A shared load is not always the cheap option. One Stop Moving & Storage, a licensed San Diego long-distance mover since 2008 (CAL-190616), prices a shared load at $11 per cubic foot with a 400 cubic foot minimum, so the smallest shared load costs $4,400. A dedicated truck to Phoenix is $4,200 and to Las Vegas is $4,000. On those routes the dedicated truck costs less and arrives in 1 to 2 days instead of up to 21. This guide shows where the line falls for each destination, using our published tariff, so you can tell which option saves money for your move.
What is the difference between a shared load and a dedicated truck?
A dedicated truck carries only your household. The crew loads it in San Diego, the truck drives straight to your new home, and the same job ends with your things unloaded. You pay one price for your destination, set in writing before move day.
A shared load, also called a consolidated or LTL move, puts your things on a truck with other households heading the same way. You pay for the space your things take up, measured in cubic feet. Because the truck waits to fill and makes several stops, delivery can take up to 21 days.
Both are full-service: our crew loads and unloads either way. What changes is who else is on the truck, how the price is set, and how long you wait.
How is each one priced?
The two options use different rulers, which is why the cheaper one changes from route to route.
- Dedicated truck: one price per destination from our long-distance price list. For example, Las Vegas $4,000, the Phoenix metro $4,200, Tucson $4,500, Salt Lake City $6,500 and Austin $10,200.
- Shared load: $11 per cubic foot, with a 400 cubic foot minimum. Ship 300 cubic feet and you still pay for 400, which is $4,400.
So the shared price grows with the size of your load, while the dedicated price stays the same whether the truck is half empty or full.
When does a shared load cost more than a dedicated truck?
Divide the dedicated-truck price by $11 and you get the break-even point: the number of cubic feet at which both options cost the same. Below it, shared is cheaper. Above it, the dedicated truck is cheaper. When the break-even point falls under the 400 cubic foot minimum, shared can never win on price.
| From San Diego to | Dedicated truck | Shared load costs the same at | Shared ever cheaper? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas or Henderson | $4,000 | 364 cu ft | No, the minimum is 400 |
| Phoenix metro | $4,200 | 382 cu ft | No, the minimum is 400 |
| Tucson | $4,500 | 409 cu ft | Only for 400 to 409 cu ft |
| St. George | $4,700 | 427 cu ft | Only under 427 cu ft |
| Flagstaff | $5,000 | 455 cu ft | Only under 455 cu ft |
| Salt Lake City | $6,500 | 591 cu ft | Under 591 cu ft |
| Austin | $10,200 | 927 cu ft | Under 927 cu ft |
| Dallas | $10,600 | 964 cu ft | Under 964 cu ft |
| Houston | $11,950 | 1,086 cu ft | Under 1,086 cu ft |
The pattern is simple. To nearby states, the dedicated price is close to the shared minimum, so the dedicated truck wins. The farther you go, the higher the dedicated price climbs, and the more room a shared load has to save you money.
How many cubic feet is my move?
You get an exact number at your in-home or virtual walkthrough, but our container sizes give a useful yardstick. Our Standard portable container holds 320 cubic feet and is sized for a one to two bedroom apartment. Our Large holds 448 cubic feet and is sized for a two to three bedroom home.
Put that against the table:
- A one to two bedroom apartment to Phoenix. At around 320 cubic feet, a shared load still bills the 400 minimum: $4,400, against $4,200 on a dedicated truck. Take the truck.
- A two to three bedroom home to Austin. At around 448 cubic feet, a shared load is about $4,928, against $10,200 on a dedicated truck. Shared saves money if you can wait up to 21 days.
- A larger home to Dallas. Past 964 cubic feet, the dedicated truck becomes the cheaper option as well as the faster one.
Bulky furniture, a full garage or a piano can push a load well past these yardsticks, so treat them as a starting point and ask for the cubic-foot estimate in writing.
Which option is faster?
The dedicated truck, every time. From San Diego, the Phoenix metro, Las Vegas, Henderson, Prescott and Carson City are delivered in 1 to 2 days. St. George and Salt Lake City take 2 to 3 days, and Austin, Dallas and Houston take 3 to 4 days.
A shared load can take up to 21 days because the truck collects and drops off other households along the way. If you need a bed the night you arrive, or you are paying rent on two places, the waiting time has a cost of its own. Count it before you count the savings.
What else should I weigh besides price?
Price and speed are the two big ones, but three smaller questions often settle it:
- Do you have a fixed move-in date? A dedicated truck gives you a short, predictable window. A shared load gives you a longer one.
- How much handling can your things take? On a dedicated truck, your things are loaded once and unloaded once. A shared truck makes more stops.
- Would you rather pack at your own pace? A third option is a portable storage container: you load it in your driveway, and we ship it to your new city in the 48 continental states, about 2 to 4 business days to Arizona or Nevada. Rent is $99 or $175 a month, and the shipping is quoted in writing.
Whichever you choose, ask every mover the same questions: Is my household the only one on the truck? How is the price set? How many days until delivery? Who loads and unloads? And what is your USDOT number, so you can check it on the FMCSA website? One Stop Moving & Storage holds USDOT 1956864 and MC 694565.
How do I get the right price for my move?
Tell us your destination, the size of your home and the big pieces that are going, and book an in-home or virtual walkthrough. The written quote then shows the dedicated-truck price for your destination and, where it makes sense, the shared-load price for your measured cubic feet, side by side. Every long-distance move with One Stop includes 50 free moving boxes, and packing is available at the crew hourly rate.
See the route pages for the full details: San Diego to Phoenix movers and San Diego to Las Vegas movers.
Get Your Free Moving Quote → or call (858) 633-8600. One Stop Moving & Storage, San Diego movers since 2008, CAL-190616.
Frequently asked questions
Is a shared load cheaper than a dedicated truck?
Not always. A shared load costs $11 per cubic foot with a 400 cubic foot minimum, so it starts at $4,400. From San Diego, a dedicated truck to Phoenix is $4,200 and to Las Vegas $4,000, so the dedicated truck is cheaper on those routes. Shared saves money on long routes like Texas when your load is small.
How long does a shared load take?
Up to 21 days, because the truck carries several households and makes several stops. A dedicated truck from San Diego reaches Phoenix or Las Vegas in 1 to 2 days and Texas in 3 to 4 days.
What is the minimum for a shared load?
400 cubic feet, which is $4,400 at $11 per cubic foot. A smaller load is billed at the minimum.
How do I know how many cubic feet I have?
Book an in-home or virtual walkthrough and you get the number in writing. As a rough guide, our 320 cubic foot container is sized for a one to two bedroom apartment and our 448 cubic foot container for a two to three bedroom home.
Is my household the only one on a dedicated truck?
Yes. A dedicated truck carries only your household, from your San Diego door straight to your new home, and our crew loads and unloads it.
