the online shipping marketplace

Some Shippers willfully and knowingly take that chance to save a dollar at the beginning, only to find out that it costs them everything in the end!   

http://www.uship.com/moving/articles/investigating-moving-companies/

Moving an entire household is stressful enough without having to deal with a disreputable moving company. When hiring professional movers, time spent investigating a company can save you a lot of money and heartache. You should know that the movers you hire are credentialed, insured, and experienced.

Before considering a moving company, ensure they are legally registered as a mover. The Department of Transportation requires all household moving companies to have USDOT or MC numbers. All legal movers should provide you with these numbers, which you can verify on http://www.safersys.org. At this site you can search by company name or USDOT number to make sure that your mover is credentialed to provide household moving services.

In addition to being registered with the Department of Transportation, all household moving companies are required to carry a minimum amount of liability and cargo insurance. Coverage varies from mover to mover, so be sure to ask for each company's specific policy.

A moving company should be able to provide you with written proof of their insurance coverage, called a Certificate of Insurance. Confirming a mover's insurance is easy: just look them up on http://www.safersys.org or call the insurance company listed on the certificate. You should also be able to purchase additional insurance from the moving company, which is highly recommended.

Direct links to the info above:

http://www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/CompanySnapshot.aspx

http://li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov/LIVIEW/pkg_html.prc_limain

!!Protect yourself and your property!!

Did you acquire and VERIFY the validity of your chosen Carrier's FEDERALLY MANDATED DOT & MC #'s as per the UShip User Agreement?  

http://www.uship.com/user_agreement.aspx

Note: Did you know that NO active "MC #" = No COMMERCIAL insurance? 

OOPS !!!!!!!

INTERSTATE transport requires an ACTIVE "MC" number! You verify it at: http://li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov/LIVIEW/pkg_html.prc_limain

 Still don't understand? Read this:

http://forums.uship.com/Topic46915-14-1.aspx

It appears that this particular person once had an account with UShip under 1 name and it has since been removed/suspended or whatever. Now he has come back on with another screen name. The MC & DOT numbers are valid and do belong to a company out of CA.  

The following questions arise as I look at this.

Why was the 1st account suspended or whatever?

Why would the new UShip profile not have the MC and DOT numbers posted? Note: Afterall, it's public information!

BTW, it's against the rules to have more than 1 UShip profile. Note: Many get suspended and just come back with another screen name.  

The FMCSA records reflect addresses in CA but the individual now claims to live in AL? The FMCSA records are required to be updated to reflect that change. There was something said about leasing DOT numbers? That throws upn a Red Flag. For there is NO such thing.

Bottom line - move on to another Carrier! Actually, you have no choice at this point. For the Carrier you had in mind has been suspended for whatever reason.

When you start asking for credentials and/or start to verify them, don't be alarmed at the results. 

!!Protect yourself and your property!!

Did you acquire and VERIFY the validity of your chosen Carrier's FEDERALLY MANDATED DOT & MC #'s as per the UShip User Agreement?  

http://www.uship.com/user_agreement.aspx

Note: Did you know that NO active "MC #" = No COMMERCIAL insurance? 

OOPS !!!!!!!

INTERSTATE transport requires an ACTIVE "MC" number! You verify it at: http://li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov/LIVIEW/pkg_html.prc_limain

 Still don't understand? Read this:

http://forums.uship.com/Topic46915-14-1.aspx

I know some service providers SAY they are insured but lots of them are taking chances of being caught and they are taking those chances with your stuff!  Did you know that regular insurance companies only insure up to $500,000 in liability insurance? Did you also know that the USDOT requires $750,000 minimum liability? Did you know that only Commercial insurance providers provide that kind of coverage. One last thing....Did you know that to get Commercial insurance you have to have a MC# This is part of the procedure to make sure carriers are properly insured.

The USDOT also has special permits for Household movers, so for instance Someone who transports Autos and is permitted to do so can only transport auto's and or general freight. They have to be permitted by the USDOT (Seperate permit)to transport household goods. Fines if caught range all the way up to $10,000 if caught. I do not know if the property is seized or not.

Service providers must have a MC# to be legal..plain and simple. Any time they transport property for hire or for their own business they must have a MC# they also need to be registered to cross state lines, hence the Interstate/Intrastate . They might talk a big game like they know it all and they dont need a MC# or a USDOT # but thats all trash talk. I dont know why Service providers do not put their MC# or USDOT# on their profile, some put provided on request, however how are they going to provide you that if you cant contact them for them to give you their numbers. you will find that you get offers from service providers and when you ask them for their MC# or USDOT# they dont answer back...it is because they dont have one!!! which means they are not properly insured and neither is your shipment!

  There are a lot of service providers that are Registered ,legal service providers but there are just as many if not more who are not. Uships user agreement states that when you agree to the agreement you are saying you are legal to transport for hire(not in those exact words) Just because someone says they are,doesn't mean they are! Uship "DOES NOT" Verify any service providers credentials. that is why they put thatat statement into all the service providers profiles about "YOU" verifying all the credentials.

Best option for you is to ask for a MC# if they are not showing one. Don't just except the number they give you, got to the FMCSA site  HTTP://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and look up the number, that site will give you information about the carriers buisness name, if they are suspended or operational, their safety record,address, amount of insurance they carry. It does not list if they have cargo insurance because that is not required by the USDOT, you will have to have them email you that information once you accept there bid!  But you can be 95% assured if they are legal carriers they have cargo insurance as well. I have shippers check out my numbers all the time and I always provide my insurance certificate and phone number to my insurance company to verify. If they are not happy with that, I willingly cancel the bid if they wish to do so. I have yet to have any cancellations because of lack of Insurance or suspensions by the USDOT.

With registered USDOT/MC service providers you have recourse for damages that reaches farther then any civil court could. How you ask??? If you have a claim on broken,missing or stolen property or all was ruined in a accident you will have to take it to civil court and all you will get from the insurance companies is nothing!!! because if they do not have cargo insurance and they are not liscensed for hire the insurance company wont even pay the claim on the service providers stuff and can/will be charged with fraudulent insurance policy. So then you will have to take the individual to court who was not a registered service provider, but after the Insurance company and the USDOT gets done with fines and jail time he isnt going to have any money to give you!  Where as The USDOT registered service provider IS properly insured and in the event of a claim you can make a claim against his insurance company...they will investigate and if they find themselves liable..they will pay the claim. If they find themselves not liable then the carrier may make restitution of the damaged/lost or stolen property if they are a reputable company or may side with the insurance company. Make sure you document everything that goes into boxes and write it all on the boxes and number the boxes and make list of everything that goes into the boxes.

           Have a good one Randy

ALways hire service providers with MC and/or USDOT #

That was an excellent post.  It is very informative, detailed, and well written.  Hopefully, shippers will read & heed the information and become more educated and therefore less vulnerable to the rip offs that can and do happen.

I do have a question about one specific statement.  What is the reference for the statement below.  I ask because I have not observed any proposed changes in the regulations for those hauling their private property.

Thanks  //  Don

The USDOT is now requiring property carriers even if not for hire, to have a MC#

I had a friend of mine about a year ago who lives here in Illinois close by, went to Tn to pick up machinery he bought at a Auction, he had a straight truck with no writing on the side and it was his own truck, a suspicious Tn State trooper pulled him over on suspicion and checked him out. he asked him for his liscense and registration,proof of insurance where he was coming from and where he was going what was his cargo and B.O.L. ,hazmat or general freight. After my friend politely answered all his questions the Officer then asked him why his MC or USDOT number and company name wasnt on his truck. Matt, my friend told him he wasnt for hire and was moving his own machinery. The officer then told him that he needed his own numbers to do what he was doing even if not for hire! The State trooper then told him he could fine him for $10,000 alone for not having his own authority but let him go with a warning.  So he started using Uhaul ryder and penske trucks!

I really don't know how well they enforce it around the states but I know what Rusty  (IDOT Officer) told me.

                                                               Randy

Randy

Thanks for the response.  My understanding was the a US DOT number assignment was required for (Private Property) carriers, even the ones hauling their own property, but not the MC#.  But if you're hauling for hire, either as a contract carrier or common carrier, you'd require both.  I just had not seen any changes to the regulations concerning that.  I have read where the current motor carrier registration for everyone including the IFTA/IRP big guys and the little ones would be combined under the UCR.  But those kinds of changes can take years and lots of $$$ so it may be a while.

Good luck...BTW, you're not too far from me.  I'm just over in Southeastern MO.

Have a good one and I hope the prospective shippers will read and heed the information in your excellent post.

Don