Long-Distance Movers from New Jersey

From New Jersey to most of the continental US

We move households from New Jersey to other states across most of the continental US. A long-distance move across state lines follows federal rules. They exist to protect you, and they are easier to follow once someone explains them in plain words. Here is what they mean for your move.

First, check the mover

A mover that carries household goods between states needs a U.S. DOT number and operating authority, shown as an MC number, from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Ours are U.S. DOT No. 967970 and MC-432549. You can look them up on the FMCSA website. Our record shows active authority, a Satisfactory safety rating and registration since 2001. We also hold a New Jersey public mover license (NJPM 000930) and a New York license (NYSDOT 34875).

1. The written estimate

For an interstate move, you should get a written estimate before anything is loaded. Ours is free, and we do it in person or by video, seven days a week, day or evening. Show us every room, closet, basement and garage: the estimate is only as good as what we see. It lists the services you choose, such as packing, crating, furniture disassembly or storage.

2. Valuation: basic coverage and extra protection

Valuation is the mover’s liability if something is lost or damaged. Federal rules describe two levels:

• Basic valuation coverage (released value). Included at no charge; federal rules require you to choose it in writing. The mover’s liability is limited to 60 cents per pound per article. That protects heavy, low-value items fairly well and light, valuable items very little. A laptop or a small painting weighs only a few pounds.
• Extra protection (full value protection). A higher level of liability, where the mover repairs or replaces a lost or damaged item or pays what it costs to replace it today, within the limits you agree to. It costs more than basic coverage.

If basic coverage is not enough for what you own, raise it before you sign, and make sure your choice is in writing. Either way, carry jewelry, cash, important papers and irreplaceable photos with you instead of on the truck.

3. The delivery window

A long-distance delivery is scheduled as a window, a range of dates, not a single promised day. Your pickup date and delivery window are put in writing on the bill of lading before your things are loaded. Distance, weather and road conditions all affect the trip, so we do not promise a date we cannot control. Plan for it: pack an essentials box for the first days and travel with it, and keep your phone on during the window so the driver can reach you.

4. The papers to keep

• The written estimate.
• The bill of lading: the contract and the receipt for your goods, with the agreed pickup and delivery dates. Read it before you sign.
• The inventory: the list of your items and their condition at pickup.
• The federal brochure Ready to Move? and the booklet “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move”. Federal rules require movers to give both to interstate customers with the written estimate.

Keep copies until everything is delivered and any claim is settled. At delivery, check the inventory before you sign for your goods.

5. If the new home is not ready

Closings slip and leases start late. We can hold your things in short- or long-term storage through affiliated, clean, secure self-storage facilities and deliver on a scheduled date. Ask for storage on your written estimate.

Getting ready

1. Book the estimate early. Long moves take more planning than local ones.
2. Sort before you pack; a smaller load is easier to plan and quicker to unload.
3. Decide on valuation before moving day, not at the truck.
4. Give us an address and a phone number where you can be reached during the delivery window.

Leaving a waterfront tower? Our high-rise moving page covers the COI, the elevator and the dock. To see what shapes a price, read moving prices, or go straight to get a quote.

Long-distance questions