Texas and Pennsylvania rank first and second in U.S. natural gas production, so this route carries a lot of energy-industry traffic. Workers transfer between the Marcellus Shale fields of western and northeastern Pennsylvania and Houston, Midland, and the Permian Basin. Many company relocations include shipping a car from Washington County or Williamsport to West Texas.
Carriers leaving the Philadelphia area or central Pennsylvania usually take I-81 south through Virginia and I-40 west to Little Rock, then I-30 to Dallas. From Pittsburgh and the western gas fields, the common path is I-70 to St. Louis, then I-44 through Oklahoma and I-35 or I-20 into Texas. Permian Basin deliveries continue on I-20 to Midland and Odessa. The trip covers about 1,300 to 1,700 miles and typically takes 4 to 7 days.
Dealer freight is also steady here. Auction lots in Lancaster County send wholesale vehicles to dealers in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio throughout the year. PhilaPort on the Delaware and Port Houston on the Gulf anchor the two ends of the route. That dealer traffic keeps carriers heading south outside the peak moving months, which helps with pickup timing.
Military moves add a summer peak. Soldiers finishing assignments at Carlisle Barracks, Tobyhanna Army Depot, or NSA Mechanicsburg are often reassigned to Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, or Joint Base San Antonio, mostly between May and August. Winter snow in the Alleghenies can slow the first leg, and late-summer Gulf storms can delay Houston-area deliveries.
Texas expects new residents to register within 30 days. Safeeds Transport books your move with a licensed, insured carrier running between the Mid-Atlantic and Texas.
Shipping somewhere else? See how state-to-state car shipping works.
