Friday, July 19, 2002
FMCSA 12-02
Contact: Dave Longo
Telephone: 202-366-0456
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced that it has fined seven
for-hire motor carriers hauling primarily household goods from Florida.
Investigations were conducted because of consumer complaints received by
FMCSA and were the result of coordinated efforts by FMCSA’s New Jersey and
Florida field offices and headquarters personnel.
A Millennium Moving & Storage (A Millennium), Ameri Van
Lines (Ameri Van), Elite Van Lines (Elite), Majesty Moving & Storage also
known as America’s Best Movers (Majesty) of Plantation, FL, Star Movers (Star)
of Sunrise, FL, Southeastern Van Lines (Southeast) of Miami and Century Express
Van Lines (Century) of Fort Lauderdale, FL were served with notice of claim
letters to initiate enforcement action for violations of the Federal Motor
Carrier Commercial Regulations (FMCCRs). The
carriers were assessed civil penalties of $13,500, $70,000, $39,500, $71,000,
$57,000, $7,000 and $9,500, respectively.
A Millennium was cited for failing to charge its applicable
tariff rate, failing to provide the required consumer information “Your Rights
and Responsibilities When You Move” and summary of its dispute settlement
program, failing to relinquish possession of shipments upon payment of the
original non-binding estimated price plus 10 percent, failing to prepare orders
for service, failing to prepare bills of lading in the prescribed form and
manner, and operating a charge card plan without a tariff provision.
Ameri Van was cited for failing to charge its applicable
tariff rate, failing to provide the required consumer information “Your Rights
and Responsibilities When You Move” and summary of its dispute settlement
program, failing to prepare estimates in writing and retain copies as addendums
to the bill of lading, failing to prepare binding estimates in the prescribed
form and manner, failing to relinquish possession of shipments upon payment of
the original non-binding estimated price plus 10 percent, failing to prepare
orders for service, and failing to prepare bills of lading in the prescribed
form and manner.
Elite was cited for failing to charge its applicable tariff
rate, failing to participate in a dispute settlement program, failing to provide
the required consumer information “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You
Move” and summary of its dispute settlement program, failing to relinquish
possession of shipments upon payment of the original non-binding estimated price
plus 10 percent, failing to prepare orders for service in the prescribed form
and manner, failing to prepare bills of lading in the prescribed form and
manner, failing to have a copy of all active agency agreements, and operating a
charge card plan without a tariff provision.
Majesty was cited for failing to charge its applicable
tariff rate, failing to participate in a dispute settlement program, failing to
follow the loss and damage claims procedures, failing to provide the required
consumer information “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” and
summary of its dispute settlement program, failing to retain copies of estimates
as addendums to the bill of lading, failing to relinquish possession of
shipments upon payment of the original non-binding estimated price plus 10
percent, failing to prepare orders for service in the prescribed form and
manner, failing to prepare bills of lading in the prescribed form and manner,
and using false, misleading or deceptive advertising.
Star was cited for failing to publish a tariff, failing to
participate in a dispute settlement program, failing to follow the loss and
damage claims procedures, failing to provide the required consumer information
“Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” and summary of their
dispute settlement program, failing to relinquish possession of shipments upon
payment of the original non-binding estimated price plus 10 percent, failing to
prepare estimates in writing and retain copies as addendums to the bill of
lading, failing to prepare orders for service, failing to prepare bills of
lading in the prescribed form and manner, and failing to have a copy of all
active agency agreements.
Southeastern was cited for failing to publish a tariff,
failing to participate in a dispute settlement program, failing to follow the
loss and damage claims procedures, failing to provide the required consumer
information “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” and summary of
its dispute settlement program, failing to prepare binding estimates in the
prescribed form and manner, failing to prepare orders for service, and failing
to have a copy of all active agency agreements.
Century was cited for
unauthorized transportation, failing to charge its applicable tariff rate,
failing to provide the required consumer information “Your Rights and
Responsibilities When You Move” and summary of its dispute settlement program,
failing to prepare estimates in the prescribed form and manner and retain copies
as addendums to the bill of lading, failing to prepare orders for service in the
prescribed form and manner, failing to prepare bills of lading in the prescribed
form and manner, and failing to weigh shipments in the prescribed form and
manner.
The motor carriers will have the opportunity to contest the
alleged violations in an agency proceeding.
Consumers may file household goods or other commercial
motor carrier complaints on FMCSA’s nationwide complaint hotline at
1-888-368-7238 (1-888 DOT-SAFT). A
commercial complaint form is now available on FMCSA’s website at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/.
The form may be mailed to: FMCSA, 400 Seventh St., SW, MC-PA, Washington,
DC 20590, or faxed to: 202-366-7298.
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