I Got $500 to Share My Experience Moving from New Jersey to Texas
Fact Checked by: 
Weehawken, NJ → Dallas, TX
$2,925
1 bedroom, ~800 sq. ft.
$3,775.77
+$850.77 in add-on fees
1,548 mi
Long-distance, interstate
- I compared four quotes before I hired Safeway Moving for my New Jersey to Texas move.
- My final bill came in $850.77 over the estimate because of add-on fees I didn’t see coming, including a $400 shuttle charge on delivery day.
- I shared all of it, my quotes, my bills, and my ratings, as part of moveBuddha’s Better Moves Project.
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This account is based on a conversation with Sara K., who moved from New Jersey to Texas in February 2026 using Safeway Moving. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
My move from New Jersey to Texas
I moved out of Weehawken, New Jersey, on Feb. 25, 2026, and landed in Dallas, 1,548 miles later. It was a one-bedroom, roughly 800 square feet, and the thing I cared about most was not price. It was finding a company that would actually talk to me once my stuff was on a truck.
I leaned on moveBuddha while I was shopping, including the list of the top long-distance movers. Safeway Moving stood out early because booking was simple and I could text the team instead of playing phone tag. I also found the Better Moves Project and shared my experience in exchange for a $500 grant toward the move.
I pulled four quotes before I booked anything, which is the same work moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator does in one step, minus the sales calls.
My Safeway Moving experience at a glance
Here are the parts of the move that stuck with me most, good and bad.
- Communication: Once the move was underway, I felt like I had to chase updates instead of getting them. If you’re picking a mover mainly for communication, ask exactly who you’ll be talking to during transit and how often you should expect a status update.
- Pricing accuracy and transparency: I got hit with add-on costs I hadn’t planned for, including a $400 shuttle fee. Surprise fees are one of the fastest ways to sour a move, so ask about access-related charges like shuttles, long carries, and stairs before you sign anything.
- Timeliness: My pickup timing and ETAs shifted enough to wreck my planning and add real stress. Ask your mover how they handle delays so you know what you’re walking into.
- Professionalism: The packing crew was fantastic and thorough. They protected my belongings and made move day itself feel manageable.
- Loss and damage: Nothing showed up damaged or missing. On a long-distance move where your shipment gets handled more than once, that’s a real win.
- Would I use Safeway Moving again? Probably not, mostly because of the communication gaps and the frustration of the unexpected fees. If you feel differently after reading this, you can get quotes from Safeway and other top-rated movers with moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator.
over my original Safeway quote
Find out what a move from New Jersey → Texas actually costs before a mover tells you.
Why I chose Safeway Moving
Safeway Moving won me over before the truck ever showed up. Booking was straightforward, and being able to text made it easy to get quick answers while I was still deciding.
The packing work was the other bright spot. The crew was careful and thorough, and I never worried about how my things were wrapped. Where it slipped was after pickup, when the proactive updates I picked this company for mostly stopped.
rating
- GPS tracking en route
- Veteran-owned
- Dedicated move coordinator
- Flat-rate pricing
- Donates a portion of moves to charity
My move at a glance
Here are the basics of my relocation, including what I was quoted and what I ended up paying for my New Jersey to Texas move.
| Move date | Feb. 25, 2026 |
| Moved from | Weehawken, NJ |
| Moved to | Dallas, TX |
| Distance | 1,548 miles |
| Move size | 1 bedroom (about 800 sq. ft.) |
| Moving company | Safeway Moving |
| Moving quote | $2,925 |
| Actual cost | $3,775.77 |
We found that when you use moveBuddha’s moving cost calculator, you can save 30% on moving costs compared to customers who go with the first quote they receive.
Quotes I compared
I didn’t take the first estimate and run with it. I priced out four companies, which is the best way I know to spot an outlier and ask sharper questions about what’s actually included.
| Company | Estimated size | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Safeway Moving | 1,841 lbs; 1.5 rooms; ~8 large boxes | $2,925 |
| Solomon & Sons Relocation Services | N/A | $3,573 |
| Pristine Vanlines | N/A | $1,732.50 |
| Flat Rate | N/A | $2,650 |
Pickup day
Pickup day was great labor and frustrating logistics. The crew was fantastic, and I felt good about how everything was wrapped and prepped for the road.
Timing was the problem. Arrival expectations kept moving, and I spent the day rearranging my own schedule around new ETAs. If your timing is tight because of work travel or a lease end date, ask whether the company offers a guaranteed pickup option and what happens if the crew misses the original window.
Delivery day
![[Safeway Moving drop-off/pickup photo in Dallas, TX]](https://www.movebuddha.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/IMG_1174-Sara-Koeniger-scaled.jpeg)
My delivery needed a shuttle transfer, and that added $400 to my bill. Shuttles are common when a full-size truck can’t reach your street, building, or parking area, but the cost still stings when nobody warned you. If you’re moving into an apartment complex, a neighborhood with narrow streets, or anywhere with strict parking rules, ask about shuttle triggers before you sign.
Even with the delays and the extra logistics, the final handoff met my expectations. The hard part was the uncertainty leading up to it.
Final thoughts
My move is a decent reminder that a company can feel great during the quote-and-book stage and then go quiet once your things are in transit. The packing crew did strong, professional work, and nothing arrived damaged or missing.
Between the shifting ETAs and the fees I didn’t plan for, though, I walked away feeling like the experience didn’t match what I thought I was paying for. If you’re considering Safeway Moving, get every potential access fee in writing and pin down exactly how updates will work after pickup.
Compare a few movers before you commit. According to moveBuddha, users who compare quotes with the moving cost calculator save more than 30% versus taking the first quote they get.
My ratings
Here’s how I scored Safeway Moving based on my end-to-end experience.
- Communication: 1 out of 5 stars. Updates weren’t proactive, and I had to reach out repeatedly to get clarity on next steps and timing.
- Timeliness: 1 out of 5 stars. Changing arrival estimates created scheduling headaches and made the whole process feel unpredictable.
- Accuracy: 1 out of 5 stars. The surprise shuttle fee and the general cost uncertainty are what dropped this score.
- Overall: 1 out of 5 stars. The crew’s work was the bright spot, but the communication and cost frustrations decided my overall rating.
Tips for future movers
These are the practical steps we recommend based on Sara K.’s experience:
- Get multiple quotes, and compare the details: Don’t just look at the bottom-line number. Ask each company what’s included, what’s excluded, whether the estimate is binding or non-binding, and which fees are most likely to pop up based on your building and parking situation.
- Plan for delivery windows and access charges: Long-distance moves often come with wide delivery ranges, and fees like shuttles appear when a truck can’t reach your door. Walk through your pickup and delivery access ahead of time, including street width, parking rules, stairs, elevators, and walk distance.
- Ask about guaranteed pickup if timing is critical: If you have a lease end date or a hard deadline, find out whether the mover offers a guaranteed pickup day and what it costs. Knowing your options upfront is usually cheaper than last-minute storage or a hotel.
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