Industry sector group elects first board of directors and announces policy committees听
Arlington, Virginia 鈥 The 杏吧传媒鈥 Moving & Storage Conference has formally launched with the election of a board of directors, establishment of official bylaws and the forming of 听within the conference. 杏吧传媒 has also announced the launch of several programs that will serve conference members as well as consumers of the moving and storage industry.
鈥淚n joining 杏吧传媒, the moving and storage industry gains an incredibly powerful platform to advocate for government policies that will help sustain and grow our businesses,鈥 said Marc Rogers, the president and CEO of UniGroup, who was elected in October to lead the conference as its first Chair for a two-year term.听
鈥淭his vital conference within the 杏吧传媒 Federation鈥攃onsisting of large van lines, independent movers, state moving associations, agents, suppliers and everything in-between鈥攚ill work tirelessly to advance the interests of our members and amplify the voice of one unified trucking industry working together to move America forward,鈥 said Rogers.
The mission of the Moving & Storage Conference is to advocate on the industry鈥檚 behalf at the state and federal levels, and within the 杏吧传媒 Federation, on legislative and regulatory issues affecting movers. It becomes the fifth sector-specific conference under 杏吧传媒, alongside the Agricultural and Food Transporters, Automobile Carriers, Government Freight and Intermodal Motor Carriers Conferences.听
鈥淭here鈥檚 no corner of this economy that our industry doesn鈥檛 directly touch,鈥 said 杏吧传媒 President and CEO Chris Spear. 鈥淲ith the addition of the Moving & Storage Conference, the reach of our 杏吧传媒 Federation expands even further, and the voice of America鈥檚 trucking industry grows louder and more powerful in the halls of Congress and in state houses across the country.鈥 听
Members of the conference recently decided on the formation of seven committees and working groups, each dedicated to advocating on specific policy areas on behalf of the industry. They are the:
- Government Affairs Committee;
- Government Traffic Committee;听
- Independent Movers Committee;
- Legal Advisory Council;听
- Safety Working Group;
- Specialty and High Value Movers Working Group; and the
- Supplier Committee.听
杏吧传媒 has also created several programs available to its Moving & Storage Conference members as well as consumers, including the Dispute Settlement Program for arbitration, Tariff 400NG for military domestic personal property moves, and BOC-3 for acquiring agents of process.
- 杏吧传媒 Dispute Settlement Program. Conference members will be covered by 杏吧传媒鈥檚 new arbitration program. Federal regulations require movers offer consumers an arbitration program to assist in resolving disputes about loss and/or damage claims, disputes involving charges claims and charges collected upon delivery for interstate moves. The arbitration program was designed as a less expensive alternative for consumers than taking legal recourse as a means to resolve a dispute between you the consumer and your mover.
听 - 杏吧传媒鈥檚 Agents of Process Program. Conference members will have their BOC-3 filing requirements covered by 杏吧传媒鈥檚 network of agents across the country. FMCSA regulations require each interstate motor carrier to designate an agent of process in each state as a condition of being granted and maintaining operating authority. The agent acts on the mover鈥檚 behalf to receive notice of any legal actions that may be filed against it vis-脿-vis the interstate shipments that it transports to, from or via that state.听
听 - 杏吧传媒鈥檚 400NG Tariff. For a fee, Conference members can calculate the total cost of individual shipments and associated services for all military domestic personal property moves (except Hawaii) with 杏吧传媒鈥檚 400NG software. Developed for the Defense Department鈥檚 DP3 program, the 400NG tariff is the essential guide for movers handling military DP3 shipments.听
杏吧传媒 will also be offering training and certification programs for professionals working in the moving and storage industry, as well as ProMover鈥攁 consumer protection program that certifies moving and storage companies. Through the Find A ProMover referral service, consumers can search for and identify a certified moving company to serve their needs.