RELO Roundtable…a gathering place

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) just launched a newly designed website to help consumers protect themselves from fraudulent or unscrupulous interstate household goods moving companies. Different format; same content.

The announcement comes two and a half months after the start of the relocation industry's traditional summer peak moving season. A lot of consumers, unfortunately, have made some pretty bad choices since the first of May.

Same info dressed in new clothes

Just as before, the website – www.ProtectYourMove.gov  – includes a user-friendly database that allows visitors to look up interstate moving companies either by state or by name, and to review both their annual consumer complaint history as well as the company’s on-road safety performance records. 

A brand new feature of the website allows state consumer protection agencies to easily update state contact information for shippers who have questions about household goods movers.

A nice new video no one will see

The www.ProtectYourMove.gov website also features a new public service announcement (PSA). Entitled “Don’t Be a Victim”, the informational piece focuses on ways inexperienced consumers can prevent moving fraud.  You can watch the short, 45 second video on the Protect Your Move site or follow this link https://www.protectyourmove.gov/video/pym.wmv

While there is nothing extraordinary or new in this PSA spot, it's probably another wasted government resource that relocating consumers will see…unless they watch late night TV.

Those who happen upon ProtectYourMove.gov probably don't need to see or hear the message. They're already at the site! The vid is available if they choose to partake.

To everyone else considering or planning a local or long distance relocation, however, the 45 second consumer protection alert might be helpful.  Especially now that so many consumers are looking to reduce their relocation expense.

Share the code

Originally, I planned to copy the FMCSA's video code and embed it in this article so visitors to the site could see the new addition at Protect Your Move.gov. The problem is there is no code to copy.

That's a shame.

I'm sure that, like me, some of the traditional news organizations and contents syndicators, new social media outlets, national and state moving industry associations and their dues paying members might want to copy the same “Share” code. Then they could distribute the USDOT's official “Don’t Be a Victim” message with employees, visitors, and potential clients or customers who view their company websites, Facebook pages, blogs or other online marketing efforts.

This type of viral social media marketing partnership wouldn't cost FMCSA a dime. Considering the government's budget woes, it might be a more effective distribution channel to allow interested industry allies to broadcast the public service message as part of their normal advertising efforts.

Sure couldn't hurt.

Related Articles and Relocation Resources:

Avoid "Rogue" Moving Companies – Arizona Department of Weights & Measures

Red Flags for Spotting Rogue Movers – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Transportation of Household Goods in Interstate Commerce – Consumer Protection Regulations – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

How to spot a rogue mover – RELO Roundtable

BE WARY … of Unexpected Estimate Revisions When Moving – RELO Roundtable

Is shopping for a mover in a virtual marketplace safe? – RELO Roundtable

How to Find a Reputable Mover: A Professional Guide – RELO Roundtable

How to Choose an International Mover – RELO Roundtable

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