Money Research Collective’s editorial team solely created this content. Opinions are their own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Many featured companies advertise with us. How we make money.
North American Van Lines Review
By Joan Pabón MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
North American Moving Services, also known as North American Van Lines, is a well-known full-service long-distance moving company. It’s licensed to perform local, interstate and international moves through its network of over 500 agent locations across the United States. The company has been in business since 1933.
While North American Moving Services didn’t make it onto our list of the Best Moving Companies, it was one of our top picks for the Best Interstate Movers. Unlike some other van lines, North American allows customers to choose the level of service they would like to receive, which could lead to greater savings. In fact, the company claims to quote some of the most affordable prices in the industry for full-service long-distance moves.
Table of contents
- North American Van Lines overview
- North American Van Lines’ services
- North American Van Lines’ credentials
- North American Van Lines’ accessibility
- North American Van Lines’ customer satisfaction
- North American Van Lines FAQ
- How we evaluated North American Van Lines
- Summary of Miami Herald’s North American Van Lines review
North American Van Lines overview
- Customers can choose between full-service, fragile-only or DIY packing
- Offers bottom-line pricing, not-to-exceed pricing or a combination
- Customer service is available 24/7
- Furniture assembly and appliance installation are available for an added cost
- Provides moving resources, including customer rights and responsibilities pamphlet
- Doesn't offer ballpark quotes online or over email
- Details about insurance options and types of estimates absent or hard to find on website
Since its inception, North American Van Lines has grown into a relatively large moving company with a fleet of well over 1,000 moving trucks and drivers. Its international relocations branch, North American International, has representatives in 130 countries.
North American claims to be at the forefront of innovation, having been the first moving company to adopt satellite shipment tracking, crane vans that can be loaded without docking and driving simulators for driver safety training.
Despite that claim, however, its website leaves much to be desired regarding navigation and organization. An outdated user interface makes it difficult to locate information on costs, estimates and insurance options.
North American Van Lines’ services
North American Moving Services is among the few large moving carriers that offer furniture assembly and appliance installation. It also allows customers to choose the level of assistance they require, including full-service, fragile-only or self-service packing. Moreover, customers who opt to pack their own belongings can still get guidance from the company regarding how to pack and the types of supplies they should use.
And, of course, North American Van Lines offers most of the moving services you can expect from a national van line operator. Its offerings include local moves to cross-country and international relocations.
Storage services and car shipping are also available, although it’s unclear whether those are options for people who are moving internationally. The only moving service North American doesn’t seem to provide is military relocations, which it doesn’t advertise on its site.
North American advertises customer support that’s in operation for 24 hours a day. It also provides shipment tracking details, which customers can access online or over the phone.
Similarly, the company’s website contains a guide to moving insurance (called moving valuation) options. However, it doesn’t directly state whether North American’s full-value protection plan covers the standard $6 per pound times the weight of the shipment or more, or whether it offers its additional liability coverage from a third party.
What it offers
- Local moves
- Interstate moves
- International moving services (includes a move coordinator)
- Corporate relocation services
- Packing and unpacking
- 24-hour customer service
- Satellite shipment tracking
- Car shipping
- Choice of packing service (professional packing, fragile items only or self-packing)
- Appliance installation and furniture assembly/disassembly
- Moving resources including a moving checklist and FMCSA safety articles
- Storage options for businesses and individuals
What it doesn’t offer
- Military moves
- Instant ballpark quotes online
North American Van Lines moving cost
North American Van Lines promises predictable pricing. Customers may choose between guaranteed bottom-line, “not-to-exceed” or customized pricing. This last option allows you to pay a guaranteed price plus the cost of any additional moving services (packing, full-value coverage, furniture assembly, etc.).
For long-distance moves of around 1,000 miles, North American Van Lines moves cost an average cost of $3,500 based on a shipment weight of 7,000 pounds (about seven rooms worth of household goods). Of course, heavier shipments and longer distances will increase the price. The company also states that full-value replacement coverage costs around 5% to 6% of the shipment weight. For a 10,000-pound shipment, full value coverage would amount to an additional $500 to $600.
One thing to note, however, is that while North American provides an online quote tool on its website, it doesn’t generate instant ballpark quotes. You need to call a North American Van Lines agent to get a quote and schedule an in-home walkthrough (which is required by law if you’re moving across state lines).
North American Van Lines’ credentials
North American Van Lines holds a ProMover certification from the American Trucking Association (ATA) and the Moving & Storage Conference. The company is also registered with the Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Surface Transportation Board (STB). As of the date of this review, it has a satisfactory FMCSA safety rating and has not been involved in any fatal crashes in the past 24 months.
Licenses and registrations
North American Van Lines’ USDOT Number is 070851 and its MC number is 107012. In Texas, the company is registered under North American Van Lines of Texas, TxDMV No. 0000009188.
As of October 2022, the company maintained a satisfactory safety rating based on over 800 inspections in the past 24 months. In that time, North American’s drivers have been involved in a total of 10 accidents that resulted in injury to the driver, none of them fatal. To view additional safety information for North American Van Lines, visit safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and navigate to Company Snapshot to view the electronic records.
Awards and certifications
North American Van Lines is a certified ProMover, a certification awarded by the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) and the Moving & Storage Conference to moving carriers that pass a rigorous review of their operations and complaint history.
This certification aims to mitigate unethical business practices in the moving industry by distinguishing professional movers from rogue operators. ProMovers must uphold the ATA’s Moving & Storage Conference Code of Ethics and observe consumer regulations established by the FMCSA and the STB.
North American Van Lines’ accessibility
North American Van Lines’ website leaves much to be desired in terms of organization. While the site is easy to read, locating the necessary information could prove difficult.
On the positive side, the company offers useful in-depth information on how to save money on moving costs and how to locate a reputable mover. It even includes moving resources from the FMCSA to help customers avoid moving fraud and understand their rights. North American says it offers customer support 24/7 and clients can track their shipment either online or over the phone.
Availability
North American Van Lines has agents in over 500 locations across the United States and a presence in more than 150 countries. Since the company operates as a network of moving carriers, prospective customers can find local agents virtually anywhere.
Prospective customers will find that North American Van Lines has several locations registered on Google Reviews, most of which are located in the Southeast. Nevertheless, interested parties may find a local agent by entering their zip code in the agent locator tool on North American’s website.
Contact information
To obtain a moving quote, you can call North American Moving Services or complete a quote form on North American’s website, after which you wait for an agent to give you a call. Alternatively, and as an additional step in your vetting process, you can find a local North American Van Lines agency near you and reach out to it directly once you have determined it meets your standards.
As part of our review process, we contacted North American Van Lines over email at Customer.Service@navl.com. While our message was received, we were informed that customer service could take about five business days to reply through this channel. With that in mind, interested parties may want to contact the company over the phone or reach out to a local agent directly.
User experience
Objectively, North American does a better job of explaining certain topics than other moving carriers we have reviewed. We found its moving tips particularly helpful for those moving over long distances. Nevertheless, its website is hard to navigate, even on mobile, which detracts from the user experience and makes it difficult for customers to find the information they need.
Limitations
The main limitation to hiring the services of a large moving carrier such as North American Van Lines is that the only way to move forward with the quote process is to speak with an agent. This is standard for the industry, so those looking for contactless service and quick online quotes may be better off hiring a moving container company.
North American claims to offer 24-hour customer support, yet it’s unclear whether it offers assistance throughout the week or only during weekdays. Of course, support is only available over the phone, as the company does not have an online chat or other ways to reach out and receive a prompt response.
North American Van Lines’ customer satisfaction
North American Van Lines has a decent reputation for customer service based on online consumer complaints and feedback. In 2021, it received a total of 38 complaints through the FMCSA, fewer than the vast majority of moving brokers and on par with other well-known moving carriers.
On consumer review websites such as Trustpilot.com and the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the company has poor customer service scores but a high response rate, meaning the company is likely to respond and look for a resolution in the event of a mishap.
Customer complaints
North American Van Lines has an average number of complaints (38 in 2021 and 12 so far in 2022) compared to other large moving carriers with fleets of thousands of vehicles. Most FMCSA complaints the company received in the past year are about pickup and delivery issues and lost or damaged items.
On its BBB profile, North American Van Lines has received 88 complaints in recent years, 31 of which have been resolved in the past 12 months. Most complaints appear to be related to issues with the company’s service, such as shipment delays due to driver shortages and items lost or damaged while in transit. North American Van Lines has a response rate of 100%, which means it regularly attempts to provide satisfactory resolutions to dissatisfied customers.
Third-party ratings
North American Van Lines has a poor customer service rating of 2.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, yet the rating is based on just five reviews. Similarly, it has a low BBB rating of 1.12 out of 5 based on 34 reviews, most of them negative.
Despite that customer feedback, North American is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and maintains an A+ rating, which further evidences its responsiveness and apparent commitment to ethical business practices. Several regional North American Van Lines locations can also be found on Google reviews, yet customer ratings vary widely by location.
North American Van Lines FAQ
What are the additional moving costs for North American Van Lines?
Interstate movers are subject to federal regulations that require them to provide two coverage options for household goods: full value protection and released value protection.
Full value protection is automatically included in all initial moving quotes, and must cover a minimum of $6 times the weight of the shipment. This coverage comes at a price, which generally amounts to 5% or 6% of the shipment weight. If your shipment weighs 10,000 pounds, then you would pay $500 to $600 for full value coverage in addition to the cost of the move. Customers can waive full value coverage and keep released value protection instead, but while free, this option will only cover items at a mere six cents per pound per article.
Besides the cost of such moving "insurance," customers will be charged for any additional services they opt into, such as packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, furniture assembly and appliance installation. Auto shipping services will also entail an additional cost.
How to get a North American Van Lines estimate?
To get a moving estimate from North American Van Lines, prospective customers can call the company or complete the online form on its website.
How to file a claim against North American Van Lines?
Customers who need to file a claim for losses or damages incurred in a move with North American Van Lines may do so by completing the claim form available at Northamerican.com. There are separate claim forms for international claims and intra-Texas claims. Once the customer has completed the form, taking care to provide details regarding the items or issues, they can send the form to the mailing address provided. For domestic claims regarding residential moves, customers may also call 1-800-348-3746.
Read our article on how to successfully file a complaint against a moving company for tips and more information.
How can you book a move with North American Van Lines?
You can book a move with North American Van Lines by calling the company directly or completing the quote form on the company's website and waiting for a representative to reach out. Once you speak with an agent, you can provide details about your moving needs and schedule an in-home assessment of your household goods. After the in-home assessment, you'll receive a signed moving estimate with your moving date and/or delivery date, the details of the service and the cost. Make sure to ask about bottom-line pricing and not-to-exceed pricing, both of which are options North American offers.
How we evaluated North American Van Lines
To evaluate North American Van Lines, we looked at complaint and safety data compiled by the Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration. We also took into account customer ratings and complaints as reported by the Better Business Bureau (on BBB.org) and Trustpilot.com.
- FMCSA Registered Mover Database: Interstate moving companies are legally required to register with the Federal government and have a USDOT number. By accessing this database, consumers can look up complaint and safety information and verify whether their mover is a licensed carrier (a company that performs moves) or a broker (a company that can arrange moves on behalf of customers).
- FMCSA Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER) System: Through SAFER, the U.S. Government publishes company safety data, including information on vehicle, driver and hazmat inspections and recent crashes.
- Third-party ratings: Online customer feedback can give prospective customers an idea of what to expect from service providers. Incurring a high number of online complaints doesn’t necessarily translate into poor customer service, especially if the company responds to them in a timely way. Look for companies that regularly respond to consumer feedback and attempt to find satisfactory resolutions to issues that are within their control.
Summary of the North American Van Lines review
North American Van Lines is one of many large interstate moving companies offering local, long-distance and international moving services and auto transport. As a registered moving carrier that operates through a network of over 500 agent locations in the United States, the company covers a wide service area and can meet the needs of most customers — with the exception of military members.
Unlike some other van lines, North American allows customers to choose the level of service they need, whether partial or full packing services. It also permits the inclusion of less-than-universal add-ons like furniture assembly and appliance installation.
As for customer service, North American Van Lines has a decent reputation. While it doesn’t have stellar customer review ratings online, it has an average number of complaints for a company of its size and does a great job of following up on customer feedback.
Check out our top picks for the best moving companies for more options.
Joan is a professional translator, writer and editor with a special interest in personal finance and insurance topics. She has been a contributing author and independent researcher at ConsumersAdvocate.org since 2017 and an editor at Money since 2019. Her work has been featured in MSN Money and Apple News.