May is National Moving Month, the start of the peak season for moving. This year, an estimated 35 million people will relocate, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation — and most of that movement will take place between May and September!
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The ending of the school year and the coming of summer make May an ideal time to hunt for a new apartment and find a mover. It’s also the right moment to learn more about all the ways the professional moving industry strives to serve its customers.
Read on to learn about important ProMover certifications and tips on how to choose reputable movers.
The benefits of professional movers
There’s a reason that hiring movers typically costs more than renting a truck and moving yourself: professional movers have specialized knowledge that makes the packing and transporting process efficient, and they have the equipment and manpower to handle the job more easily. Hiring professional movers is a good investment both for the protection of your belongings and your peace of mind during a stressful move.
Hiring a mover? Here's some advice:
Identifying reputable movers
The moving industry knows that when you hire professionals, you’re considering a big-ticket purchase. They’re also aware that some unethical businesses conduct moving scams, giving the industry a bad name. That’s why reputable businesses adhere to industry standards, and many go above and beyond by getting a ProMover certification.
Here’s how you can spot a reputable professional mover:
- They’re registered with FMCSA. While state regulations for movers vary, all interstate movers must register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the Department of Transportation. The FMCSA designates movers with a carrier number that you can verify on their website, http://www.protectyourmove.gov.
- They’re ProMover-certified. A ProMover designation is similar to an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Created by the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA), a moving industry trade organization, the ProMover designation holds companies to high standards. To be a certified ProMover, a company must run criminal background checks on its employees, be in compliance with state regulations, and sign a contract pledging to adhere to all state and federal laws, as well as AMSA’s own code of ethics.
- They give you a written estimate. Not all price quotes which you may receive on the Internet or over the phone are necessarily legitimate. A professional mover, however, is more than happy to come to your home, make a thorough inventory of your belongings, and survey the conditions under which they’ll move your items. Then they’ll provide you with a written estimate and talk you through the realistic costs of the move.
- They won’t lowball the estimate. While you might be tempted to choose the cheapest mover you can find, be aware that, when a mover’s estimate comes in dramatically lower than others you’ve received, it may not be legitimate. Reasonable moving company fees include charges for difficult logistics (for example, needing to use a shuttle to transport your items from an apartment building to a larger moving truck), additional costs for navigating a lot of stairs, or moving extra-heavy items like a piano. Understand these fees and protect yourself by getting at least three written estimates so you have a good idea how much your move should cost. All estimates should be similar in range.
- They’ll have you sign a contract. Once you choose a mover, you’ll sign a contract that designates pick-up and drop-off dates for your belongings, as well as an inventory of your items (expressed as either how much they weigh or how many linear feet they take up on the truck). This contract protects both you and the company in the event of a dispute.
You can make National Moving Month a good one by getting familiar with your rights & responsibilities as a consumer, outlined by the FMCSA. It’s up to you to learn as much as you can about professional movers and their best practices so you can make the best decisions as you prepare to move.
Photo credit: Shutterstock / Pieter Beens