[drweb]

We closed on our new home in Las Vegas this week, and planning to move in September (end of month I think). We're south of the Strip, end of Flamingo, gated community Stallion Mountain.

We're starting to get moving quotes from San Diego, CA to Las Vegas. Anyone have good licensed interstate moving companies they'd recommend? I hear stories about prices, estimates, etc. We would probably do some packing ourselves, but majority would be by the company.

Appreciate any tips...
DrWeb

[Tek_Freek]

We used PODS and were very happy. Iowa to LV.

[Packrat1]

If you have a lot of stuff consider ABF Transport they worked well for us.

If you pack and unpack the container yourself you probably will have less damage than a hired moving company. It will be a lot cheaper too.

There are many videos online about packing.

[buellious]

We made the mistake and used Sky Van Line with our move from IL to NV. Avoid them at all costs. Our stuff sat in the warehouse in IL and took them 3 weeks to get it here. Horrible service, horrible communication and zero care. Now we wait on the filed claim for everything they broke or ruined.

[drweb]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

We used PODS and were very happy. Iowa to LV.

Thank you,
DrWeb

[SportyandMisty]

There is a ton of fraud in the moving industry. The good news is you are moving interstate instead of intrastate. Because it is interstate, the carriers are regulated by the Department of Transportation. That same carrier, when they do an intrastate move, is not regulated by the DOT but only by the state.

For starters, See https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/consumer-p...tect-your-move
and
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move

Then, go to the BBB website for San Diego, and search for moving & storage companies:

https://www.bbb.org/sdoc/accredited-...o-ca-92101?r=9

A bit of background:

Let's say you choose a national moving company like United Van Lines or Bekins or Allied or whomever.

You think you're dealing with United (or Bekins or Mayflower or Allied or whomever). BUT you are not. You are dealing with "Joe's Moving & Storage, an Agent for United Van Lines." Joe's Moving & Storage is a local business that has in essence signed a franchise agreement with United Van lines (or Bekins or Allied, etc, etc etc). The franchise agreement specifies how they treat you. As you might imagine, the business competency of one franchise to another varies (actually, they are considered agents, not franchises, but you get the idea).

But wait -- it gets better. You contract with Joe's Moving & Storage, an agent for United Van Lines, but they actually have a contract with Bob's Trucks, an agent for United Van Lines. Bob's Trucks is another independent business -- Bob owns & operates, say, a dozen big rig trucks. Joe's Moving & Storage hires Bob to do the work. Bob has employees who drive the truck. Bob gets a crew of guys to pack your stuff into the huge moving van trailer. Some of these guys are regulars. Sometimes Bob just goes to Home Depot & hires day laborers, giving them a United Van Lines T-Shirt for the day.

Bob's employee Jose drives the truck from San Diego to Las Vegas, perhaps making a stop or two along the way, and then they hire, say, Suzy's Moving & Storage, an agent for United Van Lines in Las Vegas, to supply workers to unload your belongings. Of course, Suzy's Moving and Storage is a separate company.

So... in my example, who the heck is United Van Lines? People who work in an office in NYC and they have contracts with independent moving & storage companies all around the country.

Your best bet is to use the BBB website. It is not uncommon for Bob's Moving & Storage to go out of business & close its doors on Friday, only to reopen its doors as John's Moving & Storage on Monday. Look for how long a business has been operating on the BBB site, and look for complaints.

IF you pack belongings yourself and if they are damaged in transit, you are out of luck. If the truck crashes & burns & there is a total loss, then you get reimbursed by the pound, but something simple such as a TV breaks or dishes break or furniture breaks, and if you packed it yourself, you'll get nothing. PBO -- Packed By Owner.

[ny2lv]

That's right on ^^^^^^^^^^

We moved a year ago, used 3 U-HAUL containers, packed and loaded the boxes ourselves. Here in Vegas we had a local company tow the trailers with the containers to the house, they unloaded, were quick and careful. We could've had someone doing the towing/loading for us in NY, but we had an access to a truck there.
Enroute nobody messed with our stuff, we locked them with our own lock there and unlocked here.
Each was insured for the maximum of $20,000. In secret we hoped they lose them but nothing was broken, everything was on time, took 2 weeks.
It's same idea as PODS, Coolbox, Mayflower has containers too. For long distance U-HAUL was the cheapest.

[drweb]

Thank you, great suggestions...
DrWeb

[drweb]

Very good post.. I have done some of that, and checked Consumer Reports, too.. it's a shame there's not a true national company handling these types of moves...
DrWeb

[cekkk]

Originally Posted by SportyandMisty

There is a ton of fraud in the moving industry. The good news is you are moving interstate instead of intrastate. Because it is interstate, the carriers are regulated by the Department of Transportation.

SO comforting. We can always depend on the feds to get it right!

But kidding aside, I appreciate your post. We're moving next month and your info is helpful. It may also explain why the Bekins driver basically extorted $500 out of us when they arrived at our destination 17 years ago!

If we cannot know who is really handling our move, we may go the U-Hell route. We're too rural to get a pod delivered.