Is a gig mover right for you? The moving industry, like most these days, has a lot of options. There are small, independent movers, there are brokers. There are major van lines and there are plenty of hybrid movers, who are sometimes independent and sometimes brokers and sometimes, they work with van lines.
It’s a gig economy, though, and the gig economy is hitting the moving industry. Thanks to Craigslist and apps like TaskRabbit, you have yet another option.
The way apps like TaskRabbit work is you describe your need and they show you a list of service providers, with pictures, hourly rates and a link to reviews. You can book right on the site, so you never have to talk to anyone. When I posted that I was looking for moving services, TaskRabbit had a warning that in California, a mover had to have a license to operate a moving truck.
California law requires a license when using vehicles to perform residential moves. Taskers are unable to perform residential moves by vehicle through the platform. Please continue for hauling, office moves, loading/unloading, packing/unpacking.
The disclaimer is a bit unclear. Yes, the operator would need a driver’s license, but he or she would also need a residential moving license from the Public Utilities Commission.
Despite the disclaimer, it was clear that several people jumped right through the loophole that allowed customers to redefine their move as an office move. Then it’s technically legal, at least on paper. Is it ethical? We’ll let you decide.
The pros of a gig mover
One giant pro to apps like TaskRabbit (although not for Craigslist), is the at the “taskers” are thoroughly vetted and rather than seeing a company’s reviews, the reviews are on the people who will be coming to your home.
If you only want packing, or perhaps to move items with your own home, TaskRabbit could save you money.
There are cons to a gig mover, though
TaskRabbit taskers are not paid well. In many cases, according to taskers, they don’t even make the minimum wage. You may ask why you should care, but well-paid employees are happier employees. Happier employees take more pride in their work.
We’re not implying that there aren’t taskers who take a lot of pride in their work. There clearly are. It’s just easy to imagine a high burnout rate.
With rates ranging from about $30 to $60 per person per hour, though, things can start adding up quickly for you. TaskRabbit says they only take 15 percent of that, which certainly leaves taskers with more than the minimum wage. Other reports, though, say that TaskRabbit takes 30 percent.
A professional moving company charges around $120 an hour for two movers and a truck. Plus, they are licensed and have insurance. You can see how a gig mover might lose their appeal.
With a gig mover, it’s up to you to thoroughly describe the scope of the job. It’s very common for customers to underestimate the amount of things they have. A single tasker may not have the tools required and it could take hours longer than you imagined.
Conclusion
Whether you want a gig mover or professional mover is completely up to you, but if your move requires a truck, the laws in California and in many other states forbid anyone who’s not licensed for moving from using the roads.
Call a professional mover. Compare the rates and break them down by person and truck. You might find that the pro will save you money in the long-run. If, on the other hand, you are renting a truck, a gig mover might be exactly what you need.
Featured image license Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Mark Warner via Flickr.
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