Colonial Van Lines Review

Colonial Van Lines specializes in a full suite of moving services for long-distance moves between states conducted by experienced drivers and movers. It offers a wide range of long-distance moving services, including loading and unloading items, disassembling and reassembling furniture, transporting, packing, and storage, even for specialty items like antiques and art.

One of our favorite things about CVL is its emphasis on educating its customers and employees. From the moment customers call in to get a quote to movers putting the final box in place, Colonial offers knowledgeable support for the whole process.

One of our favorite features about Colonial is its intensive training for moving employees. Its employee training facility, Colonial Van Lines University includes a staged two-bedroom home where new hires get hands-on—and scratch-free—training with delicate and high-value items, customer service, and safety standards.

As a member of the American Trucking Association, Colonial is at the forefront of keeping its drivers informed and highly trained. And with hundreds of glowing reviews, it's no wonder Colonial has earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

However, while Colonial Van Lines can be a lifesaver for those big cross-country moves, it does not service in-state moves and requires a deposit of around 40% to secure your move.

Cross-country full-service moves aren't cheap, no matter which service you choose. However, we were able to get some ballpark estimates from CVL to get a pulse of its pricing for different kinds of moves.

Moving from Utah to New York for a three-bedroom home cost around $9,000. Regional moves for the same size home cost around $5,500 (think Minneapolis to Des Moines, Atlanta to Nashville, or Philadelphia to DC).

After chatting with a Colonial Van Lines representative, they consider the weight, milage, origin, and destination locations, plus any extra services you need to produce a final binding quote. This means that the number they give you from the start is what you can expect to pay once the move is complete. If you find a lower quote from a qualified competitor, Colonial will match that price.

See where Colonial Van Lines ranks in our Best Long-Distance Moving Companies roundup.

Before you start your long-distance move, it helps to understand how the process works with Colonial Van Lines.

It all starts with a quick call to Colonial Van Lines or filling out the online contact form. This initial contact allows Colonial to get some details about your move. Information like your prospective move dates and the zip codes for your origin and destination are needed so the moving specialists can create a quote.

From there, they can help you take inventory of your home, or you can use Colonial's estimator app to get a count for yourself. Once all the necessary information is collected, you'll receive a binding estimate for your move. CVL has a team of quality assurance pros who check every customer's move for the finer details, ensuring that the load they're transporting matches the services they're offering.

If you happen to find a lower quote from another qualified mover, Colonial is ready to match that price—demonstrating its commitment to fair and competitive pricing.

When you're ready to proceed with service through Colonial, a deposit for your move is required. This usually amounts to around 40%, but the company offers discounts for repeat, corporate, and military customers. If something changes, you can cancel service for a full refund up to five business days before your move day.

Finally, it's time to get ready for the big day! You can pack up your home or add packing services for all your stuff or just specialty items.

Like what you heard so far?

Colonial Van Lines offers long-distance moving across the country and within regions. It serves all 48 states in the continental US. Along with those transport services, you can opt for extras like storage and packing during the onboarding process.

Here's a snapshot of Colonial Van Line's moving services:

• Short-term and long-term storage
• Packing and unpacking
• Full coverage insurance
• Auto shipping
• Motorcycle shipping
• Trash and debris removal
• Specialty item moving and packing
• Crating
• Electronics installation
• Furniture assembly/disassembly

The only drawbacks we could find were that Colonial does not offer in-state moves (like from Houston to El Paso, for example) and does not serve movers heading to or from Alaska or Hawaii.

Moving families and businesses across the country isn't a simple task. The logistics and lifting alone take steady hands and strategy. That's why Colonial sends all its employees back to school at Colonial Van Lines University.

Movers and drivers spend two to four weeks of intensive training at Colonial Van Line's training facility which includes a two-bedroom mock home. There, they learn the best techniques for packing, lifting, and caring for everyday and specialty items.

If you have specialty items like pianos, antiques, or large pieces of art that need special care, it's covered in CVL's coursework during this training. Even experienced movers new to Colonial go through the CLVU course.

Customers can also benefit from these training courses! We found quick courses for preparing valuables like dressers, chairs, appliances, books, fine china, and clothes.

From free quotes and discounts for repeat, corporate, and military customers to the mountains of helpful information on its website, Colonial Van Lines knows the importance of customer service—and it shows.

If you have quick questions or just want to compare Colonial Van Lines to other long-distance movers, you can ping the instant messenger on the Colonial website. Phone lines and email assistance are also available if you can't find what you need in Colonial's extensive FAQ, blog, or other resources for move preparation.

But our favorite feature about Colonial's customer service is the dedicated Account Manager service. This is your moving guru, your guiding light through the whole process. If you have questions, comments, or something you want to change, adjust, or drop, they're your single source for customer service. No confusion, no waiting on hold.

Colonial Van Lines is a full-service long-distance mover that specializes in cross-country and regional moving. For the last 50 years, it has served residential and corporate customers across the US. Some of our favorite things about Colonial are its dedicated account manager to guide you through the move and the extensive training all its staff earn as soon as they join the team.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to pay a deposit—up to 40% of your total moving quote—but this is in line with industry standards. Though Colonial is a long-distance mover, it does not serve most customers moving within the same state.

Want one of the best long-distance moving companies around?

Check out their full FAQ page to learn more about the long-distance moving process.

We conducted intensive research to identify the best moving companies for long-distance moves and local moves, in addition to container moves, truck rentals, and hourly moving labor. During our searches, we:

• Compare pricing transparency. We gather quotes, check for binding estimates, and read customer reviews about pricing to ensure each moving company’s prices are trustworthy.
• Review accreditation. We check every company’s records in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s database to confirm companies are properly authorized to transport household goods.
• Go mystery shopping. We review every company’s website, pose as customers in calls to companies, and read customer reviews to analyze every company’s moving services, transit protection, and customer service. We also interview actual customers to learn how their moves went from start to finish.
• Perform site visits. We invite moving companies to our headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT, to share data and expertise. We verify the information they provide by comparing it to data gathered through independent research and interviews with other movers.
• Set up regular reviews. We routinely repeat this process to update our recommendations to reflect current data and trends. We also revise each review annually and make updates throughout the year.

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