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Recent Data About the Moving and Storage Industry from the American Moving & Storage Association
January 12, 2010
The moving and storage industry:
- Consists of 8,100 companies operating at 17,000 locations, primarily providing moving and storage services for household and office goods
- Includes van lines, van line agents, independent full-service movers, international movers, forwarders, and auto transporters
- Employs 122,600 people with an annual payroll of $3.6 billion
- Is composed of mostly small businesses
- 47.8% of industry companies employ fewer than 5 people.
- Only 8.5% of industry companies employ 100 or more people.
AMSA members report operating a fleet of:
- 50,000 trucks
- 32,000 tractor units for pulling semi-trailers
- 18,000 straight trucks
Moving and storage industry services include:
- Local and long-distance transportation of household and office goods
- Warehousing and storage services
- Packing and packaging services
- Process, distribution, and logistics consulting
- Merchandise sales and other services
Industry revenue from these services totals more than $16.5 billion annually. The following three areas combined account for 97.3% of revenue:
- 69.6% from local or long-distance transportation service
- 20.2% from warehousing and storage services
- 7.5% from packing and packaging services
Interstate shipments by type, percentage (2008 AMSA):
- Household goods: 65.4% (including 11% military and 1% other federal government)
- Computers, copiers and other electronic office equipment: 27.6%
- Exhibits and trade shows: 6.6%
- Office and institutional: 0.3% (mostly local moves)
Breakdown of household goods shipments by type:
- Individuals: 39%
- Corporate: 39%
- Military: 20%
- Other federal government: 2%
Geri Rudolf
Moving Industry
