Customer's Moving Responsibility
Major Van Lines
3801 25th Ave
Gulfport, MS 39501
Below, you will find a list of “what to know, what to do, and what not to do” when moving. Please read the following thoroughly:
What to Know and Do
Customer will receive a call the day before their pickup from customer service team with an ETA (estimated time of arrival.) for pickup. Once shipment is in route for delivery, the customer will receive a call from either dispatch or the driver with an ETA of delivery. This will take place the day before said delivery. At the time of pickup AND delivery, the customer and/or a representative for the customer MUST be present at ALL times during loading/unloading process.
If Customer is moving “Bulky” items such as pool tables, hot tubs, grandfather clocks, grand pianos, lawn mower, motorcycles, golf carts, safes, ext. The customer needs to emphasize to their sales rep at the time of booking about the size of these items. This is to ensure that any packing, special materials, third party pickups, ext. can be scheduled and/or purchased properly.
At the time of pickup, you will need to provide your driver with a FADD (first available date of delivery.). This date will be the first day of your delivery spread. If you do not have a FADD, your shipment will be placed in storage. In the event you do not have a destination address at the time of booking, you need to contact your sales rep as soon as possible to provide the address information, as well as any addition contact information that needs to be updated such as phone numbers and email addresses. Storage customers are given the first 30 days of storage free, and will be charged for storage, according to your shipment size, every 30 days. It is the storage customer’s responsibility to call and put in writing to the carrier of their FADD. Your FADD should be at least 7 days out of your notification so that your shipment can be added to dispatch. A FADD is not a guaranteed date of delivery. It is the start of your delivery spread. Example of delivery spread below.
0-500 Miles | 1 – 8 Business Days |
501 – 1500 Miles | 2-14 Business Days |
1501 – 2000 Miles | 7 – 17 Business Days |
2001 – 2500 Miles | 8 – 21 Business Days |
2501 – 3200 Miles | 9 – 21 Business Days |
About Packing
When packing, boxes must be sealed on the top and bottom. Boxes must be marked with your last name and the room you would like the boxed placed in at the destination. These boxes should be marked on the side of the box, not the top. When packing, ensure that the top of the box does not “drop” when you push down on the box. You can do this by adding some cushion to fill the top of the box with either paper, towels, bedding, etc. at the very top. Please remember that NO open top boxes and NO bags (plastic or air sealed) will be accepted for transport.
Totes or plastic bins are great for moving; however, you must secure the top so that nothing spills out. (Sealing the top of the tote with tape is suggested.)
Common items that customers do not realize they need packed for transport:
- Mirrors, wall pictures, glass shelves, glass tops.
- Lamps & lamp shades.
- TVs. (TV must be boxed.)
- Mattress & box springs must be bagged.
- Dresser drawers must be emptied and clothing and other items in the dresser must be packed.
Items that are prohibited and not to pack:
- Liquids.
- Open Liquor.
- Flammables.
- Aerosols.
- Hazardous Items.
- Propane Tanks. (gasoline cans must be 100% empty)
- Perishable items.
- Ammunition.
- Firearms.
- Human Remains (urns).
- Personal Documents. (IE. Bank documents, social security cards, birth certificates.)
- Jewelry.
- Cash.
- Medication and Medical Devices.
- Pets.
- Live Plants.
Information About Pick Up and Delivery
A standard pickup will be serviced by a 26-foot to 30-foot straight truck. Transportation of goods to destination may or may not be completed via the same vehicle as pick-up. In the event that it is transferred onto a semi-trailer (18-wheeler that is 70-foot to 85-foot long), you may require a shuttle at the destination. Definition of a shuttle: when said semi is unable to access the destination residence due to location and/or prohibited areas designated. Common issues that occur are retirement centers, apartment buildings, or residential areas with a double yellow line road in front of the residence. In the event a shuttle is needed, this will be at the customer’s expense and will be solely at the driver’s discretion if a shuttle is required. Shuttles will be charged based on the size of your move. If you do not wish to pay for shuttle services, you have options.
Options include:
- The customer provides a shuttle truck. If this option is picked, the driver will place your items from the semi-trailer onto the shuttle truck. This will be considered the move complete. This means that once the items are on the shuttle truck you provided, you are responsible for getting the items from the shuttle into your home.
- The customer provides an alternate location that is accessible for the semi-trailer.
- The customer can provide a storage unit that is semi-trailer accessible for the items to be loaded into.
Customer should be prepared to inform dispatch or driver of any restrictions that may apply at delivery, such as elevator reservation times, the distance from the moving vehicle to the front door of residence, and the number of outdoor stairs if applicable. This information is vital to ensure that there are no interruptions at delivery as well as delivery costs.
Space Reservation
Major Van Lines provides binding estimates based on space reservations. The definition of space reservation: You have been provided with space on a moving truck. This space has been reserved specifically for you.
Major Van Lines ensures that your space reservation will not be used for anybody else during the time of transportation. You have provided Major Van Lines with a list of items to be moved; even if those items are to change, you have reserved a specific amount of space on the moving truck for your items. In layman terms, “If it fits, it ships.” If you require additional space, it will be provided to you at the rate quoted on your estimate.
Your space reservation is held by cubic feet. Cubic feet are calculated by width x length x height in inches. You would then take your inches and divide them by the number 1,728. This will result in your cubic feet being required to move your items.
Example: 12 x 12 x12 = 1,728 inches. 1,728 divided by 1,728 = 1 cubic foot.
Delivery Payment
The “ONLY” acceptable forms of payment at the time of delivery, that must be paid prior to unloading your shipment, are a United States Postal Money Order from the United States Post Office or Cash.
If you choose to get postal money orders, “DO NOT” fill out a company’s name until the driver has arrived and is with you. If the money orders are not filled out properly for any reason, the driver will not accept the money orders. If you choose to pay cash at the time of delivery, the driver will provide you with a receipt for said cash.