Alameda, CA Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Alameda, CA is simple but important. Here’s what you need to do:

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, including toll passes like FasTrak, GPS devices, and any fragile items. Car carriers are not responsible for personal property.

Prepare your keys: Have at least one working key ready for the driver. Make sure your car starts and can be put in neutral.

Remove accessories: Take off any loose exterior items like bike racks, spoilers, or antennas that could be damaged during transport.

Document your car: Take photos of your vehicle from all angles before pickup. This helps with any insurance claims if needed.

Check fluids and battery: Ensure your car has enough gas (about 1/4 tank) and that the battery works well.

For complete preparation details, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps will help ensure smooth pickup and delivery of your vehicle from Alameda.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured during transport from Alameda, CA. All Sherpa Auto Transport carriers must carry a minimum of $1,000,000 in liability insurance and $100,000 in cargo insurance.

Before your car leaves Alameda, we verify that your carrier’s insurance is active and valid for your entire shipment. We also require all carriers to add Sherpa as a Certificate Holder on their insurance policy for extra protection.

This comprehensive coverage protects your vehicle whether it’s heading from Alameda to another state or arriving in Alameda from across the country. Our insurance requirements exceed industry standards to give you peace of mind during your car shipping experience.

We recommend scheduling your car pickup from Alameda, CA at least 2-3 weeks in advance for the best rates and availability. However, booking even earlier gives you more options.

Here’s why advance booking helps:

• Better pricing: Carriers can group your car with other vehicles heading the same direction
• More carrier options: Popular routes from Alameda fill up quickly
• Flexible scheduling: You’ll have more pickup date choices

Need faster service? We also offer expedited shipping with as little as 1-3 days notice, though this costs more. For the most affordable car shipping from Alameda, plan ahead and book early.

Pro tip: Alameda’s location in the San Francisco Bay Area means frequent carrier traffic, so you have good options even with shorter notice.

No payment is due at the time of booking. We do require a payment method on file so that it is available to charge once a carrier is secured. We accept all major debit and credit cards, including Mastercard, Visa, Discover and American Express. The most convenient option is to pay for your shipment in full by credit card at the time a carrier is secured.

We also allow you to pay for your Initial Payment via credit or debit card and then pay the outstanding balance on delivery day via cash or a certified check made out to the carrier.

Your Sherpa shipment includes up to 100 lbs of personal items or household goods stored in the trunk area or secured below the window line. If you are shipping to or from a port or your shipment includes ocean transit, your vehicle must be emptied of all items. Sherpa and your assigned carrier cannot be responsible for personal items left inside the vehicle. See our Vehicle Shipping Tips for more details.

Yes. It is important that you, or another adult that you trust, is there for pickup and delivery of your vehicle. This designated person plays an important role in the shipping process including documenting the state of the vehicle and signing the Bill of Lading, which acts as a receipt of the vehicle’s condition.

Open auto transport uses open trailers where your car is exposed to weather and road debris. This is the most common and affordable option, costing about 50% less than enclosed transport.

Enclosed auto transport protects your vehicle inside a covered trailer, shielding it from weather, dust, and road debris. This premium service costs more but offers maximum protection.

Choose open transport if: You have a standard daily driver and want to save money. Most cars ship safely this way from Alameda.

Choose enclosed transport if: You own a luxury car, classic vehicle, exotic car, or have custom paint work that needs extra protection during shipping.

For Alameda residents, open transport works great for most vehicles. However, given the area’s luxury car market, enclosed transport is popular for high-value vehicles. Learn more in our detailed open vs enclosed auto transport guide.

Yes, Sherpa Auto Transport offers door-to-door auto transport service to and from Alameda, CA. This means we pick up your vehicle from your home, office, or any address you choose and deliver it directly to your destination.

When you book your car shipment, simply provide us with your preferred pickup and delivery addresses in Alameda. Our assigned carrier will do their best to reach these exact locations. However, some Alameda neighborhoods have narrow streets or parking restrictions that may prevent large car carriers from accessing your exact address.

If your street isn’t accessible, don’t worry. Our driver will work with you to find a safe, nearby meeting spot like a shopping center parking lot or gas station. This is common in many Alameda residential areas and ensures your vehicle is transported safely without any damage to property or the carrier truck.

Door-to-door service saves you time and hassle compared to terminal-to-terminal shipping, making it our most popular option for Alameda customers.

Many Auto Transport companies try to tease customers with lower rates, only to surprise you with “hidden costs” later. At Sherpa Auto Transport, we do things differently. We provide one locked-in price upfront and stick to it. If unexpected costs arise, we pay them out of our own pocket.

While we may not always be the cheapest option at first glance, our commitment to transparency and reliability offers exceptional value. As a premium service, we ensure an stress-free experience from start to finish.

We transport sedans, SUVs, pickup trucks, vans and motorcycles across the nation, including service to Alaska and Hawaii. At this time, we do not service boats, golf carts, ATVs, or RVs. We can ship both operable and inoperable vehicles so long as the vehicle can roll, brake, and steer, and that you can provide the carrier with a key to the vehicle. We can also ship electric vehicles.

Visit Sherpa’s FAQ page to learn more about car shipping!