Moving and Planning Guide
Glossary of Moving Terms |
Accessorial Services: Services, other than transportation, performed by the agent at your request (packing, unpacking, extra pickup, etc.).
Additional Transportational Charge (ATC): This charge compensates the carrier for services performed in areas where the labor rates are higher than the national average. It also compensates the carrier for additional costs incurred due to traffic congestion and added time traveling to the area for pickup or delivery.
Advanced Charges: Charges for services of others engaged by our agent at your request, paid by our agent and added to your Bill of Lading.
Agent: An affiliated moving company authorized to act on behalf of a motor carrier (in this instance, United Van Lines, Inc.). The affiliated moving company may serve as booking, origin, hauling and/or destination agent.
Annual Carrier’s Performance Report: A yearly report giving statistics on a carrier’s performance in areas such as estimating, claims settlement and on-time delivery. At the time of your estimate (household goods survey), you will be given a copy of this report, for which you must sign a receipt.
Auxiliary Service (shuttle): If the assigned over-the-road van is unable to make a normal pickup/delivery because of physical constrains and a second, smaller vehicle is needed, this is considered Auxiliary Service. Physical constraints include situations such as a too-narrow road, a bridge unable to support the weight of the van, and the inability to park the moving van within a reasonable distance of the pickup/delivery residence. Charges for the second vehicle are assessed on an hourly basis, in addition to charges for the extra labor involved.
Bill of Lading: The receipt for your goods and contract for their transportation. Your signature acknowledges that your household goods have been loaded on the van and "released to the carrier."
Binding Estimate: An estimate which specifies in advance the exact cost of moving, based on all serviced determined necessary at the time the estimate is prepared.
Booking Agent: The agent who accept the order for your move and registers it with United. The booking agent may or may not be your origin or destination agent.
Bulky Article: Items such as cars, boats, snowmobiles, golf cars and campers usually carry a bulky article charge to compensate the hauler for the difficulty of loading and unloading such articles, and their unusual bulk or low weight density. In some cases, a "weight additive" is applicable.
Carrier: The company proving transportation for your household goods on whose ICC operating authority the shipment is moved.
Claim: Statement of loss or damage to any of your household goods while in the charge of the carrier or its agent.
COD (Cash on Delivery): Shipment where customer pays moving charges at time of delivery. For COD shipments, payment is required in cash, or by traveler’s check, money order, cashier’s check or credit card. Personal checks are not accepted.
Consignee: The person to whom the shipment is to be delivered.
Declared Valuation: Shipper’s indication of the value declared for the possessions being shipped, thereby establishing the carrier’s maximum liability for loss or damage to the shipment. If no value is declared, the liability is then controlled by the tariff under which the shipment was handled.
Destination Agent: The agent designated in the destination area to be available to assist or provide information to you or the van operator regarding your shipment.
Estimate: An "educated guess" as to the van space requirements, weight of your household goods and cost of the move determined by an agent’s physical survey of shipment; the form on which the survey information is recorded.
Expedited Service: A program which, for an additional charge, allows a specific delivery date to be requested. If the date is not met, only standard charges will apply.
Extra Stop: If a van operator is required to make an extra stop at either origin or destination other than the main pickup or delivery points, an extra charge will be assessed, the amount to be determined by the tariff.
Flight Charge (stair carry): An extra charge for carrying items such as pianos to a higher or lower floor.
Full-Value Protection: A valuation program which does not incorporate depreciation as a factor in the settlement of a claim for loss or damage.
Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC): The federal agency governing the interstate transportation industry, including movers of household goods.
Inventory: The list and condition of your household furnishings, including the number of packed containers.
Long Carry: A charge assessed when a shipment must be moved more than 75 feet from the rear of the trailer to the entrance of the residence.
Operating Authority: Certification issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) authorizing a carrier to move household goods between designated geographical areas. A United agency may also have its own separate "operating authority" issued by the ICC or other governmental entity, to move shipments within a certain geographical area.
Order for Service: The document authorizing the moving company to transport your household goods.
Order Number: The number used to identify your shipment. It appears in the upper right corner of the Bill or Lading and on the Order for Service.
Origin Agent: The agent designated in the origin area to be available for preliminary readying of the shipment before movement, or to provide information to you regarding your move.
Overflow: Articles to be shipped that are left behind due to insufficient space on a van, to be loaded on a second van for transportation and delivery.
PBO (Packed By Owner): Articles packed by the shipper, not the carrier, for moving.
Reweigh: Second weighing of shipment performed at destination at the shipper’s or United Van Lines’ request.
Shipper: The person (customer) whose household goods are being moved.
Storage in Transit (SIT): Temporary storage of your household goods in the warehouse of the carrier’s agent, pending further transportation.
Survey: The booking agent examines (surveys) shipper’s goods to develop estimate of charges.
Tariff: the carrier’s provisions, including rates, for services performed, applicable to your move.
Third-Party Services: Services performed by someone other than the carrier at your request or required by federal, state or local law.
Unpacking: Per your request, the removal of your goods from containers, and the disposal of such containers and packing materials. If ordered, unpacking service must be performed at the time of delivery unless requested otherwise.
Van Operator: The driver of the vehicle carrying your household goods.