The General Moving Requirements

FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) regulations matter. They protect all customers of interstate moves. Plus, they define responsibilities and rights for shippers and consumers who wants to start a trucking company. These responsibilities and rights also apply to movers/household goods carriers. Did a household goods carrier supply you with this document? If so, it’s to give you crucial information about moving rules and policies. Are you a freight or cargo carrier in need of motor carrier authority? If so, you're in the right spot for all operating authority needs.

The FMCSA’s rules and policies affect any individual shipper of household goods. So, what is your main responsibility? It is to understand all terms and conditions associated with a bill of lading. (The bill of lading refers to the official moving contract.) This way, you’ll understand what to do if problems take place trucking authority pack. The key is to protect your move at all costs. You can do so through hiring a household goods mover with a first-rate reputation. (Or, a household goods broker.) You've also got to make sure you understand terms and conditions in the moving contract. Plus, there are remedies that you can access if problems take place. Does your business need to learn some key information about providing warehouse receipts? Carriers are not the only entity that benefits from using published tariffs.

Interstate Transportation Regulations

FMCSA regulations focus on many different types of US motor carriers, US Dot Number. So, what are two of the most common forms of carriers? They are those that engage in the interstate transportation of household goods. Second, FMCSA policies also apply to brokers arranging for this style of transportation. There are many FMCSA moving regulations. They ensure that movers execute specific services and give customers certain documents. Does your company provide state-of-the-art employee packets?

Let’s go over when the FMCSA’s regulations apply toward a mover. The government focuses on movers transporting household goods. They do so using a motor vehicle, BOC-3 in foreign or interstate commerce. This means that a mover is going from one state to another state. Or, the mover’s transporting goods to another country. Some FMCSA regulations might not apply UCR Registration. This can happen if a move takes place inside a commercial zone. Or, if a move’s between two specific points within one state.

Hiring Qualified Brokers & Movers

Qualified brokers and movers must get registered with the FMCSA, MC Number. Only then can they take part in interstate operations. These operations refer to interstate transportation of a customer’s household goods. A qualified mover will explain to you whether he or she operates as a mover or broker Ca Number in California. So, what does a household goods broker do? The broker arranges the transportation of a shipment of goods. But a broker never provides line-haul transportation. Only a household goods mover can transport a shipment. Every household goods mover or broker must provide you with specific information. This has to take place before a move Hotshot Package. A customer can expect to secure access to the following information:

-Moving estimate in written form

-A brochure detailing FMCSA policies

-Information describing the arbitration program of the mover

-A written notice focusing on accessing the tariff of the mover

-The steps for how to handle claims

-A list of your rights and responsibilities when moving, per the FMCSA

Make sure that you stay away from movers/brokers who do not have FMCSA registration. Also, avoid brokers and movers that won’t perform a survey of your household goods, Texas Dot. A company that demands cash only transactions should also get avoided. You can use the FMCSA website to see if your broker or mover’s registered. Or, you're welcome to contact Moving Authority for help.

The Responsibilities of the Moving Customer

Every moving company has certain responsibilities. These responsibilities also apply to the moving customer. These include:

-Reading every moving document that a broker or mover provides.

-Arriving at the time of delivery and pickup for your shipment. If you can't arrive on time, have a representative show up on your behalf.

-Notifying the mover in advance if details about your shipment change. (The date of the move, extra goods to move, etc.)

-Paying the exact amount that’s charged by the mover.

-Using the form of payment that you've agreed to use with the mover.

-Filing damage, loss, and delay claims with the mover in a prompt manner.

Moving Company Estimates

There are two crucial aspects to understand that relate to interstate moves. First, a moving customer must understand the types of moving estimates offered. Second, the customer must know about the mover’s liability if there’s loss or damage. Movers can provide two different types of estimates. There’s either the binding or non-binding estimate. The form of estimate that you choose matters. It affects how shipment charges will get calculated. There are two liability coverage options. The first option is Full (Replacement) Value Protection. The second liability coverage option is Waiver of Full (Replacement) Value Protection. (This refers to the “60 cents per pound” FMCSA policy. Filing a Form BOC 3 is important for more than receiving FMCSA authority. It’s also crucial for maintaining that service for a long period of time. Is your organization in need of UCR registration? If so, you've come to the right spot.

The FMCSA ensures that movers provide written estimates. They must do so for every shipment that gets transported. Keep in mind that a mover’s verbal quote of charges does not count. Since this style of estimate isn’t in writing, it's not an official estimate. A mover has to give you a written estimate featuring all charges. These include accessorial, advanced, and transportation charges. Each written estimate has to get signed and dated by you and your mover. Say that your mover provides you with an estimate. It should feature a statement that notifies you of liability coverage options. There’s Full (Replacement) Value Protection and Waiver of Full (Replacement) Value Protection. But there’s also Released Value of 60 cents per pound per article. MC numbers are very important for trucking organizations. The number gives many companies the authority to operate.

Are you moving from a place within a 50 mile radius of your mover’s business? (Or, within a 50 mile radius of your broker’s or agent’s business?) If so, the moving estimate gets based on the physical survey of household goods. But you can waive this requirement in written form. And you must do so before the shipment gets loaded. A broker can only provide an estimate if there’s a written agreement in place. Plus, the broker must use the mover’s published tariff. You and the mover can decide to change an estimate of moving charges. But that can only happen before the shipment of goods gets loaded. How Do You Fill Out Carrier agreements for Household Goods?

A Binding Estimate

So what is the purpose of a binding estimate? It guarantees that you cannot pay more than what the estimate states. But say you add more items to the shipment. Or, you ask for more moving services to take place. The mover can agree to uphold the original binding estimate. Or, the mover can negotiate a new binding estimate. Sometimes movers even convert binding estimates into non-binding estimates. Say the mover doesn’t provide you with a new binding estimate in written form. Or, the mover doesn’t agree in writing to convert the estimate into non-binding status. That’s when the original binding estimate gets reaffirmed. Within these conditions, a mover shouldn’t charge more than the original amount. This refers to the services and quantities featured in the original estimate. Is your company considering acquiring hotshot authority?

Now, let’s say unforeseen circumstances take place on the day of delivery. For example, your new building could have stairs that the mover wasn’t made aware of. The mover can bill you for extra expenses after thirty days from delivery. This refers to charges for services because of impracticable operations. These charges can't exceed 15 percent of all other charges due at delivery. Any remaining charges then get billed to the customer within thirty days. Say that you cannot pay 100 percent of the charges for a binding estimate. Your mover can then place the shipment in storage at your expense. You’ll get the shipment back once you pay the charges and cost of storage. Does Your Company Need To Join an Alcohol and Drug Program for Testing?

The Non-Binding Estimate

Many moving customers opt to go with the non-binding estimate. It can help provide a customer with an estimated cost of every move. This estimate never guarantees the final moving costs. But it must focus on accuracy. A non-binding estimate details final charges. These charges get based on the weight of each shipment. But that’s not all. The estimate also factors the services provided. Plus, it assesses the published tariff of the mover. This means the amount of a mover’s non-binding estimate can vary. It’s sometimes different from the final amount that a customer has to pay. Every non-binding estimate must appear in written form. The estimate has to describe all provided services and the shipment itself. Our Broker Authority Mover Package is all-inclusive. It contains everything that moving companies need within a single package.

There are more FMCSA rules associated with the non-binding estimate. A mover can't force a customer to pay over 110 percent of an original estimate. (This relates to the time of delivery.) But that doesn’t excuse a customer from paying all due charges on a shipment. Each mover can bill a customer for all remaining charges. This will take place 30 day after delivery. A mover has to give you ownership of your shipment. That’s the case as long as you pay 110 percent of your non-binding estimate. Or, you pay 100 percent of your binding estimate. (Plus, a 15 percent impracticable operations charge, if it applies to your move.) Say that your mover does not give up possession of your goods. This means the mover is holding your shipment hostage. Oftentimes, this is a violation of federal law. A moving claims package can benefit both moving companies and customers.

New York Tariff are documents that correlate pricing and laws set out by NYDOT.

The Mover’s Liability & the Claims of the Customer

Each mover holds legal liability for damage and loss. This applies to more than only the transportation of a shipment. It also applies to all related services featured in your bill of lading. Mover’s liability gets governed through an official Released Rates Order. (The Surface Transportation Board supervises this order.) Do you need a copy of the most recent Released Rates Order? You can access it on the official website of the Surface Transportation Board. Check Start a Trucking Company With a US DOT Number. If you are a motor carrier within California state lines, you have to have a CA DOT number.

Some movers decide to sell customers separate third-party liability insurance. But there is no US law stating that a mover has to do that. Every moving company has to assume liability. That liability relates to the value of household goods in transport. Remember- there are two different types of interstate moving liability. There’s Full (Replacement) Value Protection. And there is also Waiver of Full (Replacement) Value Protection - Released Value. Please contact Moving Authority if you need help understanding these concepts. One of our moving industry experts can go over common charges that apply. Plus, we can explain the level of protection that each form of liability provides. Moving Authority specializes in providing world-class Broker Authority Freight Packages.