question about do it yourself movesAny of the other self moving type.
Question:
Has anyone used boxtrotters, abf, or any of the other self moving type companies? which do you recommend and what are the main differences between the various companies?
Answer:
What puzzles me is how in the heck the moving companies are managing to
lose money when they're basically providing a driver, a helper, and
some insurance for $5,000. Surely a driver and a helper don't pull
a $5,000 salary for a 12 hour day?!
The full-serving moving industry *has* to be the most poorly managed
industry in America.
You know, good question, we have been using them for years, Perhaps it is
Allied Business Freight. THere a good size company in the north east. Akin
to Roadway, JB Hunt and other long haul regional truckers. I don't think
that I would send furniture on a trucking company unless it is crated,
padded, and padded again. If you do this it must have fork lift slots or
they will just push it around with tow motors. These dock guys can be
brutal. It gets cross docked (like the airport scheme) there is a central
facility where they all go, the freight is unloaded, routed, and put on
another truck. The pallets were standard 4x4 and anywhere from 4 foot high
to 7 foot high.
As for the 5K they charge - who the heck knows where it goes. I imagine,
gas is big, tolls, driver time, hotel, running the truck back empty or
flying the driver home from a one way long haul, insurance plus of course,
profit. Profit is certainly not a dirty word, but they really would have
had to justify that proposal BIG TIME.
all that is included in the $1,000 that a self-serve
move of this distance costs. It appears that the full-service moving
industry has a horrendous overhead, that they can't make make money on
$5,000 (above cost of truck, fuel, and liability insurance) for a
12-hour move. (Virtually all of the "majors" are losing money at the
moment).
all that is included in the $1,000 that a self-serve
move of this distance costs. It appears that the full-service moving
industry has a horrendous overhead, that they can't make make money on
$5,000 (above cost of truck, fuel, and liability insurance) for a
12-hour move. (Virtually all of the "majors" are losing money at the
moment).
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