Pack and Ride Blog

Moving to Hawaii is not just your average local or state to state move.  There are certain requirements and restrains that are not experienced by average movers.

Moving Containers:
People moving to and from Hawaii do not have the options that your everyday mover has.  They are confined to either a 20ft or a 40ft container.  These Ocean Containers are 8ft wide and 8ft tall and are specifically designed to make the trip across the ocean.  The problem with this is most people will not have the amount of belongings to fill this size so proper packing is a must.  You will need to pack high and tight and once you have packed everything, you will need to secure your load using plywood/2x4’s and anything else to minimize shifting in transit.  The floors are made of wood so you can nail into them. Furthermore, you will be required to pay for the entire container, no matter how small the shipment.  

Likewise, if you have more than the container will hold, it is recommended that you get rid of things you don’t need so you can fit into the appropriate size that you will need. For example, If you have 45ft worth of goods that need to fit into 40ft, get rid of the swing set your son/daughter has outgrown and will never use again.

In addition, make sure you bring all of your important documents with you including your ID, personal documents, prescriptions, medical records, etc.  You should bring these documents with you in your carry on luggage to avoid any complications.

Transit time:
The transit time of your move to/from the islands will also be different than a standard move.  Since your container will be traveling across the ocean by ship you can expect it to take anywhere from 10-20 business days.  This is because it may not make it on the first ship out of the port and the ships leave every Wed/Sat.  This will increase the amount of planning that will be necessary to make your move a successful move.

Shipping a vehicle:
Shipping a car to or from the islands can be arranged by Matson Navigation.  The cost of the shipment is around $1000 per standard vehicle.  This rate would not apply to any vehicle exceeding 22’8” (L) x 8’ (W) x 7’ (H) or vehicles that have built in accommodations for cooking or sleeping.

Getting ready for the big day

Most first time movers are nervous, anxious and stressed come moving day due to the enormous to-do list they have on their hands.  To alleviate the stress and cloud of confusion, there are a few things movers can do.

1)    Pre-Pack
Before your trailer arrives, pack all your belongings into the boxes or containers that they will be loaded in.  This way, you are organized and have a good idea how you might want to load the truck before it even arrives.  Also, this frees up some time for you to focus on the big things such as your route to your destination.

2)    Take advantage of Pack and Ride’s various special services
Need to have that trailer out of your narrow street or busy apartment complex?  Utilize our Live Load service to get the trailer loaded and off your hands within an hour.  If you need an entire day but still have this issue, utilize our Same Day service.  Our same day service includes a drop of before 10 a.m. and a pick up after 4 p.m..  If you need your  transit time guaranteed, we have our guaranteed  service which guarantees delivery by 5 p.m. or our service which guarantees delivery between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.  Also, each  move comes standard with one week of free storage just in  case you want to take the scenic route to your destination.

3)    Hire some Help
Pack and Ride customers now receive a special rate with Labor Ready when they hire their services.  Two workers can be hired for four hours costing $152.  If you want the full service moving experience without the toll on your wallet, use both the VanPack service and Labor Ready.  

Now, when the day comes, with some planning and fine tuning of our services, you can be fully prepared for whatever may come your way. 

One of the many advantages to using Pack and Ride is the inclusion in each of our trailers of our specialized security bars. These bars are made steel, run the width of the trailer, and are used to secure your shipment in transit.
 
Our Security Bars are specialized for moving household goods. While other companies (may) only offer freight bars, which push out against the side of their trailers, our security bars actually lock into the side of the trailer. Every 1-2 feet within our trailer, there is vertical tracking for this purpose. Additionally, this tracking can be used for any number of tie downs, whether that be bungie cords or old fashioned rope.
 
These bars have a multitude of uses. For instance, if you were moving a piece of furniture with wheels and you want to make absolutely sure it does not move in transit, just lock a bar in place behind it. Or, if you want to create some shelving within your space,  drop two of our bars down, and lay some plywood on top. The bars themselves are weight tested to hold/withhold thousands of pounds. The bars are also what you would use to lock in your Pack and Ride Security Partition.
 
The Pack and Ride Security Bars are just one way that we make sure your move is the most secure and easiest to load in the industry, guaranteeing you a stress free move and peace of mind.

Pack and Ride excels at Alaskan (to and from) moves, with great rates and quick transit times. We can do them as easily as any domestic move. There are a few key things to keep in mind when moving to or from Alaska, however:
 
Availability – The availability of our VanPack service to Alaska is limited to only a handful of moves a week. With our no-money down policy, it is in your best interest to reserve your move as early as possible – that way we can make sure you can get your desired dates.

Transportation – All of our Alaskan moves are routed through the port of Seattle and the port of Anchorage. This means that your goods are loaded onto a barge for the trip. While completely secure, it is advisable to make sure you cover your goods with a tarp once you are done loading, to avoid any bits of sea spray entering your trailer and settling on your goods.

Customs – Since your goods are not routed through Canada, we do not require customs papers to accompany them, which dramatically reduces the time required and the cost for your move.

Sizes – We can offer a size as small as 4x8x9 and as large as 53x8x9 in our trailer – you only have to pay for what you use in the end, however – we measure at both the destination and origin service center to determine your space used and charge you accordingly.

Payment – We do not require any money up front whatsoever. Once we’ve picked up and measured your goods at the origin and determined how much space you have used, payment is due.

Rates – Please call in to get your rates – we do them by hand to insure maximum accuracy.

Military – We do offer military discounts, and can easily accommodate the requirements of a military move (weight tickets, etc).

Storage – Pack and Ride offers a free week of storage with every move, and extended storage options are also available.
 
These are a few things to keep in mind when planning your Alaskan move with us – of course, if you have any questions, please call in to our support center at 866-550-7225.

The first thing I would recommend is not to wait until the last minute to begin packing. This will bring added stress to your move. When packing boxes, you will want to pack them as full and tight as possible.  This will prevent shifting within the box and fewer damages will occur.  Use caution when packing your valuables, (photo albums, paintings, family heirlooms) these are irreplaceable items, and you may want to consider bringing them with you if at all possible. This is because in the summer months heat may build in the trailer which may possibly damage these sensitive items. When Packing dishes and glassware, be sure to wrap each piece in bubble wrap and use balled up newspaper to fill in any empty spaces within each box.  

For your mattresses, be sure to purchase mattress bags/boxes to protect them while they are moving to your new home.  You will also want to use furniture pads to protect your furniture from “dings” and scratches.  As an alternative to pricy furniture pads, you can use old blankets, or even go to your local goodwill type store and purchase cheap blankets there.

Now that you’re ready to pack the trailer, the following tips are designed to ensure safe transport of your belongings. The first thing you’ll want to do is to get as many people to help as possible, since the more hands you have the faster it will go.  Start off with a few pieces of large furniture and then pack in your boxes to fill in the holes.  Remember to always pack the heaviest boxes and furniture on the bottom and light boxes on top.  After you get a good amount of your belongings packed in, don’t be shy to use some of the extra security bars we supply you with to “anchor down” the load mid way through packing.  Pack and Ride will supply you with 4-6 security bars and 3 are needed to secure the load after everything is loaded and ready to ride.

After you’ve finished loading everything, secure your load with the remaining security bars by locking them in to the trailers vertical tracking.  Then take the Pack and Ride security partition, and install it by locking it into the vertical tracking like you did with the security bars.  If you have ordered a ramp, pack that in after the partition and you are ready to move to your new home with the piece of mind that your belongings have been packed by a professional.

There's a lot that goes into the moving process and you quickly realize how fast the dollars add up. Anything that can ease the financial pressure of a move is more than welcome. Self-service moving companies are a great way to save money on the otherwise expensive process of moving your life. By removing the cost of extra labor, more money stays in your pocket. Self pack moving companies also provide you with the flexibility and savings that make relocating more bearable and more financially manageable. Pack and Ride provides clean, well maintained moving containers along with professional drivers so all you need to do is load and unload. With service in 46 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, Pack and Ride is a great solution to cheap moving. If you're interested in saving money on your move, get a free quote from Pack and Ride and see how much you can save.

Picking up and moving your life can be a real burden on your wallet. People spend a lot of time and energy finding every way possible to reduce the financial strain. Do it yourself moving is a great solution for cheap movers. You don't need to spend money watching someone else load and unload your stuff. When you do the packing, you remove one of the most expensive costs associated with relocating and you end up saving. A one way truck rental is an easy, affordable solution to packing up and moving your life. So how does it work? It starts with us delivering a moving trailor to your old place. Next, you do the loading and then a professional driver will deliver it to your new place. From there, just unload it and you're done. Now you're moved and you saved money doing it. If you're relocating and can benefit from saving some extra cash, do it yourself moving is the way to go.

Most people don't enjoy moving. Besides the uncomfortable experience of leaving a familiar area for a new one is the financial strain associated with picking up and moving your life. One of the best ways to ease the burden on your wallet is to remove the expensive cost of packers. A self service moving company is a great opportunity to save money while going through the expensive process of relocating. The process is simple: you do the packing and leave the driving to the pros. This self move concept has made the moving experience for families, couples, and individuals much more affordable by removing the expensive cost of packers. Pack and Ride will have a 28 or 56 foot trailer delivered to your home. You pack it up, and a professional driver will deliver it to your new place.  You will be charged only for the amount of space you use.  Visit us at “packandride.com” to get your free online quote with just a click. You’ll see just how Pack and Ride can make your move a much more affordable one.

It is common knowledge that speed and execution are keys to success in US Business. But what if you need to start up a new operation, or move to a rural location? How can companies quickly find, hire, and train qualified workers in a new market? The answer is “they can’t”. These activities take time, and rushing your personnel decision is a gamble that costs more money than it saves.

However, there is a solution… take your employees with you. New options for household goods movement make moving employees and their families much more affordable. It used to be that only highly compensated, or high-demand skill set employees justified the cost of a corporate move. Now with options like VanPack basic service from Pack and Ride, Inc., a company can move a production worker across the country for less than it costs to find and train a new employee.

With this service, Pack and Ride will drop a trailer off at the employee’s house. The trailer is filled over a two day period. (More time can be negotiated). Then the trailer is hauled to the new location, usually within 5 to 7 business days. Contract labor can be used to pack, load, and unload household goods at reasonable rates in most parts of the country.

Now companies that rely on a steady stream of skilled manufacturing workers are able to move them from the upper mid-west and Northeast to new locations. A typical 28 foot trailer move can be completed for between one and three thousand dollars. Add contract labor on both sides and you are able to provide full moving service to your employee for less than five thousand dollars. Regional moves are much less. One big cost advantage of this service is that employees can drive their own car(s) to their new home, and save on expensive auto shipping.

Pack and Ride’s VanPack service saves money, and it is much less stressful on your employees than driving a rented truck. Keep your good people by moving them instead of gambling on new hires. Save time, money, and retain good people by using a service like that offered by Pack and Ride, Inc. of Richmond, Virginia

Welcome to Pack and Ride, the click and easy way to move!  We are starting our blog information page to help all the movers out there (first-timers and repeat offenders) get the most out of their moving experience.

First, a little about Pack and Ride: we have been providing do-it-yourself moves to the public for over 4 years.  Our security partition is state of the art and the best in the business. It easy to install, fastens directly and firmly into the sides of the trailer, and keeps your items safe and stable while in transit. In addition, we also provide "security bars" you can anchor in place within your trailer space to help further reduce shifting and movement of your goods.  If you need any packing advice, just call our customer service number, and one of our experienced relocation specialists will be happy to help you.

Not only does Pack and Ride provide you with the best tools to secure your goods, we will also provide you with the flexibility that you may need with your move. We'll give you up to (3) business days to load your goods and up to three (3) business days to unload them. Need storage?  Not a problem!  Pack and Ride offers a complimentary week of storage at destination.  If you need additional storage time, Pack and Ride can accommodate you for as long as necessary.

Pack and Ride is here to make your move go as smoothly as possible; our experienced staff will guide you through every step. So, give us a call, or visit our “online chat” – We’ll be happy to help you with your moving/storage needs.