Trailer type: Open
- Route: Owings Mills, MD → I-795 / I-695 → I-70 west to Frederick → I-81 south through Winchester, Roanoke and Bristol → Knoxville, TN → I-40 west to Nashville → I-65 south to Birmingham, AL → I-20 west through Meridian and Jackson, MS → Shreveport, LA → Dallas, TX → I-45 south to Houston → I-69 southwest → Sugar Land, TX
