Moving Definitions

Accessorial (Additional) Services: These are services such as packing, appliance servicing, unpacking, or shuttle services that either you request to be performed or that are necessary because of landlord requirements or other special circumstances. Charges for these services may be in addition to the line haul charges.

Advanced Charges: These are charges for services performed by someone other than the mover. A professional, craftsman, or other third party may perform these services at your request. The mover pays for these services and adds the charges to your bill of lading.

Advertisement: This is any communication to the public in connection with an offer or sale of any interstate household goods transportation service. This will include written or electronic database listings of your mover’s name, address, and telephone number in an online database. This excludes listings of your mover’s name, address, and telephone number in a telephone directory or similar publication. However, Yellow Pages advertising is included within this definition.

Agent: A local moving company authorized to act on behalf of a larger, national company.

Appliance Service by Third Party: The preparation of major electrical appliances to make them safe for shipment. Charges for these services may be in addition to the line haul charges.

Bill of Lading: The receipt for your goods and the contract for their transportation.

Carrier: The mover transporting your household goods.

Certified Scale: Any scale designated for weighing motor vehicles, including trailers or semi-trailers not attached to a tractor, and certified by an authorized scale inspection and licensing authority. A certified scale may also be a platform or warehouse type scale that is properly inspected and certified.

Cash on Delivery (COD): Payment is required at the time of delivery (before unloading) at the destination residence (or warehouse).

Estimate, Binding: This is an agreement made in advance with your mover. It guarantees the total cost of the move based upon the quantities and services shown on the estimate.

Estimate, Non-Binding: This is what your mover believes the cost will be, based upon the estimated weight of the shipment and the accessorial services requested. This estimate is not binding on the mover. The final charges will be based upon the actual weight of your shipment, the services provided, and the tariff provisions in effect.

Expedited Service: An agreement with the mover to perform transportation by a set date in exchange for charges based on a higher minimum weight.

Flight Charge: A charge for carrying items up or down flights of stairs. Charges for these services may be in addition to the line haul charges.

Guaranteed Pickup and Delivery Service: An additional level of service featuring guaranteed dates of service. Your mover will provide reimbursement to you for delays. This premium service is often subject to minimum weight requirements.

High Value Article: These are items included in a shipment valued at more than $100 per pound ($220 per kilogram).

Household Goods: As used in connection with transportation, the personal effects or property used, or to be used, in a dwelling, when part of the equipment or supplies of the dwelling. Transportation of household goods must be arranged and paid for by you or by another individual on your behalf. This may include items moving from a factory or a store when you purchase them to use in your dwelling. You must request that these items be transported, and you (or another individual on your behalf) must pay the transportation charges to the mover.

Inventory: The detailed descriptive list of your household goods showing the number and condition of each item.

Line Haul Charges: The charges for the vehicle transportation portion of your move. These charges, if separately stated, apply in addition to the accessorial charges.

Long Carry: A charge for carrying articles excessive distances between the mover's vehicle and your residence. Charges for these services may be in addition to the line haul charges.

Mover: A motor carrier engaged in the transportation of household goods and its household goods agents.

Order (Bill of Lading) Number: The number used to identify and track your shipment.

Order for Service: The document authorizing the mover to transport your household goods.

Peak Season Rates: Higher line haul charges applicable during the summer months.

Pickup and Delivery Charges: Separate transportation charges applicable for transporting your shipment between the storage-in-transit warehouse and residence.

Reasonable Dispatch: The performance of transportation on the dates, or during the period of time, agreed upon by you and your mover and shown on the Order for Service/Bill of Lading. For example, if your mover deliberately withholds any shipment from delivery after you offer the binding estimate or 110 percent of a non-binding estimate (on an interstate move), your mover has not transported the goods with reasonable dispatch. The term reasonable dispatch excludes transportation provided under your mover’s tariff provisions requiring guaranteed service dates. Your mover will have the defense of force majeure, i.e., that the contract cannot be performed owing to causes that are outside the control of the parties and that could not be avoided by exercise of due care.

Shuttle Service: The use of a smaller vehicle to provide service to residences not accessible to the mover's normal line haul vehicles.

Storage In Transit (SIT): The temporary warehouse storage of your shipment pending further transportation, with or without notification to you. If you cannot accept delivery on the agreed-upon date or within the agreed upon time period (for example, because your home is not ready to occupy), your mover may place your shipment in SIT without notifying you. In those circumstances, you will be responsible for the added charges for the SIT service, as well as the warehouse handling and final delivery charges. However, your mover also may place your shipment into SIT if your mover was able to make delivery before the agreed-upon date (or before the first day of the agreed upon delivery period), but you did not concur with early delivery. In those circumstances, your mover must notify you immediately of the SIT, and your mover is fully responsible for redelivery charges, handling charges, and storage charges.

Tariff: An issuance (in whole or part) containing rates, rules, regulations, classifications, or other provisions. The Surface Transportation Board requires that a tariff contain three specific items. First, an accurate description of the services the mover offers to the public. Second, the specific applicable rates (or the basis for calculating the specific applicable rates). Third, service terms for services offered to the public.

Valuation: The degree of worth of the shipment. The valuation charge compensates the mover for assuming a greater degree of liability than is provided for in its base transportation charges.

Warehouse Handling: A charge may be applicable each time SIT service is provided. Charges for these services may be in addition to the line haul charges. This charge compensates the mover for the physical placement and removal of items within the warehouse.