Moving Hub vs Allied Van Lines is not a carrier-versus-broker question. Both are federally registered household goods carriers, and the company on your bill of lading is responsible for your shipment. The difference is who does the work. Allied operates through a moving agent network of independent local companies, so different businesses may pack, haul and deliver your goods. Moving Hub, a direct moving carrier, states that its own employees and trucks handle every move from pickup to delivery.
Allied Is a Van Line, Not a Broker
Allied publishes its own registration (USDOT 076235, MC 15735), which you can confirm in the FMCSA SAFER company lookup. FMCSA’s moving glossary defines an agent as a local moving company authorized to act on behalf of a larger national company.
On an Allied move, a booking agent takes your order, an origin agent packs and loads, a hauling agent drives, and a destination agent delivers. One agent may cover several roles, or three or four businesses may touch your goods.
How the Direct Carrier Model Differs
Moving Hub states that its full-time employees and company-owned trucks handle each move, with no subcontractors, partner crews or third-party carriers. The inventory taken at your door stays with the company that wrote it, and one dispatch team runs pickup and delivery. Our look at in-house crews versus subcontractors shows what that means on the ground. The trade-off is reach: a direct carrier serves only the routes it runs.
Moving Hub vs Allied Van Lines, Side by Side
| Allied Van Lines | Moving Hub | |
| Contract with | Allied Van Lines, Inc. | Moving Hub |
| Packing, hauling, delivery | Independent Allied agents | Moving Hub states its own employees and trucks handle the move, with no subcontractors or third-party carriers |
| Claims | Allied | Moving Hub directly |
| Deposit | Generally none, per independent reviews | 10% of estimated cost, balance at delivery |
| Reach | National and international | Domestic routes Moving Hub operates |
Who Is Responsible If Something Goes Wrong?
With either company, you file with the carrier on your bill of lading, even if an agent handled the item. Under 49 CFR Part 370, the carrier must acknowledge a written claim within 30 days and pay, decline or make a settlement offer within 120 days. On an Allied move, the investigation may draw on several agents’ records. With Moving Hub, the company reviewing your claim is the one whose crew handled the item. Either way, choose released value or full value protection in writing.
When Allied Is the Better Fit
Allied is likely the stronger choice for overseas moves, military shipments, employer-run relocations, destinations outside a direct carrier’s routes, or large long-term storage needs.
What to Compare Before You Sign
Brendan Thomas regularly sees customers treat an Allied quote and a Moving Hub quote as offers from identical companies. Before deciding, check:
- Which companies will pack, haul and deliver, named in writing
- Whether each estimate is binding or non-binding (see how binding estimates work)
- Valuation level and extra charges such as shuttles or stairs
- The delivery window written into the contract
Then verify both movers with our three-minute FMCSA SAFER walk-through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Allied Van Lines use subcontractors?
Allied performs moves through independent local agents it authorizes to act on its behalf, and those agents are not Allied employees. That is the standard van line model, so ask which agent will handle each stage of your move.
Can I choose which Allied agent handles my move?
You can choose your booking agent by contacting a local Allied agent directly. The long-haul portion is coordinated through Allied, so ask in writing which companies will load, haul and deliver your shipment.
Does Moving Hub require a deposit?
Yes. Moving Hub takes 10% of the estimated move cost to reserve your date, with the balance due at delivery.
Is a direct carrier cheaper than a van line?
Not automatically. Price depends on weight, distance, season, services and estimate type, so compare quotes built on the same inventory and valuation level.
How do I check whether a mover is a carrier or a broker?
Search the company’s USDOT or MC number in FMCSA’s SAFER system. A carrier holds its own authority to transport household goods, while a broker only arranges moves for other carriers.
Get a Quote That Names Every Step
Share your route and inventory, and you’ll get a written estimate showing the price, your valuation options and the crew handling your move. Explore our long-distance moving services or request your quote below.
Request Your Moving Hub Quote | Call (754) 327-7816, Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 8 PM
USDOT #3699092 | MC #1293570
About the Author
Brendan Thomas | Senior Moving Consultant, Moving Hub
Brendan Thomas has spent 10 years in the moving industry, working hands-on across local and long-distance relocations before joining the Moving Hub team. He has coordinated hundreds of residential and intrastate moves, dealt with the real problems that show up on moving day, and knows where costs can go wrong for families who book without the right information. Brendan writes from the floor up, not from a desk removed from the work. When he breaks down pricing, hidden fees, or the difference between a carrier and a broker, it comes from a decade of doing this job, not simply researching it.
