Car shipping from Buffalo to Florida
Buffalo is the west end of our weekly Florida run. We come to your door anywhere across Erie and Niagara counties, load you onto the same southbound truck as the rest of Upstate, and have you on the road in three to five days.
Skip the yard, let us come to you
We take $50 off if you drop the car at one of our terminals - and from Buffalo, we will tell you straight that it is usually not worth the trip. The nearer yard is at 930 NY 104 in Ontario, well past Rochester; the other is in East Syracuse, further still. That is most of a day and a tank of fuel to save fifty dollars, and you would need a second car to get home in.
Door pickup, any weekday, Monday to Friday. That is the sensible option from Buffalo, and it is what almost everyone here books.
The run, and when your car moves on it
- Going south - we collect across the Northeast on Thursday and Friday. Your car is usually in Florida by the following Tuesday, sometimes Monday through Wednesday depending how far down the state you are going.
- Coming home - we collect in Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday, and you normally have the car back that Friday or the Monday after. Those two collection days are fixed: that is simply when the truck is down there.
- Three to five days on the road either way.
These are how the run normally goes rather than a promise. Nothing about a delayed day costs you anything, and you will hear about it from us by phone.
Getting the car out ahead of the weather
You know the drill better than we do. When a serious band sets up off the lake, the Thruway shuts, the bans go on, and nothing moves in or out of the county for a day or two.
Two things follow from that, and both are worth knowing in October rather than January:
- Book earlier than you think you need to. If your plan is to leave in the first week of January, put the car on a truck in December. The southbound run fills through the autumn anyway.
- We will not run into a closure to hold a date. If the road is shut we move your collection and call you. No fee for the change, and no argument about it.
What sets the price
We do not publish a rate, because an honest flat number does not exist. You get a firm quote up front, usually the same day you ask, and it does not move afterwards. What it depends on:
| Factor | What it does |
|---|---|
| Where in Florida | Buffalo to Jacksonville is a shorter haul than Buffalo to Naples or the Keys, and it shows in the number |
| Size of the vehicle | A pickup or a large SUV takes up more of the deck than a sedan does |
| Whether it starts | A car that will not run has to be winched aboard and needs a spot the winch can reach |
| Time of year | Autumn southbound and spring northbound are the busy weeks in both directions |
What goes on the truck
- Cars, trucks and SUVs on open carriers - up to nine vehicles a load
- Non-runners. Plenty of cars that sat all summer do not start in November. Tell us when you book and we will plan for it
- Two vehicles on a single booking, which is what most couples do
- Dealer and auction vehicles, dealer to dealer
Before the driver arrives
- Fuel at a quarter tank or below - it keeps the load legal through the weigh stations
- Take the E-ZPass down. Left on the glass it scans as we go and bills your account
- Remove anything loose or aftermarket - roof boxes, tire covers, spoilers. Those can move at highway speed and are not covered
- Clear the car out. By law we carry vehicles, not freight. If a few things stay: nothing in the front seats or beneath them, back seat below the window line, no plants, and nothing you will need in a hurry such as medication
What people in Buffalo ask us
Which parts of the area do you collect from?
All of it - the city, Amherst, Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, West Seneca, Lancaster, Orchard Park, Hamburg, and up to Niagara Falls. A car carrier runs about eighty feet, so on a tight street or in a condo complex we may ask to meet you at a plaza a few minutes away. We sort that out when you book, not on the doorstep.
Should I drive to Ontario or East Syracuse for the $50?
Honestly, no. From Buffalo the fuel and the hours cost you more than the saving, and you still need a ride back. That discount is there for people who live near the yards. Let us come to you.
My car has been sitting since the spring and might not start.
That is a normal one for us. Say so when you ask for the quote so we can put you in a spot with winch access - it is not a problem, it just needs the right place on the deck.
We are going to the Gulf side, not Miami. Do you get there?
Yes. The truck runs the length of the state, Gulf coast and Atlantic. Give us the delivery address with the quote request and we will tell you plainly whether we can reach the door or should meet nearby.
How early should I book for January?
Earlier than feels necessary. The autumn southbound weeks fill, and Buffalo winters do not negotiate. A few weeks ahead is comfortable; the week before Christmas is not.
Do you bring it back in April?
Yes, as a separate booking rather than a round trip - so you are not locked to a return date in the autumn. Same run, same schedule, the other way.
Tell us about the move
Where the car is, where it needs to be, and what it is. A firm price comes back, usually the same day.
Empire Auto Transportation Group INC · 3546 Walters Rd, Syracuse, NY 13209 ·
(315) 488-2523 ·
dispatch@empirets.com
Dates on this page are how the run normally goes, not a guarantee - weather and road
rules move things by a day now and then. The full terms are on the
terms page.