Transit Times & Tracking

Once your order number has been issued, you can track your shipment online through the MVS Canada tracking page at mvscanada.ca/tracking.

To log in, you’ll need:

• Your order number
• The last four digits of the phone number used on your booking

Each time your tracking page is updated, you’ll receive an automatic email notification, so you do not need to check the tracking page manually every day. Tracking updates may include your vehicle’s general status, approximate location, estimated timing, or the next major step in the shipment.

Please note that tracking is not real-time GPS. It is based on verified updates received from carriers, rail providers, terminals, and dispatch teams.

For more detail, see Tracking Your Vehicle With MVS.

Shipping time depends on your route, transport method, vehicle, service type, and available capacity when your vehicle is ready to move.

We use average transit times based on recent shipment history for many popular routes. These averages are shown as “Avg. Days” on our Transit Times page and are calculated using recent shipments on that lane. “Avg. Days” means the total of:

• Wait time — how long your vehicle waits to depart after it is ready at the correct origin location, usually the main terminal, or after a door pickup has been scheduled.
• Transit time — how long your vehicle spends moving between terminals, rail yards, trucks, or other transfer points.

The clock starts when your vehicle is ready to ship at the correct origin location and meets standard loading requirements, including keys available, vehicle able to roll/steer/brake, proper ground clearance/loadability, and compliance with the personal-items policy for the selected transport method. If you choose residential pickup or delivery, an extra local step may be needed to move the vehicle to or from the main terminal.

Many long-distance shipments are multi-leg moves. Your vehicle may travel by local truck, rail, long-haul truck, or a combination of methods, and it may pass through more than one terminal before reaching the destination. Each transfer can add wait time before the next available departure.

Average days are guides, not guarantees. Actual timing can vary because of:

• Route volume and carrier or rail capacity
• Whether the route uses truck, rail, or both
• Terminal wait times and transfer points
• Vehicle size, weight, modifications, or loadability
• Door pickup or delivery scheduling
• Weather, road closures, rail delays, holidays, or seasonal demand
• Payment status, missing information, or vehicle condition issues

Booking one to two weeks in advance, completing payment and required information early, and making sure the vehicle is ready to load can help keep your shipment moving. Same-day booking or drop-off may be possible, but your vehicle may spend more time waiting for the next available departure.

For the most accurate estimate ask your shipping representative for the current average on your route. Enclosed transport, oversized vehicles, remote locations, and special service requests may not follow the posted averages on our website.

All pickup, delivery, and transit times are estimates, not guaranteed arrival dates. Our Average Days are based on recent shipment history and include both wait time and transit time, but every shipment can vary depending on the route, mode of transport, terminal activity, carrier or rail capacity, and conditions at the time of shipping.

Vehicle shipping often involves multiple parties and moving parts, including carriers, rail companies, terminals, local pickup and delivery agents, drivers, and dispatchers. Delays can happen for reasons outside anyone’s direct control, including:

• Weather, storms, flooding, wildfires, or road closures
• Rail or terminal delays
• Mechanical issues or equipment breakdowns
• Holidays, reduced terminal hours, or long weekends
• Seasonal demand and limited carrier capacity
• Traffic, construction, detours, or highway restrictions
• Multi-leg transfers between trucks, rail, or terminals
• Vehicle readiness issues, missing keys, payment delays, or inaccessible pickup/delivery locations

For this reason, delivery estimates are not contractual deadlines. MVS Canada’s terms state that pickup, delivery, and transit times are estimates only and that MVS Canada and its carriers are not liable for delays caused by events beyond their control or for indirect costs related to delays.

This includes costs such as:

• Rental vehicles
• Hotel or accommodation expenses
• Missed work or lost income
• Missed appointments, flights, or business opportunities
• Loss of use of the vehicle
• Other expenses caused by a delayed pickup or delivery

We always recommend allowing extra buffer time, especially for relocations, work transfers, vehicle purchases, school moves, military moves, and other time-sensitive situations. If you have a firm deadline, let your shipping representative know before booking so they can explain the most realistic options for your route.

We aim to provide a tracking update at least once every five business days. You may see updates more often when your vehicle is loaded, transferred, arrives at a terminal, is released, or reaches another major step in the shipment.

Tracking updates are not always instantaneous. MVS Canada works with a network of carriers and requests shipment updates in batches, which allows us to track many vehicles efficiently and then relay verified information to customers.

If you do not see a new update every day, it does not necessarily mean your vehicle is delayed or sitting still. Your shipment may still be moving, waiting for the next confirmed scan, carrier update, rail update, terminal release, or dispatch confirmation.

Our team continues monitoring shipments between tracking updates and will contact you if something requires your attention.

Even with careful planning, vehicle shipments can be delayed by factors outside our control. Our posted Avg. Days are based on recent shipment history and include both wait time and transit time, but they are still estimates, not guarantees. Actual timing can vary because of weather, road conditions, terminal operations, rail operations, capacity, and overall shipping volume.

Common causes of delays include:

• Weather and road conditions — snowstorms, ice, extreme cold, flooding, wildfires, avalanche control, road closures, and severe weather can slow trucks, delay rail movement, or make loading and unloading unsafe. In winter, extreme cold can also affect train equipment, truck fuel systems, vehicle batteries, and loading ramps.
• Holiday and seasonal schedules — terminals, rail ramps, carriers, and local pickup/delivery partners may have reduced hours around statutory holidays, long weekends, and the mid-December to mid-January holiday period.
• Rail and terminal operations — rail cars may wait for switching, unloading, inspection, or release. Terminals can also experience congestion, limited staffing, or delays moving vehicles between transport legs.
• Multi-leg routing — many long-distance shipments move by local truck, terminal, rail or long-haul truck, destination terminal, and final-mile delivery. Each handoff can add wait time before the next departure.
• Carrier routing — open transport trucks usually carry multiple vehicles and may stop for other pickups and deliveries along the route, especially on indirect or lower-volume lanes.
• Capacity and equipment availability — trailers and rail cars have fixed space and weight limits. Larger SUVs, pickups, lifted vehicles, duallys, oversized vehicles, or special-handling units may wait longer until the right equipment or load configuration is available.
• Mechanical issues or accidents — carrier breakdowns, equipment issues, or accidents are uncommon, but they can require recovery, inspection, reassignment, or waiting for the next available departure.
• Labour disruptions or government restrictions — strikes, labour disputes, road bans, border issues, emergency restrictions, or other events affecting carriers, terminals, rail operators, or highways can delay shipments.
• Customer-side delays — missing payment confirmation, incorrect contact details, missing keys, personal items that are not allowed, an inaccessible pickup or delivery location, or a vehicle that is not ready, not running, or not as described can delay loading or delivery.
• Door pickup or delivery scheduling — residential pickup or delivery may require a flatbed tow truck or driving service for the first or final mile, which adds another scheduling step.

When delays happen, we work with the carrier, terminal, or rail provider to get the shipment moving as soon as practical. We’ll provide updates when confirmed information is available, but not every delay results in an immediate tracking update.

The best way to reduce avoidable delays is to book early, complete payment and required details promptly, make sure the vehicle is ready to load, follow the personal-items policy, and tell us about access issues, vehicle modifications, or mechanical concerns before pickup or drop-off. For more winter-specific preparation tips, see Shipping Your Vehicle in Winter Conditions.

Yes. For time-sensitive shipments, MVS Canada may offer Hot-shot Direct service in many areas.

With Hot-shot Direct, a dedicated truck and trailer are used to move your vehicle, instead of using standard shared transport where vehicles may wait for available capacity or move through multiple terminals. This can reduce wait time, transfers, and carrier routing delays.

The trade-off is cost. Hot-shot Direct is significantly more expensive and can be approximately five times the cost of standard shipping, so it is usually used for high-value, urgent, or time-critical moves rather than everyday shipments.

Availability depends on the route, timing, vehicle type, pickup and delivery locations, and carrier capacity. If you have a firm deadline, ask your shipping representative whether Hot-shot Direct is available for your route and what the cost would be.

Real-time GPS tracking is not provided to customers for security and logistics reasons.

Many trucks, trains, and transport systems have GPS or dispatch tracking, but exact shipment locations are generally restricted to dispatch teams. Sharing live locations publicly could create security risks for vehicles in transit.

Instead, MVS Canada provides verified status and location updates through your tracking page. These updates are based on information received from carriers, rail providers, terminals, and dispatch teams, then reviewed before being shared. This means tracking may not be instant, but it is intended to reflect the actual shipment status as accurately as possible.

Yes. You may use a third-party tracking device, such as an AirTag, GPS tracker, or built-in vehicle tracking system, for extra peace of mind. However, you must disclose the device to your MVS Canada representative before shipping. This helps us address privacy, safety, and carrier concerns for your vehicle, the driver, and any other vehicles in the same load.

If you have a tracking device in the vehicle, we may require:

• A copy of the device owner’s driver’s licence with current address
• A current utility bill if the address on the licence is not up to date
• If the device owner does not have a driver’s licence, a copy of the shipper’s licence instead

Important things to know:

• Your device is not the official shipment status. MVS Canada tracking and pickup instructions are the official source for your shipment.
• GPS signals may be blocked or distorted. Rail cars and enclosed trailers can interfere with GPS signals, causing inaccurate, delayed, or intermittent locations.
• “Arrived” does not mean ready for pickup. After a vehicle reaches the destination area, it still needs to be unloaded, inspected, processed, and released. You must wait for pickup instructions from MVS Canada before going to the terminal.
• Undisclosed devices may be removed or disposed of. If a tracking device is found in a vehicle without prior disclosure, we may not be able to recover or return it.
• Do not place the device anywhere that interferes with vehicle operation, safety, inspection, loading, or unloading.

Wait time is the time your vehicle waits before the next available departure. This can happen at the origin terminal, after a door pickup is scheduled, or at a transfer terminal during a multi-leg shipment. Your vehicle must also be ready to load, with keys available, able to roll, steer, and brake, and compliant with the personal-items policy for the selected shipping method.

Transit time is the time your vehicle spends actively moving between terminals, rail yards, trucks, or delivery points.

When we show “Avg. Days” on our Transit Times & Schedules page, it includes both wait time and transit time based on recent shipment history for that route. In other words:

Avg. Days = Wait Time + Transit Time

This gives a more realistic estimate than quoting transit time alone. A vehicle may only spend a few days physically moving, but still require additional time waiting for loading, unloading, transfer, rail departure, carrier availability, or final release.

Shipments are generally handled in queue, but not always on a strict first-come, first-served basis. Vehicle size, route, mode, trailer or railcar space, weight limits, transfer priority, and available capacity can all affect when a vehicle is loaded. Vehicles already in transit may also be prioritized onto the next leg to keep the network moving.

Booking one to two weeks in advance, completing payment and required information early, and making sure your vehicle is ready for loading can help reduce avoidable delays. Same-day booking or drop-off may be possible, but it can mean more time waiting for the next available departure.

Average days are estimates, not guarantees. Actual timing can change because of weather, road conditions, rail or terminal operations, holidays, seasonal volume, vehicle condition, route demand, and carrier availability.

The transit times and shipping schedules page explains that average days are calculated from recent shipments and include both wait time and transit time.