#17 of the 100 largest licensed interstate movers
National Van Lines Review
National van line based in Broadview, IL, founded in 1929, on the federal register since 1974. This is a review of the public record, what the company is and what a move with it should cost. We collect no customer reviews, have not used the company, and it has not paid to be here.
- USDOT
- 76628
- Fleet · drivers
- 174 · 136
- Safety rating
- Satisfactory
- Licensed
- 50+ years
Is National Van Lines licensed for interstate moves?
Yes. National Van Lines holds active interstate operating authority (MC42866, status active) on USDOT 76628, declares household goods as cargo, and carries a Satisfactory safety rating from a compliance review the FMCSA completed in 2002.
As a van line, National Van Lines is the carrier of record for moves booked through its agents: the agent's trucks run under this authority, this USDOT number goes on the bill of lading, and the network's claims process applies. The agent that actually loads you has a registration of its own, and it is worth reading that record too.
Record pulled 2026-09-24. The register changes daily: confirm on the SAFER snapshot for USDOT 76628 before you sign, and read the insurance and complaint pages there that we do not reproduce.
The federal record
Every line below is what National Van Lines filed with the FMCSA, unedited. Power units and drivers are self-reported on the MCS-150 form the carrier must update at least every two years; the safety rating is assigned by the FMCSA after a compliance review and stays until the next one.
- Legal name
- National Van Lines Inc.
- Doing business as
- National Van Lines
- USDOT number
- 76628issued 1974
- Operating authority
- MC42866 · activeMC = motor carrier, FF = freight forwarder
- Operation
- Interstatecarrier_operation A on the filing
- Cargo declared
- Household goods, general freight
- Physical address
- 2800 W Roosevelt Rd, Broadview, IL 60155
- Phone on file
- (708) 450-2933
- Power units
- 174trucks and tractors on the MCS-150
- Drivers
- 136 (136 interstate)
- Annual miles filed
- 3,341,390 for 2025
- Safety rating
- Satisfactoryreview completed 2002-03-13
- Filing last updated
- 2026-08-21MCS-150 date
Who National Van Lines is
National began in 1929 when F.J. McKee delivered ice and coal around Chicago from a single wagon; it incorporated in 1934 and is based in Broadview, Illinois. It is one of the few national van lines outside the big groups, employee-owned through an ESOP since 2011, with agents in 48 states; Maureen Beal led it from 1993 to 2019 and Tim Helenthal has been chairman and chief executive since January 2020. Long-distance household moves, corporate and military relocation and fine-art shipping are the core services.
Structure
- Type
- National van line
- Founded
- 1929 (97 years)
- Headquarters
- Broadview, IL
- Ownership
- employee-owned (ESOP)
Services the company advertises
- long-distance moving
- international
- corporate relocation
- military moves
- storage
- specialty moving (fine art, antiques)
On the record
- Begun in 1929 by F.J. McKee, who used a single wagon to deliver ice and coal to Chicago-area customers; incorporated in 1934. [source]
- Converted to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) structure in 2011; operates with agents in 48 states. [source]
- Maureen Beal led the company as CEO from 1993 to 2019; Tim Helenthal became Chairman and CEO in January 2020. [source]
Company facts are taken from National Van Lines's own website and public filings as of 2026-09-24; the sources are linked. Nothing here is a judgement of service quality, and the logo is shown only to identify the company.
How National Van Lines compares
National Van Lines is the 17th largest of the 100 eligible carriers by registered fleet and the 7th largest of the 7 van lines among them. Its fleet is 4 percent of United Van Lines's, above the median of 55. It files more trucks than drivers, which is common where part of the fleet is seasonal or used for local and short-haul work.
| National Van Lines | Median of 100 | Largest (United Van Lines) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power units | 174 | 55 | 4,731 |
| Drivers | 136 | 52 | 3,424 |
| Licensed since | 1974 | 20 of 100 since 1974 | 1974 |
| Safety rating | Satisfactory | 55 of 100 Satisfactory | Satisfactory |
What a move with National Van Lines should cost
National Van Lines does not publish prices, and no large carrier does: an interstate quote is built from the weight of your shipment, the distance, the date and how the survey was done. What we can give you is the range a quote should land in, from our published model, so that a number well outside it reads as what it is. Full-service movers, transport only.
| Distance | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 miles | $2,250 – $3,000 | $2,588 – $3,450 | $2,925 – $3,900 |
| 1,000 miles | $4,500 – $6,000 | $5,175 – $6,900 | $5,850 – $7,800 |
| 2,000 miles | $9,000 – $12,000 | $10,350 – $13,800 | $11,700 – $15,600 |
| 2,800 miles | $12,600 – $16,800 | $14,490 – $19,320 | $16,380 – $21,840 |
Priced routes out of Chicago, IL
National Van Lines is based in Broadview; these are the busiest interstate corridors out of Chicago, the nearest metro we price, each with distance, drive time and a cost range for every home size.
| Route | Distance | 3 bedrooms, movers |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago to San Diego, CA | 2,146 miles | $11,106 – $14,807 |
| Chicago to San Francisco, CA | 2,135 miles | $11,049 – $14,732 |
| Chicago to Seattle, WA | 2,065 miles | $10,686 – $14,249 |
| Chicago to Los Angeles, CA | 2,019 miles | $10,448 – $13,931 |
| Chicago to Phoenix, AZ | 1,755 miles | $9,082 – $12,109 |
| Chicago to Las Cruces, NM | 1,466 miles | $7,587 – $10,115 |
Price your own route with the moving cost calculator, then get a surveyed, binding not-to-exceed estimate from National Van Lines and two other carriers. Three comparable numbers beat one, whoever is at the top of a list.
Before you book National Van Lines: six questions
Ask these on the first call. The answers matter more than the ranking, and an established carrier answers all six without hesitation.
- Which agent will handle my move, and what is that agent's own USDOT number?
- Will my shipment stay on one truck from door to door, or be transferred at a depot? How many times?
- Is the estimate binding, non-binding or binding not-to-exceed, and was it based on a video or in-home survey?
- What is the delivery window in writing, and what do you pay if you miss it?
- What does full-value protection cost on my shipment, and what is the deductible?
- Is the long-haul driver a company employee or an owner-operator contracted to the network?
Then run the six checks in how to check a moving company, and read the nine red flags so you recognise the ones that do not apply here.
Verify National Van Lines yourself
Two minutes on the federal sites tells you more than any ranking. Each link opens the official record; none of them is ours.
SAFER company snapshot ↗
Authority status, cargo, insurance on file, inspections, crashes and the safety rating for USDOT 76628, live.
Licensing & insurance ↗
The L&I system shows the authority history for docket MC42866, the insurance carrier and the BOC-3 process agent.
Protect Your Move ↗
The FMCSA's mover search and complaint history, plus your rights and responsibilities booklet, which the carrier must give you.
Licensed movers in Illinois
Every active household-goods carrier based in Illinois on the register, largest first, with the same fields.
Compare with other large carriers
Also based in Illinois
Other van lines on the list
- #1 United Van LinesFenton, MO · 4,731 trucks · Satisfactory
- #2 Atlas Van LinesEvansville, IN · 2,731 trucks · Satisfactory
- #3 North American Van LinesFort Wayne, IN · 1,333 trucks · Satisfactory
- #4 Allied Van LinesFort Wayne, IN · 1,056 trucks · Satisfactory
- #5 Mayflower TransitFenton, MO · 769 trucks · Satisfactory
- #6 Wheaton World Wide MovingIndianapolis, IN · 767 trucks · Satisfactory
National Van Lines FAQ
Is National Van Lines a licensed interstate moving company?
Yes. National Van Lines holds active interstate operating authority (MC42866, status active) on USDOT 76628, declares household goods as cargo, and carries a Satisfactory safety rating from a compliance review the FMCSA completed in 2002. As a van line, National Van Lines is the carrier of record for moves booked through its agents: the agent's trucks run under this authority, this USDOT number goes on the bill of lading, and the network's claims process applies. The agent that actually loads you has a registration of its own, and it is worth reading that record too.
What is National Van Lines's USDOT number?
76628. Its operating authority docket is MC42866 and its legal name on the register is National Van Lines Inc.. Look the number up on the FMCSA's SAFER system to see authority status, insurance on file, the safety rating and the inspection and crash record; the record on this page was pulled on 2026-09-24.
How big is National Van Lines?
National Van Lines filed 174 power units and 136 drivers on its latest MCS-150, which makes it the 17th largest of the 100 eligible interstate household-goods carriers on the register and the 7th largest of the 7 van lines among them. The largest, United Van Lines, files 4,731 power units; the median for the 100 is 55.
Does National Van Lines have a good safety rating?
National Van Lines holds a Satisfactory rating, the best of the three the FMCSA assigns, from a compliance review completed on 2002-03-13. A rating reflects the carrier's compliance at the time of the review and does not change until another review is done, so read it alongside the current inspection and crash figures on SAFER.
Is National Van Lines a van line, an agent or an independent mover?
A van line: a national network of local agents that book and service moves under National Van Lines's federal authority. The crew that loads you is an agent in your city, the crew that unloads you is an agent in the other, and the shipment may change hands at a depot in between.
How much does National Van Lines charge for a long-distance move?
National Van Lines does not publish a rate card and we do not hold its quotes; every long-distance price is set by weight, distance, date and the survey. From our published model a three-bedroom home over 1,000 miles should quote near $5,175 – $6,900 for full-service movers, transport only, and $14,490 – $19,320 over 2,800 miles. Get a surveyed, binding not-to-exceed estimate from National Van Lines and two other carriers and compare them against that range.
Who owns National Van Lines?
The company describes itself as employee-owned (ESOP). It was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in Broadview, IL; the USDOT number was issued in 1974.