Palmer Moving Services vs Atlas 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. Palmer Moving Services is described as best for detroit and michigan household and corporate relocations handled by a long-established atlas agent, 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 | Palmer Moving Services | Atlas Van Lines |
|---|---|---|
| USDOT | 511993 | 125550 |
| MC # | 406654 | 79658 |
| Carrier or broker | carrier | both |
| Founded | 1910 | 1948 |
| Headquarters | Warren, MI | Evansville, IN |
| Coverage | All 50 states | All 50 states |
| Services | Long-distance, Local, Packing, Storage, Corporate, International | Long-distance, International, Packing, Storage, Corporate |
| Legal name on the federal filing | PALMER MOVING & STORAGE CO | ATLAS VAN LINES INC |
| Entity status | A | |
| Operating authority held | Household goods, Property, Carrier and broker | |
| Power units on the census file | 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) | $2,100–$5,800 | $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.
Palmer Moving Services
Palmer Moving & Storage Co, carrying the Palmer Moving Services trading name, files from Warren, Michigan with household goods and general freight cargo entries and a docket recorded on the licensing file as MC-406654. The registration's own operating configuration is intrastate, and the interstate household work the company advertises is performed in relation to Atlas Van Lines rather than under independent interstate authority established here; the two are kept separate on this page rather than merged into a single claim. The number shown alongside the Atlas agent branding on the company's site identifies the van line and is held in the van-line relationship layer instead of on this record. The business dates itself to 1910.
- Best for detroit and michigan household and corporate relocations handled by a long-established atlas agent.
- All 50 states coverage; founded 1910.
- The company's own federal filing is configured for intrastate operation, so long-distance shipments run in relation to the van line rather than under a registration Palmer controls, and the number printed on its site belongs to the van line.
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.
Detroit and Michigan household and corporate relocations handled by a long-established Atlas agent
The company's own federal filing is configured for intrastate operation, so long-distance shipments run in relation to the van line rather than under a registration Palmer controls, and the number printed on its site belongs to the van line.
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.
Compare Palmer Moving Services and Atlas Van Lines, and a few alternatives
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