Osok,
I know it can be a hassle taking a rod apart and stowing the rod in the tube and reel in its case but........... if you develop a bond with your equipment through long hours of use it will simply be unacceptable to break a rod during transport, or to mar a reel forever because you got careless. I learned and you are learning now, the only time I don't take my rods down is when I transport them along a river system on a rod rack made for this purpose.
The one in this picture is old but there are companies making similar racks today.
I don't do Interstates with them out there, just a quick run up or down the river. Finding one of these may make life easier for you
Ard