Moving companies are difficult to vet. Since I couldn’t realistically assess each moving company’s transportation capabilities myself, I relied on the experiences of other customers. The most reliable source is this Form GSA3080that government employees fill out to evaluate moving companies after moving for work. This data is combined into an all-in-one moving company score. From my original list of 50+ long distance moving companies, I eliminated the ones that had a below average rating.
From there, I looked at each company’s records Ministry of Transport. Have enough drivers been employed to handle cross-country moves on time? What is the safety record? I eliminated all companies with subpar vehicle or driver inspection scores.
Then I tried what I could: the quotation process. I filled out online quote forms from 22 moving companies and waited for my phone to explode. Obtaining a quote over the phone should only take about 10 minutes. I attacked every company that made their sales pitches about my questions or asked for a large deposit right away. The best moving companies require a detailed inventory of the items you’re moving before making a quote and can explain their policies in clear, simple language.
Finally, I looked into the reviews and complaints with the Better Business Bureau. This was less about a total number – moving companies are an industry where people usually only leave reviews when there is a problem – and more about finding a pattern of complaints. I also preferred companies that were certified Support financially from the American Trucking Association. This means they have passed an annual review of their business practices, including their complaint history.
