Routing Issues With Truck Sharing Long Distance Movers (2026)

Truck sharing used to be an industry secret, but in 2026 it's a popular long distance moving option. Many movers with small long distance loads consolidate shipments to keep relocation costs budget friendly. However, due to the struggling 2026 U.S. economy, many long distance moving companies are temporarily discontinuing shared truck services. This article explains why:

Not Enough Booked Loads

Movers' load boards are thin with fewer jobs booked than ever before. As explained in our article on why the U.S. economy is causing a moving industry slowdown, high living costs and inflation are resulting in several carriers closing down and reporting major logistical bottlenecks.

While a slow period in the moving industry may seem beneficial for a consumer's budget, in this case it is making movers more expensive. See our review of national moving company prices to understand current market pricing.

Not Enough Loads To Consolidate

Consumers aren't booking jobs with long distance moving companies due to tight budgets or logistical concerns. This is resulting in longer wait times to fill up a truck before beginning transport. Consequently, consumers are waiting for up to 2 months for delivery. (See our guide on why movers take so long). To avoid the stress of this logistical nightmare from both the buyer's and business's perspective, many long distance movers are now only offering dedicated truck movers instead.

Higher Operational Costs

Since the majority of movers are not offering truck sharing, consumers are being asked to pay for the entire truck's space instead. This also results in having to cover the full cost for fuel and driver compensation, which quickly puts your long distance moving costs to an average of $8,000 or more. You can calculate your own estimate with our cost calculator.

Dead Head Miles

If a mover is limited to a select few locations, dedicated truck services often get billed for the drive back to the origin state. In the industry, this is what a mover calls deadhead miles. For example, if you hired movers from California to New York and they don't have a facility or a return load to service out of New York, you will likely be billed for the cost of returning back to California.

Not Worth The Risk Of Delivery Complaints / Issues

Regardless of market conditions, consumers do not hire long distance movers expecting to wait several weeks for delivery. If your carrier is delayed, read our guide on how long movers can take to deliver and when to take action. Unfortunately, this is how the market currently stands with truck sharing. As a result, many relocation brands are temporarily suspending shared load moving services until the market improves.

Relocation brands still taking on shared load services face frequent complaints that tarnish their reputations. Brands like American National Movers may still take on a truck sharing request as long as the consumer is aware of the risks and extensive wait times. However, even with approval we may decline if the route is uncommon or has sparse volume.