Before we discusses what is required with your long distance mover you should fist understand exactly what is a “long distance move”
First of all the name can be misleading, for the most part, if you move to another state regardless of the actual distance from origin to destination this would be a long distance move, at the same time if you move within the same state but over 50 or 100 mils away depending on the individual carrier the move would also be considered long distance.
The pricing for long distance moves is determined by the weight of the shipment.
Now that you know what is a long distance move is lest discuss the licensure and insurance that long distance mover is required to have:
Any company that handles long distance moves must have a federal identification number knows as the united state department of transportation number.
The USDOT number is a way for the government to identify a particular carrier when collecting information from audits, complaint reviews, inspections and other resources.
It is also used as a tool for enforcing and monitoring safety regulations.
The USDOT number is so important to 20 states require all moving company local mover or long distance movers to carry one.
In additional to the requirement of transportation, long distance movers must be register with the FMCSA, this operating authority is more complex then the USDOT network and outlines the precise type of operations, cargo regulations and areas that a carrier can operate.
The FMCSA also dictates a level of insurance a company must maintain.
Keep note of this mandatory amount so you can compare numbers when you call the movers, you can also ask to see the companies actual insurance certificate so you can get the most honest compares.
Now that you know how movers must be resisted check the FMCSA web site to see if your moving company is registered just make sure that the number on the truck match those found in the FMSCA systems, if they don’t have a number you might want to use a different company – it is a good idea to double check that your movers can indeed transport your belongings to and from your desired locations this way your goods won’t held hostage by an illegal moving company.
Some older long distance carrier may also have an inner state commerce commissions motor carrier number , though the commissions was abolished in 1995 many companies that have the older numbers still display in next to there USDOT number though these number are no longer valid they are a sign of a well established company.
These are the basics of the proper licensure and insurance of long distance moving companies.
If you need any more information about your up coming move remember to check of our other resource on www.moversatwork.com.
