United Van Lines

Learn more about United Van Lines brand, history and nationwide network.

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The Nation's Largest Household Goods Mover

United Van Lines is the nation’s largest household goods mover and offers customers full-service moving options.

The company’s roots extend back to the 1920s in Cleveland, Ohio, when a company called Return Loads Service was created as the moving business began to gradually shift from railroads to the over-the-road transportation of household goods. After delivering goods, movers needed tonnage to haul back to the point of origin in order to make the round-trip profitable for their trucks. Return Loads Service offered a way for movers to share business with each other for mutual benefit.

United Van Lines, with its unique agent ownership structure, was founded in 1947. Regulatory reform in the early 1980s prompted many changes within the moving industry and United moved with them. The company is the only major van line to have retained its original agent-ownership arrangement throughout its existence.

movers outside a house

Premium Moving Services

Even from the early years, United continued to introduce services to better serve its customers. One of these services includes its Premium Moving Service, giving customers the option to move using containers. Benefits include fixed service dates; secured, cost-effective storage solutions; exclusive use of the container and white glove services. Containers are just another way United can offer customers full-service moving. Other programs and services introduced include a web-based quoting platform and personal online move planners.

As the nation’s leading corporate mover, United works hard to meet its corporate customers’ needs. In addition to household goods, United transports trade shows and exhibits, specialized commodities, delicate electronic equipment and other types of shipments requiring special handling.

Serving Customers Across the United States

Today, United maintains a nationwide network of 300 affiliated agencies in the United States and additional representatives in Canada. United agents are all independently owned businesses that affiliate with United for the centralized services that the van line and its parent company, UniGroup, provide.

Through the agent network, the company serves nearly every city and small town across America with the best moving and storage services available – from packing the trucks or containers to unloading. It has earned the business of Fortune 500 companies and is a leading General Service Administration (GSA) approved carrier – meaning the company assists military members with relocating.

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