American Roadway Vanlines Inc.

Reviews

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1. A

   Ann L.

   Source: MoveAdvisor · New York, NY to Little River, SC

   2 Oct 2019Partial movePaid $1,711

   Great Experience.

   My initial “issues” with American were my fault for not doing my due diligence when I began looking for a mover. I was settling my brother’s estate in NYC; I live in SC. At the last second, a person who was buying some expensive furniture backed out. It was Friday, I was returning home Sunday, co-op had to be empty for contractor who is doing the renovations by the first of the week. Under the gun for sure. Called several movers, American was reasonable and could pick up on the following Tuesday. Did not realize they were brokers, didn’t understand about balance having to be paid in cash, didn’t understand about the insurance and furniture possibly being stored. All of that is on me. Had never used movers before and didn’t know what questions to ask. When I saw the reviews on this site, my heart sank. So when everything worked out beautifully, I felt compelled to speak out. So sorry for those who had a bad experience. My furniture arrived approximately 2 weeks after it was picked up. I was called the Thursday before, and then again on Monday. Got two hour window and final balance. I was charged $230 more than quoted but we had left 4 paintings and a chair that were not originally on the manifest and required extra packing. The movers were a little late but stayed in touch. Professional, worked quickly, and cleaned up after theirselves. The company was Always Affordable Moving. All told, a pleasant experience with only a little stress which I brought on myself. Lesson learned although I hope to never be in a similar situation. All involved were personable and professional, providing excellent service at a reasonable price. I only wish everyone had a similar experience to mine.

2. O

   Olivia P.

   Source: MoveAdvisor · Memphis, TN to Baltimore, MD

   2 Apr 20194+ bedroomPaid $5,685

   Wonderful Job.

   Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I would not have been able to deal with this, had it not been for you guys. This was the first time I have ever had to move out of state so it was safe to assume that it would be very overwhelming. My husband was offered a promotion at work which required him to relocate. The only catch was that he needed to be in Baltimore by the end of the week, leaving me to plan this entire move myself. We have four children and way too much stuff so I was immediately stressed out; the only thing keeping my head from spinning off was finding American Roadway. The second I put my phone number online my phone rang off the hook. I received call after call after call from so many pushy movers. The first thing I noted about American Roadway is that they’re NOT pushy. John called me one time, left a voice mail and then sent me a text. That was it. The fact that he did not hassle me was what made me call him back. Every other company seemed desperate for my business, which made me nervous. John had a very “I would love to help so I’m here if you need me and if not, then I wish you the best of luck” kind of attitude. THAT was exactly what I wanted. He was like talking to an old friend; we were probably on the phone for an hour (he was very, very patient with me). He gave me a quote and told me that if American Roadway is the right choice for me to let him know. I needed to speak with my husband before committing so I told John I would call him back. American Roadway was not the cheapest, but, they were not the most expensive either. Honestly, the cheapest price doesn’t really do it for me – there are some cases in which the cheapest price is not the right one. In my opinion, moving your family and your life to another state is one of those cases. I didn’t really care about the cost as long as the move went smoothly. The days between our initial conversation and when I made my reservation, John didn’t call, email or text me even once. Other companies that I spoke with before American Roadway called me AT LEAST twice every day. “Do you want to book with us? Did you make a decision yet?”. John, and American Roadway, was my saving grace. So, I made my reservation with American Roadway. Pickup day came and 4 guys showed up around 9am to start packing up the house. They were very nice and took great care in handling our things. There were a few things that I chose to pack myself but the movers did the bulk of it. They packed up all my kids’ stuff (which takes up nearly ¾ of everything we have), our kitchen, TVs and the china in our dining room. All of our things took up nearly their entire truck. I was almost worried it wouldn’t fit but the guys did an amazing job. It was a few days drive to Baltimore for the truck so we arrived a day ahead of it, which was perfect for me. It gave me a chance to figure out where I wanted everything to go. As soon as the truck arrived, the guys started unloading. Everything arrived to our new home in the condition that it had left in. They were very patient with me, dictating where every piece of furniture needed to go (I didn’t ask them to unpack any of my boxes; they would’ve been there for days!). All in all, American Roadway saved me a humongous headache. They arrived and packed, then drove and delivered – easy as 1,2,3. I never would have thought that any move - let alone one going 1,000 miles – would have been this painless and simple. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t found American Roadway. John – I hope I don’t have to move again anytime soon but if I do, I have your number! Thanks, again!

3. A

   Anna G.

   Source: MoveAdvisor · Decatur, GA to Spring Lake, NJ

   22 Jan 20194+ bedroomPaid $5,425

   Seamless move.

   John at American Roadway kept me sane – literally. He had movers come in at the very last minute to pickup my belongings, saving me from the first company that came AND saving me from having to pay another month of rent at my old apartment. I just recently landed a new job that required me to move about 1,000 miles from everything that is familiar to me. When it hit me that I had to pack up my home and entrust my entire life of belongings to movers I didn’t know, I started getting stressed. Within the first ten minutes of researching moving companies, my phone rang and John Conover was the first person to call me. He was thorough and reviewed every single detail with me. He made me feel comfortable speaking with him and he gave me a good price. Because I was new at the moving thing, I wanted to keep shopping around for other quotes so I told him I would let him know. He didn’t push me, simply said that he was available if I needed him. Over the next week or so I made some more calls and got other moving quotes. These people were relentless! If I didn’t book right away they would call over and over and over again. Some of them called me 2 or 3 times a day! There were a couple of prices I got that were lower than American Roadway so I went with another company at first. The movers came and jacked up my price to almost double what they had originally quoted me the moment they walked through the front door. I don’t have that kind of money and they were pushy, stating that I HAD to move with them because I signed a contract with them and I couldn’t afford to wait and get stuck paying another month of rent if I didn’t get my things out in time. When the movers went out to their truck to get their supplies, I called American Roadway for John. He said he had a truck not too far from me and he could get there that same day later on in the afternoon. He said not to worry, that he would take care of everything. I made the other company leave my apartment and waited for John’s guys. They were great. They told me that the charges the other company was trying to tack on were ridiculous. I was off by a few boxes when I originally told them what was moving but they loaded them anyway along with packing up 3 paintings and 2 statues for free for me. I was charged a few extra bucks for stairs which I had absolutely no problem with - there were 4 flights in my building and no elevator. I also had no problem because these guys made me feel comfortable. They were really friendly and professional, they explained that the TV needed to be wrapped properly so either I could wrap it OR they could wrap it and I would just have to pay for the materials…they didn’t just add all of this extra money onto my bill. American Roadway’s movers treated me like a human being, not like a paycheck. For anyone worried about finding the right mover, worry no more! American Roadway got me packed and out of my old apartment the same day I called back AND had my things delivered and set up at my new place almost a week before I started my new job. They gave me a REAL price to move, not a too-good-to-be-true price so that I’d book right away. John also didn’t blow up my phone like everyone else. He gave me the quote and then told me he was available if I thought he was the right choice. I wish that fact had rang some bells for me earlier so that I called back to book with him first. All you have to do is call and asked for John Conover. A few minutes of speaking with him and you will immediately feel more comfortable about moving; he talks to you like you’re an old friend.

4. G

   Gia M.

   Source: MoveAdvisor · Gasport, NY to Toms River, NJ

   6 Jan 20192-bedroomPaid $2,200

   You Saved the Day!

   John at American Roadway totally saved me, I only wish I found him sooner! I was such a stressful mess before I got hold of John. I originally had a different mover scheduled back in August and they just never showed up. No call, nothing. I called John and he managed to be able to get a truck out to me that afternoon! I lived in the boonies in upstate New York so I was expecting I’d have to wait at least a few days for a truck to come but John saved the day! The guys he sent were in and out in no time and they were really polite. They delivered my things a few days later, giving me time to unpack before starting my new job the following Monday. I was so relieved when I found American Roadway and I recommend them to anyone looking for a mover. And make sure you ask for John! He was so attentive and has very calming demeanor – which is EXACTLY what everyone needs when they have to move LOL. I’ve recommended American Roadway to people and 2 of them booked and been delivered already. I wrote this review because both of those people thanked me for the recommendation, telling me they had the same great experience I did. American Roadway is clearly not just a one-time winner, they offer the same great experience for every move!

5. J

   Jordan B.

   Source: MoveAdvisor · Washington, DC to Los Angeles, CA

   23 Nov 20201-bedroomPaid $1,875

   Furniture Destroyed

   Over $3,000 worth of damages and I'll be lucky if I get $300 in claims covered. My mattress and wooden furniture are completely destroyed because of water damage and mold. I filed an insurance claim, but this is one of those situations where I needed to read the "fine print" and their default insurance coverage reimburses only $0.60 per pound. So even if they damage my $1500 mattress, because that mattress weighs 100lbs, at best (if the claim is approved) I'll get just $60. Their insurance portal has all these hurdles that put so much burden on a customer you can tell they don't want to approve any claims: you cannot throw the item away (but in my case I had things covered in MOLD.....I'm not going to keep them in my home while I await a claim to be approved which can take 120 days), upload every single document (even though the company should have a copy), upload sets of pictures of the entire item and the then parts of the item (this would be impossible to do if you trashed the damage item), list the link to a website to validate price and weight of each item (again hard to do), etc. etc. Again, I understand the insurance claim part is a separate issue and may be inapplicable to many potential customers, BUT just the sheer lack of care for my things should be enough warning to have you stay away. There is a basic level of good faith customers put in businesses to fulfill service in good quality, but sadly this was not my experience at all. I wish you could see pictures of how the moving truck stored all the materials. Even if I don't consider my main issue with complete mold and water damage of my things.....it took over 1 month after moving into my new home to get my things. I had to call and email several times to simply ask "Are my things on the way to my new home?" I STRONGLY advise everyone to AVOID this company at all costs. It was tempting because they had the best prices, but you get what you pay for.

6. B

   Brian B.

   Source: MoveAdvisor · Swansea, MA

   8 May 2020Partial movePaid $3,000

   They are beacon Moving and Storage. Be aware!

   I signed a binding estimate, and during the pick up, their list was matched to my belongings. Everything matched up. After the truck was loaded, they added $1200 to the bill and refused to cancel and unload unless I gave them $1500 cash right there during this argument. They delivered my items 2 weeks later and everything was destroyed. An elderly man and 2 women showed up for the drop off and said unloading was never planned. They were expecting to drive away and charge me a $1500 re-delivery charge. I had to hire additional help to unload and pay the extra money to avoid loosing my belongings. I am currently suing the company. Be aware of this company they have multiple LLCs to get away with robbing people.

7. K

   Kim H.

   Source: MoveAdvisor · Presto, PA to Seattle, WA

   9 Sep 2019StudioPaid $1,694

   Move from Pittsburgh, PA to Seattle, Washington.

   I spoke to John initially and as all reviews seem to indicate, he was charming and full of promises. This made me think I had made a good decision. I discussed fully with John the speciality nursery items that were handmade going to Seattle. We discussed the use of "sucky bags" full of baby clothes as well as open top boxes and a rocker orca made by a family member. I was assured that the move could be done and I could sent all items on my list as discussed regarding packaging. Next step, schedule truck to come and pick up items. The day was Friday or Saturday. Saturday the truck came from Georgia with two shipments on board. My understanding was that my items would be loaded as discussed and then it was off to Seattle with the other two shipments. The trucking company came needed me to fill out all paperwork again, on copies that were so small I couldn't read the text. They told me I couldn't use the "sucky bags" unless they were put into wardrobe boxes and could not pack the items that were in open top boxes. They also were not sure that they could guarantee me the specialty items would arrive in perfect condition. They had to stop in Kentucky and make deliveries then back to Georgia with my shipment. The dividers in truck consisted of a drop chain curtain. Once my shipment was in Georgia it was going to be removed from truck and await a truck to Seattle. I had various boxes and furniture all of which I was to itemize and hope nothing was lost or broken. I was not happy and tried to phone both John and Deana, however, they don't work on weekends so I asked the driver if he could contact them and he also could not. He did call his supervisor and I spoke with him regarding my issues and he flat out told me he couldn't guarantee a move without loss or damage and if I didn't feel comfortable not to have the items loaded. I immediately called both John and Deana and left voice messages saying the move did not happen and I tried to contact them several times as well as the driver. Deana called Monday morning and we discussed the matter and she said she would find another mover. After reading all of the reviews and not feeling confident that these personal handmade items were going to make the trip safely or intact I chose to use a POD and spend more money but have peace of mind. Deana was nice and returned all calls, John on the other hand, never looks back once sale is made. The bottom line is they broker the move to anyone who wants the job and as the customer you have no recourse and are stuck with who ever and what ever happens to your items. It's sad, they keep the $500 deposit based on cancellation and refer you to the "fine print". I was open and honest with John regarding the items I was shipping and he assured me it would be ok. Not so. My recommendation would be to spend more money and deal with people who care.

8. P

   Paula C.

   Source: MoveAdvisor · Selkirk, NY to Bloomington, IN

   11 Jul 2019Partial movePaid $1,300

   Move did not go as promised.

   I originally spoke with John. Suppose to be easy move with decent price and take 2 to 10 days. When movers arrived, I didn’t realize my items were going to be transferred to a different moving company. They wanted more money. They held my items for a month. When finally delivered they only gave me an hours notice. Items damaged and missing. Trying to file claim and I’m getting no response. I have yet to hear from John. I’ve left numerous phone calls and he’s never available and as yet never called me back. Dena has been very helpful. She also has been trying to help me contact the moving company but, as yet, neither of us are getting a response. These items are sentimental items which can never be replaced but I would like, at least, some monetary compensation.

9. B

   Barbara T.

   Source: MoveAdvisor · Worcester, VT to Louisville, KY

   10 Jul 20191-bedroomPaid $2,983

   Move from Vermont to Kentucky.

   Never, never never use this company. They call and make promises and quote prices that seem reasonable. The move is then sub-contracted to another company. The quote is not honored as the subcontractor states it was not accurate and then charge your more and MUST be in cash. The subcontractor also states they are giving you this great discount - BUT it does not show on any paperwork. The storage fee quoted is also incorrect - mine was $35 a month higher and must be paid in full before belongings are delivered and for a full month, even if you request delivery during the month. Subcontractor was in a hurry to pack belongings and did an unsatisfactory job. PLEASE contact a local company for your move, do not make the same mistake I did and live to regret it.

10. M

    Marlene M.

    Source: MoveAdvisor · Indianapolis, IN

    2 May 20191-bedroomPaid $2,050

    Ripoff Company Bait And Switch.

    This company contacted me regarding a move from NJ to Indiana, They gave me what was a reasonable price and within the industry standard of $1468 for 317 cubic feet. We went item by item of what I had in my storage unit. The day the movers were to arrive they pushed back the time 3 times. They eventually came at 7:30 pm which was 5 1/2 hours late. I had to be out of the storage unit or pay another month. I opened the unit and without missing a beat the person they sent from Mosley Van Lines said it would be $2600. I told him he was not loading the truck. They then went to $2050. They knew I could not find a mover by Monday and they knew I had no choice. What they don’t know is that I am filing complaints with the US Department of Transportation, The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the American Moving and Storage Association. When I contacted American Roadway they said they were going to check into it and called daily to tell me they were still trying to get in touch with the movers. The movers contacted me 4 days before I was supposed to arrive home and said they were delivering my things that day and they wanted cash only. I contacted American Roadway back and they called them. I asked again about the issue with price and they gave me their daily standard answer. I then told them I wanted an answer today. I received an email from them telling me that I should contact the company that they hired and work it out myself since the company was unwilling to work with them since they couldn’t get them to do anything.