How to Choose the Best Long-Distance Movers
As if moving long distances wasn’t enough of a hassle (to say nothing of the stress factor) – finding a trustworthy company to ship your valuable goods over many miles, can seem like a gargantuan task. There are plenty of horror stories circulating about cross-country moves gone bad. They typically involve dishonest outfits who either aren’t moving companies at all, but merely an Internet front to steal your money and/or goods, or moving companies who hold your possessions hostage until you pay more than agreed. Either way, that’s not a path you want to go down. To help you stay as far away as possible from any shady transport companies, here are some suggestions for choosing the best long-distance movers.
Confirm They’re Licensed and Insured
You wouldn’t dream of taking your car out on a long distance trip without having the proper insurance, would you? Imagine the horror if you got into an accident (even just a fender-bender), 1,000 miles from home. Now imagine that same scenario, except it’s a large moving truck with all of your belongings inside. They might be damaged at best – and at worst, destroyed. You would want to be compensated if this type of scenario occurred
USDOT Number
Hiring a properly insured moving company is important regardless, but it’s especially imperative if you’re having your goods hauled over long distances – where anything can happen along the way. The best way to discover the insurance status of a prospective moving company is by tracking their USDOT number. They receive this from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a subset of the United States Department of Transportation.
Look around each prospective moving company’s website – do they clearly and openly have their USDOT number displayed for consumers? Some companies might require you to call and request this information. If the website makes no mention of it, or you call and can’t seem to get a straight answer – this is your first red flag that this company is not entirely legitimate.
The FMCSA Website
You should be able to easily obtain the USDOT number and use it on the FMCSA website, to look up pertinent information about the moving company in question. This will include if they have any complaints filed against them or if they’ve incurred any safety violations while operating. The best place to check is the FMCSA’s Search Movers and Complaint History page. This site enables you to search interstate movers not only by USDOT but also by company name (even partial name) or MC number. This MC number is attributed to them when they register with the FMCSA and receive “authority to operate” as licensed movers.
How to Choose a Long Distance Mover
When moving across the country, the first thing you must know is that hiring a moving truck and driving that big moving vehicle across multiple state lines is not a good idea. Actually, it often turns out to be a bad idea because of the high DIY moving costs and increased risks when moving long distance without professional assistance.
As you can imagine, there’s a huge difference between moving 200 miles and moving 2,000 miles until you reach the new home. Be mindful that the move distance will not only determine the final moving price to a great extent, but it will also influence the way you assess the relocation risks before you move out.
Why hire a long distance mover?
Before you start preparing for your house move, it’s important that you take the time to think about how exactly you are going to handle the house moving project. To make an informed decision, you’ll need to take a closer look at several key points, the major one being the DISTANCE between Point A (the current home you’re moving out of) and Point B (the destination home you’re about to move into soon).
Self-move expenses. The cost of renting a moving vehicle of the right size and purchasing the required insurance is the first step. Then add the cost of fuel, road tolls, parking fees, meals and lodgings along the trip as well. Factor in the cost of all the packing supplies and the price of renting or purchasing the necessary moving equipment (a moving dolly). Finally, set up a contingency fund because you never know what may happen on the road to your new home.
Risks and dangers. Driving a big rental moving truck across multiple state lines is a risky business, especially if you’ve never done it before. Each driven mile increases the risk of something bad happening on the road. Sustaining personal injuries or inflicting property damage are two other highly undesirable scenarios that will further complicate the risk assessment task when moving without using the services of a long distance mover.
How to Choose the Best Long-Distance Moving Company
Deciding which long-distance mover or company is best for you can be a difficult task. Knowing what to look for in a long-distance moving company can bring some relief to your moving situation. Here is a list of our top 5 things to consider when choosing your long-distance moving company.
Never be scared to ask a company for their license and proof of insurance. It is the law that a company who offers long distance moving services be licensed and insured, if they are operating without a license it means they are going against strict regulations. A company who operates without insurance or proper coverage is putting your belongings at risk in the event of a theft or accident where your items could be stolen or damaged. You can check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website for licensing. However, a company that won’t provide you with this information and these documents without you having to do your own research should be avoided.
Compare Costs and Quotes
Companies compete by offering different moving services at different prices. Though cost is a deciding factor in many cases, you should do more than compare costs. You will want detailed quotes and estimates in writing. Make sure that you go over the estimate or quote to see what is included that you will be charged for. Don’t get stuck with a company that will end up charging you a bunch of hidden fees. A company that is not transparent with their costs is one that is not reliable.
Do their Options Include Moving Pods?
Moving pods or moving containers are considered a cheap and effective alternative to traditional moving companies. The weather-resistant containers are able to withstand any weather condition and will keep all of your items safe through your long-distance move. If you are home hunting, they also provide an easy way to store your belongings during this period when you don’t have a permanent residence. Many companies now include an option similar to this due to the moving containers growing popularity. Ask your moving company if they have this option available.
Are the Movers Experienced?
When it comes to interstate or long distance moving, experience matters. There are many details that long distance movers have to consider that are not involved in or part of local moves. Something like crossing state borders will require more paperwork and additional licensing. Long distance movers take on a bigger risk by carrying your belongings for longer amounts of time. For reasons like these, you want to pick the moving company that you can trust with your time, money and belongings.
Things To Consider Before Choosing a Moving Company
We all know how moving makes us feel; most of us find it extremely stressful, time-consuming and expensive. Moving companies are supposed to make the process smoother, easier and less stressful, but when we make the wrong choices things can go South very fast. It can be quite a nightmare when it’s done wrong; especially if we make bad decisions in hopes of saving money, cutting corners to
save time or get the wrong advice trust. Here are five things to consider when choosing a moving company for your next relocation.
Thoroughly research moving companies
Quite often we hear that we should seek recommendations from trusted friends or family members when looking for a moving company. Unfortunately, this decision may be just as bad as closing your eyes and picking a number out of the local phone book. This is because we tend to trust rather than verify when it comes to these kinds of recommendations. If you do follow through on a recommendation do all the due diligence in terms of research anyway.
Get written estimates on all bids
Let’s say you’ve contacted four moving companies in the area and each one has promised to send you a ballpark figure by phone or email. Be sure that all final bids come with a full estimate in writing with all the parameters filled in based on your conversation. In order to make an accurate quote, a moving company must have all the appropriate details of your move.
Work with a licensed moving company
There’s nothing wrong with having your cousin and brother-in-law bring their truck around to help you move across the street or down the road. Of course, you are responsible for the health and well-being of your family and friends who help you through the move. When it comes to hiring a moving company, be sure that they are licensed and bonded as well as fully insured.
Interstate moving companies should have the proper credentials
Long-distance moving projects should bury even greater scrutiny when it comes to choosing the right company for the job. Interstate moving companies should be licensed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. You can access their license information online. Ask the salesperson for complete documentation of the company’s credentials.
How to Choose the Cheapest long Distance Moving Company?
It is quite a question these days as to how we can choose the best and the cheapest long distance moving company. Trust is something that is so lacking in our society. Hence finding a trustworthy moving company is very vital. The longer the distance is the harder to find a good mover.
What qualifies as a long distance move is any move that crosses state lines. Either interstate or a state to states move. As interstate moving connects with numerous states, it is bound to federal regulation. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that controls interstate moving companies which are very good news for you. Hence before you hire a mover, kindly ensure that you use basics provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) enabling you to obtain a registered and a credible mover with experience and good credentials.
Working out the distance
Finding the perfect moving company is not an easy task. However, firstly work out the distance of your move. Then it is a question as to whether you need to move by road, by sea or air. While the move by sea and air are expensive, the best method will definitely be by road. But the choice is yours!
Working out a budget
You are obviously going to a new location with a bunch of unknown people and plus, you might worry about the expenses that will incur with regards to the move. Start working out a budget to suit your purse. But remember if you are moving because of work, then there is an allowance that your employer has to pay you towards the moving. Also, bear in mind that it is tax deductible if you are moving more than 50 miles for at least 40 weeks (basically 10-12 months). Did you know that the Internal Revenue Service gives a deduction for any moving expense which includes travel and lodging in addition to the expenses paid by the employer?
Working out the details
Since you have now worked out a budget and you are well aware of the facilities you can have in getting your moving costs reimbursed, now it’s time to work out the details.