SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

Moving Company Rates and Rate Disputes

October 16, 2018 by michael.booth

The Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs and Compliance (OPAGAC) may be able to answer questions about rates and charges assessed by a moving company, and/or to work with a customer to resolve a dispute over a moving company’s rates and charges.  In providing this assistance, OPAGAC will typically:

• Gather information from the customer about the dispute, including a copy of the mover’s original written estimate, bill of lading, invoice, and other shipping documents;
• Contact the mover about the dispute and request a copy of the mover’s tariff, as well as any related pricing documents;
• Evaluate the charges assessed by the mover by reviewing the tariff and the services provided to the customer; and,
• Provide an informal, non-binding opinion on the validity of the disputed charges. A customer may be able to use OPAGAC’s informal opinion in efforts to settle the dispute, including arbitration or a court proceeding, if necessary.

The customer’s initial consultation with OPAGAC will be confidential.  If our office contacts the mover to request a copy of its tariff and pricing information, we will not disclose the customer’s identity, unless authorized to do so. However, if a customer asks OPAGAC to engage in informal outreach with the mover, we may need to disclose the customer’s identity.  In this situation, our office will contact the customer to seek permission to do so.

If a dispute over a moving company’s charges relates to the company’s weighing of the customer’s possessions, and/or to the company’s failure to provide weight documents for the shipment, it is advisable to consult with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation that enforces consumer protection regulations for moving companies.  The FMCSA’s consumer complaint web portal is located at:  https://www.protectyourmove.gov.  Additional resources for customers of moving companies can be found there as well.

Under federal law, an interstate mover is required to have an arbitration process in place for resolving disputes concerning overcharges.  Information about the arbitration process should be included within the mover’s tariff.