Why You Should Never Hire a Moving Company That Has Been in Business Less Than 3 Years

When you are planning a long distance move you are trusting a company with everything you own — your furniture, your valuables, your memories, and in many cases your entire household. Choosing the right moving company is one of the most important decisions you will make in the entire process.

Most people focus on price. But there is something far more important than price that almost nobody talks about — how long the company has been in business.

At Direct Relocation Services we have been handling long distance moves since 2015 — over 11 years of proven experience. In that time we have seen dozens of newer companies come and go. And we have rescued hundreds of customers who made the mistake of hiring a company that was too new, too inexperienced, and too underprepared to do the job right.

Here is what you need to know before you hire anyone.

1. New Moving Companies Have No Track Record

A company that has been in business for 6 months or a year has not yet faced the full range of challenges that long distance moving presents. They have not handled the difficult deliveries, the complex multi-stop moves, the cross-country routes in extreme weather, or the hundreds of unexpected situations that only experience can prepare you for.

When something goes wrong on your move — and in this industry something always has the potential to go wrong — you want a company that has seen it before and knows how to handle it. A company under 3 years old is still learning. And your belongings are part of the curriculum.

2. New Companies Are the Primary Source of Bait and Switch Pricing

The moving industry is notorious for bait and switch pricing — where a company quotes you a low number to win your deposit and then changes the price dramatically on moving day when your belongings are already on the truck.

New companies are responsible for the overwhelming majority of bait and switch complaints in the industry. There are two reasons for this.

Some new companies do it deliberately. They open with artificially low prices to build a customer base quickly, collect as many deposits as possible, and make up the difference by inflating the final price at pickup or delivery. By the time customers realize what is happening their belongings are loaded and they have no leverage.

Others do it unintentionally. A company under 3 years old often simply does not know what a long distance move actually costs. They are guessing when they give you a quote. That guess gets corrected on moving day — at your expense.

Either way the result is the same. A quote that started at $3,000 becomes $5,000, $6,000, or more by the time your belongings reach your new home.

3. Most New Moving Companies Do Not Survive Past Year Three

The failure rate in the moving industry is extremely high. The majority of new moving companies do not survive their first three years. Companies close suddenly, go out of business mid-season, or simply disappear — sometimes with customer deposits already collected and moves already scheduled.

If a company closes during or after your move your belongings, your deposit, and your damage claim have no protection. A company that has been in business for over a decade is not going anywhere. Their reputation, their livelihood, and their entire operation depend on completing every move successfully.

4. Inexperienced Crews Cannot Be Built Overnight

Professional movers are not born — they are built through years of training, repetition, and real-world experience. A company under 3 years old is still assembling its crew. The people handling your belongings may have months of experience rather than years.

At Direct Relocation Services we have spent over 11 years building a team of experienced, professional movers who treat every item they touch with the same care they would give their own belongings. That level of professionalism does not happen in a year. It is the result of thousands of moves, constant training, and a culture of excellence that takes years to build.

5. A New Company Has Nothing at Stake

A company with 11 years of experience, 580+ verified reviews, and a BBB A-rating has everything to lose by doing a bad job. Their reputation is their livelihood. Every negative review, every complaint, every unhappy customer costs them future business. That accountability is what drives quality.

A company that opened 8 months ago has no such accountability. They have no reputation to protect. They have no long-term customers to retain. If they do a poor job they can simply rebrand, open under a new name, and start over.

How to Verify How Long a Moving Company Has Been in Business

You can verify any moving company’s history in two ways.

First, search their USDOT number at motus.dot.gov. The FMCSA record shows the date their operating authority was granted — which tells you exactly how long they have been legally authorized to operate as a moving company.

Second, check their BBB profile. The Better Business Bureau shows the date a company was founded and how long they have been accredited. A company with BBB accreditation and a long operating history is a significantly safer choice.

The Three Questions to Ask Before Hiring Any Moving Company

Before signing any contract or paying any deposit ask every moving company these three questions:

How long have you been in business? Any answer under 3 years is a red flag. Are you a licensed direct carrier or a broker? A broker does not own trucks or employ movers — they collect your deposit and sell your move to a third party. Can I verify your USDOT number? A legitimate carrier will always say yes. Search their number at motus.dot.gov and look for Entity Type: CARRIER and Broker Authority: NONE.

Why Direct Relocation Services

Direct Relocation Services has been handling long distance moves from Florida and Georgia since 2015 — over 11 years of proven experience. We are a licensed direct carrier under USDOT #3000931 with Broker Authority: NONE. We are BBB A-Rated and Accredited with 580+ verified reviews across Google, Trustpilot, BBB, and ConsumerAffairs.

Our crews are not entry level employees learning on the job. They are experienced professional movers who have completed thousands of successful long distance relocations. When you hire Direct Relocation Services you are hiring over a decade of expertise, accountability, and a proven track record that speaks for itself.

Get Your FREE Quote Today

Call us at 855-378-3110 or visit directrelocationservices.com. Ask us anything — how long we have been in business, who owns the trucks, who employs the crews, what our USDOT number is. We have nothing to hide and everything to prove.

Direct Relocation Services 4901 NW 17th Way Suite 605 Fort Lauderdale FL 33309 855.378.3110 directrelocationservices.com Licensed Bonded Insured USDOT 3000931 MC 24036 BBB A-Rated and Accredited Founded 2015

Planning a move out West? Read our complete state transition breakdown for moving from Florida to Colorado.