Moving can be a stressful time, and having a good understanding of the terminology related to the industry can help make the transition smoother and less confusing.
A
Accessorial charges are any extra services that your moving company may charge you for, such as packing or uncrating or disconnecting appliances. These will always be added on top of the moving cost.
Actual charges – the total cost of the move from beginning to end, covering moving costs, warehouse fees, and any accessorial charges.
An adjuster is someone appointed by the moving company to sort out claims made on behalf of broken or lost household goods in the move.
An agent is part of a van line; they both make a team to serve customers.
AMSA stands for the American Moving & Storage Association, a group of movers committed to improving their industry, representing the companies, and pushing their ProMovers initiative.
Appliance service charge – an additional fee added when appliances, electronics, and equipment require help to be prepared for moving. This charge is used to cover the cost of hiring a certified technician to disconnect the items. The moving company will pay the technician and include the expense in the Bill of Lading.
Auxiliary (Shuttle) Services – in the event that the truck delivering inventory cannot fit at the destination, a shuttle vehicle might be used to move the goods. This is the case when the street is too slim, or the bridge leading to the location is too weak to carry the truck's weight. Aside from labor fees, there will be an additional cost for this service.
B
Bill of Lading – is a legally enforceable form that outlines every aspect of the relocation from the date of shipment to the contents loaded on the truck. It also confirms a client's contract with their moving firm.
Binding estimate is a contract between the customer and the mover that confirms the total cost of the move based on the product and services listed on it.
Non-binding estimate is an approximation of the cost provided by the carrier depending on the estimated weight of the shipment and the services requested. This is not legally binding on the carrier, and the final charges will be according to the actual weight and tariff rules in place on the day of shipment.
Booking agent is someone who accepts the order for a consumer's move and registers it up with the van line. The booking agent could either be the starting point or the destination representative.
Bulky object fee – an extra fee for big objects like pool tables that take more effort to manage.
C
A carrier is a business that takes your goods from one place to another.
Cancellation conditions outline when and how you, as the customer, can cancel the reservation without being fined. All movers are obligated to make sure that you know the timeframe within which you must cancel and what refund you will get if the payment has been made.
Сlaim is a legal demand for compensation if goods are lost, ruined, or arrive too late.
Сargo claim is a reimbursement request for broken or spoiled items during the moving job.
Cash on delivery (COD) is a payment agreement that calls for the customer to pay the moving service upon the arrival of goods at their new location.
Certificate of Insurance (COI) is vital to understand. This document informs the recipient that the moving company that is handling the delivery has taken out an insurance policy that provides liability and loss coverage up to the amount required by the building. This guarantees that any damages incurred during the process will be taken care of. In the state of New York, acquiring a COI is a must.
Сommercial shipper is someone who accepts shipments and officially signs for them once they arrive without actually taking possession of them. The shipper is responsible for payment and any corresponding liabilities.
Сonsignee is the person who gets the goods after they are carried.
Consignor – this is the individual who lets go of the items in their possession. The consignor and the consignee can be the same individual.
Coverage options – every relocation company is obligated to provide two types of coverage for out-of-state moves. These consist of Released Value Protection and Minimum Carrier Liability, both priced at 60 cents per pound.
Carrier-packed (CP) is when the mover packs the items, not the sender.
Cwt. stands for the rate per 100 pounds.
Cube listing – this is a detailing of items in a household and the amount of space, in cubic feet, they take up in a relocation truck. This amount is typically transformed into the weight to establish the moving cost quote.
D
Deadhead – the distance a transport company's truck covers with nothing in it on the way from the home base to the pick-up spot and from the drop-off area to the office.
Declared Valuation – the specified value of the items being transported. It is used for insurance reasons. If an amount is not stipulated, the tariff will determine the liability.
Delivery window is the time period that a moving company has specified for your things to be delivered to your moving destination. It will generally be based on the distance of the move and could take several days or weeks in a long-distance relocation.
Delivery Report is a record that is signed by the customer in order to confirm the delivery of the possessions at the desired location.
Destination Agent – a representative providing communications services who can furnish you with key information about the shipment.
A diversion can be described as any variance from a previously set route while the moving vehicle is en route. This could range from a change in the delivery address to additional pit stops.
The Department of Transportation (DOT), taking authority through the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA), governs the interstate transport sector, including those moving household belongings.
Door-to-Door Service – a type of service whereby furnishings and other appliances are shipped directly from the place of origin to the end destination without any layovers.
E
An Elevator Carry charge is applied if the belongings have to be taken up an elevator.
A Binding Estimate is a promise from the movers about the total cost of goods and services for the job. Unfortunately, in Illinois, these are not legal.
A Non-Binding Estimate is an agreement where the cost is estimated based on the items' weight and any extra services required during the move. An individual may contract with the mover for an expedited move at a higher cost. This would include picking up from one location and delivering to one address, with the potential of extra payment for any extra stops.
Essentials box – a box of required items that is not loaded onto the moving truck. It is intended for those who are relocating to use in the last days of an old home or the first days at a new one.
Exclusive use of vehicle – upon request and depending on availability, the customer may ask the carrier to assign a specific car to the transportation.
Extra pickup or delivery – the linehaul/transportation charge consists of the cost of picking up from only one address and delivering to a single address. Extra fees are required for any additional stops which require an extra pickup or delivery.
F
Flat rate is set according to the material items, location of pick-up and drop-off, as well, as any special conditions in the move.
Flight charges – an additional fee that applies when goods have to be transported up or down one or more flights of stairs.
For-Hire Carrier is a trucking firm in the business of delivering products to other people.
Force Majeure is the process used to finish the move when the agreement could not be fulfilled on account of factors past anyone's control.
Full-Value Protection Insurance is a form of insurance that will cover the current market value of an object, the replacement of an item, or the fee to repair it if it is broken or gone missing as a result of a moving firm during a relocation.
Furniture Blankets are thick, soft blankets designed to protect domestic machines, furniture, banisters, doorways, and walls while the move is taking place.
Full-Service Moving employs professionals to handle everything associated with relocation, like supplying supplies, packing, loading, transporting, unloading, unpacking, and even tidying up afterward.
Furniture pads are put under heavier items in a home to help move them over the floor smoothly, avoiding any unexpected destruction.
G
Government Bill of Lading involves someone shipping their items under the governmental Bill of Lading.
Gross weight is the total weight once everything has been loaded.
Guaranteed Pick-Up and Delivery Service is a supplementary service that guarantees the freight will be delivered by a specified date and time, with a fee charged if the delivery is late – this service requires items to have a minimum weight.
H
Hazard Insurance provides protection against fire, floods, wind, and other natural events.
High-Value Articles are items that are worth more than $100 per pound.
Household Goods – transportation of personal items such as the factory inventory or the shipper's property.
I
Individual shipper – the person with possession of the goods being transported, who is also the one responsible for consigning the household goods.
Inherent Vice is when an item is too fragile to move without the risk of causing it harm.
Interstate Commerce Commission is the federal agency in charge of regulating interstate transportation, including moving companies.
International moves are ones that go across national borders, no matter the distance.
Intrastate moves – moves that do not cross state lines and are not controlled by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
An inventory is a descriptive list of the number and condition of the items in a household.
Impracticable Operations – operative procedures that need special equipment or additional help due to the nature of the move.
L
Load date – the day when the shipment is picked up by a moving truck.
Local moves – moves that occur within certain areas are listed within certain tariffs, usually 40 miles or less.
Long-distance moves happen outside these designated areas and are longer than 35 miles long.
Long carry charge is incurred when the mover's truck cannot park in close proximity to your home and they need to bring items an extended distance.
Long haul is when a long-distance move crosses state lines or is greater than 450 miles.
Long-term storage. If a person needs to store their items for a month or longer, this is known as long-term storage.
Line-haul charges – charges based on distance and weight, they tend to be higher for long-distance moves.
M
Motor Carrier is an organization that gives a service involving trucks.
Moving Company works with people to transfer their possessions from one spot to another.
Moving Cost is the fee for a company to move household items to their last spot; this does not include other services or expense protection.
Moving Process involves everything related to the moving process from the beginning to the completion. This can be divided into three parts- pre-move prep, what happens on the day of the relocation, and subsequently sequenced undertakings.
N
Net weight is the weight of a shipment after the tare weight (the weight of the moving van) is subtracted from the gross weight (the figure including the full load of the van).
The Non-Allowable List includes items that moving companies cannot move because they may contaminate or damage the belongings of the mover or the customer. Examples of these items include furniture too large to fit through a doorway, items infected by bugs, hazardous chemicals, and gas tanks.
Notification of Delay is when customers are notified that their delivery will not arrive at the predicted date, with the reason for the delay and the new date specified.
O
Operating Authority is proof of endorsement from either a state or federal agency enabling a carrier to move within defined areas.
Order for Service – a legal order authorizing a moving company to transport your things.
Order for Service Number, found in the upper right corner of both the Bill of Lading and the Order for Service, can be utilized as an identification number for the customer.
Overflow – when there is not enough space in the moving truck, the extra items must be put aside until another truck can come to transport them.
The origin agent is responsible for gathering information and preparing paperwork for the customer and company at the start of the move.
P
Packed by owner (PBO) – this means that the items were or will be packed in boxes by the person moving, not by the carrier transportation company.
Packing Service is an option that can be used by relocating businesses and other third-parties to have delicate items professionally packed and unpacked for the move.
Packing supplies are sold to help pack items safely and usually consist of cardboard boxes, stretch wrap, packing paper, bubble wrap, foam sheets, packing peanuts, packing tape, and other equipment.
Pallet is a platform used for temporary storage and transportation, while permanent storage is where items are stored indefinitely.
Pick-Up and Delivery Charges are additional payments for removing your items from the warehouse and loading them for delivery.
Private carrier – a private trucking company that offers a complete logistics service that involves the sale, production, and transportation of cargo.
Peak Season Rates – the busiest time for movers is between May 15th and September 30th, which often comes with increased rates.
Pre-exited damage – harm to an item that occurred before the move.
Preferred arrival date is the one that the customer has chosen to be the most suitable.
ProMover is a label granted by the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) that is used to indicate a company is certified, trustworthy, respectable, and professional.
Q
Quote – the cost of a mover's services that is calculated after an in-home assessment, according to the customer’s individual relocating requirements.
R
Reasonable Dispatch refers to the entire service agreement fulfilled, which involves packing, loading, transporting, unloading, and obtaining the due payment. If the shipper cannot pay in excess of 110 percent of the Non-Binding Estimate and the carrier will not hand over the possessions, then this is regarded as an unreasonable dispatch.
Released Value Insurance is a federally mandated moving insurance that is complimentary and provides cover per item at 60 cents a pound, disregarding its worth.
Reweigh – a further weighing of the belongings at the demand of the customer or the transportation provider.
Road Van – a truck trailer used for long-distance relocations.
S
SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) is a U.S. federal law that sets rules for transportation expenditure. Its goal is to make transportation more secure, responsible, responsive, and efficient for all users.
A shipper is a person who is having goods shipped to their home.
Storage-in-transit (SIT) involves holding customers' household goods in a mover's warehouse until it is ready to be transported. The period of time allocated to SIT service cannot exceed 180 calendar days. After that point, the items are subject to the regulations of a local warehousing company.
Shuttle Service is the usage of a smaller vehicle to take items to areas that large movers cannot access.
Short haul is a move that is under 450 miles, and it is normally transported in a straight truck.
Straight trucks are much smaller than tractor-trailers, usually having a box of 10' to 26' in length, and they cannot be separated from the cab.
The Surface Transportation Board falls under the Department of Transportation and is in charge of regulating moving tariffs.
Survey is an on-site estimation of the items that need to be transported, and the one doing the survey will estimate the move's cost, which is not legally binding.
T
Tare weight – the weight of the moving truck, equipment and packing materials without any of the customer's items, which is utilized to calculate the customer's net weight.
Tariff is a listing outlining the rates and guidelines set by the moving company; this varies depending on whether it is a long-distance or a local move.
Transit time is the period of time it will take for the company to ship the items from pick-up to delivery at the agreed-upon spot.
U
Unpacking involves taking out the plastic and filling from furniture as well as taking out the items from the boxes and wrapping paper.
The Updater Certified Moving Company is highly rated for its customer service and dependability. This is a criterion section businesses have to meet in order to obtain this certificate.
V
Valuation is the estimation of the value of household items for liability and insurance purposes. This amount will be used by the moving company to decide how much responsibility they take for any broken or missing possessions. This can be used for both Released and Full Value coverage.
Van is any vehicle used for transporting household items, regardless of size. The person who drives the van is known as the Van Operator.
W
Warehouse handling – the cost of using workers for unloading or delivery for a storage-in-transit (SIT) job.
Y
Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move – this document, released by the government, is a useful resource for those who are planning a move. It is designed to provide a clearer understanding of the various steps involved, such as dealing with paperwork, obtaining estimates, submitting claims, and selecting insurance.
