3 Steps to Hiring a Mover:

1. When you’ve gotten all your estimates in, compare the bids. Be wary of any company that comes in much lower than the others. Look at high bids to see where the extra costs are coming from. Call and ask questions if you don’t understand anything. If you have several reasonable-sounding bids from reputable companies, don’t be afraid to negotiate to get the best possible rate. Especially in a market where there’s lots of competition, most movers will work with you on pricing.

2. Now check out the contenders in more detail. Take the information you’ve gathered and get back online. First, make sure they’re incorporated in your state―and confirm how long they’ve been in business―by checking your secretary of state’s office. Some have searchable databases of businesses online; if not, call the number in the government pages of the phone book.

3. Next, make sure your moving company has the license and insurance it needs to move you legally. (Yes, there are movers who solicit business without the legal authority to do so.) Go to safersys.org, the website of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and enter the company’s USDOT number and click on “Search” (you can also search by name or MC number). If you have an accurate DOT number, you’ll be shown a screen with lots of information on the company. Here’s what to look for:

  • The company’s name, address, and phone numbers. Are they the same ones the company gave you?
  • The “Out of Service” field, at the upper left of the form, should say “No.”
  • The fields labeled “Power Units” and “Drivers” tell you how many trucks and drivers the company has. A company that claims to do 100 moves a month but has only two trucks deserves skeptical treatment.
  • Under “Operation Classification,” there should be an X next to “Auth. for Hire.”
  • Under “Carrier Operation,” if you are moving out of state, there should be an X next to “Interstate.”
  • Under “Cargo Carried,” there should be an X next to “Household Goods.”
  • Farther down, in the “Inspections/Crashes” section, you should be concerned if the company’s average is much higher than the national average shown. In the “Safety Rating” section, if there has been a review, the results should be “Satisfactory.”
  • At the bottom of the page, click on the “FMCSA Licensing & Insurance site” link. On the next page, click on either the “HTML” or the “Report” button under “View Details” to get to the “Motor Carrier Details” page. Under the column “Authority Type,” there are three listings: “Common,” “Contract,” and “Broker.” The “Authority Status” column to the right tells you if the company’s authority is active. At least “Common” should be listed as active, with “No” under “Application Pending.”
  • In the next table down, there should be a “Yes” under “Household Goods.”
  • The bottom table contains insurance information. A moving company is required to have both bodily-injury and property-damage (BIPD) insurance ($750,000 minimum) and cargo insurance filed. Under the heading “Insurance on File,” BIPD should be at least $750,000, and “Cargo” should say “Yes.”
  • You can also call the FMCSA to get information on the status of a company’s licensing (202-366-9805) and insurance (202-385-2423).

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 28, 2014 at 9:04 PM

    I need to move from san Jose Ca to new York. I will call you for info.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Moving & Packing Supplies do We Need for Moving?

Image
Choosing the right packing supplies is essential step for a successful move.  You need to make sure you have enough moving boxes and moving supplies in order to pack your belongings properly. Your household items should arrive at your new home without a scratch, so do not underestimate the packing process.  It is a quite time consuming and annoying job, but you have to do it precisely. Starting with your packing supplies moving list you need to make sure you have all your belonging secured, especially if you are moving long distance. First of all, you have to decide if you are packing yourself, or you are using a moving company to do it for you. Every option has its pros and cons. You can start your  search for professional movers here . Where to Buy Moving Supplies There are many options. Start by checking Craigslist for used moving supplies. There are many people that give away their moving boxes for free. This way you will save money and keep the environment c...
Read more

How To Keep From Injuring Yourself During The Move:

Image
Ask any emergency room doctor, moving day (and the days building up to the move) can be dangerous. If you take the right precautions, though, you can prevent that trip to the emergency room. Save Your Back Your back is one of the most vulnerable parts of your body, and we’ve seen people tweak their backs after lifting small boxes, not just heavy furniture. Remember to always lift from the knees, not from the back. Also, it’s a good idea to use a back brace on moving day. Save Your Knees After running up and down stairs, and back and forth to and from my car, our last moving day just about killed my knees, and they take months to heal. Knee pads and knee braces can be lifesavers during a move. At the very least, invest in some sleeves to help support your knees. Save Your Ankles Ankles rarely give you any notice before you injure them, so it’s important to be very careful. Don’t move too fast. Take slow, deliberate steps when carrying things. If you are the one who gets ...
Read more

What Are the Average Hourly Moving Costs?

Image
Whether you realize it or not, the move distance plays a major role when you’re moving to a new house or apartment. In relation to the distance between the two homes, you’ve got LOCAL MOVING : moving just across the street, moving within the same town or city, or moving to another place within the same state; CROSS-COUNTRY (INTERSTATE) MOVING : moving to another town or city in a different state in the country; INTERNATIONAL MOVING : moving to another country. And while the difficulty of the relocation will increase proportionally to the move distance, so will the cost of the residential move itself. When you’re moving locally, you need to remember that the moving company you hire will charge you  by the hour . What that basically means is that if you’re familiar with the average cost of movers per hour, you’ll be able to calculate roughly how much you will pay in the end. What are the average hourly moving costs? Hiring local movers by the hour Hiring professio...
Read more