Moving from Truckee to Los Angeles

This is the longest trip in the Northern California set, and it crosses the whole state. The truck leaves the Sierra, runs down the Central Valley on I-5, and ends in a metro area of nearly four million people. A drive this long is a full day for a driver even before loading.

The drive: I-80, then I-5 the long way south

The first 91 miles are I-80, including Donner Summit, the single pass on this route. At Sacramento the road changes to I-5, which carries the truck 358 miles through the valley and over the Grapevine into the Los Angeles basin. The last stretch uses I-405 Truck and I-80 Business segments printed in the route block.

Weather matters at both mountain ends. The summit can have chain controls in winter, and the Grapevine section can see snow, wind or fog closures. Caltrans QuickMap covers both, so check it for each leg.

A mountain town and a metro area compared

Census figures in the both-ends table show the contrast. Truckee town has a population of 17,066, a median household income of $130,462 and a median home value of $947,900. Los Angeles city has a population of 3,857,263, a median household income of $81,939, a median gross rent of $1,933 and a median home value of $921,200.

Los Angeles is a renting city, with 64 percent of households renting against 26.6 percent in Truckee. Expect an apartment or condo at the delivery end, with shared parking, building elevators and sometimes long carries from the truck to the door.

How the move is booked

You book with O'Brien's. Because both ends are in California, the move is performed under the California authority displayed in the 'Permitted in California' band. A mover visits your home in Truckee, itemizes the household and writes an estimate. The written estimate sets the delivery plan.

The California Bureau of Household Goods and Services publishes the state's consumer rules for household goods carriers. Compare any written estimate against them.

Planning a move this long

At this distance the main choices are timing and storage. Many households ship in late spring or early fall to avoid snow at the start and desert heat at the end. If your new home is not ready, vault storage from $40 per month in Sparks keeps the household together; see our storage between moves page.

Start with the long-distance moving checklist, and take the 10 free heavy-duty boxes that come with your in-home estimate. Pack fragile items with extra care: full packing is available for the whole home.