SGT Auto Transport alternative: SelectDrive driveaway vs SGT
Competitor details and SelectDrive planning details reviewed: July 26, 2026.
SGT Auto Transport is an active broker that arranges an independent trailer carrier. SelectDrive is planning a different model in which an identified driver would operate an approved car on its own wheels, with trip-specific price and tracking terms.
SelectDrive status: Quote and route-planning requests are open while required federal interstate operating authority is pending. No SelectDrive interstate for-hire move will begin unless and until that authority is granted and active and the specific vehicle, driver, insurance, route, and signed agreement are approved. Use an authorized provider if service is needed now.
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 an active national auto transport broker that arranges an independent carrier to haul a vehicle on a trailer. Its current terms say the original quoted amount may be adjusted when it was based on incorrect information or when additional carrier services were required or authorized. Its cancellation policy permits a 199 USD fee under the circumstances listed there. See SGT's Terms and Conditions and Cancellation Policy, retrieved July 26, 2026. Its terms apply and can change.
| SelectDrive | SGT Auto Transport | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Planned driveaway; planning requests only | Broker: arranges a trailer carrier |
| Who handles your car | Driver would be identified for an approved future trip | An independent carrier the broker assigns |
| On a shared trailer? | Planned model would drive the car on its own wheels | Yes, with other vehicles |
| Pricing | $450 per driver day, half-day increments, one-day minimum; itemized trip costs; preliminary only | Quote-based; published adjustment terms apply |
| Tracking | Could be included in an approved future agreement | Confirm the assigned carrier's tracking method |
| Cancellation | Would be stated in an approved future agreement; no active booking | 199 USD may apply under the published policy |
| Miles added to car | Planned model would add the route distance | None, it rides on a trailer |
| Personal effects and animals | Pet or ordinary belongings only with advance written trip approval | Provider rules and coverage vary |
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 prefer an active national broker network, trailer transport is built for that use case.
How SelectDrive's planned model differs
For one operable passenger car, SelectDrive can prepare a preliminary plan. The preliminary model bills driver pay at $450 per day in half-day increments, with a one-day minimum. A planning day is about 8 driving hours or roughly 500 miles. It itemizes gas fuel at about $0.18 per mile where applicable, tolls at about $0.02 per mile, lodging at $120 per night, an insurance surcharge of 8 percent of driver pay, and assigned-driver positioning travel using the cheaper feasible option between a round-trip drop-off and a flight plus ground transport. Electric charging is billed at documented actual cost with receipts. Requests with less than 3 days notice add 5 percent. If authority becomes active and a trip is approved, a signed agreement would generally call for a 25 percent deposit and would identify the driver, final price, vehicle rules, insurance documents, and any private tracking terms. A pet that travels well may accompany the vehicle it belongs to, and ordinary belongings that fit safely below the window line may be accommodated, but both require advance disclosure and written approval in the trip agreement. Approval is separate from the price estimate and is never automatic. These accommodations are incidental to delivering the vehicle. SelectDrive does not offer household goods moving, standalone goods delivery, or standalone pet transport. No person may ever travel in the vehicle.
The honest trade-offs
The planned driveaway model would add the route distance to the odometer, require a safely operable car, and have finite capacity from a Des Moines base. SelectDrive cannot begin an interstate for-hire move while required authority is pending. If service is needed now or any of the broker-fit cases above describe your move, use SGT or another authorized provider.
Frequently asked questions
Can SGT Auto Transport's price change after booking?
SGT's current terms say the original quoted amount may be adjusted when the quote was based on incorrect information or additional carrier services were required or authorized. The vendor source was retrieved July 26, 2026. SelectDrive currently provides preliminary planning estimates only; a final price would require active authority and an approved signed agreement.
Does SGT Auto Transport offer live GPS tracking?
Tracking terms and tools may depend on the assigned carrier and order. Confirm the exact tracking method before booking. SelectDrive's planned model could include private tracking on a future approved trip, but SelectDrive currently accepts planning requests only while required federal interstate operating authority is pending.
Does SGT charge a cancellation fee?
SGT's current cancellation policy permits a 199 USD cancellation fee under the circumstances it lists. The vendor source was retrieved July 26, 2026, and provider terms can change. Any future SelectDrive trip would require active authority and signed cancellation terms; SelectDrive has no active interstate booking to cancel while authority is pending.
When is SGT the better choice?
Choose SGT or another authorized provider when service is needed now, when the car is inoperable, when road miles are unacceptable, when several vehicles are moving, or when a large active carrier network is preferred.
More comparisons
Compare a possible future driveaway
Tell Pilot your route for a preliminary plan. No interstate dispatch occurs while required authority is pending.