Operable vehicle
An operable vehicle starts, steers, brakes, and rolls onto a trailer under its own power. Dispatchers ask those four things. If any answer is no, the car is inoperable and the quote can change.
Operable means the driver can move the car onto the trailer without a winch. The practical test is four questions. Does it start and stay running? Can you steer it? Do the brakes hold? Will it roll in a straight line? A dead battery, a locked steering wheel, or a seized brake fails the test even if the car looks fine.
What to tell the dispatcher
Answer before you book, not when the truck is on the street. Say if the car has been sitting, if it needs a jump, or if it rolls only in neutral. A car that starts in your driveway and dies on the ramp is the inoperable case the original quote did not price. Expect a new rate or a refusal.
Also say whether it is lowered, lifted, or oversized. Those are separate from operable. A car can run perfectly and still not fit the trailer.
How it differs from inoperable
Inoperable means at least one of the four tests failed. The carrier may need a winch, a flat place to work, and a higher price. Do not book the running rate and hope. RideShipper does not inspect the car. Your description is what the companies quote.