February 25, 2011

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a final rule that strengthens protections for consumers who use household goods (HHG) brokers to arrange the shipment of their property across state lines. Under the new rule, all household goods brokers must provide consumers with the following information before contracting a move: MC Docket number, estimates of moving charges and brokerage fees, list of motor carriers the broker uses to transport household goods, FMCSA’s “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” booklet and a statement indicating the broker is not a motor carrier. Additionally, as of January 1, 2012, HHG brokers will be required to increase their surety bonds or trust funds to the new minimum of $25,000. For more information on the “Brokers of Household Goods Transportation by Motor Vehicle” final rule, visit FMCSA’s Protect Your Move Website at www.protectyourmove.gov.

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