Your Moving Timeline: How Long Will It Take for Your Shipment to Arrive?

Moving with full-service movers can feel like a whirlwind of signing documents and watching movers load your household goods in large trucks. Often, customers don’t realize they haven’t recorded their delivery spread until their shipment is loaded.

Knowing when your shipment will arrive means the difference between a smooth delivery and a hasty one. Knowing where to find your delivery window and who to contact in the event of a missed delivery date makes all the difference.  

How Long Does It Typically Take Movers to Deliver Your Shipment?

Three factors really affect the delivery date:

• Distance
• Route
• Time of year

The distance between your starting point and your delivery location, as well as when you’re moving, will determine how far your driver has to travel and what route they’ll take. Factors like snowy weather, peak moving season, and rural destinations all extend your moving timeline.  

In general, however, shipment delivery takes about 7-10 days for a neighboring state and up to 21 days for a shipment further away.  

Your Bill of Lading Contains Your Shipment Delivery Spread

The delivery window of your household goods will be set while your contracts are drawn up. Movers are required by federal regulations to provide you with a reasonably accurate delivery date or delivery window.  

At any point before or after your shipment is picked up, you can refer back to your bill of lading to confirm your delivery window. If you can’t find it, or if it isn’t listed in your documentation, make sure to make contact with your moving coordinator. Your estimator or assigned moving coordinator will be able to confirm that date with you.

What If Your Shipment Is Running Late?

If you’ve surpassed your delivery spread and your shipment is nowhere in sight, first reach out to your moving coordinator. They have direct lines of communication with their local dispatch center and can quickly determine where your shipment is. Often, they will immediately give you a more concrete idea of when your shipment will be arriving.  

You can find your coordinator’s contact information in your moving contract or can be directed to them via your mover’s direct line.

Can’t Get Ahold of Your Moving Company?

If you’ve tried getting ahold of your moving coordinator, someone at your regional office (usually can be reached through their listed phone number), or your estimator and no one has responded, you may have become the victim of a moving scam.  

If you believe you’ve been taken advantage of by a fraudulent moving company, you can file a moving fraud complaint with the FMCSA.