Interstate Moving
Interstate moving involves those moves where goods travel across state lines.
Unlike local moving, interstate moving companies charge by the weight of your shipment (or sometimes by the volume of space your goods occupy) and according to the distance traveled, not by the hour.
When you make a long distance interstate move there are a few other things to keep in mind:
- Most interstate moving companies can transport a vehicle, such as a car or boat along with your household goods. Another option would be to hire an auto transport company to move any vehicles you don't want to or can't drive yourself.
- A binding interstate moving estimate specifies the precise cost of the move in advance, based on the weight of your goods and any additional optional services.
- A non-binding interstate moving estimate allows a moving company to demand payment for additional charges but the additional amount can't exceed 10 percent more than the original quote - at the time of delivery. Additional amounts must be billed within 30 days after the move is completed.
- Interstate moving companies are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Increasingly, state consumer affairs departments have been assisting with complaints against interstate movers, but FMCSA, which is part of the Transportation Department, has the ultimate regulatory authority.
- Make sure the interstate moving company doesn't charge you for the truck weight. Have the interstate mover weigh the truck without your possessions, and then ask to see a weight ticket for the truck after it is unloaded.
- Read all interstate moving documents carefully. Interstate movers have to provide you with a copy of your rights as an interstate mover, a receipt or bill of lading that specifies the weight or volume of your goods, your origin and destination, and the number of boxes in your shipment.