1-bedroom cross-country move (2,000+ miles).
$4,500-$9,000 typical cost. Per-pound + long-distance fuel.
The shape of the move.
$4,500-$9,000 typical. Per-pound + long-distance fuel surcharge. 14-21 day delivery window standard. Common scenario: across-country relocation for job or family.
What you're actually paying for.
Per-pound rates similar to long-distance ($0.15-$0.21/lb) but multiplied across higher mileage. 1BR at 3,000-5,000 lb = $450-$1,050 weight charge; line-haul + fuel + insurance + crew = remaining $3,500-$7,500. Fuel surcharge can be 10-20% of line-haul at coast-to-coast distances.
What competitors won't tell you upfront.
Delivery-window stretch — what's quoted as 7-14 days can stretch to 21-28 days during peak season (May-September). Storage-in-transit risk is highest at cross-country distances. Full-value insurance becomes essentially mandatory.
Anti-pattern detection.
Reasonable: binding-not-to-exceed quote, FMCSA-registered, BOL, explicit delivery window with buffer, full-value insurance offered. Suspicious: very low non-binding quotes, refusal to discuss delivery window, large deposit demands.