Royal Auto Ship Review: Is the First Quote the Real Price?

An independent look at Royal Auto Ship LLC’s TrustScore, FMCSA record, BBB rating and complaints, plus the Saver Rate clause in its contract, compared side by side with other brokers.

Updated October 22, 2026922 reviews7 min readTransportvibe Editorial
3 yrsin operation
5.0★avg rating
A+BBB rating
1560299MC number
4094097USDOT number
In this profile
Transportvibe verdict

Yes, Royal Auto Ship is worth it, but ask which quote you’re getting

Royal Auto Ship LLC is a 3-year-old, FMCSA-licensed auto transport broker with a TrustScore of 94/100 and a BBB A+ rating. This Royal Auto Ship review found steady praise for named agents and on-time pickups. The weak spot is the default Saver Rate quote. If your dates are tight, ask for the guaranteed First Class Rate.

TrustScore

TrustScore breakdown: how Royal Auto Ship earned a 94

Royal Auto Ship Terms and Conditions, Section 3, showing the Economy Saver Rate clause that says carrier acceptance may range from 5% to 30%
Royal Auto Ship’s own Terms, Section 3.1 (page last updated June 9, 2025, captured October 2026).

Royal Auto Ship’s TrustScore is built from 2,137 reviews on Google, Trustpilot and BBB. Each review is tagged for 8 service metrics and weighted by platform, by how many reviews mention that metric, and by how recent the review is. The metrics roll into 6 pillars worth 100 points: Reputation 30, Performance 25, Pricing 15, Experience 15, Compliance 10 and Internal 5. FMCSA authority works as a pass/fail check, and Royal passes.

Pricing is the pillar that should shape your expectations. It’s worth 15 points and measures one thing: whether the quoted price is the price you paid. Most Royal Auto Ship reviews say it was. The ones that complain about a price going up match a clause in Royal’s contract. Ask which rate you’re on before you sign.

“Chances of acceptance by carriers at this rate may range from 5% to 30% depending on any number of factors such as prevailing economic conditions and the time of the year.”

— Royal Auto Ship LLC Terms & Conditions · Section 3.1 · Economy Saver Rate
Performance

What Royal Auto Ship does well, and where it falls short

BBB business profile for Royal Auto Ship LLC showing BBB accreditation, an A+ rating and 6 complaints in the last 3 years
Royal Auto Ship’s BBB profile, captured October 2026.

Based on 2,137 reviews across Google, Trustpilot and BBB, plus 6 BBB complaints, FMCSA records and Royal’s own contract, rather than its marketing pages.

✓ Strengths

  • Guaranteed First Class Rate locks your price and sets a same-day or next-day pickup window
  • Free to cancel until a carrier accepts your order
  • 4.7 on Royal Auto Ship’s Trustpilot page from 231 reviews, with 97% of them five stars
  • One assigned advisor per order. Reviewers name agents like Luis, Nelson and Oscar again and again.
  • BBB A+ rating, and none of its 6 complaints is marked Unresolved or Unanswered

⚠ Weaknesses

  • The default Saver Rate isn’t guaranteed. Carriers accept it only 5% to 30% of the time, and the price can rise.
  • The homepage says “$0 down,” but the Terms say your card is charged once the contract is formed
  • After a carrier accepts, the Royal Auto Ship cancellation fee is at least $199, plus any carrier dry-run fee
  • Royal carries no insurance on your car and caps its liability at the fees you paid it
  • 3 of its 6 Royal Auto Ship complaints on BBB came in 2026, 2 of them over delivery issues
Data

Performance data: the numbers behind the score

These aren’t Royal Auto Ship’s marketing numbers. They come from FMCSA SAFER, BBB and Transportvibe’s count of reviews across platforms, including the Royal Auto Ship MC number and USDOT record.

3 yrs

In Operation

5.0★

Avg Rating

A+

BBB Rating

1560299

MC Number

4094097

USDOT Number

Reviews

What customers actually say — the good, mixed, and bad

922 reviews for Royal Auto Ship LLC.

★★★★★

“After hearing so many negative stories about the auto transport industry, I was extremely nervous about shipping my car across the country. Fortunately, **** at Royal Auto Ship made the entire process smooth and stress-free. He secured a driver at the exact price he originally quoted, and pickup happened right on sc...”

★★★★★

“I had a great experience with Royal Auto ship . From the beginning having the pleasure to work with Dean and getting everything set up to move my car across country to the delivery driver Igor. My car was delivered in a timely manner and my car arrived safely. I highly recommend!”

★★★★★

“Frank was awesome, gave me a guaranteed price and stuck to it. Great communication, great experience. And this is not a service industry that gets a lot of good reviews. Thanks Frank, awesome experience, I appreciate it!”

Company info

Company facts — FMCSA, licensing, payment terms

Before you book any broker, verify their FMCSA credentials independently. The data below is pulled from public FMCSA records and ROYAL AUTO SHIP LLC's published terms.

Legal name
ROYAL AUTO SHIP LLC
MC number
1560299
DOT number
4094097
FMCSA status
FMCSA authority active
Founded
2023
Headquarters
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Comparison

How Royal Auto Ship compares, head to head

Same methodology, same review sources. A like-for-like check of Royal Auto Ship against three other auto transport brokers on Transportvibe.

Broker
Royal Auto Ship LLC logo

Royal Auto Ship LLC

FMCSA ActiveUnclaimed
94Highly Trusted
Low Risk
Pricing accuracy
96%
Communication
100%
Vehicle condition
99%
View Details
Broker
Tempus Logix logo

Tempus Logix

FMCSA ActiveUnclaimed
89Highly Trusted
Low Risk
Pricing accuracy
82%
Communication
96%
Vehicle condition
92%
Broker
Sherpa Auto Transport LLC logo

Sherpa Auto Transport LLC

FMCSA ActiveUnclaimed
89Highly Trusted
Low Risk
Pricing accuracy
93%
Communication
95%
Vehicle condition
96%
Broker
AmeriFreight Inc. logo

AmeriFreight Inc.

FMCSA ActiveUnclaimed
85Highly Trusted
Low Risk
Pricing accuracy
72%
Communication
90%
Vehicle condition
90%

Pricing = quote accuracy. Comms = customer-reported communication quality during transit.

Bottom line

Who Should Use Royal Auto Ship and Who Shouldn’t?

Use Royal Auto Ship if:

You’re shipping a standard car by open car shipping or enclosed auto transport, and you’re willing to pay for the guaranteed First Class Rate. You also want one named advisor handling your order from booking to delivery. Reviewers keep naming the same agents for clear updates and on-time pickups, which matches Royal’s TrustScore of 94.

Consider Sherpa Auto Transport instead if:

You want a longer track record and a quote with a firm expiry date. The catch is a 4% fee on card and PayPal payments.

Consider Tempus Logix instead if:

Your date is fixed and the only quote you’ve been offered is the Saver Rate. Royal’s own Terms say carriers accept that rate only 5% to 30% of the time, and the price can climb while you wait. Skip it too if there’s a chance you’ll cancel late. Once a carrier accepts your order, the Royal Auto Ship cancellation fee starts at $199.

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Royal Auto Ship LLC logo
Royal Auto Ship LLC
TrustScore 94 5.0 (922)

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Royal Auto Ship LLC logo

Royal Auto Ship LLC FMCSA authority active

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Trust Score94Highly Trusted
5.0922 reviews

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What Shippers Check Before Booking Royal Auto Ship

These are the 10 things people search for most after a Royal Auto Ship quote lands in their inbox. Every number comes from FMCSA, BBB, Trustpilot, or Royal's own Terms, checked in October 2026.

Is Royal Auto Ship legit?

Yes. Royal Auto Ship LLC is an FMCSA-licensed auto transport broker with active authority under USDOT 4094097 and MC-1560299. It started in June 2023, holds a BBB A+ rating and has been accredited since March 2024. You can check its status yourself on the FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot.

Where is Royal Auto Ship based?

Royal Auto Ship operates from 300 Avon St in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's a broker, so it owns no trucks. It books your order with a licensed carrier from its network and handles the communication until delivery.

Does Royal Auto Ship charge anything upfront?

The homepage says "$0 down," but the contract is less clear-cut. Royal's Terms say your card on file is charged once the contract is formed, and the service fee is due when a carrier accepts the order. One March 2026 BBB complaint describes a $300 reservation fee paid by Zelle at signing. Ask in writing when your card will be charged before you sign.

What is the difference between the Saver Rate and the First Class Rate?

The Economy Saver Rate is Royal's default first quote, and it isn't guaranteed. Royal aims for pickup within about 7 work days, but its Terms say carriers accept this rate only 5% to 30% of the time. The Guaranteed First Class Rate locks your price and gives you a same-day or next-day pickup window.

Can my Royal Auto Ship quote go up after booking?

On the Saver Rate, yes. If no carrier takes the load, Royal's Terms let it raise the price in steps. You can accept or refuse each increase, but Royal can cancel the order if you refuse. The First Class Rate won't increase.

How much does Royal Auto Ship charge to cancel?

Canceling is free until a carrier accepts your order. After that, the fee is at least $199, plus any dry-run fee the carrier charges. If your assigned carrier cancels, Royal can try up to 3 replacement carriers before you're owed a full refund.

Who pays if my car gets damaged?

The carrier's cargo insurance pays, not Royal. Royal's Terms say carriers hold $100,000 to $250,000 in cargo coverage, and Royal caps its own liability at the fees you paid it. Note every new scratch on the Bill of Lading before you sign it and before you hand over payment.

How do I pay the driver at delivery?

You pay the remaining carrier balance at delivery in cash or certified funds, such as a cashier's check or money order. Royal's Terms rule out personal checks, debit cards and credit cards for the driver. Have the money ready before the truck arrives.

Does Royal Auto Ship ship to Alaska and Hawaii?

Royal's website says it serves all 50 states. Its Terms treat Alaska and Hawaii as overseas shipments: the car must be empty, with no more than half a tank of fuel, and you handle the booking number and weight ticket. Confirm the ocean leg and its cost with Royal before booking.

What do Royal Auto Ship reviews say?

Most are glowing. Trustpilot shows 4.7 from 231 reviews, with agents like Luis, Nelson and Oscar named often for quick, clear communication. The weaker reviews mention price increases after booking and slow updates. BBB lists 6 complaints in 3 years, mostly over delivery and sales issues.

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