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Moving Terminology
Accessorial (Additional) Services: Extra tasks that a mover is required to carry out, including packing, unpacking or any additional stopovers. You will have to pay extra charges for these additional services.
Agent: A local moving company, affiliated with and endorsed by a national company to function on its behalf at the starting or end point of the move.
Air Waybill: This is a document that is signed by an air carrier and a customer, which serves as both a receipt of the goods and as a transportation contract.
American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA): A national organization representing moving companies which works to promote the collective goals of the transportation industry.
Bill of Lading: The written receipt, provided by the mover, of the goods to be transported, which also functions as a contract between mover and customer.
Non-Binding vs. Binding Estimates:
A Binding Estimate, as the name suggests, is a fixed total price for all services required for a move, which combined the order for service and the bill of lading. The basis for this price is the expected services required to be provided by your mover during the relocation. The agreed upon cost is subject to change in the event that additional services are required, or the quantity of items or distance traveled is greater than the figures originally provided by the customer.
A Non-Binding Estimate is based on the mover's past experience with moving jobs similar in nature. Estimates that are non-binding may be subject to change.
Carrier: The mover responsible for the transportation of one's property.
Claim: A report that a customer's property was damaged or lost while in the possession of the mover or an agent authorized by the mover.
C.O.D (Cash on Delivery): The payment which must be provided to your mover after delivering your goods to the specified final destination or to a warehouse. Decide in advance the method of payment - cash, credit or check.
Cost of the Move: Hourly rates or weight rates are normally used to calculate moving costs. Some other important variables in determining the moving cost are the distance of the move and its final destination. For local or short moves, rates are usually calculated by the hour, while for long distance moves, rates are set according to weight. Extra charges and/or insurance fees may apply, and are not included in the cost of the move.
Department of Transportation: This is the federal agency which is in charge of interstate transportation.
Depreciation: Lowering of the value of a property.
Door-to-Door Service: The services provided by your mover between the point of origin and the point of destination. An important feature of Door-to-Door service is that it does not include services like warehouse handling, storage during transit, etc.
Door-to-Port Service: Either by sea or air, services rendered from the point of origin to arrival of the cargo at the destination city. Door-to-port services do not include storage-in-transit, custom duties, warehouse handling, and other related services.
Expedited Service: Customers can request that their mover deliver their cargo on a particular predetermined date. This service will cost extra.
Flight Charge: A mover's added fee for hauling your material up or down stairs, at your previous residence, your new home, or both.
Freight: Objects intended for transport or shipment.
Full Service Mover: The full service mover will take care of every detail of the move i.e. packing, loading, hauling, and unloading.
Guaranteed Pickup and Delivery Service: A top quality service provided by the mover, with pickup and delivery dates set and guaranteed in advance. The customer will be reimbursed appropriately in the event of any delays. There are usually minimum weight requirements for this special service.
Hauler: The agent or van operator that transports possessions with his or her own equipment.
Homeowner's Insurance Policy: A type of residential insurance covering both the house and everything inside it. Household goods may be partially covered while in transit.
Household Goods: Personal possessions being used in your home.
Interstate Move: Any move that crosses a state line.
Intrastate Move: Any move to another location within the same state. It usually exceeds 40 miles, or 64 km.
Inventory: A detailed list, specifying the number and the state of each of the items to be shipped. The mover should attach the inventory to the bill of lading, and load the items onto the moving van only AFTER getting approval from the customer. If a customer needs to file a claim for damages to his or her property during transit, a detailed inventory can come in handy.
License: Movers must have a license issued by the correct official authorities in order to conduct moves on a local, intrastate, and interstate basis. Unlicensed movers may be cheaper, but their insurance, safety standards, and financial standards will almost certainly be lower than those of licensed movers.
Local Move: If the move does not exceed a distance of 40 miles (64km.) and is within state boundaries, it is considered as a local move. Typically, local moves are charged by hourly rates.
Non-Allowables (Prohibited Items): There are certain things that cannot be accepted for shipment. Prohibited items include chemicals, pesticides and other flammable, corrosive or explosive items as well as food, plants and other perishables that may spoil in transit.
Movers also refuse to ship valuable or sentimental items (important documents, jewelry, etc.), and they will assume no responsibility if these items come into their possession without their knowledge.
Order for Service: The details of a move are specified in this initial document your mover provides, and include a cost estimate, dates for pick-up and delivery and the list of services that your mover is expected to provide. The customer and mover sign an order for service prior to transporting the customer's belongings, although it is not a binding contract.
Overflow: When the moving trucks scheduled for the job cannot fit all your belongings. An additional moving truck will be used to move any remaining objects.
Packing Service: Customers who opt for full-service moving, will benefit from professional packing and unpacking services which your mover provides.
Peak Season Rate: At certain times of the year moving services charge higher rates. Summertime is a perfect example.
Permanent Storage: Storage of goods for an unlimited period of time. Permanent storage will begin immediately after the initial storage-in-transit period expires.
Your Rights and Responsibilities: This is a booklet compiled by the Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration (FMCSA) that specifies your rights and responsibilities as a consumer planning an interstate move.
Self-Service Mover: Under the provision of Self-Service Moving, the customer is required to pack and load his or her goods onto the truck, after which goods are moved by the driver. The customer unloads the vehicle at the destination point, and after all the boxes have been removed, the mover picks it up.
Shuttle Service: When a larger moving van is restricted by physical constraints, a smaller size vehicle is used to transport items to or from a location.
Storage-in-Transit: When you move, your new residence may not be quite ready for occupation. The 'storage-in-transit' option can be defined as the interim period during which a customer's belongings go into storage, indicating that it is a temporary stopover before the goods are delivered to their final destination.
Valuables stored in such a facility, will be taken care of by a moving company or by a trusted local warehouse. During this period, the customer will comply with the rates, terms and conditions agreed upon at the time the bill of lading was signed. After this initial period ends, the goods will be placed in permanent storage, with access determined by the warehouse operator. Customers will thereupon be subject to the rules and regulations of the warehouse.
Tariff: This is a list detailing charges and rates for interstate moves which your mover provides.
Valuation: Valuation is the liability coverage most moving companies provide instead of insurance. The extent of the liability is agreed upon and specified in the bill of lading. It is recommended that you purchase additional insurance because the valuation is usually quite low.
Bear in mind that you have three types of valuation to select from. Your choice should be based on the type of shipment and the value of what you are shipping.
- Declared Value: This valuation is based on the shipped items' total weight. The depreciated value of the damaged property is used for calculating the reimbursement.
- Lump Sum Value or Assessed Value: In the event of transporting priceless and valuable items, this valuation is recommended.
- Full Value Protection: The customer is reimbursed for any lost or damaged items.
The bill of lading should specify in detail the explicit valuation terms.
Warehouse Handling: Additional costs charged by your mover while your goods are placed in storage-in-transit.
Registered in the American movers directory.