Handled with care: “JLT – The Caring Movers”
East Denver LIVING WELL Magazine
Simply moving people’s possessions is not what JL Transport, called “JLT – The Caring Movers,” is all about. Moving people with patience, kindness and generosity are what they really do.
Jim Lockard has spent his life serving others. As a first sergeant in the Air Force he learned to take care of his troops. As a casualty officer, he assisted veterans with the loss of their spouse, and would often grab his pickup truck, a few young airmen and head over to a person’s house to help them pack-up. Lockard says, “Their biggest stress after the funeral is thinking – now I have to move.” He says many families struggled with downsizing and feeling emotionally overwhelmed.
Lockard also served military retirees and families dealing with the death of someone on active duty. He helped people in 31 counties in northern Colorado, Wyoming and Kansas. When that ended, he couldn’t stop being there for others during times of trouble. “I believe it’s my obligation to step-up,” Lockard says. To continue serving, he started his business, JLT, in early September of 2007. Lockard and his crew have been carefully transporting treasures ever since.
With his experience, Lockard knows all about complex issues like Social Security, survivor benefits, veteran’s benefits and more. So he decided to make moving seniors and Veterans his niche. Lockard says he enjoys serving what he calls the greatest generation “… those who went to war and those who stayed at home and contributed in civil efforts.” He also started a nonprofit called Wounded Warriors Impacting Neighbors (WWIN) to assist post 9/11 wounded veterans (wwin4warriors.com), a passion he has for the most wounded or our warriors.
The services JLT offers would make anyone feel more comfortable while dealing with a big life change. You might expect a mover to simply tell an individual about the costs and services provided. Instead, Lockard and his employees sit down with the senior and their family and simply listen to what services they really require. Lockard says, “We just answer the need. We don’t have a set of rules that we only do this task or that.”
The list of services JLT provides is amazing. It includes things like:
- Ensure client is moved safely and made comfortable quickly.
- Provide professional and secure assistance.
- Take items to donation centers, or disposing of them.
- Helping to unpack and set up items in the new living arrangement.
Lockard says these kinds of services are included to aid people in making decisions and to take some of the stress away. “It kind of gives people a sense of confidence and security about who they were dealing with.” Of course, offering great services is a smart thing for any business to do. But for Lockard, it all comes down to something more, something he calls respect. “This might be their last move. That single item they choose to move has history and deserves to arrive without being broken, “Lockard says.
The people at JLT will not only help to lift the heavy emotional weight that comes in a senior move, they help lift the financial weight as well. When you work with Lockard and his professional staff, you’ll find out there are no hidden fees.
Here are the details on moving costs for seniors and veterans:
- You’ll pay $369.50 for the first two hours. That price includes two men, a truck and insurance.
- Each additional hour costs $98.50.
- No extra fees for things like stairs, trip fees, moving on weekends or holiday’s etc.
Lockard can keep prices down because he owns all of his trucks and he doesn’t use sub-contractors, which cuts hefty insurance costs. That’s important because it means only Lockard and his crew handle every item. Plus, the insurance provides for the costs of actually replacing an item. Lockard says many movers base their insurance prices on the industry norm of .60 per lbs. per item, and not the actual value.
There are a lot of other extra services too. Need storage or shipping? JLT can provide it! And unlike most movers, JL Transport will go anywhere in the continental U.S. to meet unique client needs.
It’s this kind of integrity that makes JLT’s signature line, “The Caring Movers,” really ring true. Lockard says he never wants to be a big giant company. “I want to always be successful feeling the warmth of the relationship with the client. Otherwise, I’d just close the doors.”
Instead, JLT’s doors are always open to serve you.
Let us make your next move more comfortable. Call us at 303-371-7100 or visit our website at thecaringmovers.com.
