Should you share moving truck space to share moving expenses?

If you’re a team player by nature, you know how beneficial it can be to share efforts and resources in order to achieve a common goal. If you’re a solo ranger though, you probably prefer to take care of everything yourself and not be dependent on anyone in any way.

Either way, when moving house, you may decide that “sharing” is a good idea – especially in regard to sharing moving truck space.

Having your items loaded on the same truck with other customers’ belongings will result in a slower delivery (the van will have to make multiple stops in order to pick up and deliver the different shipments) and will increase the risk to your belongings (they may be damaged during the multiple loading/unloading activities or mixed with another person’s items).

Why would you want to share moving truck space then? The answer is simple enough – because moving truck sharing will allow you to save on your moving costs.

Long distance moving companies always plan to take multiple moves on the same truck so they can save on fuel consumption and maximize the space in the van. If you want your items to be transported separately from other customers’ goods, you’ll have to pay for the exclusive use of the vehicle and your final moving cost will increase. When sharing moving truck space with others, on the other hand, you’ll also be sharing moving expenses – the cost of moving the whole truckload – with them.

Here is everything you need to know about shared moving trucks:

What is shared load moving?

Movers strive for efficiency, so they’re planning their jobs in such a way that the moving trucks are filled to their maximum capacity – especially in long distance relocations when big trailers have to travel hundreds and even thousands of miles across the country. In order to stay efficient, the movers try to fill all the space in the trucks, so they take as many loads as possible and transport several shipments going along the same moving route at once.

This combination of shipments is known as shared load moving – two or more customers share one truck going in the same direction and share the cost of moving the goods to the delivery destination. The final price is shared based on the space taken in the truck.

Therefore, when sharing moving truck space, you’ll be sharing moving expenses as well – you will only pay for the actual space your items occupy in the moving van and not for the whole truck.

So, in case you don’t have enough items to fill up an entire moving truck, sharing the space with other customers will work strongly to your advantage. Whether you’re relocating a small household (one-bedroom apartment, for example) or moving only a few items (a set of furniture, a large piece of equipment, a couple of boxes, etc.), shared load moving is your best option.

Can you rent space on a moving truck to relocate more cheaply?

When you have a small move going across the country, you’ll certainly be looking for a way to perform it at a small cost. Your best solution, both logistically and economically, would be to rent a space on a large moving truck going in your required direction. You’ll be sharing the space in the moving van with other customers which automatically means that you’ll be sharing the transportation costs as well. That will be the cheapest and most efficient way to move your goods across the country.

See also: How to move long distance on a budget

Keep in mind though that most shared moving truck companies have a minimum shipment requirement – a 4 ft. x 8 ft. section of the moving van (enough space to hold the contents of one room if properly loaded). If you have only a couple of items to relocate and don’t need this much space, you may want to consider small moving services instead – you can find more information on moving small loads and hiring small scale movers here.

What to know when sharing a moving truck?

To ensure your smooth and successful relocation experience when sharing space on moving trucks, make sure you:

1) Find the best shared moving truck companies for your needs:

• Get recommendations from friends or acquaintances who have shared moving truck space with other home movers and remained happy with the relocation services they used;
• Get price estimates from several reputable long distance movers. Fill out a free moving quote to get in touch with some of the top-rated cross country movers in your area and see what they have to offer. Request on-site estimates from three or four companies that seem to best suit your needs and compare their offers;
• Research the movers you consider working with – check the company’s USDOT number to make sure you are dealing with licensed and trustworthy professionals, read customer reviews to learn of other people’s experience with the movers, research the companies complaint histories, etc. (SEE ALSO: How to avoid moving scams)
• Discuss the details of your move (required extra services, pick-up and delivery dates, liability coverage, etc.) with your chosen moving partners and make sure everything you’ve agreed upon (including the final moving cost) is clearly stated in the Bill of Lading.

2) Make a detailed inventory of the items that will be transported in a shared moving truck. Be sure to include a statement of the current condition of every single item in your shipment, as well as several photos of your possessions – they will come very handy in case any of your belongings sustain damage or get lost while in the movers’ custody.

3) Clearly mark your items. Proper labeling is of paramount importance when sharing moving truck space – it will help prevent mixing your items with other people’s belongings traveling in the same truck. So, be sure to label all your boxes and household goods with your name and final destination (together with the contents of the cartons and any necessary handling instructions). It may be a good idea to put color stickers on your items as well (choose a bright, easily distinguishable color).

4) Get proper moving insurance to ensure your peace of mind. Professional movers have the specialized equipment, rich experience, and technical know-how to ensure the best possible protection to your items, but anything can happen on the road – you may want to purchase additional moving insurance, just in case.

5) Expect late delivery. When sharing moving truck space, you won’t get a guaranteed delivery date and will have to do without your items for quite a while (as the truck will have to stop at many different locations and wait until the shipments are loaded or unloaded). If you’re not in a hurry, this won’t be a problem – it will take a bit longer for your items to arrive, but you’ll be paying much less for the moving service. If you are pressed for time though, or want your shipment delivered on a specific date, moving truck sharing may not work for you. In this case you’ll have to pay an extra fee for the exclusive use of the moving vehicle – this will make your move more expensive, but will speed up your delivery time and give you a more accurate delivery schedule. Besides, your goods will get their own vehicle, which will reduce the chance of something being lost or damaged during the transportation.