ABF Relocube® Reviews
This is the second time I have moved with ABF. The first time, I rented a partial trailer for a NYC-Denver move, and this time I used a Relocube for a Denver-Baltimore move. Everyone has been terrific to work with, from the origin and destination centers to the cube pick-up/delivery people to the customer service staff. The price is unbeatable; I compared them to PODS and U-Haul cubes, to self-driving with Penske, U-Haul, Budget, and to moving companies Broadway and Mayflower. My move was unusual in that I required one month's storage in Baltimore--ABF's low price was due to their competitiveness on the cost of both the cube and the storage. When I moved with the partial trailer in 2012, I found that multiple items were cracked or broken. This was entirely my own fault for (a) not packing well and (b) not supervising the people I'd hired to load. So if you rent a partial trailer, make sure you follow tips on packing and also get movers familiar with packing freight trailers and tying down stuff. In the cube, nothing got damaged; it was packed full and I used copious amounts of newsprint and bubblewrap. Two minor things--the size of a Relocube is smaller than that of other cubes I looked at, so with my very full one-bedroom apartment it was unclear whether I would need two cubes. A slightly larger cube would have been helpful and allowed me to take a few more things (which I ended up giving away instead--such as a mattress filing cabinet, and shelving unit). ABF will deliver two cubes for you but only charge you for one if that's all you use, which is great--no additional delivery or pick-up charge. A small issue--though I had called to let the origin site know that I used only one cube, both ended up getting shipped and charged. Customer service was really great about tracking down the extra and refunding the charge. Because of my great experience with them before, I was not anxious about getting this sorted out. I am very pleased with ABF.
This is my second time using ABF and again, I had a very positive experience. I ordered the reloc cube to go from AZ to MD. Being a one bedroom apartment of a family member, I thought that one relo cube would be enough. Once it arrived and I saw it, I immediately called the local ABF and explained my predicament. The dispatcher at ABF went out of his way to get us another relo cube delivered.
This is my 2nd time using U-Pack and I have not been disappointed. I have used them to store my stuff prior to delivery once. Not only was I pleased with their price ( compared to PODS, they are better overall; I used them prior, for a TX - VA move ), their customer service and timeliness were remarkable. They were true to the window if time provided for delivery & pickup. The only thing though, be aware that for a one- bedroom apt move, if you have an oversized bedroom set, it would not fit in a single 'cube'. Based on the number of boxes and bins, if you have those, you'll need at least 2 - 3 cubes. It is not as the site has suggested for a 1 bedroom apt (granted there's no stipulation as to size of bedroom set that will fit into 1 cube). The first time I used them, I packed and stacked my items at home, measuring the area they took up for comparison with the cube's size. In so doing I averted the disappointment of having to order more cubes, after the fact. Awesome moving experience with ABS-UPack. I'd definitely recommend them.
Quick, responsive service on both ends of the trip - very flexible on adding more cubes if needed. Prompt delivery and pick up. I used 3 pods. The guys delivering the cubes did a masterful job of placing them to maximum advantage. Be sure you consider not just the width of your driveway but overhead branches wires, etc since the fork lift takes it up pretty high. Superb service all the way around.
U-Pack/ABF staff were always available and extremely helpful with our questions. When I first made contact via chat and email, they provided a quote and a lot of information right away. They were proactive about each step, responsive and accommodating for our holiday and guaranteed delivery schedule requirements. (I also contacted PODS but did not receive the quote and never connected to a real person despite several phone calls. We'd priced them both for a similar move years ago and knew UPack to be less expensive at that time, so I stopped trying to reach PODS this time.) The ReloCube was an excellent solution for us. We'll definitely use them again.
The relocubes were very convenient for our move from Washington to Colorado this month. They got everything to us in one piece, and the customer service was very helpful and friendly! The only reason I marked them down was because we called the Denver location to ask about same day pick up and the man on the phone came off rude. We also had a hard time finding out where to go to pick up our items in the cube.
David and Jason from ASAP Moving Labor are super helpful this week during my move in Jersey City. They come on time, work hard and work smart. They are able to fill two ReloCubes fully with all my boxes and furniture pieces. Certificate of Insurance was also provided on time. I'll definitely recommend David, Jason and ASAP Moving Labor for anyone interested in moving labor.
After researching several companies, we decided ABF U-Pack was the right choice for us. We were looking for an affordable option that didn't include us driving a truck. It turns out that using ABF was cheaper than truck rentals anyway. The beauty is that a trailer is delivered to your house, you load it, and they drive it to your destination. You only pay for the space you use!! There's a locked wall separating your belongings and the rest of the truck is filled with commercial merchandise that is going the same direction. Everything was very easy to schedule, and U-Pack is very accommodating. We have used them twice and will do so again if we ever move again.
Overall, 5 stars for Upack's customer service, the cost-efficiency, and my experience with the ABF representative where I moved from. But the entire experience was lowered to 4 stars, because of the unwarranted, irate attitude of my local ABF representative in SoCal. (She might've been stressed because it was the holidays, but that woman really needed a chill pill.) Drop-off and pick-up at my old apartment was fast and easy to arrange, but delivery and pick-up at my new residence was unpleasant because of said representative. I chose UPack over other competitors because of the price, and I'd use them again if I were to make another big move. I could have shaved another $364 off my Upack bill if I rented a truck or Uhaul and brought/ picked up my Relocube at their loading sites, but I opted for convenience. Nothing inside my boxes got damaged, which I am happy about. (Then again, the advice I heeded was to pack my stuff as if preparing for the cube to be dropped from a cliff.)
Truck arrived when advised. The only complaint I have is that the company removed the bulk head and used my matress as the bulk head. Matress was wet and black from road slush upon arrival. If I had less stuff and were able to get the bulk head up correctly, I would rate the experience as excellent. Just not sure why ABF opted to take the bulk head out?
My contents were BEYOND damaged-- priceless furniture pieces and heirlooms were DESTROYED... Most of this falls on the loaders/packers that I hired through hireahelper.com, but will tell you that when the driver came to deliver my container after it arrived-- he drove up and over a curb more than 4 times, jostling everything inside horrendously-- I watched the trailer pitch, bounce wildly and sway from side-to-side as he positioned the trailer for unloading. WHY??? There is nothing that can be done about the bouncing that occurs just with the transportation and driving but to purposely back up over a LARGE CURB, more than 4 times right in front of me just flabbergasted me!! ARE YOU KIDDING??? I am so surprised they allow this driver behind the wheel of one of their vehicles. I hate to give this rating to the driver that dropped off my container up at the orgination point (Everett, Wa) but cannot in good conscience rate any higher after witnessing that complete lack of care or concern over the load with the driver here in Houston that delivered my container. My losses are staggaring and some items can never be fixed or replaced!!!
I used two "relocubes" and the cubes were delivered to my house on time and picked up on time. The cubes arrived at the destination 2 days early. Everything went like clockwork and every employee I contacted was knowledgable, helpful and very courteous. I choose ABF because they were 100's of dollars less that U-Haul or Pods, but I will reuse ABF because of the outstanding service.