The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found 1,150 violations of federal regulatons and assessed nearly $325,000 in fines during a recent strike force investigation involving nearly 350 moving companies located in 13 states and the District of Columbia.


"Interstate movers with fraudulent or rogue operations are hereby put on notice: Federal investigators will be knocking on your door in the future and you will face serious legal and financial consequences," said John H. Hill, FMCSA administrator. "During this strike force alone, six companies received federal fines in excess of $27,000."

From May 5 through May 16, FMCSA, in cooperation with state law enforcement and consumer protection agencies, conducted focused compliance reviews on carriers hired to transport consumers' personal property across state lines.

The American Moving & Storage Association praised the move, saying in a statement, "AMSA supports the efforts of the federal government in working to eliminate rogue operators and to ensure good movers are in full compliance. We share this goal and continue to push for strong federal enforcement of interstate moves. AMSA has supported increased funding for FMCSA to properly carry out its enforcement responsibilities, and will again do so during consideration of the federal highway reauthorization legislation during the next session of Congress."

The strike force targeted states that received the most complaints in the National Household Goods Consumer Complaint database. In fiscal year 2007, FMCSA received nearly 4,000 complaints.

Companies fined were:
California: CHS Transportation, San Jose; Emil Cohen, Sherman Oaks; First American Transport Incorporated, Winnetka; Mapquest Vanlines, Camarillo; Mayfield Van Line, Chatsworth; Sierra Valley Moving and Storage Company, Sacramento; Young Ran Chang, Redondo Beach.

Florida: Sunstate Movers, Tampa; Advantage Moving and Storage, Atlanta; Arpin Moving Systems, Cumming; Atlantic Relocations, Atlanta;

Illinois: Advanced Moving and Storage, Addison; Copher Movers and Storage, Chicago Ridge; In and Out Moving and Storage, Lincolnwood; Jamanee Express, Chicago; Micro Ship, Villapark; Relocation Van Lines, Chicago; Syed Masoon Abbas and Syed Kamran Abbas, Chicago.

Maryland: AMC Relocations, Waldorf; American Moving Service, Ellicott City; Short Hop Moving, Annapolis; Town and Home Country Movers, Gaithersburg.

Massachussetts: Atom Moving, Allston; Barbara Crocker Mariani, Revere; Diamond Transportation, Wrentham; Julians Van Lines, Newton; Simpson Brothers Movers, Arlington; Smooth Mooves, Watertown; Tophills, Brighton.

Nevada: Charles Greg Daugherty and Devon Smiley, Reno; Robert Carney, Sparks.

New Hampshire: RSD Moving West Lebanon.

New Jersey: A&E Moving and Storage, Eatontown; AJM, Piscataway; Alpha Moving and Storage, Jersey City; Biancella Enterprises, Brick; Big Sam Moving Co., Jersey City; Devine Movers, Allenwood; Elephant Van Lines Moving and Storage, Hoboken; Morrisseys Moving, Hoboken.

New York: Best Quality Movers, Mt. Vernon; Empire Van Lines, Fresh Meadows; Enterprise Van Lines, Monsey; First American Moving and Delivery, Brooklyn; Moves, New York City; Niva Moving Corp., Farmingdale; Reliable Spine Movers, Brooklyn; Royal Moving and Storage, Brooklyn; The Padded Wagon, Bronx.

Ohio: Contact Transportation, Columbus.

Vermont: Garrett Boyle, Ludlow; Waterbury Moving and Storage, Waterbury.

Virginia: Big Green Moving, Arlington; Henderson's Moving Services, Arlington; Majestic Moving and Storage, Arlington; Smooth Movers, Falls Church; Sunday Movers, Sterling.