Perhaps you and your family haven’t moved long distance much before. Maybe you don’t know too much about the practices of the moving industry and what is even worse is that ignorance can cost you hundreds of dollars in your long distance move. It is readily apparent that the improvement of your understanding of your legal obligations in this instance, especially regarding those that apply to the moving industry, can help you, indeed.

Intrastate Moves

The business of moving is composed of a set of categories, including making a move within a state otherwise known as an Intrastate Move. In other words the moving company doesn’t need to take your belonging across state line.  For example a move from Miami, Florida to Orlando Florida is considered an intrastate move.

Interstate Moves

Interstate Moves – relocating across state lines regardless of how a few miles there are between points. Though only a few miles separate Hoboken in New Jersey from Queens in New York, moving between these two places is an interstate move.

International Moves

Last of all, are International or Overseas Moves, where national borders are crossed. For instance, relocating from a town in California to Tijuana in Mexico is classified as international moving.

This article focuses on shady and questionable things long distance moving companies do when they are engaged for an interstate move. When someone moves from one state to another, the moving estimate is based on a price per pound times the weight of the shipping truck. In other words, the heavier your move, the more costly it would be.

Moving Weight Standard:

For your long distance move, if a mover offers a non-binding moving estimate, then charges will be based on the actual weight of your shipment. Legally, the mover can’t add transportation fees calculated by the cubic feet, hour charges, or something else except the weight only to add up your shipment fees. Your final papers to complete the move should include a weight master ticket which comes from your mover who weighs your belongings on a state certified scale.

Moving truck weight is calculated by weighing the truck before loading and after loading – the difference is what you pay for.

The weight readings can also be taken by the moving companies at the destination of the shipment. The truck weight will be determined once your shipment is on the truck and then after it has been unloaded.

Unscrupulous movers purposely neglect to tell you that as a customer, you have the right to be present at the weight station to watch the procedure and consequently, customers end up spending much more than their fair share.

You’d like to have the assurance that these weights represent the actual weight of your move.

Be certain that:

1. tires, various types of tools, blankets and covers, carts, dollies, and other items are all part of the first and last weight. What you want to avoid is having items that were not part of the first weight to be weighed in as part of the final shipment, adding someone else’s weight to your shipment.

2. the gas tank of the vehicle be the same. A full gas tank recorded at the start needs to be recorded at the end, too. Avoid getting charged for an extra full gas tank weight if the first recording was taken on a tank that was empty. It is imperative that the reading be done so that you will know the actual weight of the things you are moving.

3. to be there when the weighing is done at the station at both the start and final stops. Legally, a trustworthy mover ought to have no issues with consumers initiating this.

Dishonest moving companies might exploit this difference in the weight as well as your absence. These readings do render an opportunity for unscrupulous movers to “slide in” more than it’s considered fair charges. Even a shady mover would rethink its strategy to over charge you because it seems like you’ve done your homework.

If you disagree with the weight you were initially given, you can request that the mover reweigh your belongings prior to emptying the truck. While a mover may not charge you when you demand a second weighing, the final charges they bill you for will be based on the second reading even if it’s higher than its original reading – you take your chances.

You are entitled to watch the process on every instance that your cargo’s weight is recorded. You’d lose your ability to be present if you ask the mover to re-weight your shipment again.

Also, not every single move requires a weighing. There is not need to weight the shipment under binding estimates, however, binding estimates do have the potential of being more costly than non-binding estimates.

Lastly, little shipments less than 3,000 pounds can be weighed on an authorized warehouse scale instead of being transported to a state certified weigh station scale.

Making yourself available for these readings and learning how the moving industry operates can help you avoid any moving headaches and unnecessary over charges.