FMCSA Crackdown on Moving Companies Nets 1,140 Violations
Unscrupulous interstate moving companies that violate federal consumer protection and safety regulations will continue to be targeted for investigations and prosecutions by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which announced results of a recently concluded strike force investigation involving nearly 350 moving companies located in 13 states and the District of Columbia. In all, 1,140 violations of federal regulations were recorded, resulting in nearly $325,000 in assessed fines.
"Interstate movers with fraudulent or rogue operations are hereby put on notice: federal investigators will be knocking on your door in the future and you will face serious legal and financial consequences," FMCSA Administrator John H. Hill said. "During this strike force alone, six companies received federal fines in excess of $27,000."
From May 5, 2008, through May 16, 2008, FMCSA, in cooperation with state law enforcement and consumer protection agencies, conducted focused compliance reviews on carriers hired to transport consumers' personal property across state lines. For a list of companies cited during the strike force, see www.fmcsa.dot.gov/hhg-2008-05-results. The strike force targeted states that received the most complaints in the National Household Goods Consumer Complaint database (http://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov).
In fiscal year 2007, FMCSA received nearly 4,000 complaints. The compliance reviews were conducted by federal investigators in Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. "We owe much of our success to our state partners who eagerly participated in the strike force," said Rose McMurray, FMCSA chief safety officer and assistant administrator. "Our state counterparts, including state commercial vehicle enforcement units, consumer protection agencies, and the state Attorney General offices, were an integral part of this ambitious effort. We will continue working together to protect the public from these rogue and often predatory moving companies."
FMCSA says consumers can help identify noncompliant household goods movers by calling the administration's nationwide complaint hotline, 1-888-368-7238 (1-888 DOT-SAFT) or by visiting http://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov. Prior to selecting a household goods carrier, consumers also should visit FMCSA's www.protectyourmove.gov/ for information on planning a successful move and to search movers and their complaint history, FMCSA says.