Meathead Movers vs Atlas Van Lines
Researched and written by Daniel Novak · Reviewed by Brittany Evans · Last reviewed August 2026
We publish no numeric score for moving companies, so this page names no winner. Meathead Movers is described as best for central coast and california moves handled by a carrier with a large in-house fleet and student athlete crews, while Atlas Van Lines is described as best for corporate and government relocations. 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 | Meathead Movers | Atlas Van Lines |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT | 921143 | 125550 |
| MC # | 398077 | 79658 |
| Carrier or broker | carrier | both |
| Founded | 1997 | 1948 |
| Headquarters | San Luis Obispo, CA | Evansville, IN |
| Coverage | Regional | All 50 states |
| Services | Long-distance, Local, Packing, Storage, Corporate | Long-distance, International, Packing, Storage, Corporate |
| Legal name on the federal filing | MEATHEAD MOVERS INC | ATLAS VAN LINES INC |
| Entity status | A | |
| Operating authority held | Household goods, Property | Household goods, Property, Carrier and broker |
| Power units on the census file | 53 | 2,731 |
| Drivers on the census file | 2,351 | |
| Safety rating | S | |
| Federal record as of | 2026-08-15 | 2026-08-13 |
| 2BR interstate estimate (BestMovers.info estimate) | $1,800–$5,200 | $3,000–$7,200 |
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.
Meathead Movers
Meathead Movers Inc files from San Luis Obispo, California with 53 power units and a household goods cargo entry, and the licensing record carries common authority active under MC-398077 with household goods authority alongside a separate freight forwarder docket. Freight forwarder authority is not broker authority, and no broker authority was located, so the company is reported here as a carrier that additionally holds a freight forwarder docket. The pair the company publishes on its own site matches the federal record exactly, which is the cleaner practice among California carriers. The business dates itself to 1997 and staffs its crews from local college athletic programmes.
- Best for central coast and california moves handled by a carrier with a large in-house fleet and student athlete crews.
- Regional coverage; founded 1997.
- Interstate work is limited compared with van-line agents of similar size, and a second registration carrying a near-identical name sits inactive on the census with no stated relationship to the active one.
Atlas Van Lines
Atlas Van Lines books interstate household goods shipments under its own federal registration and handles them locally through affiliated agents. The agent assigned to your origin is a separate business from the van line, so ask which company's crew is scheduled before you sign.
- Best for corporate and government relocations.
- All 50 states coverage; founded 1948.
- The company performing your move is usually a separate agent business rather than the van line itself, so the terms, crew and equipment differ by market and are not set by Atlas.
Central Coast and California moves handled by a carrier with a large in-house fleet and student athlete crews
Interstate work is limited compared with van-line agents of similar size, and a second registration carrying a near-identical name sits inactive on the census with no stated relationship to the active one.
Corporate and government relocations
The company performing your move is usually a separate agent business rather than the van line itself, so the terms, crew and equipment differ by market and are not set by Atlas.
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