Urbana, IL Car Shipping

Preparing your vehicle for transport from Urbana, IL is simple. Follow these key steps:

Clean your vehicle: Wash the exterior so you can document any existing damage with photos.

Remove personal items: Take out all belongings, toll passes, and loose items. These aren’t covered by carrier insurance.

Check fluids and battery: Ensure your car is in good running condition with no leaks.

Disable alarms: Turn off any car alarms to avoid issues during transport.

Keep fuel low: Maintain about a quarter tank of gas—enough to load and unload, but not too heavy.

Provide a key: Have a spare key ready for the carrier.

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

For complete details, visit our Vehicle Shipping Tips page. Following these steps will ensure a smooth pickup from Urbana and safe delivery to your destination.

Yes, your vehicle is fully insured during transport from Urbana, IL. All of our carriers must carry a minimum of $1,000,000 in liability insurance and $100,000 in cargo insurance.

Before your shipment, we verify that the carrier’s insurance is active and valid. We also require all carriers to add Sherpa Auto Transport as a Certificate Holder on their policy. This gives you extra protection and peace of mind.

Your vehicle is covered from pickup in Urbana until delivery at your destination. If you have questions about insurance coverage, our team is happy to provide carrier insurance details before your shipment.

We recommend booking your car shipment from Urbana, IL at least 1-2 weeks in advance. However, scheduling even earlier gives you the best chance of securing competitive rates and flexible pickup times.

Here’s why advance booking helps:

• Better carrier availability: Carriers can plan routes more efficiently and bundle your vehicle with others heading in the same direction
• Lower costs: Last-minute bookings often cost more due to limited availability
• More scheduling flexibility: You’ll have more options to choose pickup dates that work for your timeline

If you need expedited service, we can often arrange pickup within 24-48 hours, though this may come at a premium price. For the best experience, contact us as soon as you know your moving dates, and we’ll work with you to find the perfect solution for your Urbana car shipping needs.

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 an open-air trailer to ship your vehicle. This is the most common and affordable option, costing significantly less than enclosed shipping. Your car will be exposed to weather and road debris during transit, but carriers use professional-grade equipment and experienced drivers to protect your vehicle. Open transport is ideal for everyday vehicles and most standard cars.

Enclosed auto transport ships your vehicle inside a fully covered trailer, protecting it from weather, dust, and road debris. This premium service typically costs 50-60% more than open transport. It’s best for luxury vehicles, classic cars, exotic sports cars, or vehicles with custom paint jobs where maximum protection is essential.

For most Urbana, IL residents shipping standard vehicles, open transport offers excellent value and reliability. However, if you’re transporting a high-value or collector vehicle, enclosed transport provides peace of mind. Learn more in our open vs enclosed auto transport guide.

Yes! We offer door-to-door auto transport service for Urbana, IL residents. This means we’ll pick up your vehicle from your home, office, or any address you specify in Urbana and deliver it directly to your destination address.

Here’s how it works:

At Pickup: The carrier will come to your location in Urbana at the scheduled time. You’ll do a quick vehicle inspection together and hand over the keys.

At Delivery: Your vehicle arrives at the exact address you requested. You’ll inspect it again and sign off on the delivery.

Important Note: In some cases, large car carriers can’t access narrow streets, low-hanging trees, or residential areas with tight turns. If this happens in your Urbana neighborhood, the driver will contact you to arrange a nearby meeting spot like a parking lot or gas station. This is rare but ensures your vehicle’s safe loading and unloading.

Door-to-door service is included in most quotes at no extra charge. It’s the easiest way to ship your car without driving to a terminal or drop-off location.

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!