The truck that fits a suburban cul-de-sac may not fit a switchback, and the one that fits the switchback may not hold your furniture. Crews solve it with a shuttle: they load at the origin in the big truck, park where it can safely stand, and ferry goods in a smaller vehicle for the last stretch. It adds hours and, usually, a charge.
Questions to ask before you book
- Describe the road honestly. Grade, width, switchbacks, gravel or paved, whether it is plowed, and whether there is a place to turn around.
- Ask who decides. The driver has final say on whether the big truck goes up. Ask what happens, and what it costs, if the driver says no on arrival.
- Get the shuttle terms in writing. Is it a flat fee, hourly or per trip? Is the ferry time counted in the estimate or billed on top?
- Confirm access in season. Spring mud, winter plowing and HOA gates can each stop a truck.
- Send photos. A picture of the driveway and the turnaround is worth more than a paragraph.
Prepare the property
- Clear the route of vehicles, bins and snow berms the day before.
- Mark the path with something visible; a crew arriving in fog will thank you.
- Put sand or traction material down if ice is likely. Do not assume the crew carries it.
- Tell the crew about stairs, decks and any steps with no railing.
- Keep pets inside and the gate latched.
What the estimate should say
For an in-state move, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission regulates household-goods movers. Ask for a written estimate that lists every line item, including shuttle and long-carry charges, and check the mover’s PUC permit on the commission’s site (puc.colorado.gov). Movers must show their permit number in advertising.
We have not published a price range for shuttles because we have not found an official source for one. Treat any figure you see in a web article as marketing until a written estimate backs it.