How to Ship a Chevrolet Silverado
A Silverado is a big vehicle by the standards of a car hauler, and that single fact drives the whole quote. A crew cab long bed is around 20 feet long and can approach 6,000 pounds before anybody adds a lift or a bed cover. Get the configuration and the modifications right when you book and the move is routine. Guess at them and the price changes on pickup day.
Configuration Is the First Question
Silverado is a family rather than a single vehicle, and the spread between the ends of it is large.
Cab and bed combinations change length substantially. A regular cab short bed and a crew cab long bed are different vehicles as far as a trailer is concerned, and the long bed versions eat deck space that the carrier then cannot sell to anybody else.
Weight varies just as much. A light-duty 1500 sits in one bracket; a 2500HD or 3500HD with a diesel and a heavy front axle sits well above it, and a dually adds width at the rear axle that matters when vehicles are parked close together on a deck.
Give the year, the cab style, the bed length and, if you know it, the curb weight from the door jamb sticker. Those four items are the whole conversation.
Modifications Change the Job
This is where a routine quote becomes a different one, and pickups are modified more often than any other vehicle type.
A lift kit and oversized tires change the height and how the truck has to be secured. Lifted trucks frequently will not fit the upper deck of a hauler at all, which restricts them to the bottom row and reduces what else the carrier can carry. That is a real cost to them and it shows up in your rate.
A camper shell, a bed rack, a tonneau with a rack, a light bar, a snorkel, an aftermarket bumper or a winch all change dimensions or weight. Measure the truck as it actually stands, at its tallest point, and give that number rather than a factory specification.
A gooseneck or fifth wheel hitch in the bed is worth mentioning too, since it changes what can sit above the truck.
Nothing Travels in the Bed
An empty pickup bed is the most tempting space in vehicle transport and it is not available.
Personal items are not covered by cargo insurance, they add weight the carrier has not accounted for, and anything loose becomes a highway hazard. Some carriers will allow a small amount of secured, covered cargo by prior agreement, but that is an exception you arrange in advance, not an assumption.
Close and latch the tonneau. Remove anything mounted in the bed that comes out easily, and make sure the tailgate latches properly.
Open or Enclosed
Open transport carries almost every Silverado and it is right for a work truck or a daily driver. It is what keeps the price where it is.
Enclosed costs 20 to 30 percent more and earns it on a truck with fresh paint, a wrap, or serious money in modifications, and on a winter move where road salt is the concern. One caveat specific to trucks: a lifted Silverado may exceed the interior height of some enclosed trailers, so confirm the clear height before assuming enclosed is an option.
Buying One Out of State
Full-size trucks are among the most commonly shipped vehicles in the country, and the reason is inventory rather than sentiment.
The specific combination people want, a particular trim with the right engine, cab, bed and drivetrain, and without a lift already on it, does not sit on every lot. Buyers widen the search until it crosses several states, and at that point the choice is fly out and drive it back or have it shipped.
On a long lane, shipping usually wins once you count airfare, a night somewhere, fuel for a vehicle that is not economical, meals and two or three days of your own time. It also puts no miles on a truck you have just bought and have not yet had inspected.
Arrange the transport after the sale is agreed but before you pay in full, because a truck that turns out not to match its description is far easier to walk away from before it is on a trailer. If you are buying from a private seller, ask them to be present at pickup rather than leaving a key somewhere, since the bill of lading signed at collection is the record of the truck’s condition when it left.
Preparing the Truck
Wash it so existing marks are visible, then photograph every panel in daylight, including the wheels, the lower bumpers, the rocker panels, the bed and the tailgate. On a lifted truck photograph the underside too, since that is what a ramp catches.
Leave about a quarter tank of fuel, which on a truck with a large tank is a meaningful weight saving. Empty the cabin and the bed. Fold the mirrors, retract or remove the antenna, disable a motion sensitive alarm, remove a toll transponder and hand over a key.
If the truck has air suspension or a load-leveling system, note how it should be left. At delivery, inspect before signing and note anything unexpected on the bill of lading while the driver is present.
What It Costs and When to Book
Distance sets the base, and after that the price moves with size, weight, modifications, the season and how accessible both ends are.
A rural pickup point costs more than an address near an interstate. Summer is the industry peak and rates rise from June through August. Book one to two weeks ahead normally and three to four in summer or if your dates are fixed.
Give a range of pickup days rather than a single date. On a vehicle that takes as much deck space as a Silverado, flexibility genuinely helps a carrier make the load work, and that shows up in the rate. Our guide to shipping a Ford F-Series truck covers the same ground for the other full-size family.
Common Questions
Does a Silverado cost more to ship than a car? Yes. It takes more deck space and more of the trailer’s weight allowance, and a 2500HD or 3500HD more again.
Does a lift kit matter? Considerably. A lifted truck often cannot go on the upper deck, which limits the carrier’s load. Give the real measured height.
Can I put anything in the bed? Not by default. It is uninsured, adds weight and can come loose. Ask first if you need an exception.
Open or enclosed? Open for a work truck. Enclosed for fresh paint, a wrap or expensive modifications, but check the trailer’s clear height if the truck is lifted.
How far ahead should I book? One to two weeks normally, three to four in summer or when your dates cannot move.
Get a Quote
Call Ship A Car, Inc. at (866) 821-4555 with both zip codes, the year, cab style and bed length, and the measured height if the truck is lifted or carries a rack, or price the move with the instant calculator.
