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The Moving Industry’s Busiest Season: Summer

Summertime has traditionally been the busiest moving season.  Longer daylight times and summer breaks for children make it a prime time for people to move. It is also a prime time for scam artists to prey on unsuspecting consumers.

The California Moving & Storage Association (CMSA) wants to make sure that consumers know how to avoid being a victim of a moving scam.

Here are some helpful tips:

  1. Don’t book your move on-line or over the phone without verifying that the mover has a location in your area.  Drive by the location.  Go in and meet the company’s personnel.  Use your instincts to discern if the company’s personnel appear to be professional and trustworthy.  Let your common sense guide you…  but don’t stop there!
  2. Verify the company’s license.  All movers are required by law to demonstrate their legitimacy on all their documentation.
  3. Verify the license number with the California Moving & Storage Association (CMSA) or the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
  4. Obtain written estimates for moves of three or more rooms.  Legitimate movers are price competitive.  Make sure the estimates are based on the same factors (i.e. move and pack; move only, etc.)  If a company provides an unusually low bid… beware!  The company could be illegal, or they may have made an error while estimating the move.  If the latter is the case, the price will likely escalate on moving day.
  5. Illegal movers may charge by the cubic foot.  Legal movers charge by the hour (local moves), and by weight/mileage (distance moves).
  6. Bandits “rip off” innocent consumers by charging exorbitant fees for extensive and unnecessary packing on items that should be pad wrapped.  Furnishings should be wrapped with shrink wrap or protected with special moving blankets.
  7. Bandits will intimidate consumers to tip the crew.  Tipping is not customary but it is accepted when the customer has received exceptional service.

*The CMSA is a nonprofit trade association representing almost 400 licensed and insured movers operating in California.

Home Moving Trends in 2022

Home moving trends from 2021 are continuing in 2022. People of all ages are moving desiring, more space and to be closer to family.

Top States People Are Moving to in 2022:
Arizona
Florida
Idaho
North Carolina
South Carolina
Texas

Full Article

(Source: extraspace.com)

Experts Predict a Difficult Summer for Ports

There is some hope for fall and winter, but experts are predicting that port congestion will get worse before it gets better. National logistics issues are leaving imports sitting on docks. These containers leave less room for vessels to unload and increase unload time. This leads to the inevitable backlog of vessels waiting in line to be unloaded.

Full Article

(Source: JOC.com)

COVID’s Ongoing Impact on Global Shipping

China’s current COVID outbreak will have lasting impact on the global supply chain. Shanghai’s restrictions and Shenzhen’s lockdown will impact container shipping globally. Factory shutdowns/restrictions will reduce exports. And with potential port shutdowns looming there is hope for a little relief from the bottle neck California ports are experiencing. It will unfortunately short lived and the impact of reopening might make matters worse.

Full Article

(Source: American Shipper)

Ports Benefit from 2022 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Projects

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the 2022 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act have provided the U.S. Army with $22.81 billion in funding. $17.09 billion is earmarked to fund “studies and projects, maintain existing infrastructure, and repair damage and dredge channels in response to floods and coastal storms” according to The Honorable Michael L. Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.

Full Story

(Source: World Cargo News)