How to Ship a Toyota Tacoma
A stock Tacoma is an easy, standard shipment; a modified one frequently is not, and the line between them is roughly 7 feet of total height. A factory double cab runs about 6 feet tall and 212 to 225 inches long depending on the bed, which fits any deck on a standard hauler. Add a lift, 33 inch tires and a roof rack and the same truck can pass 7 feet, which moves it to the lower deck and changes the price. Measure yours before you get a quote.
The Numbers That Matter
Length, height and weight, measured rather than looked up.
A Tacoma double cab with the 5 foot bed is around 212 inches; the 6 foot bed takes it to roughly 225. Access cab models sit between. Curb weight runs roughly 4,000 to 4,800 pounds depending on the cab, bed, drivetrain and trim, and a TRD Pro with armor and larger wheels is at the top of that.
Height is the one that changes the quote. Stock is around 6 feet; that leaves comfortable room on an upper deck. Every inch you add works against you, and the ones that catch people are a roof rack, a rooftop tent, a light bar and a bed rack.
What to Take Off
The cheapest thing you can do is spend twenty minutes with a socket set.
Remove the roof rack or basket, any rooftop tent, the light bar and antennas. Take off a hitch mounted bike rack or cargo carrier, since those add length exactly where a hauler has none to spare. Remove a bed mounted rack if it is bolt on rather than welded.
A tonneau cover can usually stay, but a hard tri fold should be latched and a soft roll up secured so it cannot flap. Fold the mirrors, and remove or retract anything on the tailgate.
Getting under 7 feet is what puts the truck back on the upper deck, and on a long move that saving is considerably more than the effort.
Lifted and Off Road Builds
The Tacoma is one of the most modified trucks on the road, which is why this comes up more here than on most vehicles.
A lift plus larger tires raises height and can raise width past the fender flares. A winch bumper and a rear tire carrier add length. Rock sliders, skid plates and armor add weight. Give the measured figures for the truck as it stands, not the specification for a stock one, and mention anything that protrudes.
Say if it has locking differentials, a manual transfer case or a stiff long travel suspension, because a modified Tacoma loads up ramps differently and the driver should know before it is on the ramp rather than after.
Open or Enclosed
Open transport is right for almost every Tacoma and it is what nearly everyone uses.
Enclosed earns its 20 to 30 percent premium on a show build, a fresh wrap or expensive paintwork. Bear in mind that enclosed trailers have their own interior height limit, sometimes lower than an open hauler’s lower deck, so a tall build may simply not fit in one. Confirm before assuming enclosed is the safer choice.
Why Tacomas Move So Often
These trucks hold their value unusually well, and that shapes the shipping patterns around them.
A large share of Tacoma moves are private sales bought sight unseen from another state, precisely because a good one is worth traveling for. If that is your situation, get daylight photographs of every panel from the seller before collection, since you will have nothing to compare against at delivery otherwise.
The other common pattern is a relocation where the owner ships the truck rather than driving it, often alongside a second vehicle. Two vehicles between the same two points on the same dates price better as one arrangement than as two separate bookings, so mention it if that is the case.
Preparing It
Wash it so existing marks are visible, then photograph every panel in daylight, including the wheels, the rocker panels and the lower bumpers, plus the underside if it is lifted.
Empty the cab and the bed completely. Personal items are not covered by cargo insurance and anything loose in a bed becomes a projectile. Leave about a quarter tank of fuel, disable a motion sensitive alarm and hand over a key.
At delivery, inspect before signing. Check the lower bumpers, the rocker panels and the wheels first, because those are what loading damages, and note anything unexpected on the bill of lading while the driver is still there.
Common Questions
Does a Tacoma cost more to ship than a sedan? Somewhat, because it is longer and heavier and takes more of the truck.
What height do I give you? Ground to the highest fixed point as the truck stands, including a rack, tent, light bar or antenna.
Do I have to remove the roof rack? If it takes the truck past about 7 feet, yes. Under that it may still be fine, so measure and tell us.
Can the tonneau cover stay? Usually. Latch a hard cover and secure a soft one so it cannot flap.
Is enclosed transport worth it? Only for show builds, wraps or fresh paint, and check the trailer’s interior height first.
Get a Quote
Call Ship A Car, Inc. at (866) 821-4555 with the measured height and both zip codes, or price the move with the instant calculator.
