Driveaway service

Hire someone to drive my car across the country

A driveaway service means a professional driver personally drives your vehicle to its destination, instead of loading it onto a trailer. With SelectDrive, that driver is Dan Ketelsen. He flies to your car, inspects and photographs it, drives it door to door anywhere in the lower 48, sends you live GPS the whole way, and flies home. One named driver, your car, no trailer, no handoffs.

Dan drives, every job Live GPS tracking Photo inspection
A car ready for a cross-country driveaway

What is a driveaway service?

A driveaway service hires a qualified driver to physically drive your car from one place to another. Your vehicle travels on its own four wheels, driven by a person, rather than strapped onto an open or enclosed carrier with five or six other cars. It is the right fit when your car runs and drives, you want one accountable person handling it start to finish, and you would rather not make the long drive yourself.

SelectDrive is owner-operated, so the person who quotes your job is the person who drives it. There is no broker reselling your move to the lowest bidder on a load board, and no anonymous carrier you never speak to. Dan Ketelsen has a perfect driving record across 30+ years of professional driving and handles every route himself.

How it works

The five steps, start to finish

01

Dan flies to your car

For pickups within about 350 miles of Des Moines, Dan drives to you. Farther out, he flies from Des Moines International to the nearest hub and gets to your door. Your quote shows that travel as its own line.

02

Inspect and photograph

Before the first mile, Dan documents your vehicle's condition with pre-trip photos so there is a clear record at pickup.

03

He drives it door to door

Dan drives your car to the destination on a realistic schedule, about 8 hours and 500 miles a day, with overnight stops on long routes.

04

Live GPS and daily check-ins

Track the car in real time from pickup to delivery, with daily updates and milestone notifications so you always know where it is.

05

Handover, then Dan flies home

Delivery is confirmed with post-trip photos you can compare to the pickup record. The balance is due on delivery, and Dan heads home.

Why one named driver beats a broker chain

You always know exactly who has your car

Most car shipping runs through a broker who posts your job to a load board, where a carrier you never chose picks it up. SelectDrive removes that chain entirely.

  • One person quotes, drives, and delivers, so accountability never gets handed off
  • Your car is never juggled across multiple trailers or terminals
  • Dan is MVR-checked, background-screened, and drug-tested
  • Direct contact with the actual driver for the whole trip
  • Pets and personal goods are welcome when they fit the route, something trailer carriers will not allow
What it costs

Driveaway with SelectDrive is a transparent $0.75 per mile, with a $500 minimum. Every quote itemizes fuel, tolls, lodging on multi-day routes, an 8% insurance line, and Dan's travel to and from your route. Nothing is buried in a flat markup.

Honest guidance

When driveaway is the right call, and when it is not

Driveaway is a great fit when

  • Your car runs and drives safely
  • You want one trusted driver, not a load-board carrier
  • You have a tight or specific timeline
  • You want to send pets or packed belongings with the car
  • You would rather not add a cross-country round trip to your own week

Trailered transport is better when

  • The vehicle is inoperable and cannot be driven
  • It is an ultra-high-value show car you do not want road miles on
  • You are moving several vehicles at once on one trailer

We will tell you honestly when driveaway is not the right tool for your situation.

FAQ

Common questions about driveaway service

Does my car need to run?

Yes. Dan personally drives your vehicle, so it must be running and safely driveable. If your car is inoperable, call (833) 700-8364 and we will point you to the right option.

How much does it cost to hire someone to drive my car?

SelectDrive charges $0.75 per mile with a $500 minimum, plus itemized fuel, tolls, lodging on multi-day trips, an 8% insurance line, and Dan's travel to and from the route. A cross-country move of about 2,800 miles typically lands in the low thousands. Use the cost calculator or chat with Pilot for your exact route.

How long does a cross-country drive take?

Dan drives about 8 hours and 500 miles per day, so a 1,500 mile route is roughly 3 to 4 days and a coast-to-coast route is about 5 to 6 days. Weather and traffic can shift the exact timing.

Can I send belongings or a pet with the car?

Yes, when they fit safely and stay below window level. Because a person is driving, SelectDrive can carry packed belongings and pets that fit, which trailer carriers do not allow. See our pets and belongings page.

Get started

Ready to hand off the drive?

Get an instant itemized quote from Pilot, or call Dan directly at (833) 700-8364.