September 30, 2003

The U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced that it is delaying the compliance date for its interim final rule governing interstate transportation of household goods by movers and brokers. A new compliance date will be announced in the Federal Register before the next peak moving season beginning on May 15, 2004.

Two organizations filed reconsideration petitions concerning substantive and technical issues in the rule and the FMCSA wants to have ample time to consider their concerns.

"We will ensure that the new compliance date will afford the greatest possible protection to consumers while providing the household goods transportation industry with the lead time necessary to revise their operational procedures," FMCSA Administrator Annette M. Sandberg said.

On Aug. 25, the FMCSA received reconsideration petitions from the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA), Alexandria, VA; United Van Lines, LLC, Fenton, MO; and Mayflower Transit, LLC, also Fenton.

The interim final rule requires that interstate household goods carriers provide written estimates, have an arbitration program for individual shippers, deliver goods on agreed-upon dates, publish truthful advertisements containing their name and DOT number, and weigh shipments of customers given non-binding cost estimates. It is titled "Transportation of Household Goods; Consumer Protection Regulations."

The rule appeared in the Federal Register on June 11, 2003, and was effective Sept. 9, 2003. The compliance date was to have been March 1, 2004. It is on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov/ , docket number FMCSA-97-2979. The notice of compliance date for this rule will be in today's Federal Register.

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