The kids are soon out of school and the moving and storage industry is hopping. Between mid-May and mid-September, the majority of the household goods moving is performed. The seasonality of the moving business makes it difficult for the moving companies to staff their resources to accommodate the demand.
The long haul drivers “pool” has significantly declined since the economic decline. Most household good drivers are small business owners who have variable expenses (fuel, labor, and packing materials) and fixed expenses (truck payments, insurance, and taxes). The slowdown of moving during the economic downturn caused many drivers to leave the moving business. Per Eric Reed, CRP, GMS “A recent United States Census Bureau survey reveals that relocation (as a percentage of total population) dropped in 2008 and 2009 to its lowest levels since the Bureau began tracking geographic mobility in 1940.
The good news is the demand is back but we are short on drivers so it is imperative that you plan ahead to get the dates for your move that you want. Don’t get left out, make a reservation early. Reserving your move a month or two months in advance during the busy summer season is not unusual in the Roaring Fork and Vail Valleys. At Allied Van Lines, Inc., they will load several shipments onto one moving van. “Dispatchers and schedulers typically plan smaller shipment around larger shipments”. As you would expect some small shipments can expect a longer wait to receive their goods. Because the industry has had a shortage of drivers, they have come up with solutions on getting these smaller shipment to their destination on time by boxing the shipment into a large container and shipping the goods on a common carrier or by rail. If you can avoid the end of the month for your move, it may help as well getting the date you need. Always communicate with your move coordinator if you have changes in your packing and shipping needs.