Key Takeaways
- • RoadRunner Auto Transport launched the RoadRunner Rate Index on September 16, 2026, a subscription data product providing verified car-shipping prices derived from completed shipments rather than quotes, addressing a longstanding information gap in the auto transport industry.
- • The index is built on RoadRunner's database of more than 1.5 million completed vehicle deliveries, offering national benchmarks updated weekly and route-level pricing across 250 U.S. corridors—data previously unavailable to market participants.
- • The product targets multiple customer segments including consumers, auto dealers, insurers, and relocation companies, providing actual transacted rates rather than estimated quotes, which often diverge from final prices.
- • CEO Philip Von Eschen positioned the index as a market transparency tool, stating "Car shipping prices have always been quoted, never measured," emphasizing that the index reveals real market conditions versus speculative pricing guidance.
- • Current industry benchmarks show national average car shipping costs at $1,215 in 2026, with typical customer expenses ranging between $500 and $1,600 for standard shipments, with distance as the primary cost driver.
Summary
RoadRunner Auto Transport, a Bethpage, New York-based carrier with over 30 years of operational history, introduced a data product designed to address a structural transparency gap in the automotive logistics market. The RoadRunner Rate Index publishes actual, verified pricing from completed shipments—a methodological departure from industry practice, which has historically relied on quote-based pricing data. This distinction carries material significance: quoted rates typically require revision before pickup and do not reflect transacted prices, creating information asymmetry for shippers, dealers, and logistics professionals.
The index draws from RoadRunner's operational database of 1.5 million completed vehicle deliveries, positioning the company as a primary data source for market benchmarking. The product provides national car-shipping rate benchmarks updated on a weekly cadence and granular route-level pricing across 250 U.S. corridors. This tiered pricing structure allows market participants—including consumers, auto dealers, insurers, and relocation companies—to reference actual market rates disaggregated by specific shipping lanes rather than relying on aggregate averages or quoted estimates.
RoadRunner's pricing methodology uses proprietary machine learning and AI systems that account for lane-based market conditions and vehicle specifications, moving beyond simplistic per-mile fee structures. Current market data indicates national average shipping costs of $1,215 in 2026, with most standard shipments ranging from $500 to $1,600. The company's publicly available estimates have been characterized as below-average relative to competitors, suggesting potential competitive positioning through rate transparency as a market differentiator.
CEO Philip Von Eschen framed the launch as introducing measurement rigor to a historically quote-dependent market, stating that the index enables participants to "see the real market instead of guessing at it." The subscription data product represents a strategic monetization of RoadRunner's operational scale and data infrastructure, potentially establishing the company as a market information provider alongside its core carrier business. For institutional investors and market participants in logistics and automotive sectors, the index addresses a previously unquantified transparency metric in vehicle transportation pricing.
The index draws from RoadRunner's operational database of 1.5 million completed vehicle deliveries, positioning the company as a primary data source for market benchmarking. The product provides national car-shipping rate benchmarks updated on a weekly cadence and granular route-level pricing across 250 U.S. corridors. This tiered pricing structure allows market participants—including consumers, auto dealers, insurers, and relocation companies—to reference actual market rates disaggregated by specific shipping lanes rather than relying on aggregate averages or quoted estimates.
RoadRunner's pricing methodology uses proprietary machine learning and AI systems that account for lane-based market conditions and vehicle specifications, moving beyond simplistic per-mile fee structures. Current market data indicates national average shipping costs of $1,215 in 2026, with most standard shipments ranging from $500 to $1,600. The company's publicly available estimates have been characterized as below-average relative to competitors, suggesting potential competitive positioning through rate transparency as a market differentiator.
CEO Philip Von Eschen framed the launch as introducing measurement rigor to a historically quote-dependent market, stating that the index enables participants to "see the real market instead of guessing at it." The subscription data product represents a strategic monetization of RoadRunner's operational scale and data infrastructure, potentially establishing the company as a market information provider alongside its core carrier business. For institutional investors and market participants in logistics and automotive sectors, the index addresses a previously unquantified transparency metric in vehicle transportation pricing.
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