BestMovers.info

U-Pack review (2026)

Daniel Novak, Federal Records Researcher at BestMovers.info
Researched and written byDaniel NovakFederal Records Researcher
Brittany Evans, Federal Records Reviewer at BestMovers.info
Reviewed byBrittany EvansFederal Records Reviewer

Last reviewed August 2026How we research moving companiesEditorial standards

U-Pack is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration under USDOT 2946400 and MC 207258. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Fort Smith, AR, U-Pack covers all 50 states. A two-bedroom interstate move with U-Pack is estimated at $1,500–$3,800, before packing, valuation, and storage. BestMovers.info publishes no numeric score, star rating or ranked order for moving companies. On the documented record, U-Pack is most relevant to long-distance budget moves with self-loading.

Key facts

USDOT number
2946400
MC / docket number
FF-17300, MC-997363
FMCSA legal name
ARCBEST II, INC
Carrier or broker
both
Federal filing address
8401 McClure Drive, Fort Smith, AR 72916
Power units
0
MCS-150 filed
2021-03-31
Founded
1997
Headquarters
Fort Smith, AR
Coverage
All 50 states
2-bedroom interstate estimate
$1,500–$3,800
Services
Long-distance, Container/Portable
Data as of
2026-08-13
Last verified
2026-10-01
Verdict

U-Pack

We do not publish a numeric score for moving companies.

U-Pack is operated by ABF Freight and uses commercial trucking for the actual transport, which keeps prices below traditional movers. You handle loading; they handle the long haul.

Best for
Long-distance budget moves with self-loading
Main trade-off
Three-day load and unload windows can pressure tight schedules.

Editorially independent, funded by referral fees. We may be paid when you request a quote from a company listed here. Payment does not decide who is listed or the order they appear in, and we publish no score or star rating. Advertising disclosure

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What is U-Pack's USDOT number and is its authority active?

The USDOT number of U-Pack is 2946400. This reflects the federal record as of 2026-08-13.

How does a U-Pack container move work?

U-Pack delivers a container to your address, you pack and load it yourself, and U-Pack then transports it. The carriage is done for you; the packing and loading are yours. That split decides responsibility in transit: how the load was packed and secured sits with the customer, while the transport sits with the company carrying it. U-Pack states that ABF Freight moves the equipment, so confirm with U-Pack which entity is performing the transport on your shipment and what protection applies to it.

Is U-Pack licensed to move within Arkansas?

For a move that stays inside Arkansas, movers are authorised by Arkansas Department of Transportation, Legal Division, part of the Arkansas State Highway Commission, and the authorisation is called Arkansas intrastate motor carrier authority. The agency publishes no public lookup; it verifies authorisation by phone on 501-569-2160. We have not verified U-Pack's Arkansas authorisation, and nothing here says it lacks one. Holding federal interstate authority is a separate thing from holding state authorisation for a move that starts and ends inside one state.

What is U-Pack's USDOT number?

U-Pack carries USDOT number 2946400 and docket numbers FF-17300 and MC-997363 on the FMCSA company census file. The registered legal name is ARCBEST II, INC. The filed physical address is 8401 McClure Drive, Fort Smith, AR 72916. The census records the operation classification for U-Pack as authorized for hire.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 2946400 · Data as of August 13, 2026

How big is U-Pack's fleet?

U-Pack reports 0 power units on its federal registration. Power units count trucks, tractors and other self-powered vehicles the company operates, not trailers. U-Pack last updated that federal registration on March 31, 2021, so the counts describe the fleet as filed on that date rather than today.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 2946400 · Data as of August 13, 2026

Does U-Pack have a federal safety rating?

U-Pack has no federal safety rating on its census record. Most interstate carriers have never had a compliance review, and a rating is only assigned after one, so the absence of a rating is not a negative signal about U-Pack. It means no rating review has been recorded, and the other federal registration details remain the material check.

Federal source: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 2946400 · Data as of August 13, 2026

Is U-Pack a carrier, a broker, or both?

U-Pack holds both motor carrier authority and property broker authority on its federal licensing record. Carrier authority means U-Pack can operate the trucks and crews that perform a move itself. Broker authority means U-Pack can also arrange a move that another licensed company performs. On any given job, ask which of the two applies before you sign, because it decides whose crew arrives on moving day and who is liable for your goods. The licensing record grants U-Pack broker of property (except household goods) from December 23, 2016. The licensing record for U-Pack shows household goods authority, property authority, broker authority, and no passenger authority.

Federal source: FMCSA Carrier All With History licensing file · Data as of September 11, 2026

Is U-Pack authorised to move household goods?

U-Pack holds active operating authority covering household goods on its federal licensing record. This is a stronger statement than the cargo classification on the census registration. Authority is the licence to carry that freight for hire, and it has to be active for U-Pack to move a household across state lines lawfully.

Federal source: FMCSA Carrier All With History licensing file · Data as of September 11, 2026

What insurance does U-Pack have on file with the federal regulator?

U-Pack has 3 insurance forms on its federal insurance record. The table below shows the most recent filing of each form, the amount written on that filing, and the insurer named on it. These are filings as submitted. The federal insurance file records no cancellation date, so nothing here states whether a filing is still in force, and the amount on a filing is not the cover that would apply to your shipment.

FormAmount on the filingInsurer namedEffective date on the filing
BMC-34$5,000Aspen American insurance CompanyNovember 1, 2025
BMC-84$75,000Western Surety CompanyAugust 12, 2026
BMC-91X$5,000,000Ace American Insurance CompanyFebruary 1, 2017

Federal source: FMCSA Insurance History file · Data as of September 11, 2026

Information provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

How much can a mover charge above a non-binding estimate?

On an interstate move priced with a non-binding estimate, a mover may require no more than 110% of the estimated charges before it will release your goods at delivery. That cap is set by 49 CFR 375.407, and it applies to the mover you hire regardless of what the final weight turns out to be. Anything owed above that amount is not payable on delivery day: the mover must bill you for it, and you have 30 days from delivery to pay it under 49 CFR 375.407.

Source: 49 CFR 375.407, eCFR

What is a mover liable for if my belongings are damaged?

Every interstate mover must offer released value, the no-extra-charge level of liability set by 49 CFR 375.701. Under released value the mover owes 60 cents per pound per article, so a claim is settled on what a damaged item weighs rather than on what it is worth. A heavy item pays out more than a light expensive one. The alternative is full value protection, which a mover must also offer, costs extra, and settles at repair, replacement, or a cash equivalent. Released value applies by default if you sign nothing else.

Source: 49 CFR 375.701, eCFR

How can I verify U-Pack?

Federal record: FMCSA SAFER Company Snapshot for USDOT 2946400 · Data as of 2026-08-13 · Last verified 2026-10-01

U-Pack in one paragraph

U-Pack has been operating since 1997 (about 29 years), runs out of Fort Smith, AR, and covers all 50 states. Current FMCSA filing shows USDOT 2946400 and MC 207258. U-Pack is operated by ABF Freight and uses commercial trucking for the actual transport, which keeps prices below traditional movers. You handle loading; they handle the long haul.

Estimated cost of a move with this carrier

This is an estimated quote range, not a record of prices paid. For a 2-bedroom interstate move, U-Pack quotes generally land in the $1,500–$3,800 range, with the midpoint of that estimated range near $2,650. The low end of that range usually applies to off-season runs under 1,000 miles with self-packing; the high end shows up on full-service summer moves over 2,000 miles.

Local hourly pricing through U-Pack is not published by the company and we hold no rate card for it. Our national editorial estimate for a two-mover crew and a truck on a local move is $105 to $155 an hour, May 2026, and it is a model figure rather than a quote from this carrier. Ask whether travel time, fuel surcharge, and stair fees sit inside or outside the hourly number, because that is where two apparently identical quotes diverge.

Where this carrier may fit

Long-distance budget moves with self-loading. That is an editorial view of fit, not a measured performance result: we hold no complaint-rate, claims-outcome or satisfaction dataset for U-Pack. Three things make any move with this company more predictable, whatever the carrier: an inventory list locked in two or more weeks ahead, a binding not-to-exceed estimate in writing, and a destination ZIP the company services directly rather than through a subcontracted agent.

How to work around the main trade-off

The trade-off summarised at the top of this page is the one that most often costs readers money with U-Pack. Two questions defuse it at quote stage: ask for the specific line items that drive the number up on your move profile, and ask whether the crew at your origin is employed directly or subcontracted to a local agent.

Then price the same inventory with one alternative below. A second quote on identical inventory is the only reliable way to tell whether the premium buys you anything on your particular lane.

U-Pack vs the competition

CarrierFounded2BR price range
U-Pack1997$1,500–$3,800
Allied Van Lines1928$3,200–$7,500
Atlas Van Lines1948$3,000–$7,200

Booking process, step by step

  • Request a quote with a complete inventory list. Online forms are fine for a first pass; a video survey is what makes a binding number stick.
  • Insist on binding-not-to-exceed in writing. Federal rules let a carrier collect up to 110% of a non-binding estimate at delivery, with the balance billed later; a binding not-to-exceed estimate removes that exposure.
  • Confirm valuation coverage. Released value (the federal default) pays $0.60 per pound. Full-value protection costs more but actually replaces a damaged TV.
  • Confirm pickup and delivery windows. For interstate jobs the delivery window is a range, not a date — plan accordingly.
  • On move day, walk the truck and check the inventory list before signing the Bill of Lading. Note any pre-existing damage on the form.

What this page does and does not say

We publish no numeric score, star rating or ranked order for U-Pack, and we recommend no company over another. What this page carries is the federal registration record above and the sourced facts beside it. Read those, then price the same written inventory with one alternative before you sign.

Updated August 2026 Reviewed by Brittany Evans182 company profiles published

Compare side by side

U-Pack vs Allied Van LinesU-Pack vs Atlas Van LinesU-Pack vs United Van Lines

Where U-Pack is documented

These links follow the company's documented location only. They are not a service-area claim.

Moving companies in Arkansas

Frequently asked questions

Is U-Pack licensed and insured?
U-Pack operates under USDOT 2946400 and MC 207258. Verify current standing, insurance on file, and household goods authority on safer.fmcsa.dot.gov before signing a contract.
How much does U-Pack cost for a 2-bedroom move?
A 2-bedroom interstate move with U-Pack is typically estimated at $1,500–$3,800. Final price depends on distance, season, packing services, and access conditions on both ends.
Does U-Pack offer binding estimates?
U-Pack offers binding-not-to-exceed quotes on request. Always ask for one in writing before move day, especially on interstate jobs.
What services does U-Pack include?
U-Pack offers long-distance, container/Portable. Confirm which add-ons are bundled into the base quote and which are billed separately.
Where does U-Pack operate?
U-Pack covers all 50 states and is headquartered in Fort Smith, AR, where it has been based since 1997.
Who is U-Pack best suited to?
U-Pack suits long-distance budget moves with self-loading. The main trade-off to plan around: Three-day load and unload windows can pressure tight schedules. Compare at least one alternative quote before you sign.

Sources