Sherpa Auto Transport is one of the best car shippers on the market, especially for customers who want to save money. It carries an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and even received a 4.8-star rating on our Best Car Shipping Companies ranking thanks to a wide selection of additional services, prices, transportation types and reviews.
We also reviewed this Charlotte, NC-based company’s shipping costs and how easy setting up a shipment is.
Pros
- Price Lock Guarantee protects customers
- Some of the most affordable shipping prices in the industry
- Potential 100% online booking
- Recently expanded to operate in all 50 states
- Clean Car Guarantee for washing after transport
Cons
- Only ships cars, trucks and SUVs
- Doesn’t offer online GPS tracking
Table of Contents
Sherpa Transport is one of the newer auto shipping companies on the transport scene, but it’s also one of the most popular. It’s consistently one of the top results in search engines and, in just a few short years in business since its inception in 2017, Sherpa has earned excellent ratings across several different review sites.
But what is Sherpa doing so well? And what can the company improve upon? Find out in this Sherpa Auto Transport review.
Featured Partners
1
Montway
BBB Score
Excellent
States Serviced
50
International Shipping
No
2
Easy Auto Ship
BBB Score
Excellent
States Serviced
50
International Shipping
Yes
3
Nexus
BBB Score
Excellent
States Serviced
50
International Shipping
Yes
4
Sherpa Auto Transport
BBB Score
Excellent
States Service
50
International Shipping
No
About Sherpa
Sherpa Auto Transport is a relatively new shipping company. It’s based in Charlotte, NC, and was founded in 2017. It carries a 4.88 stars out of 5 rating on the Better Business Bureau website, collecting over 420 total reviews.
Sherpa is a shipping broker rather than a shipping company. This means it acts as the middleman between shipping customers and shipping drivers, connecting the two entities to help solve the customer’s car shipping needs. Sherpa works with a network of vetted and trusted contractors to choose the best driver to pick up a given vehicle and transport it to its end location.
Sherpa offers fairly basic shipping services. Customers can use the company to ship cars, SUVs and trucks, but motorcycles, boats and RVs are out of the question. Customers can choose open transport, which means the vehicle rides on a trailer with no sides or top, or enclosed trailers, which have tops and sides to protect the vehicles from the elements. Customers can also choose door-to-door transport as well as expedited pick-up windows.
The company offers multi-car discounts as well as military discounts and those for returning customers. However, Sherpa doesn’t offer price-matching discounts or discounts for students, first responders, medical personnel or seniors.
Getting a quote is relatively easy, and the prices are affordable compared to many longer-established shipping companies. Quotes are also no-commitment, but customers will have to enter their contact information to receive their quotes, which could result in frequent phone calls or emails.
What Moving Services Does Sherpa Offer?
Sherpa’s moving services are relatively limited compared to some full-service companies. However, Sherpa customers can choose from:
- Local shipping
- Long-distance shipping
- Enclosed trailers
- Open trailers
- Luxury and classic vehicle shipping
- Expedited shipping
Unfortunately, there are a few services that Sherpa does not offer. The company doesn’t ship internationally, nor does it ship motorcycles, RVs or boats. Sherpa doesn’t offer GPS tracking either so customers can’t track their vehicle’s progress across the country.
Shipping a Car: We Put Sherpa to the Test
We wanted to see what the quote process was like, as well as how much shipping costs to various areas. So, we set up two shipments to compare, and here are the results.
Trip 1: New York City to Los Angeles
Distance: Around 2,800 miles
Vehicle: Toyota Rav4
Pick Up Date: 1/31/2024
Trailer Type: Open
Quoted Price: $1,550
The process of getting the online quote was slow but not all that difficult. All that was required was the pickup location, drop-off location, vehicle information and trailer type. Then, the form requires the user to enter their email address and phone number and provides the quote on the next page (you don’t have to go to your email). The worst part about the process is that calculating the quote takes a relatively long time.
Trip 2: White Plains, NY to Poughkeepsie, NY
Distance: Around 60 miles
Vehicle: Toyota Rav4
Pick Up Date: 1/31/2024
Trailer Type: Open
Quoted Price: Would Not Provide
Unfortunately, Sherpa would not provide a price for a local shipment and instead suggested that we call the booking team directly. The process is otherwise pretty smooth though, again, it is slow.
Users, however, can book their transport completely online, rather than getting a quote and calling to set up a shipping date for cross-country moves.
What We Think Sets Sherpa Apart
There are a few things that Sherpa does well that help it stand out from the crowd.
Price Lock Guarantee
Sherpa offers customers a Price Lock Guarantee. When the vehicle owner receives a quote and locks in their price, Sherpa guarantees that the final cost of shipping will not go up. If the price does go up, Sherpa will pay up to $300 toward the price increase.
This shows two things: Sherpa wants to make sure customers are satisfied and tries to be as transparent as possible. Additionally, Sherpa truly trusts its network of contractors and is willing to risk money toback the company guarantee.
Affordable Rates
Sherpa has some of the most affordable rates that we’ve seen in the car shipping industry. While shorter transports are typically on par with other shipping brokers, the long-distance shipments were typically at least $100 less expensive than the others. Customers who are looking to save money on their shipment should feel confident that Sherpa will get them a great rate.
Clean Car Guarantee
Sherpa Transport offers customers a Clean Car Guarantee. Rather than ensuring that the vehicle stays clean during shipping (which is nearly impossible in open transport), the guarantee means each customer gets a voucher for a car wash upon drop-off.
Growing Availability
Up until recently, Sherpa was only available in 49 states. However, it recently added Alaska as its 50th state.
What We Think Lets Sherpa Down
Overwhelmingly, Sherpa has quite a bit to offer car shipping customers. However, the following are a few things that might make Sherpa less than ideal for some customers.
- The website quote experience is smooth, but very slow.
- Local moves can be difficult to quote online.
- GPS isn’t available.
- The company only ships cars, trucks and SUVs, not boats, motorcycles or RVs.
- Sherpa can’t serve customers shipping to or from international locations.
Sherpa Cost
Sherpa is quite competitive when it comes to pricing. Here’s what customers can loosely expect to pay for car shipping based on distance.
| DISTANCE | CAR | SERVICE | QUOTE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 Miles | Toyota Rav4 | Open | $725 |
| 1,000 Miles | Toyota Rav4 | Open | $1,100 |
| 1,500 Miles | Toyota Rav4 | Open | $1,300 |
How Does Sherpa Work?
Sherpa Transport is a broker, which means it doesn’t do any of the transporting itself. Rather, the company connects customers with shipping carriers that can stop along their routes to pick up vehicles. This allows Sherpa to provide efficient, affordable service. Here’s how it works:
- The customer uses the quote calculator to get a quote for their vehicle.
- The customer accepts the quote and confirms their contact information.
- Pick-up location information and dates are filled out.
- The drop-off location information is completed.
- The customer pays the deposit.
- The carrier contacts the customer about the pick-up.
- A bill of lading is completed upon carrier pick up, outlining all of the details of the shipment.
- The vehicle is dropped off, at which point final payment is due.
The process is relatively easy, and since there is a price lock guarantee, Sherpa customers don’t have to worry about price hikes or other inconveniences.
Where Is Sherpa Available?
Sherpa Transport is available in 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C.
How Sherpa Stacks Up
Alternatives to Sherpa
There are reasons to choose Sherpa, like its price lock and clean car guarantees. However, some alternatives might outperform Sherpa’s weaker skillsets.
Sherpa vs. AmeriFreight
AmeriFreight might be a great alternative to Sherpa, as it’s also one of the more affordable auto shipping brokers available. AmeriFreight offers more discounts for seniors, medical personnel, students and first responders, which might make it a better fit for these folks.
Learn More: AmeriFreight review
Sherpa vs. SGT Transport
Where Sherpa falls short, SGT does quite well. For instance, SGT ships internationally. Also, SGT provides GPS tracking for shipments, potentially making it a better fit for anxious customers who need to know where their vehicle is at all times.
Learn More: SGT Transport review
Sherpa Reviews and Experience
Sherpa carries overwhelmingly positive reviews on most of the popular review sites. Its A+ on the Better Business Bureau is also backed by a 4.88-star rating. Most customers stated that their transport went as planned without issue and that communication was excellent.
There are some negative reviews, as is to be expected. Most of these reviews focus on late pick-ups and drop-offs, or poor communication. However, Sherpa does respond to these negative reviews and attempts to make things right with unsatisfied customers.
Bottom Line: Is Sherpa Right for You?
There are some factors to consider. If you need to ship internationally, Sherpa will not be a good fit. The same applies if you’re shipping a motorcycle, RV or boat. You’ll need to look elsewhere.
However, if you’re shipping to any of the 50 states, Sherpa will handle your shipment, likely for less than most other shipping companies. You’ll also get a price lock guarantee, which means you can rest assured that the price won’t increase at drop-off. However, this does come with some trade-offs, like no GPS tracking.
So, ultimately, if saving money on simple shipments is the goal, Sherpa Transport is a great option, backed by overwhelmingly positive customer feedback.
Methodology: How We Rated Car Shipping Companies
To determine our ranking of moving companies, the Forbes Home editorial team analyzed 37 companies, with each company’s star rating determined by evaluating nearly 70 metrics and subcategories, including year in business, pricing and insurance, services and add-ons, customer reviews and support and nationwide availability.
You can find out more about how Forbes Home rates car shipping companies on our detailed methodology page.
All figures and facts were accurate at the time of first publication.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Sherpa a broker?
Yes, Sherpa is a broker. It doesn’t do any of the vehicle shipping itself but instead connects customers to carriers that can handle their transport.
Where are the Sherpa headquarters located?
Sherpa’s headquarters are located in Charlotte, NC. However, the company operates all 50 states.
How long has Sherpa been around?
Sherpa Transport has been in business since 2017 and has quickly become one of the most popular auto transport companies in the U.S.
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