Movers Glossary

A

Accessorial (Additional) Services - services such as packing, unpacking, extra stop, shuttle that performed (or you request to be are necessary because of landlord requirements or other special circumstances). Charges for these services are in addition at the transportation cost. Booking, origin, hauling and /or destination services.

Agent - an affiliated moving company authorized to act on behalf of the van line. The agent may handle the

B

Bill of Lading - customer’s receipt for goods and contract for transportation. The customer’s signature acknowledges that the household goods can be loaded on the van and released to the carrier.

Binding/Non - Binding Estimate - a binding estimate is an agreement made in advance between the customer and the mover that guarantees the total cost of the move based on the quantities and services shown on the estimate. A non - binding estimate is the carrier’s approximation of the cost based on the estimated weight of the shipment and the accessorial services requested. A non - binding estimate is not binding on the carrier and the final charges will be based on the actual weight and tariff provisions in effect on the day of the load.

Booking Agent - The booking agent accepts the order for the customer’s move and registers it with the van line. The booking agent may or may not be the destination or origin agent.

Bulky Articles - to ensure safe transportation, some articles in the shipment for example: Big screen TVs, Spas. Motorcycles, etc. Require extra care and handling. Our tariff provides a schedule of extra charges for such articles.

C

Carrier - The moving company providing interstate transportation of household goods under whose Department of Transportation registration the shipment is moved.

Claim - statement of loss, damage, or delay to a household good shipment while in the care, or control of the carrier of carrier or its affiliated agent.

COD (cash on delivery) - A shipment where the customer pays the moving charges at the time of delivery. For COD shipments, payment is required in cash or by money order or cashier’s check. If a credit card is used, it must be arranged with the booking agent because authorization is required prior to loading. Personal checks are not accepted.

D

Department of Transportation (DOT) - The federal agency which, through the surface Transportation Board, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, within the DOT, governs the interstate transportation industry, including movers of household goods.

Diversion - When a customer changes the destination of their shipment after it is en route, transportation charges shall be calculated from the point of origin, to the point at which the carrier is able to effect the diversion, plus the transportation charge for the diversion point to the new destination point.

Destination Agent - The agent designated, in the destination area, is to be available to assist or provide information regarding the shipment to the customer or the van operator.

E

Exclusive Use of Vehicle - upon request and subject to availability, the customer may request and the carrier may provide an exclusive unit for a shipment. Transportation charges are based on actual weight subject to specific minimum weights.

Extra Labor - hourly labor charge (15 minute minimum) for performing any requested services, for which specific fees are not published. This generally covers activities such as removing and placing items in attics, crawlspaces, packing and unpacking services rendered

Extra Pickup or Delivery - Line haul and Transportation charge includes pickup from a single address and delivery to a single address. Additional charges are assessed for each stop or call requiring and additional pickup or delivery.

F

Fuel Surcharge - The carrier’s tariff provides for a percentage adjustment to the transportation charge (SIT Pickup and Delivery) to aid in the recovery of the increased cost of fuel. The surcharge, which can change monthly, is based upon the Nation average cost of diesel as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Full Service Packing & Unpacking - Hundredweight rates that apply based on the weight of the shipment when the carrier is requested by shipper to pack or unpack the complete shipment. The full service packing rates include cartons and packing labor. The full service unpacking crates include the unpacking of carrier packed cartons and the removal of debris.

H

High Valued Articles Inventory Form - The Carrier will have you fill out a high value inventory form to list items included in a shipment that are valued at more than $100.00 per pound to ensure they are protected accordingly.

I

Insurance Related General Increase - The carrier’s tariff provides for a percentage adjustment to the transportation charge to aid in the recovery of the increased cost of carriers and van line operator’s liability insurance expenses.

Inventory - A detailed descriptive list of items in the shipment and their condition before loaded.

M

Method of Payment - Payment must be in the form of cash, travelers check, money order; a bank cashiers check or a credit card. Credit Card Payment must be pre - approved prior to loading. Personal checks are not accepted.

N

Non Allowable Items - The Carrier will not accept shipment property that will contaminate or damage the carrier’s property or the property of other customers, nor will it remove items that would damage the article or the premises, Such as Chemicals, propane tanks, or furniture that will not fit through the doorways. Further, the carrier will not accept liability for items of a perishable nature, such as Food, Wine or Plants, etc.

O

Order for Service - document authorizing the Moving Company to transport your Household items.

Order Number (BOL) - Number is used to identify the customers shipment and appears on the upper right corner of the Order for Service and the Bill Of Lading. This number should be used whenever the carrier is contacted.

Origin & Destination Service Charge - a Hundredweight rate that applies based on the weight of the shipment plus any weight additives and location where the shipment is picked up and delivered. The charges compensate the carrier for basic handling and servicing of the shipment. Includes services such as elevator, stairs and excessive distance carrier, piano and organ flight carries, and additional transportation charge, basic appliance servicing and on shipment moving trans border between the United States and Canada, the import and export service charge.

Origin Agent - The Agent designated in the origin area to be available for preliminary readying of the shipment before movement and / or to provide information regarding the customers move.

Overflow - When Articles to be shipped are left behind due to insufficient space on the Carriers vehicle. An additional vehicle is then utilized for transportation and delivery.

Overtime Loading & Unloading Service - If you request loading or unloading on a specific date which is a Saturday or Sunday or a holiday, overtime charge, based on the weight of you shipment is assessed. This is also true if you request the service to be performed after working hours between 5 pm and 8 am., on any week day or when prevailing laws ordinances or landlord requirements will not allow loading/unloading during normal working hours on week days.

P

PBO - (Packed By Owner) when articles are packed by the customer for moving.

R

Reweight - Before the actual initiation of the unloading of your shipment, you may request a reweight of the shipment. If a reweight is performed the actual charges will be based upon the reweight weight, regardless of whether the reweigh weight, is higher or lower than the first weight of he shipment. If you request a reweigh, you must waive you right to witness said reweigh in writing.

S

Shuttle Service - Used if the assigned over the road van is unable to make a normal pickup or delivery because of physical constraints (extremely narrow road, inadequate parking area or the truck, weak bridge, etc.)A shuttle service is the use of a secondary, smaller vehicle to complete the pickup or delivery. Charges for this service are based on the weight of the shipment and the location where the service is performed.

Storage in transit (SIT) - temporary storage of your household goods in the warehouse of the carrier’s agent, pending further transportation at a later date. SIT service may not exceed a total of 180 calendar days. After 180 days, the interstate nature of the shipment ends and is converted to the rules of the local warehouseman.

Survey - performed by an agent to examine the customer’s belongings in order to develop an estimate of move charges.

T

Tariff - a publication containing the carrier’s rates, rules and regulations for services performed, applicable to the customer’s move.

Third Party Services - Performed by someone other than the carrier or its agents at your request or required by federal, state or local low. ( appliance servicing, crating).

U

Unpacking - removing the customer’s items from containers and placing them on a flat surface, as well as the disposal of such containers and packing materials. If ordered, unpacking service must be performed at the time of delivery unless requested otherwise.

V

Valuation - Tariff based coverage for a customer’s household goods while they are in the care, custody and control of the carrier. Valuation is Not insurance.

Van Operator - Overseas the loading, hauling and unloading of you possessions.

W

Waiting Time - if you are unable to accept delivery of your shipment within the free waiting time (2 hours) after notification of arrival at destination, you may request waiting time until delivery can be made. There is a charge for the vehicle and manpower for each hour between 8 am and 5 pm. Local time (excluding Sundays or state/national holidays). The alternative is unloading your shipment at an agent’s warehouse. You will have storage, handling and delivery from warehouse expensed, and consequently it may be less expensive to pay for waiting time, if it is not for an excessive length of time. The carrier is not obligated to provide waiting time, but we will do so when it does not result in the delay in the delivery of other customers’ shipments or does not cause other undue inconvenience to the carrier.

Weight Additive - some articles included in a shipment (boats trailers, camper shells, canoes, etc). are comparatively light and occupy space in the moving vehicle that is not commensurate with their weight. For example, one might load 5,000 pounds of furniture and cartons in the space taken by a 1,500 pound boat. To compensate for this inequity, our tariff provides a schedule of additional weights for such articles.