Research & Insights
Original research on the moving industry. FMCSA complaint data, fraud investigations, and industry analysis.
Most recently published
FMCSA Eastern Region: New Jersey Drives the Complaint Numbers
The Eastern FMCSA region spans 14 states from Maine to Virginia, but one state dominates the complaint data. New Jersey, with just 76 companies carrying complaints, accounts for 59% of the region's total. The Sherwood Lane warehouse cluster in Fairfield, NJ, connects multiple shell companies to a known fraud network.
FMCSA Midwestern Region: Small Operators, Big Complaint Rates
The Midwestern FMCSA region has the fewest registered companies of any region, but the highest per-company complaint rate when adjusted for size. It is also the only region where Loss and Damage complaints outnumber Estimates/Final Charges. The top offenders are almost all single-truck operators, a pattern consistent with rental truck fraud.
FMCSA Southern Region: 76% of All Moving Complaints Come From Here
The Southern FMCSA region, covering Florida, Georgia, Texas, and nine other states, generates more than three-quarters of all NCCDB complaints nationwide. The data reveals a fraud epicenter driven almost entirely by Florida-based brokers who dispatch carriers across the country.
FMCSA Western Region: California's Carrier Problem
The Western FMCSA region covers 15 states from California to Hawaii. Unlike the Southern Region, where brokers drive complaint volumes, the Western Region's complaints are more carrier-driven. California alone accounts for 80% of regional complaints, with a small number of high-volume carriers generating disproportionate numbers.
Why Your Moving Broker's $75,000 Bond May Not Protect You
Understanding the gap between broker surety bonds and actual moving insurance coverage
Florida Insurance Gap: 71% of Licensed Movers Have No Insurance Filings on Record
An analysis of FMCSA MOTUS filing data for Florida's 2,872 licensed moving companies
The National Moving Insurance Crisis: 60% of Licensed Movers Have No Insurance Filings
A nationwide analysis of FMCSA MOTUS insurance filing data across 25,863 licensed moving companies
Safe Ship Claims 'High Standards' for Carrier Vetting. We Checked Their Carrier List.
The most-complained-about moving broker in America publishes a list of 1,080 carriers it dispatches to. 100 have revoked or inactive authority. Their combined complaint count: 2,954.
The Supreme Court Just Made Brokers Liable for the Carriers They Choose. Here's What It Means for Moving Consumers.
Montgomery v. Caribe Transport stripped brokers of their legal shield. The $604 million C.H. Robinson verdict followed. For household goods consumers, the question is whether anyone will apply these rulings to the brokers generating 321 complaints.
How to File a Claim for Damaged or Missing Items After a Move
Step-by-step guide to filing damage and loss claims against your mover under federal law
How to Read a Moving Contract Before You Sign
What to look for in a Bill of Lading and how to spot red flags before pickup day
What to Do If a Mover Is Holding Your Belongings Hostage
How to respond when a moving company demands more money before delivering your items
A Navy Officer's Belongings Disappeared. The Moving Broker Says It's Not Their Problem.
Ke Wang hired the most-complained-about moving broker in America for a PCS move. Safe Ship dispatched a carrier that wasn't incorporated when FMCSA licensed it. The goods have been missing for over a year.
Packing Services: What They Cost, What They Include, and When They're Worth It
A breakdown of full-service packing costs, partial packing options, and when to DIY
Penske Trucks, No DOT Numbers, No Reply: How Rental Companies Enable Moving Fraud
Rogue carriers with 1 registered truck run fleets of rental vehicles invisible to FMCSA's safety system. Penske knows repeat renters are a problem. It has not addressed how its trucks are used for hostage loads.
Broker vs Carrier: What Every Consumer Needs to Know Before Hiring a Mover
The company you book may not be the company that shows up. How to tell the difference between a broker and a carrier, why it matters, and what to ask before you sign.
How to Check a Mover's Complaint History Before You Hire
A step-by-step guide to looking up federal complaint data, cross-referencing review platforms, and spotting the warning signs that separate legitimate movers from repeat offenders.
The Florida Broker Problem: How Zero-Truck Companies Generate 76% of Moving Complaints
Florida has 2,593 registered movers and generates 7,188 NCCDB complaints. Five of the six most-complained companies are Florida brokers that own zero trucks. This is how the broker model works, why it produces so much consumer harm, and why nobody is stopping it.
From Database to Enforcement: How Aggregated Complaint Data Is Reaching the Agencies That Need It
FMCSA collects the data. Trunk aggregates it. Consumer advocates are now putting it in front of enforcement agencies, attorneys general, and investigative journalists.
Broker vs Carrier: What Every Consumer Needs to Know Before Hiring a Mover
The company you book may not be the company that shows up. How to tell the difference between a broker and a carrier, why it matters, and what to ask before you sign.