Streamline Your House Move with Multiple Vehicle Tips

Moving house with multiple vehicles is daunting.

Arranging the trucks, timing the drive, ensuring all cars make it to the new home safely… it all gets complicated, fast. But there’s one other problem:

Today’s families usually have more than one vehicle.

In fact, 22% of American households now own 3+ vehicles. So millions of families every year face the same exact multi-vehicle moving challenge.

The good news?

Moving house with multiple vehicles doesn’t have to be a nightmare. It can, in fact, run surprisingly smoothly with the right strategy.

In this post, we cover everything you need to know, including:

• Why moving with multiple vehicles is different
• The best strategies for planning and coordination
• Saving money on multiple vehicle transport
• Pro tips for staying on track

The Lowdown on Multi-Vehicle Moves

The one thing most people don’t realise…

A typical house move is already hectic and exhausting. Tack on two or three vehicles, and suddenly you’ve got:

• Drivers to manage
• Routes to plan
• Fuel stops to coordinate
• On and on and on

Now what if the destination is a cross-country move?

Say you need to drive multiple vehicles across multiple states to get to your new home. This is where things start to get really tricky. Driving three cars, vans and trucks hundreds of miles means:

• Three drivers (or three separate trips)
• Wear and tear on each vehicle
• Additional fuel expenses
• Breakdowns or accidents

For a long-distance moving house with multiple vehicles situations, exploring low-cost car shipping solutions can save time and money. Professional auto transport completely removes the driving burden from the moving family.

Super helpful, right?

Best Strategies for Coordinating Cars

The key to successfully moving with multiple vehicles? Planning.

Nothing falls apart faster than a multi-vehicle move without a solid plan. The first order of business is to break it down into small, manageable steps.

Step 1: Assess Your Vehicles

Before making any vehicle transport decisions, start by examining each one:

• Age of each vehicle
• Condition of each vehicle
• Estimated value of each vehicle

Older vehicles with higher mileage may not hold up on a cross-country drive. Newer or luxury vehicles will likely require enclosed transport.

Step 2: Assign Drivers

If family members are driving the vehicles themselves, assign specific drivers to specific vehicles. Take into account each person’s experience level and comfort level with the make and model of the vehicle.

The teen driving the stick shift truck for 3000 miles? Yeah, no. That probably isn’t the best idea.

Step 3: Route Planning

Map out the exact route for each vehicle, noting rest stops, gas stations, and overnight accommodations if necessary. Ensure each driver has the same final destination address and arrival window.

Step 4: Communication Plan

Establish regular check-in times for each driver during the move. Agree on a group messaging platform to use for updates and inquiries. This will keep all the drivers safe and on schedule.

Cut Costs on Multi-Vehicle Transport

The average cost of a full-service move is $3,020 according to recent surveys. And yet, adding vehicle transport to the bill makes many moving families cry uncle.

Moving house with multiple vehicles becomes a budget breaker if not managed correctly.

The good news? There are several ways to trim costs on multi-vehicle moving.

Bundle Vehicles Together

Shipping multiple vehicles together can unlock big discounts with most auto transport companies. Instead of booking 3 different vehicle transport shipments, bundle all your vehicles together. The discount for bundled transport is almost always applied.

Open Transport is Fine

Enclosed transport offers better protection, but the cost is much higher. Open transport is more budget-friendly, and works just fine for most standard cars, vans and SUVs. Reserve enclosed transport for classic cars and high-end vehicles only.

Off-Season is Cheaper

Peak moving season is May through August. Auto transport is more expensive during these months. If your schedule allows, plan to transport vehicles in the off-season months. You’ll save on shipping costs.

Get Multiple Quotes

As with everything moving-related, don’t just settle for the first quote. Get estimates from at least 3 different companies. Compare price, insurance, delivery date windows, and customer reviews.

Saving on transport is easy if you do your homework.

Move Pro Tips for Moving House with Multiple Vehicles

Moving with multiple vehicles is stressful, even for veteran moving pros.

But it’s also totally manageable with the right planning and strategies. The following tips will help you keep everything running smoothly, even if something goes sideways.

Prepare the Vehicles

Before a car, van or truck is loaded on a transport truck or takes off on a long distance drive, it should be prepared:

• Check and fill up tyre pressure and tread
• Top up all vehicle fluids
• Remove all personal items and valuables
• Photograph pre-existing damage
• Disable alarms to prevent issues during loading and transport

Keep Documentation Handy

Registration and insurance cards, driver’s licenses, and any transport-related documents should be easily accessible and not stashed in a glove box or bottom of the trunk. Safety and security is key.

Have Backup Plans

Breakdowns, flat tyres, and other things go wrong. No matter how well you plan a multi-vehicle move, you need to have a backup plan. Roadside assistance is not a luxury during a move.

Coordinate Arrival Times

If at all possible, stagger the arrival times of each vehicle. All cars, vans and trucks arriving at the same time creates chaos and stress. Build in time between arrivals so you have space to properly receive and park.

Buffer Time

The biggest mistake multi-vehicle moving families make is packing every second of the timeline with scheduled events. Build buffer time into the schedule. Allow room for delays. Expect the unexpected. A little bit of padding in the plan eliminates major headaches.

Pulling Everything Together

Moving house with multiple vehicles is tough work.

But with careful planning, a little flexibility, and the right moving strategies, you can keep the whole process running very smoothly.

Here’s the main points, one more time:

• Assess each vehicle and make transport decisions based on individual circumstances
• Coordinate routes, drivers and communications
• Explore bundling options and off-season transport for savings
• Prepare each vehicle properly for the journey
• Build buffer time into every aspect of the schedule

Whether you are personally driving the vehicles to the new home, or are using professional auto transport services, the main objective is the same. Safely, on-time delivery of every vehicle to the new home without exceeding the budget.

That’s the blueprint for a stress-free moving house with multiple vehicles experience.