(no subject)

[merchimerch]

So I am planning a move and would like some advice. My new university is going to be paying a significant portion of my moving expenses, and have agreements with the following van companies:

# Atlas Van Lines (800) 822-1791
# Allied Van Lines (800) 999-2487
# Mayflower (800) 381-4528
# North American Van Lines (661) 663-9575
# United Van Lines (888) 693-4110

(The phone numbers are for my safekeeping)

Does anyone have any stories to tell me about these companies? Any friends or relatives or friends of friends have great or tragic experiences with them? Those of you who are super up to date with environmental records and what not, heard any horror stories (or hymns of praise)? I'm going to call at least two or three to compare prices, and maybe all five. But I'd like to know if there are companies I should avoid or be more encouraged to go with.

Thanks!

Comments

[sps.livejournal.com]

I don't know how it is there, and I don't know how it is now. But in my experience these organisations seem not to be moving companies at all, but marketing franchises; in the end you may wind up dealing with mom-and-pop businesses who could be fantastic and who could be abysmal, utterly at random. Worse, the people you deal with are the people who pick your stuff up. What happens next is that it is containerised and transported by contracted commercial shippers, then delivered to whoever happens to be the local agent at the destination, which need not have any relationship to anything. And I don't know anything that keeps them honest. Each time I have moved, I have gone to some effort to find people that I like, they have come and treated my stuff nicely, and then at the far end it may get lost in a warehouse, or they lie about the delivery times repeatedly, and in one case when it finally showed up they merrily threw things off the back of the truck onto the cement and drove off (my really, really nice speakers were never the same again).

So ... I hope someone else has something happier to say :-}.

[nisaa.livejournal.com]

You might also consider Starving Students. My friend Andrea works for them. Let me know if you want the info. She probably couldn't cut you a deal but she could make sure the best movers are there for you.

[nisaa.livejournal.com]

Scratch that. I CAN read!! I just didn't read your post carefully enough.

[merchimerch.livejournal.com]

Sure, give me the info. I don't know how it would work with the uni payment system, but its worth a shot. Thanks :)

[ktvet06.livejournal.com]

I used Mayflower to move from MI to WA. They were easy to work with, and not too expensive. Good luck!