Details of my on going problem.
I moved my family to the great state of a Texas in October of 1995 for a great job offer in the semiconductor industry. I quit this job and moved my family (myself for $1800) back to St. Charles Illinois in March. We made this decision because my Mother was going thru some financial hardships since she had retired and my stepfather was forced to rely on disability due to lung cancer. I went in hopes of getting a decent job and making enough to assume their debt and to keep the 8 acres of property that my Grandfather had worked so hard to purchase.
Things didn't work out as planed. I couldn't sell my house here in Texas and couldn't transfer the knowledge I gained here, in the semiconductor business, to a job in Illinois. My family decided to try and sell off the property to pay their debts and told me to move my family back to our home, we loved, in Texas.
I was able to find a job starting on December 15th here in Texas. I didn't know when I would have the opportunity to break free and move my family down. My wife and two children wanted all of us to be together for Christmas so I started to look for a mover to do the job for me. I used the internet to generate some moving quotes.
Three quotes were close to each other from $2300-$2500. I thought, just to save myself from trying to convince my new employer to let me take a week off to move, I would hire someone to do it for me. I must admit that it was a last minute decision and I didn't put much effort into researching the matter. I guess I figured that there are laws to protect us from being taken advantage of. Boy was I wrong!
I choose to go with the Global Moving Network as a moving broker. The woman I spoke with gave me a great line about how other companies will rip me off and that they have been in business for X number of years and are DOT certified etc. She told me that it wouldn't be a problem to have my stuff picked up on the 21st of December and there should be no reason why it could be delivered before Christmas. However, I did not have it in writing on the moving estimate that I was sent for $2394.32 for an estimate of 5213lbs.
After I had signed and sent this back with an $838.00 deposit, she asked me to be sure of the total box count because this may change the estimate slightly. I had my wife count all the boxes and the count was 200 more boxes than what I had estimated. Keep in mind that we used any boxes we could get our hands on. Boxes of all sizes were used and most were less then 12x12x12.
I asked the wife to call back and update Global as to he total count. They now quoted here, $6703.00 for 11723lbs. I called back to find out what was going on. I was told that they estimate so many pounds per box and that this quote was at least 15% over to be safe. I told them about the size of the cartons and that I couldn't see how they could possibly weigh that much. They told me that they agreed and that this was just an estimate.
When they didn't show on the 21st, I called to find out what was wrong. They gave me some excuse and said that they would arrive on the 26th. So much for Christmas with the family! My Mother agreed to handle that end of the move so my wife and two kids grabbed a couple changes of cloths and most of the presents and headed down. They arrived on the 23rd. We had our Christmas in an empty house but the kids didn't seem to mind.
I had expressed an interest in having someone present at the weighing of the truck before and after loading to ensure an accurate weight. The movers called my Mother on the 26th and said they were at the scale, which was 1.5hrs away. My Mother couldn't drive into Chicago especially in such short notice and asked them to go to a scale closer by the house. They refused! I told here not to worry and that I can request a reweigh here in Texas.
When they arrived at my parent's house for the pickup, they immediately began telling my Mother that the movers would have to pack more of our goods than what we already had. She called me and I talked with the driver (Sasha). He began to tell me how they needed to box (just put cardboard around certain items) and blanket certain items. He then quoted me some ridiculous prices for this service.
I told him not to put anything else on the truck until I spoke with his boss at Atlantic Moving System (MC#450606 USDOT#1089553). I told him my concerns about the extra cost and he told me that it was necessary. I got upset and told them to unload the little they had put on and that I changed my mind. I asked the boss if they would just keep my $838.00 deposit and leave.
He then told me (Eli) that I still owed them an extra $2572.90 because of the increased box count and that another $330.00 would also be tacked on! I asked him if he expected me to pay $3740.9 for the driver to take off the few things they loaded and to leave. He told me it was my choice. I said what choice! You might as well move me and hopefully the weight will be less then their estimate. After all was said and done, they tacked another $900 dollars on for packing materials.
Before the driver arrived at the house, I asked the broker for the delivery date since they were now a week late. She told that I would have to ask the driver. When he and I spoke about the packing issues, I asked him about the delivery date. He tells me that the dispatcher will have to give it to me. When I called them back, after the driver had left with our goods, he tells me 15-21 days! I expressed my surprise and told them that if (Amber) would have told me it could take that long, I would have never have booked the move with this company. He apologized.
Needless to say, it is now January 22nd and our belongings are still not here! My family has been sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags and wearing two changes of cloths for a month now! I kept calling the trucking company (Atlantic Moving Systems) for ETA's and they keep giving different answers. I talked to Jennifer on January 14th and she told me the truck broke down in Arizona and that another truck had been dispatch. I was told that it should arrive on the 20th or 21st. When I didn't hear back on the 20th, I called again.
This time I was directed to speak with Orie at the Global Moving Network. He tells me that yes the truck had problems and to call back the next day for an ETA. I called back and he tells me that it should be here in 3-4 days. I called the local police in Sheridan Florida and had them give the company a call.
The officer spoke with the company and told me that me that they guaranteed that we would have it this weekend. I called back today (January 22nd) and Orie now tells me the stuff is still in Chicago and the truck is on its way there to pick it up! I asked him how it got from Arizona to Chicago. He tell me that he has no idea why I was told that! He still will not tell me when I will receive our belongings!
What can I do? How can the laws let this happen? Since this experience, I have now looked around on the internet regarding moving companies. I find that there are over 5000 people per year that get ripped of by the moving business every year! Something needs to done and fast! I keep getting told that its my own fault (almost a quote from FMCSA) that I should have looked into it first! What kind of answer is that? We need protection from this thieving gang of thugs! Can you help? In the mean time, what can I do to get my things? I've already paid them 60% ($5286.25) and am scared to death thinking that I will never see my goods or that they won't show up in one piece! HELP!
Dale
Lori
Courtney
Justin
Moving Broker
Global Moving Network
45 E Sheridan Street Suite A
Dania Beach, FL 33004
1-954-925-5510
Trucking Company
Atlantic Moving System
3389 Sheridan St. #315
Hollywood, FL 33021
1-954-921-5877
USDOT#1089553
MC#450606
Used to be called
America Moving Network
MC#424708
Look them up here
http://www.movingadvocateteam.com/
Dale
Pflugerville, Texas
U.S.A.
0 comments