As with so many other things these days, consumer choices for moving are almost endless. When you’re moving across country, there are the big name brand movers, there are local movers, there are containers that you pack and others move, there are moving storage containers and of course, you can always rent a truck. All of these options have their advantages and depending on your needs, any one of these could be the solution for you.
First off, let’s start with the big guys. The pioneer in long-distance moving is still around. They are a company called American Red Ball. They started out in 1919 and used horses and wagons.
Fast forward a century and while the act of loading a vehicle and unloading it hasn’t really changed, the types of vehicles has.
American Red Ball is still around, but a handful of other companies seem to dominate the market, at least it seems that their blue trucks or orange trucks dominate the nation’s highways.
At first blush, the big named van lines might seem the way to go. They have history so they must be reliable, right? Well, it’s not that simple. When you contract with one of the big guys, you are typically contracting with two companies if not three. There is the company who will pack you and send your items to a warehouse. There is the company that will move your goods across country and there is the company that will deliver your goods. Occasionally and especially if your shipment is big and you are flexible on your move out date, one company will do all of that, but if you need a precise move out date and your load isn’t all that big, you will be dealing with at least two relatively independent companies. That’s not to say this is necessarily bad, but when shopping for a mover, check the credentials and reviews of not just the major van line, but of the company that’s picking you up as well.
Van lines could have hidden costs. If you need your goods to be stored while you wait to move in, you could end up paying a lot — often more than with independent movers and storage companies. Van lines also tend to be less flexible with shuttles. Meaning, if you live in a place that’s not accessible by a tractor trailer, you might have to pay a shuttle fee. That means a smaller truck may have to pickup and/or deliver your goods. If that’s the case, you’ll have to pay for the labor involved in transferring your goods to and from the large truck as well as for the truck.
Still, there are many very reliable companies that carry the name of one of the major van lines. Don’t rely just on their name, though. As always, do your due diligence and perhaps consider shopping for other types of moving solutions as well.
Not all companies that have the words “van line” in their name is actually a van line. Many are independent movers and many don’t even provide the moving services. Next week, we’ll talk about independent movers.
Featured image via Pixabay.
Part Two: How Do I Choose The Type Of Long Distance Mover For Me — Independent Movers
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