How an Interstate Move Works - Researching Your Options

image courtesy of ops.fhwa.dot.gov

One of the first and most important things anyone moving across state lines should do is research. As with any large, expensive purchase you want to be as informed as possible about what you'll be spending your money on.

It is a good idea to get quotes from multiple companies so you have a source for comparison. This could include van lines or local, independent companies, shipping containers or all three. Which way you want to go has a lot to do with how you want to go about your move and the price. Large van lines have affiliates all over the country and will most likely be able to combine loads and/or have a back load to decrease both their costs and yours. Most often they will give you a delivery window instead of a hard and fast drop off date. Independent movers will often own their own trucks and will be working on your move exclusively, meaning it will only be your goods on the truck. Shipping container companies, such as ABF, will fit your goods in the same container as other shipments and give you a window of delivery dates that it will arrive by at the facility. None of these are hard and fast rules, but generalizations of the options.

A very important thing to consider when getting interstate moving quotes is the moving company's interstate authority. As we've mentioned before, interstate moving is a federally regulated business. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which is a part of the Department of Transportation (DOT), is the regulatory body of interstate moving. Moving companies must apply for operating authority through the FMCSA. Once this is granted, the moving company is given a DOT number. By law, that DOT number should be featured in a moving company's advertising, which includes ads, their website and even craiglist posts.

The federal government provides an invaluable resource for interstate moves in the form of their website, https://www.protectyourmove.gov/. There is a lot of fantastic information on there about what you can expect as a customer, what to watch out for, valuation options, etc. You can also research a moving company by searching the FMCSA database for complaints and violations here.

As licensed interstate movers we are required to hand you two booklets called "Your Rights and Responsibilities When you Move" and "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move." Though we will hand you both when we do an on site estimate, you can also find the information on the government's website.

If you have any other questions about researching an interstate move let us know. We like to help customers be informed about their moves!