How to background check movers in Toronto

Introduction

May 2010 Toronto police raid 11 moving companies, seized 13 moving trucks, and laid 160 charges, many of which related to fraud. The companies advertised mainly on craigslist and kajiji offering flat rates, low hourly rates, and claimed no hidden costs. Many of these companies do not have actual offices, and do not register with Canadian / US transportation agencies as legal commercial carriers. Often, these weekend movers are looking to make a quick dollar, skip out on WSIB coverage, fail to register their business, or other unethical business practices. While the initial price may sound low, most people do not factor in the hidden risks such as liability for personal injury, unaccountability, or even ransom.



How to Research a Movers background

The month of May is heating up and along with it so does the moving industry. The height of popularity takes place in the last week of summer months. If you do your homework and plan ahead you can make sure you won’t get burned. Here’s how to find background information about movers.


BBB – Better Business Bureau

Visit this site and input your desired Toronto GTA moving company and see how they rate with the BBB. abbeyWood Moving & Storage Inc for example, currently holds an “A” rating.

http://www.bbb.org/canada/Find-Business-Reviews/


FMSCA - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (USA)

A cross border move to Toronto or south to the US requires a carrier who is legally registered to haul household shipments. Visit this site to input the company name or information to see a detailed snapshot of the companies US operating history and details. This is a concise electronic record of a company’s identification, size, commodity information, and safety record, including the safety rating (if any), a roadside out-of-service inspection summary, and crash information. The Company Snapshot is available via an ad-hoc query (one carrier at a time) free of charge.

http://www.safersys.org/CompanySnapshot.aspx

Ontario Carrier CVOR search

Are they a commercial carrier? What is their safety rating? If the business is not registered to do Local GTA moving or Long distance moving they could be forced off the road if caught by the transportation ministry, even if that means the middle of your move.

https://www.cvor.rus.mto.gov.on.ca/scripts/CCS-Order.asp

The Days Toronto Will Stand Still: June 26-27 G20 Summit.

It’s the last weekend of the month and you’re moving into your new home. But there is a problem. Toronto’s G20 Summit has brought the city to a standstill. The Direct Energy Center and Metro Toronto Convention Centre will host the G20 and along with it is security that could make moving into your next Toronto home impossible.

Exact details of the security restrictions are unknown and typically withheld until a few weeks prior. Here is what to expect:

Toronto G20, June 26-27 2010.

3-Ring security perimeter surrounding the MTCC and Direct Energy Center.

Rings will comprise of fencing & cement barriers
No cars within the perimeter.
Residents living in the perimeter will have to undergo background checks, show ID, and pass metal detectors.

The Security Perimeter:

As far North up to King St., Wellington St., or Queen St.
As far East as York St. or Yonge St.
As far West as Spadina Ave.
As far South as The Gardener Expressway.

Protestors:

Protestors can make a mess of traffic real quick, not too long ago the Gardiner Expressway was shut down when Shri Lankan protestors blocked the highway with men, women & children. This can very well happen once again.



Moving Tips for June 26-27

▪Discover Toronto’s side streets and alternative routes such as Kingston Rd. in the East and Black Creek in the West.
▪ Reschedule move for 20-24 or 29-30 of June if possible.
▪ Make sure you have a GPS device or Map, in case detours are required.
▪ Driving South into the city will be a disaster. Avoid it at all costs.
▪ The Gardiner Expressway QEW will be a virtual standstill or closed during the meetings.
▪ The Don Valley Parkway/404 highway will be clogged to the point where walking is faster.
▪ Highway 427 should have traffic flowing north, but forget about driving South.
▪ Highway 401 East / West will likely experience rush hour traffic both days.
▪ Pre-Move as much as possible prior to 26-27. You will need to plan lots of travel time.
▪ Be sure to fill up on Gas before attempting to enter the city.
▪ If you can, have the moving truck loaded the day before to prevent any last minute catastrophes.

In general save it for another day, it is not worth the hassle. If you must be out of the house consider giving us a call. We have the ability to hold your goods onboard a moving truck overnight, our own bonded storage facility, and the experience thats needed to get the job done right.

abbeyWood Moving & Storage will Double Your AIR MILES!

abbeyWood Moving & Storage Inc. announces.....



Double AIR MILES! With our new Premovers Campaign.



Book a local or long distance move in July to double your AIR MILES! Just Quote "Premover" and you will earn your standard amound of AIR MILES, Plus the same amount as a "Premover" Bonus!




For example. Our customers typically receive 1 AIR MILE for every $30.00 spent. That means if you earn 120 Air Miles on your next Cross-Canada, Cross-border, or Local GTA & Toronto move, Move with abbeyWood Moving you will receive another 120 AIR MILES Free!




There is nothing to loose here, book your move with us today and quote "Premover" to
double your AIR MILES.

Recent SEARS delivery

If your around the Eaton Center area be sure to check out the new Kensie Girl clothing line at SEARS. Here are a few pictures of the really cool displays our team delivered this week.



Our crews took pleasure from the unique artwork. We also work with retailers such as GAP, Old Navy to deliver store displays and other fixtures. Believe it or not, its fun when we get to deal with anything out of the ordinary. Whether its high value eletronics, or over-sized furniture a challenege is always welcomed!

That's it for now!

U Can Store and Move & Flex Move

Lets face it, not everyone wants their goods locked away in storage, or can afford traditional moves. We've developed a convenient solution to help DIY households save money and time.

U Can Store & Move delivers watertight storage containers to your home driveway and allows you to do those renovation projects you've always wanted. We can even move that container to another location. (just keep in mind it usually clogs up smaller driveways)

The Flexmove is our long distance container system. These containers offer a revolutionary level of service that cannot be found anywhere else. You may load, or abbeyWood can load your items into an exclusive container and transport to your new home. The beauty of the container system is that your goods are already in storage vaults, so temporary storage between moves is simple and cost effective. with this system you can have date specific loading/unloading dates at no extra cost. traditional moving trucks have many shipments on board, and their shedules limit when they can deliver.

If you need a little extra storage space at home, or planning a long distance move this is definitely something worth your consideration. Please give us a call 1-800-565-488 (416)292-1107 or online at http://www.abbeywoodmoving.com/

CBC News: Large moving company "Two Small Men with Big Hearts" faces charges, upsets.

A customer recently brought to our attention this news article.
www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/02/bc-twosmallmen.html


The article addresses multiple consumer complains against "Two Small Men with Big Hearts" franchises. This is upsetting news for the industry as a whole, unfortunatly we've heard simliar stories before (Desi Movers). We cant Stress enough how important it is to do background or reference checking. Early in 2010 we were flooded with calls from panic sticken customers when Premiere Van Lines Scarborough location locked its doors for good. It left personal possessions and belongings in the hands of creditors. Fortunately we were able to work with the realtors and recover some of the storage lots. Not everyone was as lucky. Fly-by-night operations do exist in this industry. See how long they are in business, and look for other satisfied customers to be sure.

You just can't move across the border.

We recently had a situation, that is not as uncommon as you might think. An American citizen married a Canadian citizen and wanted to move to Canada. So he packed up his goods, had them loaded onto a moving truck, and shipped the goods. Problem was, that just being married, does not give you the right to live in that country. His furniture got here but he was not allowed across the border. We are arranging to ship his goods back to the U.S..

This issue is not that unusual. Our two countries are very similiar, and it is not unusual for a resident of one country to have vacation property in the other. We cross the border reasonably easily to shop, and travel.

However, if you plan to live there, no matter what the reason, you need a visa. Sometimes, that can take a long time so be prepared.