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Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Contact: Andy Beck, 202-366-8810
FMCSA 24-03
FMCSA Fines Three Movers for Violating Commercial Regulations
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA) announced that it has fined three New York for-hire motor
carriers hauling primarily household goods for multiple violations of the
Federal Motor Carrier Commercial Regulations (FMCCR). Investigations were a
result of consumer complaints received by FMCSA.
Access Van Lines, Inc., of Forest Hills, Regal Van Lines, Ltd., of New
York, and U.S. Movers, Inc., of Brooklyn, were served with notice of claim
letters to initiate enforcement action for violations of the FMCCRs. The
carriers were assessed civil penalties of $30,000, $24,000, and $32,500
respectively.
Access Van Lines was cited for violations involving failing to charge its
applicable tariff rate; failing to follow the loss and damage claims procedures;
failing to provide the required consumer information, “Your Rights and
Responsibilities When You Move,” and a summary of its dispute settlement
program; 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.
Regal Van Lines 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 a summary of its dispute settlement program; 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 weigh shipments in the
prescribed form and manner; and operating a charge card plan without a tariff
provision.
U.S. Movers 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 a summary of its dispute
settlement program; failing to furnish in writing non-binding estimates to
shippers and retain copies as addendums to the bill of lading; failing to
prepare orders for service in the prescribed form and manner; failing to weigh
shipments in the prescribed form and manner; and failing to file evidence of
cargo insurance with FMCSA.
The motor carriers will have the opportunity to contest the alleged
violations and the amount of penalties in an agency proceeding.
Consumers may file moving or other commercial motor carrier complaints
with FMCSA's nationwide complaint hotline at 1-888-368-7238 (1-888 DOT-SAFT), or
on its Safety Violation and Consumer Complaint Hotline Web site, . Information
to help consumers accomplish a problem-free move is available at
www.fmcsa.dot.gov.
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