Shipping a Car From Naples in April

Northbound demand out of Southwest Florida peaks between roughly April 1 and April 25, and carrier capacity does not expand to meet it.

Rates are at their annual high, and the pickup date you request is often the date you get only if you booked three to four weeks out.

Gated communities are handling heavy outbound traffic, moving trucks and closings simultaneously — an early-morning pickup avoids most of it.

Cars that have sat since November need a battery, tire and fluid check before the truck arrives; a vehicle that will not start can be refused at the door.