Learn how car shipping from Rhode Island to Florida works! Request your free, no-obligation quote online or call to speak with one of our logistics experts!
Whether you are joining the flock of fellow snowbirds, bought a vehicle out of state, or moving from Rhode Island to Florida for good, moving your car shouldn’t become a stressful endeavor! In this guide, we’ll share our expertise in the basics of auto transport, so you can make educated choices and have a flawless vehicle shipping experience!
What are my options to ship a car from Rhode Island to Florida?
In general, you have two main choices:
- driving your vehicle from Rhode Island to Florida
- shipping it with a professional auto transporter
The answer would depend on your circumstances and personal preferences. Driving is a good option if you have plenty of free time, enjoy being behind the wheel, and want to see as much of the country as you possibly can. And if your family or significant other join you on this adventure – road trip can become a perfect bonding experience. But driving long distances is not for everyone. Cross-country roads can become dangerous for the untrained eye, and what was supposed to be a fun adventure, can easily turn into a dreadful ride. When the distance is more than 200 miles, we always recommend shipping instead of driving.
When you hire an auto transport company, you free yourself from the responsibility of moving your vehicle. It makes life easier when you are busy or simply do not wish to embark on a road trip. Moreover, it spares your car additional hundreds of miles of wear and tear. Because driving a car across the country often means adding at least a thousand miles to the odometer, spending extra on maintenance, flat tires, traffic jams, and other possible issues. Shipping a car from Rhode Island to Florida with a professional auto transporter is also often cheaper than driving it.
All you need to do is find a reliable car shipping company and make sure your vehicle is ready for shipping.
What services do auto transport companies offer?
Typical auto transport services vary by company. In general, you’ll be choosing between the open and enclosed carrier, standard and expedited shipping, and door-to-door and terminal-to-terminal delivery. It all depends on your budget, time allotment, the level of protection you want for your vehicle, and pick up/drop off locations. Corsia Logistics offers the following services:
Open auto transport: a standard shipping method and also the most affordable. Your car will travel on a double-deck trailer designed to carry up to 10 vehicles at a time. Small one- or two-car open carriers are used for local, less than 300 miles, and expedited deliveries.
If you are looking to add an extra layer of protection for your vehicle, you can choose to ship it via enclosed auto transport. Enclosed trailers have soft or hard side cover that protects vehicles from destructive weather and road elements. Most of these trailers are designed to haul between 5 and 7 cars at a time. Although a single-vehicle enclosed trailer may be available upon request. Due to the extra protection it offers, enclosed auto transport is a pricier option.
Whether you are shipping via open or enclosed auto transport, you can request a top-load for your vehicle. For an extra fee, your car will travel on a top-deck of a trailer, which ensures against possible leaks from other vehicles.
If you are on a tight timeline and need your vehicle on or by an exact date, request expedited shipping. Expedited delivery could guarantee that your a carrier picks up or delivers your car on or by a specified date and time. However, accommodating your particular situation requires the itinerary of the truck to play around your schedule, which naturally increases the price.
All Corsia Logistics deliveries are door-to-door. It means that the driver will pick up and drop off your vehicle as close to your door as legally possible. Most private and business customer across the US prefer door-to-door shipping.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Rhode Island to Florida?
It’s only natural that you want to get the most for your money. Just keep in mind that the lowest bid doesn’t always translate into the best deal, and the most expensive price doesn’t mean the highest quality service. Look for the golden mean. Request multiple shipping quotes. And before you settle for a quote, it’s important to understand how vehicle shipping price is calculated and what factors affect the final cost.
Our team provides manual tracking of daily supply and demand fluctuations. It enables us to quote a realistic current market price that will ship your vehicle in a professional and timely fashion.
What documents do I need when shipping a car?
We do not need any documents from you unless the car is going out of the country. Domestic transport is easy and simple. You or someone on your behalf needs to release the vehicle, together with a set of keys, to the carrier at pick-up and sign the Bill of Lading (BOL). The BOL is a really important document. It is not only a receipt but also an inspection report. When the driver inspects the car you need to make sure he marks all existing damages, and then you sign and get a copy.
Can I ship personal items inside my car while on the carrier?
Yes, you can but a limited quantity. By law, carriers are not allowed to transport household (personal) items inside the vehicle. They are not licensed to move personal items and their insurance does not cover any personal belongings inside the vehicle. However, most companies allow customers to have a box or a suitcase in the trunk of their vehicle.
Moving from Rhode Island to the Land of Flowers
Nicknamed “The Ocean State” due to its large bays and inlets that occupy about 14% percent of its total area, the State of Rhode Island is part of the New England region. Even though the state is the smallest in the US in terms of area, it is the 2nd most densely populated, while Florida is the 8th on the list. During the last few decades, there has been a constant flux of people moving from Rhode Island and the whole New England region to Florida for various reasons.
Compared to Rhode Island’s humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters, most parts of Florida have the subtropical climate with mild winters and hot and humid summers, while its southern parts have a tropical climate. Florida, just like Rhode Island is vulnerable to hurricanes, especially during the mid-August to late October period.
Housing and Living Costs
Currently, there are over 21 million people living in the state of Florida — the third largest population in the US. If we compare the overall cost of living in Orlando and Providence, Orlando is 9% less expensive than Providence, the capital of Rhode Island. Housing costs, however, are much higher in Orlando where the Median Home Cost is $228,600, while in Providence it is $197,900.
If you still haven’t decided which part of Florida to call home, we would suggest you pick among these cities: Tallahassee, Pensacola, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Fort Myers, Sarasota, and Fort Lauderdale.
Economy and Employment
According to a report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis in July 2018, Florida’s economy is very close to reaching the $1 trillion mark. “The Sunshine State churned out goods and services at an annual pace of $996.3 billion during the first quarter of 2018, Florida accounted for fully 5 percent of U.S. economic activity,” according to an article by MyPalmBeachPost.
Florida’s economy is mainly based on industries like trade, financial services, manufacturing, construction, transportation services, and tourism. In case you need to find a new job in the Land of Flowers make sure to check out job sites like Indeed jobs and Monster jobs.
What to see and do in Florida?
Once you dive in and discover all the natural beauties of Florida, you will see that the decision to move to this beautiful state, is definitely a great one. Among the outdoor activities you can enjoy in Florida are surfing, swimming, hiking, fishing, and kayaking.
If you want to head straight to visiting its attractions and landmarks, we suggest you start with these ones first: The Universal Orlando, Duval Street, Mallory Square, Giraffe Ranch, Epcot Theme Park, Florida Keys, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, South Beach, SeaWorld Orlando, Sanibel Island, Magic Kingdom, and Everglades National Park.
Are you a fan of paying historic sites a visit? You’re in luck! There are plenty of historical sites in Florida such as Fort Jefferson, Mary Bethune Home, Naples Historical Society’s Historic Palm Cottage, and Harry S. Truman Little White House.
Moving to Florida with a car
Having your own vehicle to go to work and get around any city in Florida will lift a huge weight off your shoulders. What you have to do once you move to the Sunshine State, is read about all the documents you need to prepare to register your car and legally drive it at the official site of Florida DHSMV. Once you prepare the documents, make sure you register and title your vehicle with your local DHSMV office within the first 30 days after establishing your move.