What expedited shipping changes
A standard shipment is assigned to the next carrier with space on your lane, which usually means pickup within one to five days. Expedited service moves you to the front of that line. Dispatch offers your load at a premium rate to carriers already positioned near you, which is what secures a pickup in 24 to 48 hours, and on many routes it also means a more direct run with fewer stops, which shortens transit.
When people use it
- A job start date next week and a car that has to be there first.
- A closing or lease end that leaves no time for a standard window.
- Auction and dealer storage deadlines that start charging daily fees.
- Military orders with a short report window.
- A sold car whose buyer is waiting, or a purchase you want in your driveway before the weekend.
What it costs
Expedited pricing is typically 20 to 40 percent above the standard rate on the same route, depending on how tight the timeline is and how much carrier capacity is nearby. A next-day pickup on a busy lane out of Los Angeles costs less of a premium than one on a quiet lane out of a small town. The instant quote above gives the standard price; choose "as soon as possible" or call the desk and we will quote the expedited option alongside it so you can compare.
Guaranteed pickup dates
With expedited service we commit to a pickup date rather than a window. If the carrier cannot make that date for a reason within our control, the expedite premium is refunded. Weather closures, road incidents and other conditions outside anyone's control can still move a date; your coordinator will tell you immediately if one does and work the alternatives.
How to get the fastest possible pickup
Book as early as you can, even if the date is tomorrow. Be ready: car washed, quarter tank, personal items out, keys in hand. Be reachable by phone all day. If your street is hard for a truck, offer a meeting point on a main road when you book; a driver on a tight schedule appreciates it. And be flexible on time of day. A pickup at 7am or 7pm is often what makes a next-day slot possible.
Expedited transit
Pickup speed and transit speed are different things. Expedited service guarantees the first; the second depends on the route. On direct lanes a single-car or small-carrier expedite can cut a day or two from transit. On cross-country runs the drivers' legal hours of service set a floor, around 400 to 500 miles per day, that no premium can change. Your coordinator will tell you what is realistic for your lane before you pay for it.