How to Verify an Auto Transport Driver at Pickup
When a truck shows up for pickup, the person in front of you should be the driver AAAT approved for that order — not someone who found the address, borrowed a trailer, or is impersonating a carrier. Verifying them takes about 30 seconds: scan the QR they show you with your phone camera and confirm the details that come up.
Why driver verification matters
Handing keys to an unverified driver is how vehicle theft during transport usually starts. Cargo insurance may cover a loss after the fact, but you still have to go through the claim. Scanning the QR before release is the step that confirms the driver, truck, and order match what AAAT dispatched.
This check is part of VS3, AAAT's Vehicle Shipment Security System — the same layered process used for carrier authority, cargo insurance, and pickup-release rules on every load.
What to do when the driver arrives
- Ask the driver to show their AAAT pickup QR. It is on their phone or a printed pass.
- Open your camera app and point it at the QR. Tap the notification that opens the verification page. If the QR will not scan, go to aaat.com/verify and follow the on-screen prompt.
- Confirm the page shows a green (authorized) result, plus the driver's license photo, truck details, and your order (vehicle, route, pickup).
- Match the license photo and truck to the person and equipment in front of you. If anything does not match, do not hand over keys.
If the driver has no QR, or the page is not green
Stop. Call AAAT at 1-800-227-7447 or email AAAT@AAAT.COM before you release the vehicle. A missing QR, a red result, or details that do not match the person on site are reasons to pause — not to "work it out" with the driver.
After a green verify
Document the vehicle's condition on the same verify page (photos and a short walkaround video), then sign the bill of lading only if the condition report matches what you just captured. For the photo checklist, see how to photograph your car at pickup and delivery.
Dealership lots and relocation coordinators should treat this as a standing release rule, not a one-off. If you run volume moves, start from dealership auto transport or corporate relocation car shipping so pickup contacts get the same instructions every time.
Related reading
For the broader theft-prevention picture — vetting carriers, ignoring too-good-to-be-true quotes, and why official DOT numbers matter — read how to not have your car stolen during auto transport. To book a move, start on ship my car.