Is it me or ?

Grabel Van Lines used to be huge. (Blue, White, and Red color scheme)---all owner/operator I believe.

 

I've been in the moving business since the 1970's and yes it is shrinking by about 10% a year for a lot of reasons. Biggest reason is the government and corporations don't move people like they once did. The pods, LTL haulers, and fly by night operations cut into it no doubt and when the Schmedlaps move to Florida from Connecticut they are only taking a small portion of their goods.
There are four major players now,
Unigroup = United and Mayflower
SIRVA = Allied and North America and Global
Atlas Van Line
Wheaton Bekins Van Lines
Lots of smaller companies have gone out since deregulation, hours of service, insurance , labor costs, health insurance, have cut margins to about 5% if it is a good company in a good market.

 

Yep. OD, Estes, and ABF all do that nowadays. Drop a pup and come back for it when you have it loaded up.

 

We still get a lot of cans for both domestic and Int'l HHG, some of it is also seasonal. In the last two months, we've had probably a dozen Int'l and Hawaii (domestic) moves, now suddenly we've got two Inbounds sitting in our yard waiting for the people to find a place, we've spotted 3 outbounds (all Hawaii) at residents, and have two more heading out to residence or S.I.T. at M&S places.

 

The driver shortage has always been a problem for van lines. Not only do they take trucks into neighborhoods and apartment complexes but they have to be able to pack boxes and load furniture in all kinds of weather while dealing with stressed out customers.

 

Yeah, but there's good money in packing.
There's a real pride in hearing a guy grunt as he picks up a dish pack.
Unless it's filled with books.

 

I agree and it is high profit stuff, but most won't do it.

 

There used to be housewives that would do it for agents.
They made good money and were good at it.

 

I grew up convinced that I would pull a mover at one time in the future. Nope.

If anything Trucking has taught me how to have a entire dwelling furnished carefully so that everything fits into a vehicle, whatever it might be in several trips to move it all however far. I never buy big crap. If you cannot lift it, don't buy it.