Learning the Language of Movers

By Scott Boone

Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

As if moving wasn’t stressful enough, if you have recently spoken to a professional mover, you realize that they have a language all their own.  The reason that many movers seem to speak in tongues has to do with the fact that the freight hauling industry got its start not in air conditioned trucks, but in Conestoga wagons.  That’s right pardner, while professional moving companies might be cellphone enabled and computer equipped nowadays, the industry itself still uses jargon that was coined during the horse and buggy era.  So, if you don’t know your Accessorial Services from a hole in the ground, this blog should help you learn the language of movers.

Accessorial Services – This long-winded term refers to services over and above hauling your belongings from one place to another.  This may include such things as packing and unpacking your belongings, connecting appliances, and even the transportation of any pianos you own.  Charges for such services are over and above that for simply loading, transporting and unloading the truck.

Advanced Charges – These are services performed as part of the move by a third party not in the direct employ of the mover that are billed to you by the mover.  This can include such things as professional installers, carpenters and/or other contractors.

Agent – A moving company that is hired by a larger mover to perform a move is referred to as an agent.

Appliance Service by a Third Party – A mover may offer to disconnect and reconnect your appliances during a move.  You can expect to be charged an additional fee for this service.

Bill of Lading – The contract that details the contents of your shipment is called a bill of lading.

Binding Estimate – An agreement made prior to moving your belongings that guarantees the cost of the move in writing.

Broker – There are companies and individuals that contract with registered moving companies to perform a move.  Some of these entities have trucks of their own and some do not, choosing to act strictly on a third-party basis.

Carrier – The party chosen to haul your goods is referred to as the carrier.

COD – If you see this on a contract, it denotes the fact that the carrier demands cash on delivery the moment your shipment arrive at your residence, office or warehouse.  Failure to pay on demand can result in all or part of the cargo being seized until payment is rendered.

Consignor – This refers to the party that sending a shipment to a consignee, who is the party designated to receive the shipment.

Image courtesy of commons.wilimedia.org

Certified Scale – While your bathroom might have a scale, that’s not how shipping companies weigh the freight consigned to them.  They weight the truck before and after loading via an industrial scale that has been certified and authorized by a licensing authority, which is usually the state.

CP – Carrier Packed means the items being moved were packed and are insured against breakage by the mover.

Expedited Service – In a hurry to have a mover performed?  For an added charge, many movers will agree to move your cargo by an agreed upon date. 

Flight Charge – This term has nothing to do with an airplane.  It is the surcharge that some movers add to your bill for hauling your stuff up and down a flight of stairs.  If the home or office you are moving to has stairs and your current residence or office doesn’t, make sure you cover this point with the mover before you sign any contract.

Guaranteed Pickup and/or Delivery – If you pay for expedited service and the mover fails to deliver your cargo on the date agreed, you should be entitled to reimbursement for any delays. 

High-Value Article – Any of your expensive electronics or high-priced heirlooms need to be listed on a high-value inventory form prior to being moved.  If not, instead of reimbursing you $2,500 for that ruined plasma TV, the shipper will be able to legally pay you 60 cents per pound for breakage.

Impracticable Operations – Conditions which make it impossible for a mover to perform pickup or delivery with the available equipment.  Not every mover is equipped to move a grand piano.  Those that are will invariably charge extra.

Inventory – The list of all your household goods which includes their number and condition.

Image courtesy of Scott's Discount Movers

Linehaul Charges – The portion of your bill that relates to the transportation of your goods.  These may not include accessorial services, such as climbing stairs, using an elevator, or storing some or all of your belongings.

Long Carry – If the mover is forced to carry your belongings an excessive distance between the truck and your home or office, long carry charges might be added to your bill.  If you know that this is a likelihood, you should address this with the mover beforehand.

Non-Binding Estimate – If your mover charges by the pound, you could well be offered a non-binding estimate of what the move will cost only to find out after the fact that you owe far more than the estimate due to the actual weight of your belongings. 

Order for Service – This document authorizes the mover to provide the services detailed in the moving company estimate.

PBO – Any cargo designated to be Packed by the Owner.  While it sounds straightforward, you need to understand that PBO items that are damaged or destroyed in the move may not be covered by the mover’s insurance.

Peak Season Rates – Higher linehaul charges may apply during peak moving season which occurs from May through September.

Pickup and Delivery Charges – Separate transportation charges may apply for any goods stored in a mover’s in-transit warehouse and your residence.

Reasonable Dispatch – The transportation date and time agreed upon by you and your mover that are included on the bill of lading and/or Order of Service contract.

Image courtesy of Scott's Discount Movers

Shipment – Personal property being transported from one location to another.

Stair Carry – Another way of describing Flight Charge, which is a separate fee for carrying all or part of your shipment up and/or down a flight of stairs.

SIT – While you may tell your dog to “Sit,” when a mover uses this term he or she is referring to Storage in Transit, which designates the temporary warehousing of your shipment with or without your permission.

Tariff –The Transportation Board requires that movers provide an accurate description of all services offered to the public, along with their applicable rates.  Furthermore, this document must be written in such a way that allows a consumer to determine the precise rates and service terms provided by the mover.

Valuation – This refers to the value you declare for your shipment.  It will then apply to the maximum amount the mover is liable for should the shipment be lost or destroyed.

Warehouse Handling Charge – The charge that applies each time SIT is provided.  These services usually are over and above the linehaul charges.

Weight Additive – If you want the mover to ship a kayak, camper shell, or any other item that takes up a lot of space while weighing little, the mover may elect to seek additional compensation by adding weight to the shipment.

I hope this list of technical terms used by the moving and storage industry helps take some of the confusion out of hiring a professional mover.  While some jargon may seem outdated, at least you don’t have to worry about modern movers tracking horse manure onto your carpets.

With over 4,000 moves, Scott's Discount Movers  has handled moves of all sizes, including local and cross country. If you are looking to move your home or office, you can depend on Scott's Discount Movers to provide a stress-free relocation.