QMM Allied Sponsors The Rotary Ride For Rescue
QMM Allied is proud to be a sponsor of the Rotary Ride For Rescue on October 1, presented by the Rotary Club of West Vancouver Sunrise and Innovative Fitness.
If you are interested in riding or helping sponsor a rider, visit the website at www.rotaryrideforrescue.org. For more information, see the posters below!
Questions to Ask a Moving Company if You’re Planning a Cross-Border Move
Cross border moving is a daunting task, with the simple issues of packing, to the more complex issues of customs and immigration. Whether moving to the U.S. or to Canada, there are many questions that should be asked of a moving company before choosing them for your move.
1. Will you provide me with the customs documents needed to cross the border? An excellent moving company will have all the paperwork you need in order, so that your belongings can be properly itemized for the customs agents.
2. Will my belongings switch trucks at the border? Many companies change trucks at the border, putting extra risk and strain on your belongings that is unnecessary. Choose a company that uses one truck for your entire move.
3. Who from the company will help me make decisions? Choose a moving company who provides you with a person who will answer your questions and help you choose the services you need. You want a personable company who is there to answer your questions in a timely manner.
4. Can you move specialized items such as firearms, plants, liquor and vehicles? Not every moving company has the capacity to move items that are sensitive when crossing a border. Once you know what you need to move, make sure you ask if the company will move it all.
5. Can I rely on the quality of your personnel and trucks? Make sure you are working with a moving company with the highest, state-of-the-art equipment and trucks. Ensure that drivers are US DOT-compliant and are of the highest professional quality.
With these questions answered, you will be able to rest assured knowing that your cross border move will be smooth.
*Photo provided by Flickr user @MPD01605 under the creative common license”
5 Things Not to Forget When Moving to Canada from the U.S.
Cross border moving from the U.S. to Canada can be both an exciting and intimidating time. There are new customs, currency and languages to learn. There is the issue of obtaining legal residency, but once that is finalized you are left to figure out the moving logistics. There is a lot to remember, so take these five tips on what not to forget.
1. Don’t forget to look into Canadian laws that are different from laws in the U.S. For instance, it is illegal to leave a child younger than 12 at home alone.
2. Don’t forget to have some Canadian currency to make things easier on your first days in the country. There is the blue five, purple ten, green 20, and red 50. The brown 100 may be hard to change. Remember that banking hours are shorter, only 10am-3pm.
3. Don’t forget to apply for your health insurance card. You can obtain an application from any hospital, doctor, or pharmacy. In order to complete the application you will need your birth certificate, Confirmation of Permanent Residence, and your passport. In most provinces, you will be covered as soon as you apply.
4. Don’t forget to take lists of the items you are bringing across the border. You need two copies of a detailed list of all your personal and household items, and also two copies of a list of what is arriving later. These lists should indicate the worth of your items.
5. Don’t forget to have with you enough money to cover living expenses such as rent, clothing, food and transportation for six months. Proof of these funds may be required at the border.
With these tips, and the rest of your preparation, you will soon be happily residing in Canada, and won’t consider moving to the U.S. anytime soon.
(Photo by flickr member @lsiegert per the creative commons license)
Living Like a Local: Best Places to Eat Dinner in Vancouver
When cross border moving, you have to research the new culture you are entering. Vancouver, BC has a bustling nightlife, and a wide offering of hip and highly recommended restaurants to experience.
Try the classy Blue Water Cafe if you are in the mood for a five star experience. Located in Yaletown, an old warehouse district, Blue Water Cafe is a favorite of locals and celebrities alike. This is fancy at its finest, with a large selection of oysters, a raw bar, and fresh seafood.
Also in the heart of historic Yaletown is Simply Thai, a cozy, artsy restaurant serving authentic Thai cuisine with ingredients straight from Thailand, matched with fresh local produce. You can watch the cooks as they work to create your mild to intensely spicy meal in ample proportions. Simply Thai is the only Thai chef and owner-operated restaurant in Vancouver.
Le Bistro Chez Michel will take you away to France and its romantic and decadent cuisine. Located in North Vancouver, this restaurant has great views of the Vancouver skyline and the ocean. It is elegant yet inexpensive, with that intimate bistro feel. Try the croque monsieur, a classic and delicious Parisian sandwich.
For a Middle Eastern option, head to Cafe Nuba on Main Street. They say it is inspired by “third world roadside cafe’s of the 1970’s,” which is evidenced by the retro decor. They are known for their signature Lebanese food, Middle Eastern baked goods, and freshly squeezed juices such as beet, lime and ginger. This is a vegetarian friendly option. End your meal with a Turkish style coffee and a rose water infused shortbread cookie.
The Chambar Belgian Grill is the place to get the best Belgian cuisine in Vancouver. Their tapas and big pots of mussels cooked in traditional Belgian broths are one-of-a-kind. This restaurant is warm and cozy and unpretentious. They are big on being “green” and are working toward becoming carbon neutral. It is close to downtown transit on Beatty Street.
(Photo by flickr member @retinafunk per the creative commons license)
Tips for Taking the Stress Out of Moving from Canada to the U.S.
If you find yourself moving to the U.S., there is a lot to consider before leaving. Cross border moving can be stressful, so before you find your way across the border, take this advice for taking the stress out of moving to the U.S.
Establish credit if you don’t already have some. You will need to open a bank account, and then apply for a credit card. Be sure to check on the interest rates charged to you monthly, and if there are late fees and overdraft fees. Begin to use your credit card to build up credit. You will need a credit card in the U.S. to do things like cash a check, rent a car, or buy airline tickets.
Calculate how much house you can afford to rent or buy. Take your total monthly net income and multiply it by .30. This is the general amount you can afford. But first add up your other monthly expenses and make sure the two figures don’t exceed your monthly income.
Obtain medical insurance before you move. The U.S. does not have socialized medicine, and medical care is expensive. Include your whole family on your plan.
Consider taking a driving class when you get to the U.S. The driving habits of Americans and traffic laws vary widely from other countries, and you may need to get up to speed. You can obtain a local license upon passing the driving test.
As always, travel with traveler’s checks. The last thing you need is to have money lost or stolen in route to your new home. If they are lost or stolen, they can be replaced. Just don’t countersign them until you are ready to use them.
And try to maintain a low level of stress by doing the simple things, like making lists, setting a calendar for when things need to be done, and taking time out for yourself. It’s possible to keep down the stress when cross border moving if you are intentional and think ahead.
(photo by Flickr member @rakkhi per the creative commons license)
5 Things to Consider Before Moving to the U.S.
Moving to the U.S. is an exciting and complicated endeavor. Whether cross border moving, or moving across the world, you will need to carefully plan your move in accordance with U.S. immigration law, as well as plan for your possessions to travel safely to your new home. Consider these five tips when moving to the U.S.
- Check out Nolo.com. The immigration section of this website is comprehensive in its information about moving to the U.S. To move to the U.S. you obviously need a proof of US Citizenship, Visa or a Valid Work Permit. Nolo.com instructs you how you can obtain all the credentials you will need.
- Consider obtaining international moving insurance. This will require making an itemized list of everything you plan to move, with a value placed on each item. You can include the cost of moving this item to the value. Get opinions on the values you place on each higher priced item so that you can in fact replace it if anything should happen during the move.
- Be sure to keep copies of all your immigration paperwork, and to track it in the mail and within the immigration system. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services notoriously lose paperwork. You should send all your applications by certified mail, requesting a return receipt. This becomes proof that you have filed, and your copies might be needed if the forms are actually lost by the USCIS.
- Reading the book, U.S. Immigration Made Easy, by Ilona Bray. This will give you detailed insight into the world of immigrating to the U.S. You will learn about all the possible ways to enter the U.S. legally, and how to obtain the proper documentation you will need. It even walks you through the forms you will need to fill out, giving tips and advice on submitting everything properly.
Hire a moving company to pack for you. The distance involved will put additional stress on your belongings, and you want them to be packed as well as possible. A professional moving company will use materials and expertise that would be difficult replicate on your own.
If you are looking to move, feel free to give us at QMM Allied a call at 877-767-9847.
(photo by flickr member @britanylynae per the creative commons usage license)
Best iPhone Apps to Download When Moving to the U.S.
When moving to the U.S., make use of your iPhone and all the apps available to help make your move less stressful. Here’s our list of the most helpful apps out there today.
Home Interior Layout Designer-Mark on Call. This app will be your best friend once you are trying to fit your furniture into a new space, and when you are designing the colors and fabrics of your new home. You can make detailed visual plans, take pictures of fabrics and use them on the surfaces of the furniture and in your designed room. You can even measure between two points with the ‘cross-hairs’ measuring tool.
Moving List. New Gravity Ventures. This app comes pre-loaded with to-do items everyone needs when moving. You can add your own items, and check them off as you complete them. You can organize your tasks by category or due date.
Moving Van. Glimmer Designs Limited. This app helps you identify the contents of every box you pack, with details of the contents including photos. Number or name your boxes, and when it is time to find things again, you will know exactly where they are. When cross border moving, you will need a detailed list of y our things anyway, so this app really comes in handy.
Yelp. If you haven’t tried Yelp yet, get on board. You can find the best places to eat, drink, shop, relax, and play in your new town using reviews from other yelpers.
Craigslist Pro. This app is more nimble than the traditional cragislist.org, allowing you to post and search with ease. Find that new couch or kitchen table you need, or sell off what you don’t need.
National Parks Explorer. Doh-Ray LLC. Have all the information you need to visit one of the beautiful major national parks in the U.S. With over 2,000 photos, and 960 geo-located points of interest, you won’t miss a thing.
US Citizenship 2011 Edition. Colin Gordon. Use this app to practice for the USCIS Citizenship test using the flash cards for all 100 questions on the test. Even take a practice test to see how your studying is coming along.
(Photo by flickr member @Meathleadlovers per the creative commons license)
Allied Van Lines Announces 2010 Agent Awards
CHICAGO (April 8, 2011) — Allied Van Lines Inc., one of the world’s largest moving companies and a subsidiary of SIRVA Inc., announced that Quality Move Management Inc. received two top awards at its U.S. Operations Conference held in Lombard, IL. The Canadian-based firm was named the 2010 Cross Border Agent of the Year, and also garnered the Outstanding Safety Achievement Award in the Large Agent Revenue group.
For the third year in a row, Quality Move Management earned the prestigious Allied Cross Border Agent of the Year award, which recognizes the agency with the highest volume of U.S.-Canada cross-border tonnage, among more than 400 Allied Van Lines agents in North America. Moving more than 1,400 shipments across the border in 2010, QMM achieved a quality score of 4.62 (out of a possible 5.0), placing them in the “Excellent” category of agents.
“Quality Move Management has really lived up to its name, by setting the standard for quality, along with quantity, for moves across international lines,” said Bill Lyon, Vice President and General Manager of Allied Van Lines. “It’s a true testament to the leadership of their organization to earn this major volume award three years in a row, not to mention how they’ve done so with safety as a top priority.”
“We are extremely proud of our team. We safely and successfully moved more than six million pounds across the border in 2010,” said Quality Move Management President & CEO Kevin St. George, who accepted the award. “So it is truly significant for us to be recognized as one of the best of the best for the third consecutive year.”
Quality Move Management Inc. has offices and warehouses in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and specializes in corporate moving services as well as local and long-distance consumer moving. For more information about Quality Move Management, visit www.QMM.com.
For additional information, please contact Shelby Slater by e-mail at sslater@qmm.com or by phone at 604-523-3752.
About Allied Van Lines
Established in 1928, Allied Van Lines, with more than 400 agent locations in North America, is an experienced leader in household goods moving and specialized transportation services. Allied is one of the world’s largest moving companies and one of the established global brands of SIRVA, Inc., a leader in providing relocation services to corporations, consumers and governments around the world. For more information about Allied Van Lines, visit www.allied.com. Allied Van Lines, Inc., U.S. DOT No. 076235
About SIRVA, Inc.
SIRVA, Inc. is a leading provider of relocation solutions to a well-established and diverse customer base around the world. The company handles all aspects of relocation, including home purchase and home sale services, household goods moving, mortgage services, and home closing and settlement services. SIRVA conducts more than 300,000 relocations per year, transferring corporate and government employees in addition to individual consumers. SIRVA’s well-recognized brands include Allied, Allied International, Allied Pickfords, Allied Special Products, DJK Residential, Global, northAmerican, northAmerican International, SIRVA Mortgage, SIRVA Move Management, SIRVA Relocation and SIRVA Settlement. More information about SIRVA can be found on the company’s Web site at http://www.sirva.com.
QMM Drivers Named 2010 Canadian Driver of the Year
We are excited to announce that two employees from Vancouver-based Quality Move Management Inc (QMM) have been named the top drivers of 2010. QMM’s Lance Hudson is the Allied Van Lines 2010 Driver of the Year and QMM’s Jim Grainger is the runner-up.
“For a company that relies on its drivers as much as we do, this is a tremendous honor, and we are extremely proud of Lance and Jim,” said Kevin St. George, president and CEO of Quality Move Management. “This award truly shows their commitment to serving customers and their passion for excellence. Not only that, but in these challenging economic times, this award demonstrates QMM’s dedication to helping customers achieve comprehensive moves at competitive costs.”
Quality Move Management, Inc. has offices and warehouses in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton and specializes in corporate moving services as well as local, long-distance, and overseas consumer and office/industrial moving. For more information about Quality Move Management, please visit www.QMM.com.
