Category Archives: Long Distance Moving

Long Distance Moving, Movers, Movers Near Me

Long Distance Movers Near Me

Your Long Distance Moving Company Guide 2020

Long Distance Movers Near Me

Read about long distance movers below to make your move stress-free.

Choosing Long Distance Movers

Searching for long distance movers near me? You wouldn’t hire just anyone off the internet to move your household items across the state or country – you’re clear on that much — but how exactly does one find the best long distance movers near me amidst the thousands of movers advertised online. A lot of moving companies will claim to be the best but how can you really tell if you are hiring a crew of long distance movers who will make your move an enjoyable process. Some questions you should ask the long distance movers near you:

Finding the Best Long Distance Movers

The best long distance movers near me didn’t get that way overnight – they have spent years fine-tuning their logistics, training their staff, and getting established by providing a stellar service. Crossing state lines requires an additional license, paperwork, and requirements. Your belongings also have further to travel, so the company must be certain that everything is well secured and stable for the haul. Don’t leave your move up to movers that have been in business less than 10 years. Usually a mover will start out as a local mover then by year 5-6 start doing long distance moves. By the tenth year, they should have fixed all of the mistakes along the way.

Long Distance Moving Licenses and Insurance

This should be a no-brainer, but the best long distance moving companies should be able to quickly and easily provide proof of their licensure and insurance with zero runaround. Look up a mover’s license on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website, but you shouldn’t need to do that research yourself. Ideally, the company has their FMCSA license number displayed in plain sight and offers you a full explanation of their insurance coverage options.

Long Distance Moving Estimates

A verbal estimate holds no legal weight; so when comparing the costs associated with each long distance moving company, make sure you know that you’re comparing apples to apples. The best-rated long distance movers near me are clear and transparent about what your move will cost and provide a line by line breakdown of what they are quoting. If your movers want to just give you a number without emailing you what it includes – that is a major red flag. You can use this long distance moving calculator to find out what your long distance move should cost.

Long Distance Moving Reviews

Good service inspires good reviews, so look for long distance movers near you that has a good track record according to their customers. Keep in mind that no company can escape a bad review or two because we all know there are some people you cannot please. We suggest checking customer lobby for long distance moving company reviews. The reviews have to be verified.

Long Distance Moving Scams

Long Distance Moving doesn’t seem like it should be so complicated, but unfortunately, there are those who would take advantage of your logistical needs to scam you. Be wary of any company that requires a cash or an unusually large deposit prior to the move, particularly if they ask it to be wired online. Steer clear of companies that don’t have an accessible record of business, show up in a rental truck or unmarked vehicle, or who insist on doing all planning and business over the phone. Make sure all communications, commitments, and payments can be easily tracked. It is very important that your long distance moves use only their own trained moving crew. Random day labor or temp employees assisting with you move especially if this is their “first day on the job” is never a good feeling.

long distance movers
Long Distance Movers 2020

Basics of Long Distance Moving in 2020

Most movers define a long distance move to be a move that is over 100 miles from your old home to your new place. This might mean long distance movers will judge your move by distance, not type.  The first step is obtaining a long distance moving estimate that

Long Distance Movers Fees

Many movers who determine that you’re moving a long distance will  bill you based on weight rather than volume or time required to move you out and into your new home. If your move is based on weight, then you’ll need to ensure you throw out anything you don’t want – why pay for things that you really don’t want/need in your new home.

Related Posts:

How do long distance movers estimate weight and costs of your long distance move.

What is the average cost of long distance movers near me?

Some movers may charge you based on the time required to conduct your move then add on a plethora of additional moving fees to cover mileage and fuel charges. While this is less common, you may find movers who suggest this type of estimate. Ask the mover to estimate the number of hours required and what the extra charges will be and make sure you get the estimate in writing before you hire.

HINT: Go with a long distance mover that charges by weight, not time and distance. 

Moving Broker or Third Party Movers

Just don’t – that is our best advice for anyone using a moving broker or a third party mover. The rates will increase 30% or more to pay for the middle man or worse the quality could decrease – either one will happen using this type of mover. Some long distance movers will use a third party mover to conduct part of the move as a representative of the larger moving company. This means that the truck that picks up your stuff might not be the same truck that delivers it. Ask the company before you hire. You should be told of any third party movers involved in your move so you can research the third party company in addition to the larger mover. Often the smaller mover is a local company that the moving company contracts with to deliver within a certain territory. The broker can switch the smaller mover at any time if they find a better deal so be careful! One broker we can endorse for their extensive insurance, licensing and background checks is Long Distance Moving CO

POPULAR LONG DISTANCE MOVING LOCATIONS

Movers Boston to Florida
Movers MA to FL
Movers Boston to California
Movers MA to CA
movers boston to NYC

Movers BOSTON TO NYC
Movers Boston to DC
Movers BOSTON to DC
Movers Boston to Dallas
Movers MA to TX
Movers Boston to North Carolina
Movers MA to NC

Why Monster Movers are the best long distance movers?

• Their movers pickup and deliver all long distance moves with a trained, professional crew of Monster Movers – no day labor here!

• The company owns and operates our own fleet of 26 FT 2018 or newer moving box trucks ensuring we won’t be putting your shipment on with a bunch of others on a huge tractor trailer where things are loaded/offloaded/moved along the way

• Monster Movers will take the care to ensure a safe and smooth long distance moving experience for you and your possessions

• We have seen them tackle long distance moves small and large, with any level of complexity

• Company mantra states to aim to be the best long distance movers in the business, backing up our services with a 100% guarantee

• Monster Movers has been in business since 1999 and have more moving awards than any other long distance moving company

long distance moving companies
Best Long Distance Movers Near Me

Long Distance Moving Considerations

They offer any moving service needed – from packing, unpacking, storage, and other moving services to customers and can assist with in-house moving, such as assembling beds and arranging furniture as desired at your new home.

From a Monster Movers representative: “Long distance moving can be complicated. That doesn’t mean it should be stressful. At Monster Movers, we have designed a  formula for stress-free long distance moving, nothing makes us more proud than putting it to work for our clients.”

“We take our direction from your needs, circumstances and schedule. We work up a plan based on your particular situation and our extensive experience, and we see it through ourselves down to every last detail. When you trust move to Monster Movers long distance movers, you’ll be happy you hired us. Please find our long distance moving reviews.”

Monster Movers offers a full range of moving services across the nation and between our regional offices that includes property and household goods move management. Monster Movers absolutely does not brokerage moving services and does not swap or sell your move.

With more than 10 locations, each home to a full-time team of highly trained professional movers, they keep the travel time charges to a minimum.

Long Distance Movers Near Me have offices all around the country and know the best routes with the least complications for your cross country move! 

Long Distance Movers
Long Distance Moving

How to Find the Best Cross Country Moving Companies

How to Find the Best Cross Country Moving Companies

Whether you’re moving across the country for a new job opportunity or you’re moving back to your parents house, there are many factors to consider when choosing a  cross country moving company —and finding the best moving companies cross country can be a challenge.  Mover-Help.com is chock full of  research, verified user reviews, and over 100 years of moving company industry knowledge help make your choice easy.

If you’re looking to find the best interstate mover near you, check out our Movers Near Me tool.

Cross Country Movers
Cross Country Movers

What determines the best moving companies for cross country moves?

Types of Cross Country Moving Services Offered

There are many different types of cross country moving services – your cross country mover should offer all of these in the case of an emergency:

  • Overnight, Short Term and Long Term Storage – you never know when a closing issue can occur
  • Packing Services – so you don’t feel out of control or pressured to get all of the packing done
  • Full Replacement Coverage – your homeowner’s insurance may cover moving but your cross country moving company should also offer this
  • Guaranteed Pick-Up AND Delivery Dates

Quality customer service

Excellent customer service is a must in a top-tier moving company. It affects your experience during your moving estimate, on moving day, and every time you need to get on the phone to ask your mover a question.

Customer service is the most important thing to consider when moving cross country so we place a lot of weight on quality and ease of getting a long distance moving company estimate – you can find a moving calculator and get a free moving estimate here:

Long Distance Movers
Long Distance Movers

PROS

  • Over-the-phone moving estimates
  • Transparent pricing and price-matching program
  • Wide variety of moving kits, boxes, and supplies
  • Excellent customer service

Our #1 Pick for Cross Country Movers

Monster Moving and Storage earned the top spot for a few different reasons.

long distance moving companies
long distance moving companies

Reason #1: We like the approach it takes to moving estimates

Unlike many of the other interstate moving companies on our list, Monster Movers conducts its moving estimates over the phone and with a

We preferred the over-the-phone estimate over the in-home estimate that many other long distance movers in the industry offer because it puts your comfort and convenience first.

When you schedule an in-home estimate, you generally have to take time off work and make sure the house is somewhat presentable when the relocation consultant comes to conduct the estimate. During an over-the-phone estimate, you can go through each step in the process whether you’re sitting at your desk at work or you’re sitting in your house, surrounded by the clutter and empty takeout boxes that make it feel like home.

Monster Moving and Storage also claims that conducting over-the-phone moving estimates saves you money in the long run. Since it doesn’t have to pay someone to drive out to your home and conduct an in-home estimate, it can pass those savings along to you.

Reason #2: We like its transparent pricing

We aren’t focusing on price too much for our interstate moving company comparison since it varies so much from one moving scenario to the next, but Monster Movers pricing presentation deserves mentioning.

Of all of the moving companies we reviewed, Monster Movers had the most transparent pricing structure. Our relocation specialist emailed us our quote and explained each item while we were still on the phone during our over-the-phone estimate.

We enjoyed how this gave us an immediate opportunity to understand what we’d be signing up for and allowed us to ask questions about pricing.

The Monster Movers representative we worked with even encouraged us multiple times throughout our over-the-phone estimate to call other movers to see if we could get a better estimate.

Of all of the moving companies we reviewed, Monster Movers had the most transparent pricing structure.

interstate moving companies
interstate moving companies

Reason #3: We love its excellent customer service

Monster Movers was by far the most responsive customer service experience we had while going through the moving estimate.

We reached out to Monster Movers by phone and through online chat through google to ask questions and follow up on our estimate, and its representatives were quick to respond through both channels in just a few minutes. Not only were they quick to respond, they were incredibly thoughtful and thorough in their responses too.

Our Monster Movers representative also called to follow up with our estimate a few times to make sure all of our questions were answered and to ask if there was anything she could do to help us make our decision. Normally, this would feel like a badgering sales call, but our representative was kind and helpful, and they came across as having our best interest at heart.

Long Distance Moving Service Offerings

  • Long-distance moving
  • Business and commercial moving
  • Corporate relocation
  • Over-the-phone estimates
  • Moving kits, boxes, and supplies
  • Packing and unpacking
  • Furniture disassembly and reassembly
  • Loading and unloading
  • Custom crating
  • Piano transport
  • Auto transport
  • Basic liability coverage
  • Full-valuation coverage
  • Temporary storage and storage in transit
  • Assistance setting up home services and utilities

Monster Movers is a full-service moving company that maintains one of the largest moving networks in the world. Not only does it partner with plenty of agents (local moving companies) to meet your needs, it provides stellar service, too.

In-home moving estimates are a pretty similar experience from one moving company to another. Thirty minutes before the estimate even began, Monster Movers relocation assistant gave us a call to confirm we’d still be available to meet with them and to see if we’d like any questions answered before our appointment. We liked this opportunity to ask any last-minute questions and we appreciated knowing about how long after the phone call we could expect them to arrive.

Once the in-home estimate was underway, it was evident that Monster Movers relocation assistant had our best interest at heart—achieving a comfortable, affordable move.

We never felt like we were being sold anything during the process, which was a welcome experience. In fact, our relocation specialist even advocated for not using certain services because he didn’t believe they were worth the money for our move.

interstate movers
interstate movers

Reason #4: It has responsive customer service representatives

If we didn’t make it clear enough in reason number one, we’ll make it clear here—we were very impressed with  Monster Movers’ customer service during each and every one of our interactions.

The in-home estimate was just the tip of the iceberg. Each time we reached out to Monster Movers’s representatives to ask questions about our move, they responded quickly and thoroughly. It didn’t matter if we were giving them a phone call or sending them an email, each response was prompt and they didn’t make us feel like we were burdening them with our requests.

If customer service is important to you, you likely won’t go wrong with scheduling your move with Monster Movers.

Reason#5: Service Offerings

  • Local, national, and international moving services
  • Corporate relocation
  • Full-service packaging
  • Fragile-only packing
  • Unpacking and debris removal
  • Moving boxes and supplies
  • Loading and unloading
  • Furniture disassembly and reassembly
  • Appliance disconnection and reconnection, including hot tubs and pools
  • Custom crafting
  • Auto and boat transportation
  • Storage-in-transit and permanent storage options
  • Basic liability coverage
  • Full-valuation coverage

Reason #5: It has great customer service

Monster Movers has a wealth of online resources on its website to help out in each stage of the moving process. They offer packing tips, handy moving checklists, and is the only cross country moving company to offer an instant cross country moving estimate all completely done online from the comfort of your own home.

We believe a mover’s online resources should be a quick reference for the information you need without bogging you down and distracting you from all the other important tasks of moving.

Service offerings

  • Local, national, and international moving services
  • Corporate relocation
  • Full-service packing
  • Fragile-only packing
  • Moving boxes and supplies
  • Appliance disconnection and reconnection
  • Furniture disassembly and reassembly
  • Custom crating
  • Loading and unloading
  • Crane vans for large items
  • Storage
  • Satellite tracking
  • Auto transport
  • Basic liability coverage
  • Full-valuation coverage
  • Online checklists and moving tips

Things to consider when choosing your interstate mover

Free vs. paid moving services

When you’re researching full-service long distance movers, you’ll notice that some services are included in the cost of your move while others cost extra. Some of the included services you should expect to see from a good interstate moving company include the following:

  • Loading and unloading the truck
  • Furniture assembly and disassembly
  • Basic liability insurance
  • Shipment tracking

Paid services will vary from mover to mover, both in cost and the type of service offered, but these are the most common paid services you’ll come across:

  • Packing and unpacking your belongings
  • Boxes and moving supplies
  • Appliance disconnection and connection
  • Customer crate assembly
  • Storage
  • Auto and vehicle transport
  • Full valuation insurance coverage

Many interstate moving companies offer additional services as well. If there’s something you feel would make your move easier—like cleaning debris from your old house or setting up utilities in your new one—be sure to choose a mover that can take care of your specific needs.

best long distance movers
best long distance movers

Is hiring a professional mover worth the cost for your long-distance move?

Everyone’s situation is different, but for a long-distance move, you likely won’t regret hiring a professional moving company. 

Renting a truck and doing everything yourself seems like a good idea on the surface. Advertised truck rental costs are fairly low, and a lot of people feel like their belongings are in good hands when they’re behind the wheel.

The fact is, DIY moving costs add up and a lot can happen in the back of that truck if things aren’t packed properly.

Here are a few things to consider when doing the math and deciding between a professional or DIY move.

  • Time: Your time isn’t free, you know.
  • Materials: Buying boxes and packing materials yourself can add up.
  • Gas: Big moving trucks aren’t the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road.
  • Food: Purchasing meals on the journey between your old and new homes gets expensive, especially if you don’t plan on surviving off of gas station food.
  • Lodging: If you’re moving a long distance, you’ll likely have to break your trip up over multiple days and find a hotel or two along the way.
  • Insurance: Carefully loading your belongings onto the truck will only get you so far. If your things aren’t packed properly, some may break during the trip. You’ll want to buy moving insurance to make sure you’re covered in the event of a loss.

After you add up the extra costs associated with a DIY move, going with a professional moving company ends up costing about the same (and sometimes less) than a DIY move, andyou save yourself the trouble of loading and driving the truck. Your pocketbook and your back will thank you.

Check that they are properly licensed and insured

Before a cross country move, I highly suggest checking to see if the professional moving company is properly licensed and insured. Otherwise, you could end up engrossed in the drama that accompanies moving scams. Thankfully, this is easy to avoid.

Check to see that the moving company offers proper insurance is also important. After all, moving mishaps do happen – even with the best of movers. So it’s important that you’re prepared. Licensed interstate movers are required to offer two types of liability options: Full Value Protection and Released Value.

  • Full Value Protection: “your mover is liable for the replacement value of lost or damaged goods in your entire shipment…This is the more comprehensive plan available for the protection of your belongings.” The cost of Full Value Protection varies by mover.
  • Released Value Protection: The most economical protection available is Released Value, since it is offered at no additional charge. However, the protection is minimal. Under this option, the mover assumes liability for no more than 60 cents per pound per article.

Of course, if you select a long distance moving company from the vast network of cross country movers, you won’t have to bother asking this question. Every professional long distance movers that Moving.com works with is required to be licensed and insured.

Read reviews

In addition to checking the moving company’s complaint history on the U.S. DOT’s database, I recommend researching and reading as many reviews as possible. Check the moving company’s online reviews and ratings on their website as well as on various review sites. I highly recommend looking at moving reviews through customer lobby – the reviews are guaranteed by bill of lading.

Ask friends and neighbors

Of course, word-of-mouth is still a great way to discover quality movers in your area. So don’t hesitate to reach out to friends and neighbors for recommendations and suggestions. Most people are happy to share their good experiences – and even happier to tell stories about their bad ones. If you don’t know many people in the neighborhood, try Nextdoor.com – a social network for your neighborhood community. Remember: it doesn’t hurt to ask! While a mover may look good on paper, someone’s personal experience could prove otherwise.

Be honest with your inventory

Before hiring a cross country moving company, make sure they perform either an in-person inspection or a video survey of your belongings before giving you a quote for the cross-country move. You’ll know the moving company isn’t legitimate if they offer to give you a quote over the phone or internet (read: red flag!), based on your own account of the inventory. The company should survey your things themselves to give you as accurate a quote a possible. Once the inspection is complete, the mover’s estimate should be sent to you in writing and include all possible costs.

Keep in mind that an interstate move means the majority of the cost will be based on the weight of your belongings. So the less stuff you have to move, the cheaper. With this in mind, make sure the mover knows exactly what is coming with you. If you plan to leave large furniture behind, such as a bed or couch, inform the mover during the inspection.

Make sure you are hiring a moving company and not a broker or sub-contractor

Before hiring a interstate moving company for an interstate move, make sure to ask whether the moving company will be picking up, transporting and delivering all of the belongings themselves – or subcontracting part of the move out to a different party. Many professional cross country moving companies use moving subcontractors. These subcontractors are not employees of the moving company, and therefore may not be subject to the same standards as the moving company you originally hired. If you’re comfortable with subcontractors handling part of your move then be sure to ask whether they are insured. If you’re uncomfortable with another party handling part of your move, I suggest finding a moving company that does not subcontract.

How to Find Professional Cross Country Movers

How professional did the cross country moving company seem? Do they have a good reputation? Do they have a brick-and-mortar office and a professional moving truck? Do they have business cards and a professional website? Did the mover arrive in a timely fashion and answer all questions before, during and after the inspection? Did they provide you with an official Bill of Lading? Did something just feel off? Ask yourself these types of questions before hiring a moving company.

Also, be sure to quiz the mover about his or her experiences with your particular kind of move. For instance, if you’re moving to a high-rise apartment building, a townhome with lots of steps, a house with a small doorway or a busy street, you should inquire whether the moving company has experience with the type of move. An experienced mover will be well-prepared to handle a move with steep stairs, elevators, parking limitations and more.

Review your estimate

I recommend choosing the moving company that gives you an estimate you’re comfortable with, and provides information about any and all additional charges. Remember: you don’t want any unwelcome surprises at the end of your stressful and exhausting move.

The most common type of interstate moving estimate is the “non-binding estimate.” This estimate is the mover’s estimated cost based on the overall weight of your things combined with labor costs (i.e. loading, unloading, packing, etc). However, these estimates are “non-binding,” which means the final charge will be based on the actual weight of your belongings and any extra add-ons you require that are not listed in the estimate. When choosing a moving company, I suggest obtaining a non-binding not-to-exceed estimate. This ensures that the customer won’t have to pay more than the original estimate.

Interstate Moving, Long Distance Moving, Movers, moving and storage, Moving Help, moving help

Cross Country Moving – How to Move Cross Country

How to Move Cross Country

Moving Cross Country is time-consuming, full of surprises, and overall a pain in the butt.  Here’s a quick video outlining the steps for moving cross country:
 As you can see hiring a reputable moving company is numero uno on the list of importance when moving cross country.  Here are some things to look for and a little bit about the best cross country movers we know!
About the Best Cross Country Movers we know – Monster Movers:
Monster Movers is a long distance moving company that consists of a team of professional movers who are experts in storage, relocation, packing, and specialty shipping. Since 1999, we have been in the business of offering exceptionally prompt and painless moving services around 48 states.T his makes us stand out as the best moving company in the US. We are aware that customers will be glad if they can experience this kind of service, hence, we moved to bring their desires to fulfillment. Since we have made Customer Satisfaction our foremost priority, we always ensure to put smiles on the faces of our clients and customers by providing superior customer service support. We have upheld this principle since inception.

OUR CORE VALUES INCLUDE:

INTEGRITY
To deliver all orders as promised; conducting ourselves with equality and honesty.
GOODWILL
To be open-armed to everyone from various backgrounds in the community and workplace.
COMPASSION
To be full of empathy for clients, co-staff, and community.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
To offer loyal services to all our customers while also responding to all complaints and enquires with attention and accuracy.
Our mission at Monster Movers is to continually surpass customers’ expectations in the standard of satisfaction and value on investment. We maintain guaranteed prices on all orders placed on our out-of-state moving services. Cross country moving costs are affordable because we focus on client progress. Our long distance moving services include packing of all furniture items, kitchenware, mirrors, lamps, pictures, electronics, etc. You can be sure that your belongings are safe with us!

Our professional long distance movers are also skilled at utilizing moving boxes for packaging your valuables; making sure that all items are prepared for out of state move. On pick-up day, a bar-coded inventory list of all items is made, and we will provide you with a copy. We are professional movers and are simply amazing at what we do. We provide all types of long distance moves from and to anywhere within the United States.Going new places can’t come any easier with our astute expertise in storage, moving, relocation, packing, and logistics services. Our long distance moving company is dedicated to unparalleled problem-solving.

Look no further and give us a call today!
Competetive
Cross Country Moving Company offers competitive rates for every long distance move. Many moving companies offer “low rates” laden with hidden fees and charges. We do not play that game. We provide a guaranteed rate for every long distance move. We also provide free, no-obligation consultations, so you will know exactly how much your move will cost before you even hire Cross Country Moving Company.
Efficient
At Cross Country Moving Company, we hold our services to the highest of standards and we strive to provide the customer with the safest and most efficient moving solution in the country. We take the safety of your valuables very seriously and that’s why we utilize only the finest moving equipment available. Our fleet of modern moving trucks undergoes regular diagnostic checks to ensure that no harm will come to your possessions during transportation. A fleet of modern trucks means that we can also move more often at reduced costs to our customers.
Professional
We also only hire the best movers. Everyone that works for Cross Country Moving Company is a trained, dedicated professional with years of moving industry experience. Our movers go through one of the most rigorous training programs in the long distance moving industry. We also carefully select and train our drivers and packing staff to ensure that our customer gets only the very best service. Cross Country Moving Company stands for professionalism. Each and every one of our employees is expected to uphold our ethic of superior customer service. We believe that you should be able to trust Cross Country Moving Company to treat your belongings with the same level of respect and care as we would our own. In our opinion, there is nothing more important than providing the customer with absolute best service.
Trusted
Our customers trust us to safely transport their most valuable possessions because of our reputation for unbeatable service and outstanding professionalism. When it comes right down to it our job is about making your moving day as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. Hundreds of extremely satisfied customers have discovered how easy moving can be when you have Cross Country Moving Company on your side. We have remained the most trusted name in long-distance moves and our customers continue to provide us with overwhelmingly positive reviews. When you are in need of a moving service you can trust look no further than Cross Country Moving Company.
Long Distance Moving

Moving Out of State — What is a Shuttle Fee and Will I Be Charged?

What is a Shuttle Fee and Will I Be Charged During my Out of State Move?

Shuttle fees – one of the biggest moving scams in the world – can cost owners hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Most of the time shuttle fees are completely made up and unneeded and the most expensive of all of the “additional charges” moving companies and van lines can hit you with.

What is a shuttle fee?

A shuttle fee is a fee that a long distance moving company or van line will charge to put your shipment on a smaller truck to take it to a larger tractor trailer.  It is usually an hourly rate ( expect approximately $150/hour).  A normal three bedroom will take 6 hours or so.  Out of state movers and van lines will charge these fees if:

  • they think your residence is too far to walk from
  • they cannot park on your road or in your city
  • bad weather
  •  they are scamming you into paying more money – this is legal
  • narrow/unpaved roads
  • sharp turns
  • steep driveway or roads
  • overhead power lines

shuttle fee
What is a shuttle fee?

Here is a typical shuttle scenario involving a van line:

At the pick-up address, the driver will park his truck as close to the pickup address somewhere nearby.  A van line will hire a local origin agent to move the shipment with a  smaller truck and a two man crew to help load the items out of the origin residence onto the smaller truck at an insane rate around $150/hour. The smaller truck will than transport the goods to the over the road van. The driver and his crew of the over the road van will than transfer the household goods from the smaller truck to the over the road van. Depending upon the size of the shipment, this process could take several trips with the small truck. At destination, the process is reversed if there is a need for a shuttle.  Make no doubt about it, van lines want to charge shuttle fees because they make 20-30% off of each of these moves.

This is an opportune time for an out of state moving company or van line to increase their fees for your move.  These days there are private out of state movers that use smaller trucks for efficiency and you will never have to worry last minute that you will be charged a shuttle fee. Please note – even if you have a moving estimate, shuttle fees aren’t known until the driver actually arrives.  Check your paperwork, shuttle fees are legal to charge anytime!

Shuttle Fees for Out of State Moves – Be Aware

Most movers have impractical operation (or shuttle) provisions in their tariff which allow them to legally apply additional equipment and manpower charges to your bill of lading.

Most of the time, your driver will assess the situation but he can charge the shuttle fee at any given point. Even if the charges are not included on the original cost estimate.  Your out of state mover cannot charge a customer for shuttle service if they didn’t use any other equipment or manpower to perform your move.

Cities That Have the Most Shuttle Fees

In these cities you will find movers will charge shuttle fees in most cases:

  •  Boston
  • New York City
  • Denver/Vail/many places in Colorado
  • San Francisco
  • Los Angeles
  • Washington, DC
  • Philadelphia
  • Arlington, VA
  • Providence, RI
  • Portland, ME
  • Austin, TX
  • San Antonio, TX
  • Atlanta, GA

Many smaller, walkable cities like Boston and NYC have laws preventing tractor trailers in many areas.  In NYC,  tractor trailers are not even allowed in Manhattan. Your best bet is to hire long distance movers that won’t charge these unnecessary fees.