Déménagement Myette: the environmentally-conscious moving company
At 11 a.m. sharp, the movers arrive at my apartment. The two men have come prepared, and quickly, they begin unpacking their equipment. They start unloading and stacking blankets, ropes, tool boxes and tape. They talk amongst themselves, examine my stairs and point towards my door. They are discussing their game plan. After a few minutes, the men are almost ready to start the big move. Only one thing remains before the heavy lifting: their bikes need to be laid strategically on their side.
For the past eight years, Déménagement Myette has been moving apartments and offices of all sizes across the island of Montreal…on bikes. Julien Myette founded the company in 2008 after quitting his desk job to pursue his two great passions in life: cycling and the environment.
“Julien never uses a car,” said Matthew Gaines, spokesperson of the company, with a laugh. “He bikes everywhere.”
Since its opening, the company has built a good reputation, earning rave reviews on Google, and countless interviews and features in major media outlets such as The Globe and Mail, La Presse and Radio-Canada. The type of moving service offered is unlike anything else on the market. With friendly service, lower rates and lower CO2 emissions than companies that rely on trucks, Déménagement Myette has created an environmentally-conscious moving experience.
“It’s very nice to work for a company with values that I believe in,” said Gaines, who has been working for the company for three years.
The process for booking the movers is the same as with any other moving company. The information for the move is entered online or over the phone, an estimate is provided and, if the client decides to move forth, a date and approximate time is set. What comes after the booking is what steers far from the ordinary.
Gaines explained that, on average, the company sends two movers for a job. The movers arrive with trailers attached to their bikes. The size of the trailers depend on the size of the move. The ones that pulled up to my place were about as long as the bikes themselves, but not much wider than the average desk. The company’s largest trailer can hold up to 300 kilograms, said Gaines. To place the items on the trailers, the movers wrap and tape each item rapidly yet carefully in large blue blankets. Afterwards, they begin stacking the items on the trailers as if they’re playing a game of Tetris. Ropes with locks are used to secure the items in place.
While it sounds like quite the process, on average, an entire move with the company, including transportation, takes less than three hours. The company moves anywhere on the island with a maximum distance of 15 kilometers. There is only one item the company doesn’t move: pianos.
As the last piece of furniture is placed in my new bedroom, one of the men walks over to me with a smile, wiping his sweaty palms on his shorts before handing me the bill for the move. The amount is approximately $100 less than what any other moving company offered for the same date. I make the payment and chat with the men for a good 10 minutes. We say our friendly goodbyes, and out the door and on their bikes the pair goes—with pep in their pedal, on to the next move.
