SGT Auto Transport alternative: SelectDrive driveaway vs SGT
Last updated: June 2026
SGT Auto Transport is a broker. It lists your car to a carrier network to haul on a trailer, the quote is non-binding, and reviews document cases where the price rose near pickup. SelectDrive is the opposite model: one professional driver personally drives your operable car door to door, at a flat price fixed at booking, with live GPS. If your car runs and you want a number that will not move, SelectDrive is an SGT alternative worth comparing.
SGT is a large, widely reviewed company with many satisfied customers. This is not a smear; it is a fair comparison of two different ways to move a car so you can choose the right one.
What SGT Auto Transport is
SGT Auto Transport is a national auto transport broker that started in 2014, based in Bohemia, New York, advertising a large carrier network, no upfront payment, and a price match. It does not own trucks; it assigns your shipment to an independent carrier that hauls your car on a trailer. As of mid-2026, independent reviews and BBB complaints document recurring issues worth knowing: the non-binding quote sometimes rises near the pickup day, a 199 USD cancellation fee applies once a carrier is assigned, and SGT does not offer live GPS tracking as a standard feature, updates come through the assigned carrier and SGT's support team. Reviews are polarized, with many happy customers alongside these pricing and fee complaints. These facts come from SGT's own materials and independent review and complaint sources as of mid-2026.
| SelectDrive | SGT Auto Transport | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Driveaway: a person drives your car | Broker: arranges a trailer carrier |
| Who handles your car | One named driver, start to finish | An independent carrier the broker assigns |
| On a shared trailer? | No, driven on its own wheels | Yes, with other vehicles |
| Pricing | Flat 0.75 USD per mile, itemized, fixed at booking | Quote-based, non-binding; reviews note rises near pickup |
| Tracking | Live GPS on every job | No live GPS standard; updates via carrier and support |
| Cancellation | Published terms; no broker-to-carrier fee gap | 199 USD fee after a carrier is assigned |
| Miles added to car | Yes, the route distance | None, it rides on a trailer |
| Pets and belongings | Allowed when they fit | Limited (about 100 lbs, uninsured) |
Where SGT fits
A broker like SGT is genuinely the better tool in several cases, and we will say so plainly. If your car is inoperable and cannot be driven, if you specifically do not want any road miles added, if you are moving several cars at once, or if you want the lowest possible long-haul number from a large carrier network and can accept a non-binding quote, a national broker is built for that. SGT's scale and carrier reach are real advantages for the trailer-shipping use case.
Why customers pick SelectDrive
For an operable everyday car, the driveaway model removes the two things SGT's reviews flag most: a price that can move and tracking you cannot see. SelectDrive's price is flat and itemized, 0.75 USD per mile with a 500 USD minimum, and it is fixed at booking, so there is no quote creeping upward as pickup approaches. You get live GPS on every trip, not just updates relayed through a carrier. And one named driver, Dan Ketelsen, has your car the entire way, with the option to send a pet or packed belongings that fit.
The honest trade-offs
Driveaway is not free of trade-offs. The route distance is added to your odometer, the car must be safely driveable, and SelectDrive is one driver based near Des Moines, so capacity is finite and our strongest lanes run through the Midwest. If any of the broker-fit cases above describe your move, SGT or another trailer carrier is the right call, and we would rather tell you that than take a job we are not suited for.
Frequently asked questions
Can SGT Auto Transport's price change after booking?
SGT is a broker, so its quote is non-binding. As of mid-2026, independent reviews and BBB complaints document cases where the carrier price was renegotiated upward near the pickup day. SelectDrive gives a flat, itemized price that is fixed at booking and does not change after pickup.
Does SGT Auto Transport offer live GPS tracking?
As of mid-2026, SGT does not offer live GPS tracking as a standard feature; updates come through the assigned carrier and SGT's support team. SelectDrive provides live GPS on every job, plus photo documentation at pickup and delivery.
Does SGT charge a cancellation fee?
Reviews note a 199 USD cancellation fee that applies after a carrier is assigned, which some customers describe as leaving little choice but to accept a revised rate. SelectDrive's cancellation terms are published on the site and there is no broker-to-carrier fee gap.
When is SGT the better choice?
Choose SGT or another broker when your car is inoperable, when you do not want any road miles added, when you are moving several vehicles at once, or when you want the lowest possible long-haul number from a large carrier network and can accept a non-binding quote and an assigned carrier.
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Want a price that will not move?
Tell Pilot your route for a flat, itemized driveaway price fixed at booking, with live GPS on every mile.