When seeking full service movers to move a household, customers may come across listings for both local movers and long-distance movers.

While long-distance moving companies may handle both types of moves, there are definite benefits to choosing a local mover for shorter moves within their service area.

In either case, it is important to understand the difference between local movers and long-distance movers to decide which one will be better able to handle the moving job.

What Are Local Vs Long-Distance Moves?

In the world of full service moving companies, local moving is recognized as any move that is within the same town, city, or county service area, while long-distance moving is typically a move of a few hours or more or one that crosses state lines.

Long-distance full service movers may also handle jobs that do not cross state lines but move items beyond the service area that a local mover will travel.

How Does the Cost of Local vs Long Distance Moving Compare?

Generally speaking, hiring full service local movers can be less expensive than hiring long-distance movers for a number of reasons:

First, long-distance haulers must be licensed by and are regulated by the USDOT, while local movers are licensed and regulated by their individual state DOTs.
Second, long-distance movers frequently have more as well as expensive equipment like tractor-trailers and larger staffs to plan and execute their customers’ moves, while local movers are frequently smaller companies with fewer employees who provide their services using smaller trucks and trailers.
Finally, while local movers typically charge their services by weight and worker hour estimates, long-distance movers charge using a formula that takes weight, worker hours, mileage, fuel, and other costs into account.

What Can One Expect From Local vs Long-Distance Movers?

While the general services provided by both local and long distance moving companies are basically the same, there are certain details that will differ.

Long distance moving services may have more experience and more specialized equipment for handling difficult-to-move items than local haulers do, simply because they do more moves.

They also have a longer list of items they will not move like flammable materials and anything deemed harmful that is carrier regulated as opposed to what local movers do for shorter moves.

Scheduling long-distance movers may be more challenging in comparison to scheduling full service local movers, requiring deposits many months in advance of a job.

Also, planning and getting accurate in-person estimates for local moves is generally faster and more convenient overall, while doing so for long-distance relocations can be much more time-consuming, as they can be more complicated.

A Local Mover Is A Great Choice When Moving In-State

Noting the differences between hiring the two types of full service movers, there are definitely benefits offered by each.

However, if there is no practical need to choose a long-distance full service moving company, customers may find that they receive the same excellent service but with greater convenience and a lower cost from a well-known local moving company.

A full service local mover will strive to provide quality, personalized service that is more cost-effective than what any big mover can offer.