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Moving Company Glossary - Terms Related to Working with Moving Companies

Moving SERVICES Glossary

During your home move, you may hear unfamiliar terms used to describe services, documents, and other items. We believe good communication is key to a successful move, which is why we’re providing this overview of common moving terms. If you have any questions, please ask us for clarification. We’re here to help.

Accessorial Services are additional relocation services performed by Graebel at your request. These services, such as packing, custom crating or appliance servicing, cost extra.

Auxiliary Service is a shuttle service provided when a Graebel moving van cannot safely complete the pickup or delivery due to physical constraints such as an especially narrow road. Instead, an additional smaller vehicle is used to carry the items to the moving van for loading. This service costs extra.

Your Bill of Lading is your receipt and contract for your home move. The Bill of Lading is extremely important and should travel with you to your new home.

The Booking Service Center is the Graebel-owned service center that accepts and schedules your home move. This may or may not be the Origin or Destination Service Center.

Bulky Items are items that have an unusually low weight for their size, such as boats, snowmobiles, golf carts and campers. Moving these items will cost extra due to the additional work involved in transporting them.

The Carrier is the moving company transporting your household goods.

A Cash On Delivery, or COD shipment, is a shipment in which the customer pays for the services provided at delivery. Payment can be made by several methods; contact your Coordinator for more information.

A Claim is a written statement of loss or damage to your household goods while in our care.

Declared Valuation is your statement of the value of the possessions Graebel is shipping.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is the federal agency that oversees interstate transportation, including the shipment of household goods on moving trucks.

The Destination Service Center is the Graebel-owned service center that will provide service to you at your new home, such as unpacking and unloading services.

Your Driver is the operator of your moving van and the supervisor of your team for packing, loading, unloading and unpacking crews. On a Graebel move, you will always have the same courteous Driver from start to finish.

Your Estimate is the approximate cost of your move. It is based on the size and weight of your shipment, as well as the origin and destination locations. There are two basic types of estimates, which are described more fully below. Your Sales Person prepares your estimate, which is typically within 10% of the actual cost.

  • A Binding Estimate is the total of what the home move will cost, excluding unanticipated destination services, and is provided to you in advance. Graebel is contractually required to stand by this estimate. However, if your items weigh less than expected, you will not get a reduction in cost.

  • A Non-Binding Estimate is an approximation of what your home move will cost. The final amount you pay could be higher or lower depending on the actual weight of your shipment and the services provided.

Full Service Packing includes all of the cartons and packing service required and provided.

Full Valuation Protection is the most comprehensive plan available for protection of your goods.

Gross Weight is the weight of the moving van after your goods are loaded.

Your Inventory is a detailed list of everything you are transporting in the moving truck and its premove condition. Any exception or damage to your items must be noted on the inventory sheet. It is your sole responsibility to ensure that all your belongings are delivered. You must sign the inventory sheet after unloading. If you feel you need more time to inspect your goods, simply write, “signature pending further inspection.”

Net weight is the gross weight minus the tare weight.

The Order for Service is a document authorizing Graebel to transport your household goods.

The Origin Service Center is the Graebel-owned service center that will provide service to you at your old home, such as packing and loading and any other relocation services.

An Overflow occurs when there is not enough space on the Graebel moving van to load all of your items. Should an overflow occur, Graebel will send another van.

A PBO (Packed By Owner) item is one that is packed by you for moving. If your Driver does not feel confident that your self-packed boxes are safe for loading, he/she has the right to open, inspect and repack/re-tape cartons. (Standard labor charges will apply for this service, unless you’ve selected the full pack option.)

Short Haul Factor is additional charge applied when actual mileage is less than a defined minimum.

Storage-in-Transit is your request for temporary storage of your household goods at a Graebel Service Center until delivery. There is a charge for this additional relocation service.

The Survey is an examination of the goods you plan to ship (which is used in preparing the estimate) and is performed by a trained Graebel Sales Person.

Tare weight is the weight of the Graebel moving van and its contents (such as dollies and protective pads) before your household goods are loaded.

The Tariff is a document identifying provisions and rates for the relocation services performed in your move.

Third-party services are relocation services for your move performed by someone other than Graebel, such as prepping and crating a grandfather clock.

Transportation Charges include charges by weight and mileage, insurance surcharges, fuel surcharges, Origin and Destination Accessorial Services and Short Haul Factor if applicable.

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