LOAD IT, I believe you are thinking about the minimum amounts of cargo coverage required by household carriers. The Feds require $5,000 in cargo insurance for most carriers except household goods which require $10,000 minimum. They also are required to have an arbitration clause in their contract with consumers. I copied a summary specifically concerning household goods transporters from the FMCSRA website.

There is no difference that I could find as far as the authority itself is concerned, only certain regulations specifically for those who transport household goods, such as arbitration and increased insurance requirements. If you want to learn more about household goods specifically you can go to the website and read for yourself.


Part 375: Transportation of Household Goods in Interstate Commerce; Consumer Protection Regulations

Part Regulation Guidance
Subpart A - General Requirements
375.101 Who must follow these regulations?
375.103 What are the definitions of terms used in this part?
375.105 What are the information collection requirements of this part?
Subpart B - Before Offering Services to My Customers
Liability Considerations
375.201 What is my normal liability for loss and damage when I accept goods from an individual shipper?
375.203 What actions of an individual shipper may limit or reduce my normal liability?
General Responsibilities
375.205 May I have agents?
375.207 What items must be in my advertisements?
375.209 How must I handle complaints and inquiries?
375.211 Must I have an arbitration program?
375.213 What information must I provide to a prospective individual shipper?
Collecting Transportation Charges
375.215 How must I collect charges?
375.217 May I collect charges upon delivery?
375.219 May I extend credit to shippers?
375.221 May I use a charge or credit card plan for payments?
Subpart C - Service Options Provided
375.301 What service options may I provide?
375.303 If I sell liability insurance coverage, what must I do?
Subpart D - Estimating Charges
375.401 Must I estimate charges?
375.403 How must I provide a binding estimate?
375.405 How must I provide a non-binding estimate?
375.407 Under what circumstances must I relinquish possession of a collect-on-delivery shipment transported under a non-binding estimate?
375.409 May household goods brokers provide estimates?
Subpart E - Pick Up of Shipments of Household Goods
Before Loading
375.501 Must I write up an order for service?
375.503 Must I write up an inventory?
375.505 Must I write up a bill of lading?
Weighing the Shipment
375.507 Must I determine the weight of a shipment?
375.509 How must I determine the weight of a shipment?
375.511 May I use an alternative method for shipments weighing 3,000 pounds or less?
375.513 Must I give the individual shipper an opportunity to observe the weighing?
375.515 May an individual shipper waive his/her right to observe each weighing?
375.517 May an individual shipper demand re-weighing?
375.519 Must I obtain weight tickets?
375.521 What must I do if an individual shipper wants to know the actual weight or charges for a shipment before I tender delivery?
Subpart F - Transportation of Shipments
375.601 Must I transport the shipment in a timely manner?
375.603 When must I tender a shipment for delivery?
375.605 How must I notify an individual shipper of any service delays?
375.607 What must I do if I am able to tender a shipment for final delivery more than 24 hours before a specified date?
375.609 What must I do for shippers who store household goods in transit?
Subpart G - Delivery of Shipments
375.701 May I provide for a release of liability on my delivery receipt?
375.703 What is the maximum collect-on-delivery amount I may demand at the time of delivery?
375.705 If a shipment is transported on more than one vehicle, what charges may I collect at delivery?
375.707 If a shipment is partially lost or destroyed, what charges may I collect at delivery?
375.709 If a shipment is totally lost or destroyed, what charges may I collect at delivery?
Subpart H - Collection of Charges
375.801 What types of charges apply to subpart H?
375.803 How must I present my freight or expense bill?
375.805 If I am forced to relinquish a collect-on-delivery shipment before the payment of ALL charges, how do I collect the balance?
375.807 What actions may I take to collect the charges upon my freight bill?
Subpart I - Penalties
375.901 What penalties do we impose for violations of this part?
Appendix A to Part 375 Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move

 

Those engaged in transportation as common or contract carrier or brokerage of property are not allowed to transport household goods. If you have a certificate of authority, read it. I have 3 and it says pretty much the same on all 3 regarding household goods. Where is it in the regs, I have no idea, never looked for it. But I'm not one to quote the regs or statistics.

 

I did read my authority and it does exclude household goods. When you apply for authority you need to check off the type of goods you will be hauling. There is a place for household goods, but you can haul property (general freight) as well as household goods if you choose. However, you will need to either apply for it when you first get your authority or can probably amend your authority to include household goods. I can't imagine most carriers wanting to mix the two, but I checked and United Van Lines has authority for property and household goods. So it is possible to have both. You still have either common or contract authority. Having household goods listed is only the type of goods you plan on hauling but has nothing to do with the type of authority. At least I haven't found anything which would tell me differently.

 

When I talked to a freight guy dropping something off at a United agent, he said he needed special authority for HHG. He had his own authority and has been around for 30 years. He also said he's never made less than $2.12 all miles or he'll retire

And LOAD IT, I have seen the same quote about HHG being exempt, and not considered genral freight commodity as you stated. The guy (in above) said the closest he gets to HHG is hauling new furniture places.

 

New furniture is general/ dry freight. I think I have crossed the line hauling PODS. We have hauled the new PODS containers out of the plant to distributors and have reloaded with full PODS which are ususally HHG shipments. SSSHHHHHH keep that under your hat.