Open Vs Enclosed Transport

Open and enclosed transport describe how your vehicle is carried, protected, loaded, and secured during shipping.

Open transport uses a multi-vehicle car-hauler trailer, similar to the trucks used to deliver new vehicles to dealerships. It is the most common and usually the most economical way to ship a vehicle by truck. The vehicle is exposed to weather, road dust, salt, insects, and road debris during transit, so it may arrive dirty. Vehicles are typically secured with straps over the tires; on some older trailers, chains may be used to secure the vehicle frame.

Enclosed transport uses a hard-sided enclosed trailer, typically carrying fewer vehicles than an open carrier. It provides much greater protection from weather, road dust, salt, debris, and public view. Enclosed transport is often recommended for exotic, antique, classic, high-value, rare, low-clearance, or specialty vehicles. MVS enclosed trailers may include hydraulic lift gates or long low-angle ramps for lowered vehicles, soft tire straps instead of chains, and interior protection such as seat covers, steering wheel covers, and floor mats.

Enclosed transport costs more because the equipment is specialized, capacity is lower, and the handling is more careful. MVS Canada’s enclosed service page describes enclosed shipping as approximately 2× the standard shipping cost, depending on the shipment details.

In general:

A note on rail: Rail is a third option that doesn’t fit neatly into “open” or “enclosed.” Autorack rail cars are sealed on the roof but partially open on the sides for weight reasons, so rail vehicles are protected from large debris but can still get dusty.

Enclosed transport is recommended when the vehicle needs more protection, better coverage, or gentler loading than standard open truck or rail service can provide.

You should consider enclosed transport if your vehicle is:

• High-value. Standard transport modes have lower insurable-value limits. Rail is limited to $35,000 CAD per vehicle, and open truck is limited to $65,000 CAD per vehicle. Enclosed transport includes automatic coverage up to $300,000 CAD, with higher coverage available for an additional fee if declared in advance.
• Classic, antique, older, or collectible. Standard modes have age-related coverage restrictions. Rail has major coverage restrictions for vehicles older than 6 years, and open truck has major coverage restrictions for vehicles older than 20 years. Enclosed transport is available for vehicles of any age and is often the best option for antiques, classics, restored vehicles, and collector cars.
• Low-clearance or modified. Most open trailers and rail transport require at least 6 inches of ground clearance for safe loading and unloading. Vehicles with less clearance, front splitters, body kits, lowered suspension, oversized wheels, or other modifications should be declared before booking. Enclosed trailers often use hydraulic lift gates or long low-angle ramps, which reduce the risk of undercarriage or bumper contact during loading.
• Exotic, luxury, rare, or sentimental. If the vehicle is difficult to replace, custom-built, restored, limited-production, or personally important to you, enclosed transport may be worth the added cost for the extra protection and handling.
• Not suitable for standard loading. Some vehicles cannot safely be driven up standard ramps due to condition, traction, modifications, horsepower, tires, or mechanical concerns. In some cases, enclosed transport may also be able to move a non-running vehicle if it can still roll, steer, and brake, depending on route and carrier availability.

Enclosed transport costs more than standard shipping because the trailers carry fewer vehicles, use specialized equipment, and provide a higher level of handling. MVS Canada’s enclosed service includes hard-sided trailers, soft tire straps, interior protection such as seat covers and floor mats, and drivers with 5+ years of experience.

For more detail, see Should I Ship My Car Enclosed?.

Yes — and it’s one of the most overlooked aspects of choosing a transport mode.

Standard open trailers and rail cars use ramps with an angle of incline, and vehicles need a minimum of 6 inches of ground clearance to load and unload safely without the front bumper, air dam, or undercarriage scraping. Vehicles with less than 6 inches of clearance must be declared at booking so we can confirm whether open transport will work for your specific vehicle, or whether enclosed is the safer choice.

For reference, here are the ground clearances of some common vehicles:

• Nissan Sentra — 6.4″
• BMW 3-Series — 6.3″
• Subaru Legacy — 6.0″
• Toyota Corolla — 5.6″
• VW Jetta — 5.5″
• Hyundai Elantra — 5.3″
• Honda Civic — 5.0″
• Ford Focus — 4.8″
• Porsche 911 — 4.4″

Even within these clearances, the lowest point of the vehicle matters more than the published number — front splitters, aftermarket body kits, exhaust components, and aerodynamic add-ons can reduce effective clearance.

If your vehicle is borderline, three options can sometimes make open transport work:

• Raise suspension with larger tires, coilovers, or air ride if the vehicle has these adjustments.
• Remove aftermarket body kits, splitters, or aerodynamic add-ons that reduce clearance below the chassis.
• Use a vehicle’s “transport mode” if equipped — many newer performance vehicles have a setting that raises the suspension for shipping.

For a full breakdown of the angles involved in loading low-clearance vehicles, see Why Does Ground Clearance Matter? and The Important Angles of Car Shipping.

Open transport is a standard, proven way to move vehicles by truck and is the most common truck-shipping method in Canada. Vehicles are loaded onto multi-vehicle car-hauler trailers and are usually secured with tire straps, although some older trailers may use chains to secure the vehicle frame.

Because the trailer is open, your vehicle is exposed to normal road and weather conditions during transit. This is important to understand before choosing open transport.

What to expect with open transport:

• Road dust and grime — Vehicles shipped long distance by open trailer will usually arrive dirty and may need a wash. This is normal and does not mean the vehicle was damaged.
• Weather exposure — Vehicles may be exposed to rain, snow, sun, wind, temperature changes, road salt, and seasonal conditions while in transit.
• Winter salt and gravel — During winter shipments, vehicles may arrive with salt, slush, and road grime on the exterior and underside. We recommend washing the vehicle, including the underside, soon after delivery when weather allows.
• Minor stone chips or small road-debris marks — These are rare, but they can happen when a vehicle is exposed to highway conditions. MVS Canada’s damage-claim guidance states that rock chips, scratches, small dents from road debris, and auto-glass chips or breaks are generally not covered by carrier insurance for open and rail transport.
• Weather-related damage exclusions — Weather events or “acts of God,” such as hail, storms, flooding, and similar events, are generally not covered by carrier insurance.
• Undercarriage exposure — Open transport exposes the underside to the same road environment the vehicle would face if driven. Since the underside is not inspected before shipping, undercarriage claims are generally not covered.

For most everyday vehicles, open transport is a practical and cost-effective option. The exposure is similar to what the vehicle would experience if it were driven the same distance, except the mileage is not being added to the odometer.

If your vehicle is high-value, classic, exotic, freshly restored, low-clearance, or if you want to avoid weather, salt, dust, and road-debris exposure as much as possible, enclosed transport is the better option.

Sometimes, yes — but it depends on the modification, the vehicle’s dimensions, and whether it can be loaded safely on a standard open carrier.

All modifications must be disclosed when you request a quote or place your booking. This includes lifted suspension, oversized tires, dually wheels, extended body kits, lowered suspension, aftermarket bumpers, roof racks, ladder racks, light bars, truck bed caps, snorkels, roof tents, oversized mirrors, canopies on pick up trucks, or anything else that changes the vehicle from stock. MVS Canada’s terms define oversized vehicles to include lifted suspensions, oversized tires, dually wheels, extended body kits, and exterior aftermarket additions, and state that undeclared modifications may result in extra costs, delays, refusal, or a change in transport method.

Lifted trucks and SUVs can often move by open transport, but total height is the main concern. Vehicles over approximately 7 feet tall may not be accepted on standard equipment or may require special routing, different equipment, or additional trailer space, which can affect the price.

Oversized tires, dually wheels, canopies, and larger-than-stock dimensions should be declared before quoting. These details may change how the vehicle fits on the trailer and may affect the final price or available transport mode.

Lowered vehicles or vehicles with less than 6 inches of ground clearance usually require extra review and may need enclosed transport. Most open trailers and rail equipment require at least 6 inches of clearance to load and unload safely, and enclosed trailers are recommended for low-clearance vehicles because many have lift gates or low-angle loading equipment.

External accessories should be removed where possible, especially anything loose, fragile, oversized, or likely to catch wind. Damage to certain accessories, roof racks, off-road lights, soft tops, or the underside of low-clearance vehicles may not be covered.

If you are unsure whether your vehicle qualifies for open transport, send clear photos to your shipping representative before booking. For modified vehicles, we may ask for the vehicle’s height, width, ground clearance, tire size, photos of the exterior and interior, and details about the vehicle’s condition. Based on that information, we can confirm whether open transport is suitable or whether enclosed transport is the safer option.