When you are moving, whether somewhere nearby or far away, you often choose to have a company transport your items for you. This raises the question of how long it takes movers to deliver? This question is not as simple as it seems. We’re here to help you understand the factors that go into how long it takes movers to deliver your items.
Table of Contents
Distance of Your Move
One of the biggest factors involved in how long it takes movers to deliver is the distance of their delivery. The distance they have to travel and any stops along the way will greatly affect how long your delivery takes.
In-State Delivery
If you are moving to a place within the current state that you live in, then your delivery time is generally not too long. If the move is 500 miles or less then you will typically get your delivery within 1 to 7 business days. The time it takes for movers to deliver your items is shorter since the driver is not driving far. This means that they can also normally make the delivery in a single drive session
Out-of-State Delivery
When you are moving to another state the time it takes movers to deliver your items increases. According to MovingApt.com, if you are moving anywhere between 500 to 3,300 miles your delivery can take 3 to 21 days to get to you. This also typically does not include weekends since not all delivery companies have their drivers work on weekends. Out-of-state delivery takes this long since the driver is moving your items a long way. They also may need to stop to rest along the way which takes up time.
Time of the Year
The time of year that people move during can affect how long it takes for their items to be delivered. Different times of the year can be busier for moving than others or can come with harsh weather conditions.
How Long It Takes Movers to Deliver in the Summer
If you are moving in the summer your delivery time is often longer, especially if you hired your driver last minute. A lot of people move in the summer months, which makes it a very busy time for delivery drivers. This means that they may need to complete a route before they start yours. They also may have too many driving hours that week so they need to take a break before they can deliver your items.
This means that if you are moving in the summer you should expect to have slightly longer delivery times.
Winter
Winter tends to be one of the least busy times to move since a lot of people do not want to deal with the hassle of moving during the cold season. This means that your delivery times are often shorter, but only if the weather is good.
During the winter months, there tend to be a lot of snow storms that lead to slippery roads, car accidents, and road closures. All of these factors can lead to a delayed delivery time.
So, while winter is the less busy of the seasons when it comes to delivery, it can sometimes lead to the most unexpected delays.
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Driving Conditions
Another factor that contributes to how long it takes a mover to deliver your items is the driving conditions. Driving conditions can be hard to determine ahead of time and tend unpredictable. If the driving conditions are bad this often can lead to unexpected delays.
Weather Conditions
The weather is often what affects driving conditions. Bad weather such as rain and snow storms can often delay deliveries. Despite being under contract, the driver’s safety does take priority.
Driving in bad weather conditions can be very dangerous, especially when someone is driving a bigger vehicle. When bad weather hits, moving companies can either choose to slowly move through it or stop and wait it out. Either way, the bad weather will ultimately slow down the delivery process.
Road Conditions
Road conditions can also affect driving conditions. This can include road work, road closures, car accidents, and detours. All of these things can slow down a delivery driver or temporarily stop their route.
Road conditions are another thing that is normally unexpected and cannot fully be controlled by the drivers. Unexpected route changes can dramatically increase the time it takes for you to receive your delivery.
Driving Laws and Regulations
There are a lot of laws and regulations set in place for delivery drivers in order to keep them safe. A lot of these conditions deal with how long a driver can drive before being required to take a break.
When a driver is hauling property they are required to take a 30-minute break after driving 8 consecutive hours. In addition, if they have driven 14 hours they are required to stop and be off duty for at least 10 hours before continuing. These laws exist so drivers cannot overexert themselves. It also makes it safer for them to be driving for long periods of time.
While these laws help protect the safety of the drivers and others around them, they do sometimes make it take longer for your items to be delivered.
Tracking Your Belongings
Living in the 21st century we are very used to using technology in our lives, especially when it comes to tracking shipments. That being said, it is not that easy to track your delivery when moving. Unlike tracking items in the US Postal Service or Amazon, moving companies do not normally have apps where you can see where your items currently are.
If there is a reason why you desperately need to know where your items currently are or if they are on track to arrive on time, you could try to contact the moving company. The moving company should then be able to contact the driver and get the information for you. However, this is not a guaranteed service moving companies can provide you.
Late Delivery
There are times when your delivery will not come within the agreed-upon time period. These times can be very stressful, but there are a few things you can do in order to figure out what is going on.
Who to Contact
If your delivery is late you should contact your moving company. They should know why your delivery is running late, or be able to contact the driver and see what’s going on. After they know the situation they should be able to give you an estimate on when your delivery is now going to arrive.
Bill of Lading
If your delivery is late you may want to check out your Bill of Lading. This is a legal document between the delivery driver and the owner of the property that is being delivered. Within the contract, you will find the description of the goods being shipped, the name of the property’s owner, and the date on which the items are to be delivered.
If your items are not delivered within the time frame that is written on your bill of lading you may be able to receive compensation. This is for any essential items that you need to buy when waiting for the delivery. These items can include clothes, hygiene products, basic bedding items, and more.
When you are hiring someone to move your property from one location to another it is always important that you make sure a bill of lading is written and signed. It not only helps you to ensure you are compensated if your items are late, but it also protects your items if they are damaged during shipping.
What to Do Until You Receive Your Items
If your items are late to arrive it can be difficult to know what to do in the meantime. One thing you will want to do is contact the moving company and see if you will be compensated. Also, make sure to know the limit to the compensation. Afterward, you can go shopping and get some of the items that you will need to hold you over until your mover delivers your items.
It is also important that while you wait for your items you stay calm and clearheaded. This is especially important when you are calling the moving company to get information. You have to remember that some delays are out of the driver’s control. They are doing their best to get your items delivered to you.
An Alternative Option
Having a moving company deliver your items to your new home may not be the ideal option for everyone. If you want to have more control over your move you can consider using a labor-only moving company. These companies are not allowed to drive your moving vehicle, but they will help you when it comes to moving your items into your new home.
This option allows you to have more control over both your move and the timeframe everything is done in. You are able to deliver your own items and know where they are at all times. This means you are able to make sure they are delivered to your new home on time. Another positive to driving your own items and using labor-only moving is that it generally helps you keep the costs of moving down.
Conclusion
It can be very hard to wait for movers to deliver your items to your new home. Moving times can greatly vary depending on many factors such as distance, weather conditions, and road conditions. The best thing to remember is that these conditions are out of your hands. Eventually, your items will be delivered to you.
In addition to knowing how long it takes for movers to deliver your items, you may also want to look into how long it takes for movers to move your items into your home. Check out the blog, “How quickly can movers load and unload my truck?” on the UniMovers page to get more information on time estimates that are involved in your moving journey.
FAQ
While it may not be considered rude, you should try not to contact the moving company or driver unless you have a question or information for them that is crucial for them to hear immediately. You do not want to take time out of their busy work day just to check up on things.
Not many moving companies make it so you can track your items without you directly contacting the driver. Though, a few companies are starting to make the Bill of Lading electronic. This allows you to track when your items get shipped out or checked at different loading points. However, this is quite new and still uncommon for most moving companies.
This often varies from one moving company to another. Some moving companies have you keep the receipts of the essential items that you needed to buy and then you send them the receipts and they compensate you that amount. Other moving companies give you a check with a set amount that you can spend on items you need.
Jessica is a students at the University of Northern Iowa. She is majoring in English Education with a creative writing minor. In her free time she loves to read books of every genre, write short stories, and spend time with friends. In the future she hopes to share her love for reading and writing with her future students.