HaulAuto Transport (Car Hauler) Companies
151,860 active U.S. motor carriers (6.9% of all active carriers) report motor vehicles (auto transport) as a cargo type in the FMCSA Company Census. Motor-vehicle carriers move cars, trucks and other vehicles on open or enclosed trailers. This is the FMCSA 'motor vehicles' cargo flag — distinct from the body-type 'car hauler' label, which the agency does not record.
The headline numbers
Auto transport carries an unusually high hazmat-endorsement overlap and skews heavily to small fleets, a structure that shapes both pricing and capacity in the segment.
Where auto transport (car hauler) companies are based
Each state is shaded by the number of active carriers reporting this cargo type, from light (fewer) to dark (more), based on each carrier’s registered physical-address state. The smallest Northeast states and DC are labeled in the margin so their counts stay readable.
Show data table
| State | Carriers |
|---|---|
| Florida | 14,858 |
| Georgia | 10,271 |
| Texas | 9,820 |
| New York | 8,889 |
| California | 8,664 |
| Pennsylvania | 7,807 |
| Michigan | 6,209 |
| Wisconsin | 4,743 |
| Ohio | 4,679 |
| Minnesota | 4,406 |
| Maryland | 4,275 |
| Colorado | 3,951 |
Fleet size: who actually hauls this freight
89.7% of these carriers run six trucks or fewer and just 0.5% run a hundred or more — the fleet shape that determines how capacity and pricing behave in this segment.
Interstate vs. intrastate operation
43% operate interstate (across state lines, the trigger for federal operating authority) and 57% operate intrastate. Auto transport is a frequent target of double-brokering and identity fraud; verify the carrier's USDOT, authority and insurance filing before releasing a vehicle.
Vet a specific carrier
These are aggregate counts. To check a single company, look it up by name or USDOT number, read our guide to vetting a carrier before you book, and learn how to spot double-brokering and carrier fraud. Compare freight types on the cargo-type pillar or see the national industry statistics.
Frequently asked questions
- How many auto transport companies are registered with FMCSA?
- This page shows the current count of active carriers that flag motor vehicles as a cargo type in the Company Census.
- Is 'car hauler' an official FMCSA category?
- No. FMCSA records a 'motor vehicles' cargo classification, not a body type. Counts here are based on that self-reported flag.
- Which state has the most auto transport (car hauler) companies?
- Florida leads with 14,858 active carriers reporting this cargo type, based on each carrier's registered physical-address state. The full state breakdown is on this page.
- Where does this data come from?
- The public FMCSA Company Census (dataset az4n-8mr2), filtered to active carriers that report this cargo-classification flag and grouped by registered state, fleet size, operation type and hazmat indicator. It refreshes automatically as the federal data updates.