Price ranges for shipping a car to and from Modesto, CA, plus nearby terminals and common routes.
Key facts
How vehicles move
By truck; ports and islands may need a separate sea or rail service
Population
219,652
Metro
Modesto, CA
As of 1 July 2025. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, 1 July 2025
Common routes from Modesto. Sedan or compact car.
Route
Open transport
Enclosed transport
Birmingham, AL
$935–$1,426
$1,403–$2,138
Phoenix, AZ
$535–$815
$802–$1,222
Tucson, AZ
$581–$886
$872–$1,329
Colorado Springs, CO
$653–$994
$979–$1,492
Jacksonville, FL
$1,012–$1,542
$1,518–$2,313
As of 2026-11-09. RideShipper estimate, updated 2026-11-09, based on 3,588 prices that customers reported paying in MoveAdvisor reviews, adjusted for U.S. diesel at $6.13 a gallon for that week (U.S. Energy Information Administration). In testing, the typical difference between an estimate and a reported price was about 20% of the estimate. This is an estimate, not a quote: the carrier sets the price. No pickup date was supplied, so this estimate uses November 2026. There is no seasonal direction adjustment for this route and month.
Caltrans limits longer STAA trucks to routes with a terminal-access sign. A residential street in Modesto is often not that route. Set a meeting point. See meeting points. Chain controls that Caltrans names for this part of the state are on the Sierra passes, including I-80 at Donner Pass between Sacramento and Reno, not on the valley floor. A Modesto truck that continues over Donner still has to stop for a posted chain sign. Heavy vehicles over 6,500 pounds must mount chains when the sign requires it.
The Census lanes
According to Census ACS 2024, people leaving California most often show up in Texas, 77,161 (margin of error 9,059), Nevada, 53,289 (margin of error 6,970), and Arizona, 52,383 (margin of error 6,890). Inbound leaders are Texas, Arizona, and Washington. California to Texas is the largest outflow. These are state counts, not Modesto bookings. Registration stays on the California page.
Do not borrow Stockton's yard
IAA lists a Stockton branch. It is not a Modesto release. Use it only when the sale names Stockton. A Modesto address stays a street meet. The valley floor and Donner Pass are different days, so do not add chain time to a pickup that never leaves Stanislaus County. Tell the carrier which one it is before the window is set.
