Editorial

Guides

No invented authors, no fabricated credentials, no generic moving-blog filler. Each piece exists to make a tool usable.

1. 01

   How to check a moving company

   Use a USDOT number, the FMCSA census, and the written estimate — not a star rating — to identify who you are booking.

2. 02

   What a USDOT number is

   A USDOT number is FMCSA’s identifier for entities that must register. It is not a grade.

3. 03

   Mover versus broker

   A motor carrier operates trucks. A broker arranges transportation. The estimate should say which you are hiring.

4. 04

   Binding vs non-binding estimates

   Estimate type changes what the number on the page means. Ask for the type in writing.

5. 05

   How interstate household-goods estimates work

   Federal household-goods rules, including the 110% provision, are scoped, exception-laden, and not a promise about your final bill.

6. 06

   What belongs on an estimate — and what is missing

   Missing USDOT, missing estimate type, and oral-only windows are document defects, not a scam score.

7. 07

   How to compare moving quotes

   Compare estimate type, listed services, and missing fields. Do not pick the lowest number by default.

8. 08

   Moving-day checklist

   A practical list for pickup and delivery that does not pretend to be federal law.

9. 09

   How federal registration works

   USDOT registration, operating authority, and the census file are related but not identical.

10. 10

    What an FMCSA safety rating means

    Satisfactory, Conditional, Unsatisfactory, or no rating at all — what each census code is, what it is not, and why most carriers are unrated.