Glossary of Terms

Common Moving Terms Explained

What Is a Bill of Lading?

A bill of lading is the legal contract between you, the shipper, and the carrier. It spells out the charges, the pick-up and delivery dates or spreads, and the valuation of your goods. Review it carefully before your move, and ask your Quality Transfer & Storage moving consultant about anything unclear.

What Is a Binding Estimate?

A binding estimate guarantees your moving charges. The price cannot change even if additional services are added, with one exception: a shipment that must go into storage-in-transit because of non-payment at delivery. Quality Transfer & Storage offers binding estimates case by case, so ask your Moving Consultant for details.

What Are Accessorial Charges?

Accessorial charges cover additional services that were not previously anticipated or charged for in your original estimate. With a binding estimate, your quoted price is guaranteed even when additional services are added, with limited exceptions. Ask your Moving Consultant which services are included in your price.

What Is Linehaul in Moving?

Linehaul is the transportation cost of a move, the charge for getting your goods from origin to destination. It does not include other services, insurance, or fuel surcharges. When comparing quotes, check what is included alongside linehaul so you can compare total costs accurately.

What Does SIT (Storage-in-Transit) Mean?

SIT stands for storage-in-transit. It covers goods that have been loaded but need storage for any period of time before delivery. Quality Transfer & Storage also operates a 50,000 square foot, high-security warehouse for short-term and long-term storage. Ask your consultant if your move may need it.

What Does HHG (Household Goods) Mean?

HHG stands for household goods, the typical items moved from a house, such as furniture, books, clothing, and pictures. Movers list your HHG during a survey to estimate the weight and the number of boxes or cartons needed, which is why an in-home estimate helps produce an accurate quote.

  1. Additional services provided that were not previously anticipated or charged.
  2. Agent – Company working for a carrier to supply local services such as packing and storage. Example: A-Whisco, WMS.
  3. AMSA – American Moving and Storage Association.
  4. Arbitration – Independent dispute settlement program (see brochure).
  5. Bill of Lading – Legal contract between the shipper and the carrier. This includes charges, pick-up and delivery dates/spreads, and valuation.
  6. Binding Estimate – Estimated charges are guaranteed. Charges cannot change despite additional services, except in the case of a shipment that must be put into SIT as a result of non-payment at delivery.
  7. Can – Large metal containers for holding lift vans or loose loaded goods for OVS transport on ships. Two sizes: 20 ft. and 40 ft.
  8. Carrier – Company responsible for hauling goods. Example: Stevens, Allied, American World Forwarders.
  9. CMC – Certified Moving Consultant.
  10. COD – Cash on Delivery – a term describing when payment is due upon receipt of goods.
  11. Consignee –The person responsible for receipt of the goods at delivery.
  12. Crew Leader – Staff in charge of supervising crews on the job.
  13. Delivery – Date goods arrive and are unloaded at destination.
  14. Delivery Spread – Range of dates that interstate delivery is guaranteed.
  15. Destination – Final location of where the goods are to be delivered.
  16. Destination Agent – Company providing services for a carrier at a shipment’s destination. Services include storage, delivery and unpacking.
  17. Driver – Staff specializing in operation of vehicles. Often performs labor duties and serves as crew leader.
  18. Estimate – Anticipated charges for a service. This includes all services and products necessary to complete a job. See “Binding Estimate” and “Non-Binding/Actual Estimate” for further detail.
  19. HHG – Household goods; typical items moved from a house (furniture, books, clothing, pictures, etc.)
  20. High Value Inventory – Goods valued at $100/lb or greater. Typically, only jewelry, china, and some electronics qualify.
  1. Moves that cross state lines from origin to destination.
  2. Laborer – Staff specializing in moving goods.
  3. Liftvans – Wooden crates used to hold goods during transport (especially OVS) or storage. Each one holds approximately 1000 lbs.
  4. Linehaul – Transportation cost of a move. This does not include any other services, insurance, fuel surcharge, etc.
  5. Load – Goods are removed from the building and placed on a truck.
  6. Local – Origin and destination are within the same state (intrastate).
  7. Long Carry – Longer than normal walk (100 ft +) from building to truck.
  8. Non-Binding/Actual Estimate – Charges can change from the estimate, due to additional services not accounted for in the estimate (e.g., extra packing, long-carry), changes in fuel surcharge at time of pick-up, difference in actual weight from estimated weight, etc.
  9. Origin – Location of where the goods are to be loaded.
  10. Origin Agent – Company providing local services for a carrier. Services are at the origin of a shipment, including packing, loading and storage.
  1. Overseas.
  2. Packer – Staff specializing in protecting goods for transport, using paper, boxes, cartons, bubble wrap, etc.
  3. Pad – Thick blanket for wrapping and protecting furniture in transport.
  4. Pick-up – Date that goods are removed from the origin.
  5. Pick-up Spread – Range of dates that the pick-up of an interstate shipment is guaranteed.
  6. Ride Time – The time from when crews leave the WWMS facility until arrival at the origin, and the time from when crews leave the destination until arrival at the WWMS facility. Ride time is charged at the same hourly rate of the job involved.
  7. Self-Haul – Interstate job in which WWMS is the agent and carrier.
  8. Shipper – The customer.
  9. Shuttle – The use of a smaller vehicle to transport goods from the building to the truck. This is due to the truck not being able to gain close access to the building. Additional charges apply.
  10. SIT – Storage-in-transit. This is for goods that have been loaded but need storage for any period of time before delivery.
  11. Survey – List of HHG items used to estimate weight and boxes/cartons needed.
  12. Tariff – Standardized computer program used to calculate charges for interstate shipments.
  13. Valuation – The value of the goods, as determined by the shipper. This is used to determine replacement value when damaged.