A new ruling has been introduced last October 18, 2012 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that will punish and issue a civil penalty of $10,000 should a carrier or broker hold household goods (HHG) hostage. This will, according to the FMCSA, resolve the many problems of clients that have their properties and goods held hostage by abusive carriers and brokers.
The FMCSA has promised to crack down on these violators and punish them accordingly. If the violation is severe, the carrier’s or broker’s registration may be suspended for a period of 12 to 36 months. Also, the carrier or broker will have to pay other fines and fees in order to reconstitute their registration (once the suspension has been lifted).
Cracking Down Household Goods Violators
The FMCSA will crack down and suspend the registration of a carrier or broker if they are guilty of the following terms:
- If they knowingly and willfully failed the contract (between them and the client).
- If they violated the contract in any way (e.g. not delivering on the specified location as listed on the contract, failure to safekeep the properties as per requirement, etc.).
- If they failed to deliver the properties as per listed on the contract and have kept the goods “hostage”, even though the payment made by the client was in full.
According to the FMCSA, this will help lessen the number of abusive carriers and brokers in the United States. Clients who have been a victim of these violators can go to the FMCSA and report their experiences. Investigations will be carried out as soon as possible in order to bring these violators to justice.
This new ruling made by FMCSA is in accordance with the United States law 49 U.S.C. 13905 (Transportation).
Leave Your Response