Golden Van Lines vs United Van Lines
Researched and written by Daniel Harper · Reviewed by Amanda Brooks · Last reviewed August 2026
We publish no numeric score for moving companies, so this page names no winner. Golden Van Lines is described as best for colorado front range household moves handled by a small, long-established family firm with its own household goods registration, while United Van Lines is described as best for long-distance moves with full packing. Compare the registration and authority records below, verify each USDOT number on FMCSA SAFER, and get a binding estimate from both before booking.
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Side-by-side
| Category | Golden Van Lines | United Van Lines |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT | 158671 | 077949 |
| MC # | 516858 | 67234 |
| Carrier or broker | carrier | both |
| Founded | 1904 | 1928 |
| Headquarters | Longmont, CO | Fenton, MO |
| Coverage | All 50 states | All 50 states |
| Services | Long-distance, Local, Packing, Storage, Corporate | Long-distance, International, Packing, Storage, Auto transport, Corporate |
| Legal name on the federal filing | GOLDEN VAN LINES INCORPORATED | UNITED VAN LINES LLC |
| Entity status | A | |
| Operating authority held | Household goods | Household goods, Property, Carrier and broker |
| Power units on the census file | 12 | 4,731 |
| Drivers on the census file | 3,424 | |
| Safety rating | S | |
| Federal record as of | 2026-08-15 | 2026-08-13 |
| 2BR interstate estimate (BestMovers.info estimate) | $2,000–$5,600 | $3,100–$7,400 |
Legal name, entity status, operating authority, fleet counts and safety rating come from the FMCSA motor carrier census and licensing files, and appear only where the identifier on the federal record matched the company record on this page. Where a row is absent for one company, this site holds no verified federal value for it.
Golden Van Lines
Golden Van Lines Incorporated files from Colorado, active on the federal census with a household goods cargo entry and a fleet of about a dozen power units, and the licensing file carries common authority on the same registration. Several unconnected registrants across the country trade under the same name; the Colorado registration is the one this profile describes because its operating state, its filed contact address on the company's own domain and its brand identity all agree, and the others are recorded as same-name collisions rather than related entities. The company is an Atlas Van Lines agent, and any Atlas corporate identifier that appears on its website identifies the van line and is never attached to this registration. The business describes itself as family owned since 1904.
- Best for colorado front range household moves handled by a small, long-established family firm with its own household goods registration.
- All 50 states coverage; founded 1904.
- The fleet is small for a national footprint, so interstate capacity depends on the van line's network rather than on trucks the company itself controls.
United Van Lines
United Van Lines is the largest brand under UniGroup and publishes the annual National Movers Study. It offers shipment tracking and a published claims process; we hold no dataset that compares its claims outcomes with other carriers.
- Best for long-distance moves with full packing.
- All 50 states coverage; founded 1928.
- Quotes are non-binding by default unless you specifically request a binding estimate.
Colorado Front Range household moves handled by a small, long-established family firm with its own household goods registration
The fleet is small for a national footprint, so interstate capacity depends on the van line's network rather than on trucks the company itself controls.
Long-distance moves with full packing
Quotes are non-binding by default unless you specifically request a binding estimate.
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