Car Shipping from Minneapolis, MN to El Paso, TX

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Distance
1,412 mi
Transit Time
3-5 days
Estimated Cost
$850–$1150
Solid Market

Shipping from Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis is a functional market but it takes a little more patience than you might expect from a metro of 3.6 million people. Manheim Minneapolis is in Maple Grove, northwest of the city. Manheim Northstar Minnesota is in Shakopee, to the southwest. ADESA Minneapolis adds more wholesale volume. IAA operates in the south metro area. The auction infrastructure is there. I-94 runs east to Milwaukee and Chicago and west toward Fargo. I-35 is the main north-south route, splitting into I-35W and I-35E through the Twin Cities and connecting the metro south to Des Moines, Kansas City, and eventually Texas. The market issue is that Minneapolis is not a destination that keeps carriers coming back. Carriers going north past Chicago or north past Des Moines eventually hit Minneapolis and then there is nothing above them. They have to deadhead back south to get their next load.

Pickups in Minneapolis average 3 to 5 days. During the summer relocation season that can tighten up nicely to 2 to 3 days, especially on southbound routes to Texas and the South. The real challenge is winter. From November through March, carriers add surcharges or avoid the market altogether when weather gets severe. Snowstorms along I-94 and I-35 are not hypothetical, they happen every winter and they affect scheduling. If you are shipping between November and March, build in extra time and understand that pricing will be higher. The snowbird season starting in October also means a lot of southbound demand from Minnesota to Arizona and Florida, which can temporarily spike prices on those specific routes. Get a quote to see what your specific route looks like.

Difficult Market

Arriving in El Paso, TX

El Paso is a tough market for auto transport. We ship cars to and from here, but it takes some patience. Even though it is a decent sized city with about 870,000 people, it is very isolated. The nearest major metro is San Antonio and that is 550 miles east on I-10. Phoenix is 430 miles west. That is a lot of empty road with not much in between. There are no major auto auctions like Manheim or ADESA in El Paso, and the dealership count is lower than you would expect for a city this size. Less dealer activity means fewer carriers have a reason to be in the area.

Delivering to El Paso has the same challenges as picking up. Carriers need a reason to stop here, and with limited auction and dealer activity there is not always another load waiting for them after they drop yours off. That means we sometimes need to offer a little more to convince a driver to take the route. If you are shipping from somewhere on the I-10 corridor like LA, Phoenix, or Houston, it is easier because the carrier is already passing through. Coming from a city that is off that corridor adds more time and usually more cost.

Pricing on This Route

Shipping a standard sedan from Minneapolis to El Paso on open carrier currently estimates between $850 and $1150. That is based on the 1,412-mile distance and current market conditions.

Minneapolis runs slightly above the national average on most routes, especially anything north or east. Southbound routes to Texas, Arizona, and Florida can be competitive during snowbird season because carriers are actively filling loads heading that direction. Routes east to Chicago and the Northeast are solid. Where pricing noticeably goes up is in winter, when carriers add weather premiums, and on any route that requires a carrier to deadhead back to a major hub after delivery. Routes to the West Coast or Mountain West are efficient in summer but less predictable in winter. Get a quote to see your exact price.

El Paso almost always runs above the national average. Expect to pay a 15 to 30 percent premium compared to a similar distance from a major hub. The reason is simple. Carriers have to drive through a long stretch of empty highway to get here and there might not be a load waiting for them on the other end. That dead head mileage has to get paid for somehow. There is not much seasonal variation though. It is pretty consistently a premium market year round. If you want the best shot at a fair price, be flexible on your dates and give us as much lead time as you can. Get a quote to see exactly where your route falls.

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