Long-distance moves come with real stakes. You’re trusting a crew with everything you own, and they’ll be on the road with it for hours, sometimes days. The decision isn’t just about price or availability. It’s about finding a company with the credentials, the experience, and the communication to handle your move the right way. Here’s what to look for before you book.
Verify Licensing and Insurance
This is the most important step, and it’s one many people skip. Any company moving your belongings across state lines must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and carry a valid U.S. DOT number. That number is publicly searchable, so you can verify a company’s registration, insurance status, and complaint history before you ever pick up the phone.
Cardinal Moving & Storage is fully licensed and insured, and our USDOT number is 4343483. You can look us up on the FMCSA database anytime. We’re also an Ohio Trucking Association member. We share this information upfront because we think you should be asking every company for it.
If a moving company can’t tell you their DOT number, that’s your answer.
Read Real Reviews, Not Just Star Ratings
A 5.0 rating means something. A 5.0 rating across 266 reviews means a lot more. When you’re reading reviews, look for specifics: Did the crew show up on time? Did anything get damaged? Were there any surprises on the bill? Did the company communicate clearly throughout the job?
Check Google Reviews, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau for any company you’re considering. Pay attention to how companies respond to negative reviews, too. A company that owns its mistakes and tries to make things right takes accountability seriously.
Ask People You Trust
Word of mouth is still one of the most reliable ways to find a good mover. If you know someone who’s recently completed a long-distance move, ask them how it went, what they’d do differently, and whether they’d use the same company again. A firsthand recommendation from someone you trust carries more weight than any marketing.
Get More Than One Quote
Request estimates from at least three companies. This gives you a baseline for what the move should cost and helps you spot outliers on both ends. An unusually low estimate warrants caution. Hidden fees for fuel surcharges, long carries, or stair fees can turn a low quote into a much higher final bill.
At Cardinal, we operate on a no-surprise guarantee. What we quote is what you pay. You can request a free estimate online or call us at (330) 777-0240 and we’ll walk you through the full breakdown before anything is scheduled.
Ask Specifically About Long-Distance Experience
Not every moving company handles long-distance moves the same way. Local moving and long-distance relocation are different operations. Long-distance moves involve more planning, stricter timelines, more careful wrapping and securing of belongings, and clearer communication during transit. Ask the company how they handle the logistics, how they track your shipment, and what happens if there’s a delay.
Cardinal handles both local moves and long-distance moves across state lines. Our crew is employed, not contracted out through a gig platform. The same team that loads your truck is accountable for how everything arrives.
Understand What Services Are Included
Long-distance moves often involve more than just transportation. You may need packing help, temporary storage if your new home isn’t ready, or careful handling for specialty items like pianos, antiques, or fitness equipment. Not every company offers all of these, and coordinating multiple vendors adds stress to an already complicated process.
Cardinal offers full-service options including professional packing services, climate-controlled storage, and specialty item moving for pianos, pool tables, safes, and more.
Get Everything in Writing Before Moving Day
Before anything is signed, make sure you have a written quote that covers the full cost breakdown. Ask specifically about fuel surcharges, tolls, long carry fees, elevator fees, and any additional charges for oversized or specialty items. The FMCSA requires long-distance movers to provide a binding or non-binding estimate in writing. If a company is reluctant to put things in writing, walk away.
Pay Attention to Communication
How a company handles calls and emails before your move is a strong indicator of how they’ll handle issues during it. Are they easy to reach? Do they answer specific questions or give you vague responses? Do they follow up when they say they will?
At Cardinal, we commit to clear, transparent communication from the first call to the final walkthrough. Our team is reachable at (330) 777-0240, Sunday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. If something comes up on moving day, you’ll hear from us, not wonder.
Look for a Long Distance Moving Company That Respects Your Home
This one is harder to quantify, but it matters. Good movers treat your belongings, your floors, and your walls with the same care they’d give their own home. Ask how they protect furniture in transit. Ask whether they use moving blankets, stretch wrap, and floor runners. Ask what their damage policy is if something does get broken.
Cardinal’s standard is zero damage. Every item gets wrapped. Every move ends with a walkthrough. If something isn’t right, we make it right. That’s not a tagline. It’s how we’ve earned a 5.0 rating across 266 Google reviews.
Plan for the Unexpected
Long-distance moves can involve variables nobody plans for: weather delays, scheduling changes at the new home, or last-minute requests. Ask any company you’re considering how they handle rescheduling and what their policy is on timeline changes. Flexibility isn’t always possible, but a company’s willingness to have that conversation tells you something about how they treat customers when things don’t go perfectly.
Ready to Book Your Long-Distance Move?
Cardinal Moving & Storage serves Akron, Cleveland, and Medina. We’re a family-owned company founded by brothers Garrison and James Blake, who grew up in the moving industry. We’re fully licensed, insured, OTA members, and proud of every one of our 260+ five-star reviews.
Call us at (330) 777-0240 or get a free estimate online. We’ll tell you exactly what to expect, down to the last detail.
