Transit time is the question we get asked most often — and the one the auto transport industry does the worst job of answering honestly. You’ll see vague ranges like “1–14 business days” that tell you almost nothing. Here’s what transit actually looks like on the routes we run every day.
The Two Clocks: Pickup Window vs. Transit Time
There are really two timelines at play, and most companies blur them together. The pickup window is how long it takes to get a carrier dispatched to your location after booking — typically 1–3 business days on active corridors, sometimes same-day. The transit time is how long the carrier takes to drive from your pickup address to your delivery address once loaded.
When someone says “it takes 3–5 days,” they usually mean pickup window plus transit combined. Understanding the difference helps you plan — especially if you have a hard delivery deadline.
Transit Times on Our Active Routes
| Route | Distance | Pickup Window | Transit Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa → Orlando | 85 mi | Same day | Same day |
| Jacksonville → Orlando | 140 mi | Same day | Same day |
| Miami → Orlando | 230 mi | 1–2 days | 1–2 days |
| Jacksonville → Miami | 340 mi | 1–2 days | 1–2 days |
| Jacksonville → Atlanta | 350 mi | 1–2 days | 1–2 days |
| Orlando → Atlanta | 440 mi | 1–2 days | 1–3 days |
| Tampa → Atlanta | 460 mi | 1–2 days | 1–3 days |
| Miami → Atlanta | 660 mi | 1–2 days | 2–4 days |
| Houston → Orlando | 1,000 mi | 2–3 days | 2–4 days |
| Dallas → Miami | 1,300 mi | 2–3 days | 3–5 days |
What Makes Transit Faster or Slower?
Route frequency. High-volume corridors like Tampa to Orlando or Jacksonville to Miami have carriers running daily — sometimes multiple per day. Less common routes may require waiting for a carrier heading in that direction, which extends the pickup window even if the transit itself is short.
How many other vehicles are on the truck. Most open carriers haul 7–10 cars at once. Yours may be one of the first loaded or the last — and the carrier needs to deliver in an order that makes sense geographically. If your delivery is a detour from the carrier’s main path, expect the upper end of the transit range.
Expedited service. If you have a hard deadline, expedited shipping prioritizes your vehicle for the next available carrier on your corridor. It costs more — typically $75–$150 above standard — but it’s worth it for time-sensitive moves.
The Florida Keys: A Special Case
The Florida Keys require coordination between two legs — a mainland carrier brings the vehicle to Fort Lauderdale, and our partner In-N-Out Keys handles the Overseas Highway run daily. Total transit from Miami or Fort Lauderdale runs 1–2 days. From Tampa or Jacksonville, add 1–2 days for the mainland leg. From Atlanta, Dallas, or Houston, plan for 3–6 days total depending on the mainland leg’s scheduling.
The honest answer: On most of our active Southeast corridors, door-to-door from booking to delivery runs 2–5 days for Florida intrastate routes and 3–7 days for longer hauls. Same-day delivery is genuinely possible on short runs like Tampa to Orlando or Jacksonville to Orlando when booked early in the day.
How to Get a Firm Timeline for Your Route
Call us at (678) 648-2924 or request a quote below. When you tell us your pickup location, destination, and preferred dates, we give you a real availability window — not a generic range — based on current carrier schedules on your specific corridor.