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State guide · October 2026
What it costs to ship a car to or from Nebraska, why the I-80 corridor decides how fast a truck shows up, and what the county wants before it titles a car from another state.
Written by Adam Scott, Coordinator at Broadway Auto Transport · October 20, 2026 · Prices updated October 20, 2026
Live carrier rates · ~30 seconds
Prefer a human? Call (917) 594-5566. A coordinator answers.
The short answer
In October 2026 a running sedan on an open carrier costs about $670 from Lincoln to New York and about $1,090 from Omaha to Los Angeles. Omaha to Chicago runs about $495 and Lincoln to Denver about $525. Coming in costs more: New York to Omaha is about $1,335 and Los Angeles to Lincoln about $1,400.
On every pair priced this month, leaving Nebraska costs less than coming in. Carriers price the empty miles home, so the busier direction costs more. Each pair below is the same out-of-state city in both directions, running sedan, open carrier.
Chicago
Denver
Dallas
New York
Phoenix
Los Angeles
What it costs
Almost every car hauler in Nebraska is on I-80. The interstate crosses the whole state, from the Missouri River at Omaha through Lincoln, Grand Island, Kearney, North Platte and Ogallala to the Wyoming line past Kimball, and it carries coast-to-coast truck traffic every day. If your car is within a few miles of an I-80 exit, a carrier will pass it. Norfolk, Columbus, Scottsbluff and the Sandhills are a different story, because a driver has to leave the corridor to reach them.
The prices on this page come from Nebraska lanes we priced in October 2026, for a running sedan on an open carrier. Outbound lanes are much cheaper than inbound ones: Lincoln to New York is about $670, about half of New York to Omaha at $1,335. The sections below explain why, cover the military and campus traffic in Omaha, Lincoln and Kearney, describe what a western Nebraska blizzard does to I-80, and list the county steps for registering a car brought in from another state.
These are October 2026 figures for the state. Your exact lane, vehicle, and week take about 30 seconds.
See my exact priceLocked 14 days · $0 until dispatch
Approximate prices, October 2026 · open carrier · running sedan · 12 Nebraska lanes
Approximate prices for a running sedan on an open carrier, from the Nebraska lanes we priced in October 2026, meant for planning. Eastbound and southbound lanes out of Omaha and Lincoln price well because carriers crossing the Plains want a load. Your ZIP pair, vehicle and week set the final figure, and the calculator prices them in about 30 seconds.
What moves the number
Approximate October 2026 prices for a running sedan on an open carrier. Larger vehicles, enclosed trailers, and peak weeks cost more; the calculator prices your exact shipment.
Lanes · October 2026
Approximate prices for a running sedan on an open carrier, with the range most trucks on the lane land in. “Truck assigned in” is how long it usually takes to find a carrier. Transit is what one driver covers at 400 to 500 miles a day after that.
$670most trucks $575–$765
1,299 mi3–4 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–15 hours
Carriers follow I-80 east across Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania into New Jersey, about 1,299 miles. Drivers heading back east want any paying load, so the lane priced about $670 in October, roughly half of what New York to Omaha cost.
Price this route$1,090most trucks $820–$1,360
1,556 mi4 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–22 hours
Drivers either cross Wyoming on I-80 to Salt Lake City and take I-15 south through Las Vegas, or run I-76 to Denver and I-70 over the Rockies. October's price was about $1,090, most trucks between $820 and $1,360, and a Wyoming wind or snow closure can hold the load a day.
Price this route$495most trucks $405–$585
467 mi1–2 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–13 hours
This 467-mile run on I-80 through Des Moines and the Quad Cities fits in one driving day. Carriers headed back to the Chicago terminals look for a car in Omaha, which kept the lane at about $495 in October, below the $550 for Chicago to Lincoln.
Price this route$525most trucks $485–$565
484 mi1–2 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–19 hours
Drivers stay on I-80 to Big Springs and take I-76 southwest into Denver, about 484 miles. It priced about $525 in October, a little under the $550 for Denver to Omaha, and a blizzard closure west of Kearney is the usual winter holdup.
Price this route$1,335most trucks $1,005–$1,660
1,243 mi3–4 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–40 hours
Carriers bring fewer cars into Nebraska than they haul out, so a westbound slot to Omaha costs more than the trip back. This 1,243-mile lane on I-80 priced about $1,335 in October, with most trucks between $1,005 and $1,660.
Price this route$1,400most trucks $1,180–$1,620
1,499 mi3–4 days on the trucktruck assigned in 1–5 days
Out of Los Angeles the trucks climb I-15 to Utah, then cross Wyoming on I-80 or the Rockies on I-70, about 1,499 miles either way. It priced about $1,400 in October, against about $1,090 for Omaha to Los Angeles.
Price this route| Lane | Miles | Approx. price | Most trucks | Truck assigned in | Transit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL → Lincoln, NE | 523 | $550 | $515–$580 | 1–2 days | 2 days | 523 mi · 2 days · truck in 1–2 days |
| Denver, CO → Omaha, NE | 542 | $550 | $460–$640 | 1–19 hours | 2 days | 542 mi · 2 days · truck in 1–19 hours |
| Dallas, TX → Lincoln, NE | 638 | $670 | $565–$775 | 1–4 days | 2 days | 638 mi · 2 days · truck in 1–4 days |
| New York, NY → Omaha, NE | 1,243 | $1,335 | $1,005–$1,660 | 1–40 hours | 3–4 days | 1,243 mi · 3–4 days · truck in 1–40 hours |
| Phoenix, AZ → Omaha, NE | 1,348 | $1,210 | $840–$1,580 | 1–9 hours | 3–4 days | 1,348 mi · 3–4 days · truck in 1–9 hours |
| Los Angeles, CA → Lincoln, NE | 1,499 | $1,400 | $1,180–$1,620 | 1–5 days | 3–4 days | 1,499 mi · 3–4 days · truck in 1–5 days |
| Lane | Miles | Approx. price | Most trucks | Truck assigned in | Transit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE → Chicago, IL | 467 | $495 | $405–$585 | 1–13 hours | 1–2 days | 467 mi · 1–2 days · truck in 1–13 hours |
| Lincoln, NE → Denver, CO | 484 | $525 | $485–$565 | 1–19 hours | 1–2 days | 484 mi · 1–2 days · truck in 1–19 hours |
| Omaha, NE → Dallas, TX | 659 | $650 | $595–$705 | 1–44 hours | 2 days | 659 mi · 2 days · truck in 1–44 hours |
| Lincoln, NE → Phoenix, AZ | 1,291 | $1,035 | $785–$1,280 | 1–6 hours | 3–4 days | 1,291 mi · 3–4 days · truck in 1–6 hours |
| Lincoln, NE → New York, NY | 1,299 | $670 | $575–$765 | 1–15 hours | 3–4 days | 1,299 mi · 3–4 days · truck in 1–15 hours |
| Omaha, NE → Los Angeles, CA | 1,556 | $1,090 | $820–$1,360 | 1–22 hours | 4 days | 1,556 mi · 4 days · truck in 1–22 hours |
Your lane is not in the table? Every ZIP pair in Nebraska prices the same way, in about 30 seconds.
Price my exact laneLocked 14 days · $0 until dispatch
Where in Nebraska the car is decides how fast a truck comes and whether it reaches the door. Tap a city to price a pickup there.
Omaha is where I-80 crosses the Missouri River from Council Bluffs, and I-680 and I-480 loop through the metro, so most addresses get a carrier at the curb. Wholesale cars leave Manheim Omaha every week. In October, Omaha to Chicago priced about $495, Omaha to Dallas about $650, and Omaha to Los Angeles about $1,090.
Lincoln lies about 55 miles southwest of Omaha on I-80, with the University of Nebraska campus a few blocks north of downtown. Husker home games fill the streets around Memorial Stadium on fall Saturdays, so a weekday pickup near campus goes smoother. Lincoln to New York priced about $670 in October and Lincoln to Denver about $525.
Bellevue is the home of Offutt Air Force Base and U.S. Strategic Command, and most cars shipped in or out belong to people on PCS orders. The Kennedy Freeway, US-75, reaches I-80 in about 10 minutes, so a carrier comes to an off-base address or a lot near the gate. June and July are the heaviest weeks.
Price a pickup in BellevueGrand Island sits a few miles north of I-80 on US-281, and the truck stops at that interchange are the usual meet-up for farm towns around Hastings and St. Paul. The Nebraska State Fair runs here from late August into Labor Day weekend. If your pickup lands that week, give the coordinator a couple of extra days.
Price a pickup in Grand IslandKearney is an I-80 town, marked by the Great Platte River Road Archway that spans the interstate, and the University of Nebraska at Kearney brings students in each August. Coast-to-coast carriers pass the exits daily, so door pickups in town are routine. Owners from Holdrege, Broken Bow and the ranch country to the north often drive in to meet the truck here.
Price a pickup in KearneyNorth Platte grew up around Union Pacific's Bailey Yard, the largest rail classification yard in the world, and sits where US-83 crosses I-80. It is roughly halfway between Omaha and Denver, so westbound and eastbound carriers both pass through. Sandhills owners from Thedford or Stapleton commonly bring their cars down US-83 to meet a driver here.
Price a pickup in North PlatteScottsbluff and Gering sit in the North Platte valley about 45 miles north of I-80 at Kimball on NE-71, below the bluff that names Scotts Bluff National Monument. Denver is about half as far as Omaha. Few carriers leave the interstate to come this far, so expect a longer wait for a door pickup, or meet the driver at the Kimball exit.
Price a pickup in ScottsbluffNorfolk is northeast Nebraska's largest town, roughly two hours northwest of Omaha on US-275, with no interstate nearby. A carrier comes when it has other cars to collect in the area, which can add several days before assignment. Owners in a hurry usually drive to Omaha or to an I-80 exit near Lincoln and hand the car off there.
Price a pickup in NorfolkI-80 is one of the main truck routes between Chicago and the West, and carriers hauling cars between the coasts drive the full length of Nebraska on it. I-76 splits off at Big Springs for Denver. That traffic means a car in Omaha, Lincoln, York, Grand Island, Kearney, Lexington, North Platte or Ogallala is close to trucks with open spots, and those pickups usually get assigned quickly. Omaha to Chicago is about $495 this month and Lincoln to Denver about $525, both runs of under 500 miles.
Leaving Nebraska is the cheap direction. Drivers who brought cars west or into the Midwest want a load for the return, so Lincoln to New York costs about $670 for 1,299 miles, around 52 cents a mile. Omaha to Dallas is about $650, Lincoln to Phoenix about $1,035, and Omaha to Los Angeles about $1,090. Coming in costs more on almost every lane we priced: New York to Omaha is about $1,335 and Phoenix to Omaha about $1,210.
North of I-80 the state empties out quickly. Norfolk and Columbus are reached on US highways, and the Sandhills, from Broken Bow north to Valentine and west toward Alliance, are mostly two-lane state roads with long gaps between towns. Scottsbluff and Gering, in the North Platte River valley in the Panhandle, have no interstate at all; US-26 links them to I-80 at Ogallala. A carrier has to give up hours of driving to reach any of these places, so they wait longer for an assignment.
The usual fix is meeting the driver on I-80. Grand Island, Kearney and North Platte have truck stops and big lots near the exits, and a drive of an hour or two to one of them can save several days of waiting. Ranch roads and gravel section lines are the other reason a driver may ask to meet elsewhere, since a 75-foot rig needs firm ground and room to turn. Your coordinator confirms the spot before you book.
A loaded car carrier runs about 75 feet. These are the Nebraska addresses where it can’t reach the door, and what happens instead. Your coordinator settles it before you book.
Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, just south of Omaha, is home to the 55th Wing and to U.S. Strategic Command, and its people move in and out on PCS orders every year, heaviest in summer. Bellevue sits on the US-75 freeway a few miles from I-80, so a door pickup there is routine. Give the coordinator your report date and the earliest day the car can leave.
Students fill Lincoln in August for the University of Nebraska, Omaha for Creighton and UNO, and Kearney, on I-80, for UNK. Manheim's Omaha auction, on South 144th Street in southwest Omaha, holds sales on Thursdays and sends wholesale cars to dealers across the region. A buyer shipping one needs the gate release and buyer number ready for the driver.
Western Nebraska gets the worst of it. During blizzards NDOT closes I-80 in sections, sometimes from Kearney all the way to the Wyoming line, and when Wyoming shuts its side, NDOT has closed westbound I-80 between Big Springs and Sidney as well. A car hauler waits it out like everyone else, typically a day or two. Your coordinator texts the new window when the road opens, and the quoted price stays the same.
Spring brings severe storms and tornado warnings, which stop a truck for hours. For a car in the Panhandle or the Sandhills, the late spring through early fall months give the most dependable roads. In winter, a pickup in Omaha or Lincoln is the safer bet, because it keeps the car off the western stretch where the blizzard closures happen.
Your coordinator confirms the pickup window by text the day before.
Calendar
When the same lanes get busy, and what that does to your pickup week.
How busy the Nebraska lanes get each month, from our coordinators’ calendar. Busier months fill trucks sooner and cost more.
Nebraska rules
The rules that catch people who bring a car in from another state.
Rules as of the review date below. The Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles sets the rules, and your county treasurer and sheriff handle the title, registration and inspection; check with them before you go.
Questions
In October 2026, Lincoln to New York runs about $670 for a running sedan on an open carrier, with most trucks between roughly $575 and $765. The reverse, New York to Omaha, is about $1,335. The trip is about 1,250 to 1,300 miles, roughly three days in transit. The calculator prices your exact ZIP pair and holds it for 14 days.
Carriers crossing the Plains on I-80 want a load for the return, so they price outbound Nebraska lanes to fill the trailer. In October 2026, Lincoln to New York is about $670 against $1,335 for New York to Omaha, and Omaha to Los Angeles about $1,090 against $1,400 for Los Angeles to Lincoln.
A day or two to assign a carrier along I-80, longer from Norfolk, the Sandhills or the Panhandle. Transit runs about 400 to 500 miles a day: about a day to Chicago or Denver, one to two days to Dallas, about three to New York or Phoenix, and three to four to Los Angeles. A blizzard closure can add a day or two in winter.
Yes, with a longer wait. Scottsbluff has no interstate and the Sandhills towns sit on two-lane roads far from I-80, so fewer carriers make the detour. Meeting the driver at an I-80 exit in North Platte, Ogallala or Kearney usually gets the car on a truck sooner. Your coordinator sets the spot with you before you book.
A VIN inspection by the county sheriff, then a visit to the county treasurer within 30 days of arriving. Bring the out-of-state title, ID, and proof of insurance with at least 25/50/25 liability and 25/50 uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Nebraska has no safety or emissions inspection for passenger cars.
The carrier waits until NDOT reopens the road. Closures most often hit the stretch west of Kearney and usually last a day or two. Your coordinator texts the new window when the road opens, and the quoted price stays the same.
Omaha to Los Angeles runs about $1,090 on an open carrier in October 2026, with a band of roughly $820 to $1,360. Los Angeles to Lincoln is about $1,400, most trucks between $1,180 and $1,620. The trip is about 1,500 to 1,550 miles, so plan on three to four days in transit.
Omaha to Dallas runs about $650 for a running sedan on an open carrier in October 2026, most trucks between roughly $595 and $705. Lincoln to Phoenix is about $1,035, with a band of $785 to $1,280, for about 1,290 miles. Inbound, Dallas to Lincoln is about $670 and Phoenix to Omaha about $1,210.
The data
The numbers are rebuilt from our own pricing each month and published with the page, so the dates above are the real ones.
Other state guides
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