When a customer requests a price quote for moving out of Alaska to the lower 48, the conversation usually ends with the same question, “When do I need to make my reservation?”
If you are moving from Alaska this fall or winter, our answer will be, “right now”.
Why reserve moves from Alaska so quickly? It's always a good idea to reserve an outbound Alaska move with plenty of advance notice, but it's even more important right now since movers are anticipating a large number of military moves from Fairbanks beginning in November 2009 and going through January 2010. This may lead to a shortage of movers since many of those helping out will be Anchorage moving companies. So, if your move is planned for the next few months, we recommend that you reserve your moving equipment as soon as possible or you may be left out in the cold (pun intended).
Here at U-Pack, we have access to ABF Freight System’s pool of over 17,000 28 ft. trailers. This means we can book moves out of Alaska with as little as two week’s notice. We can bring a moving trailer to your home for you to load and then deliver it to almost anywhere in the lower 48 in 10-15 business days. Compared to other Alaska moving companies, that’s fast! If you need to move in less than two weeks, please call us. We may be able to provide a trailer with less notice if another customer has cancelled a move on short notice. If you have a small amount to move, we also have moving containers available for loading at our service center in Anchorage.
If you have an upcoming move from Alaska, call or click to get a moving quote. There is no deposit required to reserve and your reserved move date is guaranteed. Also, there’s no fee if you discover later that you need to re-schedule your move for a later date.
Let us know if you have questions about moving out of Alaska...if we don’t have the answer, we’ll find it!
I may have mentioned before that I’ve been with U-Pack for almost 10 years. In that time, I’ve gotten to speak with thousands of customers moving long-distance. Through the next several months I’ll let you in on some of the random moving tips I’ve learned throughout the years.
Moving Tip #1
Be Prepared. Carry what you need with you.
Let's face it...moving has a reputation of being stressful, overwhelming and just plain, well…grueling. And sometimes we get so caught up in the process we forget about the important “small” things. But, forgetting the “small” things can turn into a huge inconvenience.
Perfect Examples:
Most parents try to arrive in their new city a little earlier than the moving trailer or moving container arrives, so they can take care of the last minute details, like enrolling their children in school. You might be surprised to know the number of calls we've gotten from panicked parents who realized at the last minute that they accidentally packed their child’s birth certificate or social security card in their move…and you guessed it – they need it for school enrollment. So what do you do when the moving trailer is still 3 days away? Since the Center of Vital Records takes at least 10 days to send a copy, there aren’t many options other than waiting for their shipment to arrive. It's true that U-Pack has one of the fastest transit times in the industry…but when you’re stuck desperately needing something inside the trailer; it may not be fast enough.
Another important item I’ve heard of people packing in the trailer is medicine. Seems unlikely if you take the medication on a daily basis, but you would be surprised. You don’t want to find yourself in a predicament where you need medication that is traveling cross-country in your trailer. Make sure you have a sufficient supply with you.
And, this one may tug at your heart-strings…I remember one year around Christmas-time, I received a call from an understandably frantic customer who was almost in tears. Without thinking, she packed all of her kids Christmas presents in the ABF trailer and it wasn’t scheduled to arrive until after Christmas. Oh no! Of course, we understand that sometimes there’s not enough room to fit all the Christmas presents in your vehicle, so in a situation like this, it may be better to select U-Pack Guaranteed – U-Pack’s guaranteed transit service – so that we can guarantee your items to arrive on a specific day. We will certainly work with you to find the best date that will have Santa arriving just in time for Christmas.
So, here’s where my moving tips come in: • Gather all of your important documents, social security cards, birth certificates, shot records, pet records, etc. and place them in a small container that can travel with you. • Take all necessary medications with you. Even if you think you ‘might’ need them – take them. Remember, if you are flying you will need to carry the medicine in the bottle you received from the pharmacy. • If you are celebrating a birthday, holiday, starting a new job, have a child playing a sport, make sure you bring everything with you that you will need – like presents, suit/work clothes, uniforms, sporting equipment etc., or choose U-Pack Guaranteed.
Moving Service Driver Honored as a “Highway Hero” for Heroic Act
Stanley Gorczak ,a driver for nationwide moving service provider ABF Freight System, Inc., was recognized as a “Highway Hero” for coming to the aid of a Nebraska hotel employee.
(FORT SMITH, Ark., November 3, 2009) —ABF Freight System, Inc., which offers nationwide moving trailer and moving container services, is proud to report one of its drivers was recently recognized by the Truckload Carrier’s Association (TCA) for an act of heroism. Stanley P. Gorczak was honored in early October by the TCA as a “Highway Angel” for rushing to the aid of a Nebraska hotel employee.
On August 8, 2009, Gorczak checked into the Carlisle Hotel in Omaha, planning to spend the night before continuing his route in an ABF moving trailer the following day. While in the lobby, Gorczak heard a hotel clerk screaming that a co-worker had collapsed. Acting quickly, he handed her his cell phone with instructions to call 911. He then rushed to the aid of the unconscious employee. He checked her vital signs and administered the recommended precautions for a suspected seizure victim. Gorczak then stayed with her, continuing to administer assistance until paramedics arrived.
The story gets even more surprising because Gorczak has been hailed as a hero twice in less than a year. He was also recognized in early 2009 for administering life-saving techniques to a choking victim in a restaurant. While eating at an Illinois truck stop, he saw a man fall to the floor choking. Unable to lift the man to administer the Heimlich maneuver, Gorczak positioned him on his side and was able to dislodge the obstruction.
Gorczak is in good company at ABF. This heroic driver joins at least three other ABF drivers who have been honored for heroism over the past several years.
In 1997, ABF driver Thomas Lawson saved the life of a man trapped in a smoldering, overturned vehicle moments before it exploded. Lawson was honored with Goodyear’s Highway Hero award the following year. In 2004 the New Jersey Motor Truck Association honored ABF driver Art Lucas. Lucas rushed to assist a collapsed woman at a New York restaurant. He administered CPR until paramedics arrived and was later credited with saving her life. In April 2005 ABF driver David Kurre received the company’s highest award, the Medal of Excellence, for rescuing an accident victim from a fiery collision. Kurre, along with two other bystanders, fought flames engulfing a vehicle and pulled off the driver-side door, extracting the victim moments before the vehicle exploded.
So, is it something in the water at this moving services provider? According to ABF U-Pack business development manager Kay Lynn Clay, “It isn’t in the water, but it is in the corporate culture. ABF makes a significant effort to hire the best. Then those employees bring their best to work every day because that is the kind of people they are. As a company we try to create a culture where quality people can do quality work.” In 1984 the company introduced the Quality Process. The process outlines four company-held absolutes for quality. “Without a doubt, the ABF Quality Process is now engrained in our company’s culture,” says Chief Operating Officer Wes Kemp.
The result of this quality process outside of ABF’s doors, loading docks and moving trailers is demonstrated by the heroic, life-saving deeds of these four drivers. The result of this Quality Process inside the company is demonstrated through impressive awards and accolades including winning the A.T.A President’s Trophy Award for Safety five times and winning the Excellence in Claims/Loss Prevention Award four times. ABF also applied the Quality Process to moving services in 1997. The innovative U-Pack service allows residential customers to ship their household belongings in a moving container or on a professionally-driven ABF truck rather than driving a rental truck.
ABF U-Pack Moving is a leader in the self-move industry with a network of 281 service centers nationwide. U-Pack specializes in affordable do-it-yourself moving, combining the professional driver and equipment of traditional full-service movers with the cost savings of a rental truck. Visit http://www.upack.com/ for more information.
Since Puerto Rico is a United States territory – meaning it belongs to the United States, but is not part of the United States – requirements for moving there may seem slightly confusing. And, I’ve discovered that it’s difficult to find factual information about how to move to Puerto Rico from the U.S.
So, after some extensive research, here’s what I’ve learned:
Residents of Puerto Rico pay U.S. federal taxes, which include import/export taxes, social security taxes, federal payroll taxes, commodity taxes and Commonwealth of Puerto Rico income taxes.
Used household goods and personal effects can be imported duty-free as long as you have owned them for one year and you do not intend to sell the items or give them to another person.
There are some items that are subject to a local excise tax – which is currently 6.6% and is calculated from the commercial invoice value. These items are: - Sporting goods - Tools - Musical instruments - Cameras and camera equipment - Toys - Electronic items - Telecommunications equipment - All new items
Jewelry should not be included in your shipment to Puerto Rico.
When moving the Puerto Rico from the U.S., the following documentation is required and must be presented by the owner of the goods when clearing the items at the tax office in San Juan: - Power of Attorney - Two pieces of identification - Bill of Lading - Inventory list in English and signed by owner - Freight Bill signed by owner
Your inventory list must include dollar values of the items in the shipment. If you underestimate, fines can be assessed.
Your items must be cleared at the tax office before the moving company can deliver your shipment.
The local currency is the U.S. dollar.
The borders are open between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico – so a passport is not required.
ABF U-Pack specializes in moving to Puerto Rico from the U.S. mainland. If you have questions about the moving process, or need to know the cost to move to Puerto Rico with ABF U-Pack, call us at 800-413-4799or get a free quote online.
Have you noticed how much the word ‘pods’ is used these days? Remember back when the word just meant something that had to do with a flowering plant? My how times have changed.
So, it seems U-Pack has joined the bandwagon. Not on purpose, it just happened. Our moving and storage containers are called ReloCubes – but lots of people call them moving pods. I guess because ‘moving pods’ is such a catchy term. Even though we’re not PODS®, it doesn’t bother us when customers refer to our ReloCubes as ‘moving pods’, since the meaning of the word has evolved – and actually in a round-about way pertains to what we do.
Think about it…you store music in the Apple iPod. Pre-packaged coffee beans in their own filters are called coffee pods. And you can view a podcast when you want to see a stored video. And that’s just a snapshot of all of the products that use ‘pods’ in their name. I guess since you can move and store in our ReloCubes, it makes sense that people would naturally call them moving pods. It’s just become a generic description.
This great YouTube video posted by a U-Pack customer is the perfect example of what I’m talking about. The customer calls it, “U-Pack pod delivery” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym9EnlZW5u8.
When you call and request a moving quote for “one of those moving pods”, we’ll gladly give you a ReloCube quote. Then when you compare your U-Pack price to other services that offer moving pods, we think you’ll be very pleased with the service and the price – U-Pack’s that is.
When you’re talking about U-Pack moving containers – ReloCubes – there are several things:
Easy to park. They fit right into a standard-sized parking space so you don’t have to worry about blocking traffic.
Easy to load. They sit flat on the ground so you can carry your stuff in without the use of a ramp.
Easy to secure. The tie-down points located throughout the moving containers allow you to tie everything down to keep it from shifting in transit. Then, you get to put your own lock on it and keep the key.
Easy to store. If you’re not ready to unload. Choose portable storage and store the moving container at a secure ABF moving service center for as long as you need.
Easy to unload. See bullet #2.
Easy to pay for. No down payment or deposit. You pay for what you use – if you reserve three moving containers and end up using two…you pay for two. Seriously.
Ok, so excessive use of the word “easy”, I know. But, when you consider what a pain it is to load and drive a rental truck – using moving containers sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Especially considering the price. If you haven’t checked out your moving cost using U-Pack moving containers, I highly recommend it.
There may have been a time when moving to Fort Wainwright, Alaska was cheapest when it was done in a rental truck. Times have changed. With the advent of ‘you pack, we drive’ services like ABF U-Pack, you can still get prices similar to truck rental, but you don’t have to drive. That’s a big deal when you’re talking about the trek up the Alcan Highway to Fort Wainwright in a rental truck. There’s a reason Fort Wainwright is home of the “Arctic Warriors” – obviously it can get COLD and icy in the winter months…may not be the ideal conditions for driving a truck full of all your earthly possessions.
Bonus: Where moving to Fort Wainwright takes most moving companies 20-30 days, U-Pack averages 11 business days.
Here’s how you can expect your DITY move to Fort Wainwright to work with U-Pack:
• ABF gets your certified empty weight ticket. • ABF brings a moving trailer to your location. • You load. • ABF gets your certified full weight ticket. • ABF drives to the port in Tacoma, WA where your trailer sets sail to Anchorage (aboard a barge). • Once it gets to Anchorage, ABF schedules a driver to deliver right to your door in Fort Wainwright. • You unload. • ABF picks up the empty trailer.
So, you can pack it, load it and hop on a plane…or if you’re a little more adventurous, take a trip in your own vehicle up the Alcan Highway or take a Ferry through the Alaska Marine Highway System.
Remember, your DITY move and your mode of travel has to be pre-approved by your origin Transportation Office. My best advice is to start planning your move to Fort Wainwright as early as possible. Regardless of where you’re moving from – Alaska is far away, so you want to make sure you’ve covered all your bases and have everything ready to go on your move day.
Moving to Fort Wainwright Resource If you need more detailed information about Army regulations regarding moving to Alaska, The Army in Alaska is a great resource, with tons of helpful information.
Always looking for a deal It seems like everyone is looking for the cheapest moving truck rentals these days. And why wouldn’t they? Penny pinching is what’s “cool” right now. I would wager a bet that if you picked up a magazine from a news stand today, you would find a helpful article titled something like: “Ways to save”, “Top 10 things you can do to cut back”, or “20 painless money-saving tips”.
It’s the world we’re living in - although, there are rumors of things picking back up. People who lost jobs earlier in the year are finding new ones and they’re starting to move again. Yippee!
Even if things are getting better, you can’t help but want to make sure you’re getting the best deal when it comes time to move. Looking for the cheapest moving truck rentals is a good place to start.
Now, here’s the good news. You don’t have to drive a rental truck to save money on your move.
What?
You can do a U-Pack move, pay prices that compare to renting a truck, and move on the cheap.
Now, aren’t you glad you decided to look for the cheapest moving truck rentals? You can move and don’t even have to drive the truck.
• ABF delivers a moving trailer or moving container to your home. • You load. • ABF drives to your new location. • You unload.
There's absolutley nothing wrong with cheap moving, especially when it's as easy as U-Pack!
Gone are the days where your storage options were limited to packing everything and moving it into your relative’s garage or into a rental truck to unload in the storage facility across town. Now there’s portable storage. So much easier *sigh*. Now you just load and unload it once – and your relatives don’t have to look at it in their garage.
If you’re just starting to compare portable storage containers, consider the U-Pack ReloCube. By the way, it’s pronounced Relo (like the first part of ‘relocation’) and Cube (like a box). Clever…I know.
Here’s what you should know about the ReloCube when you compare portable moving and storage containers:
This portable storage container is small enough to fit into a standard sized parking space – but large enough to hold a standard studio-sized apartment.
Exterior dimensions are 6’ x 7’ x 8’. Its interior dimensions are 70” x 82” x 93” (LWH).
Each portable storage container can hold up to 2,500 pounds of household goods.
You can reserve as many containers as you need, and only pay for what you use.
Each portable storage container is custom-built and made of metal.
It’s weather-proof.
The container sits flat on the ground for easy loading and unloading.
The logistics tracking (those are ‘tie down points’ for those not familiar with the lingo) are strategically placed to allow you to secure your belongings.
They can be stored at your location or at an ABF service center – for as long as you need.
You put the lock on the portable storage container, and you’re the only one with the key.
The main questions to ask when you compare portable storage containers are:
How big is it?
What if I need more or less space?
What is it constructed of? (if it’s wooden or has a top that consists of a tarp, you may want to reconsider)
Is it weatherproof?
Are there tie down points?
How long can I store it?
Can I lock it?
And…last but not least…How much does it cost?
If portable storage sounds like a solution that might work for you, give us a call for a free moving quote.
Military moving is a little more involved than “normal” household moving – especially when there’s reimbursement involved (weight tickets etc.). When you add moving to Alaska to the mix, it gets even more complex.
In the next few weeks, we’ll talk about the specifics of moving to all of the military installations in Alaska…but today, let’s start with moving to Elmendorf Air Force Base.
My moving to Elmendorf AFB recommendation Of course, if you're searching for moving companies, I recommend using U-Pack for your move – even if you intend on driving. I’m going to guess that driving up the Alcan Highway will be much more enjoyable in your own vehicle than in a rickety rental truck – even if you end up with a good one, it’s a long drive! Since U-Pack is so much more affordable than full service movers, it’s a good option all around. If you’re being reimbursed, we’ll do full and empty weight tickets. And, it’s likely you’ll end up getting to pocket some of your DITY allowance.
Now…decide how you’ll get there Speaking of the Alcan Highway – you’ve got a few options for moving to Elmendorf AFB. The base borders Anchorage, so you can fly, drive or sail. If you want the easiest way to get there – fly. If you want a good site-seeing road trip – drive the Alcan Highway. If you want to sit back and enjoy the scenery - sail on an Alaska Marine Highway System ferry. Whatever your travel choice, you’ll need to make the official arrangements through your TMO.
Flying to Elmendorf AFB If you choose to fly, make sure you pack enough stuff to get by until your shipment arrives, and pack for the season you’re moving in. Good news – U-Pack takes only about 10-12 business days (most companies take 25-30 days, so plan accordingly).
Driving to Elmendorf AFB If you’re driving, remember that you’ll be crossing the Canadian border, so proof of citizenship is necessary – including birth certificates for your children. Make sure you have a valid U.S. passport, birth certificate or U.S. naturalized citizenship documents (just a driver’s license won’t work). If you’re traveling with pets, you need complete shot records for them. If you have questions about crossing the border, check with the Canada Border Services Agency.
Sailing to Elmendorf AFB If you’re the adventurous type and have a little extra time to get to your new assignment, check out the Alaska Marine Highway System. You’ll see some amazing sites! Make sure if you’re taking the AMHS, you check into the requirements for shipping your vehicle. According to the Elmendorf Newcomers Guide, you have to travel with your vehicle in order to be reimbursed – if you don’t travel with your vehicle, it’s considered a vehicle shipment and you won’t be reimbursed.
For great information about what to expect once you get to the area, make sure to download the newcomers guide – you’ll find tons of helpful information. Then, call or click to get a free moving quote from U-Pack. You’ll be glad you did.
