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California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco

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PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov

CPUC INVESTIGATIONS RESULT IN ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AND FINES IMPOSED ON VARIOUS MOVING COMPANIES

SAN FRANCISCO, August 5, 2008 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), in its ongoing commitment to consumer protection, has taken a number of actions to protect consumers from illegally operating moving companies.

During the second quarter of 2008, the CPUC's Consumer Protection and Safety Division (CPSD), Transportation Enforcement Section, took the following enforcement actions against moving companies for violations of the Public Utilities Code and CPUC rules and regulations, including Maximum Rate Tariff 4 (MAX 4), which contains maximum rates that carriers must observe as well as rules and regulations governing intrastate moves.

Administrative Citation

Three companies were cited and fined (totaling $3,000) for violations ranging from:

Companies cited were:

Phone Disconnect

In its ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal moving companies, the CPUC had telephone service shut off to two moving companies operating in California without a household goods permit. These companies continue to advertise and hold themselves out to engage in the business of transporting used household goods, notwithstanding CPUC staff directives to immediately cease and desist unlawful acts and to obtain a household goods permit. According to Section 5322 of the Public Utilities Code, any consumer aggrieved by this action may file a complaint with the CPUC and request a hearing.

Official Notice

Nine companies were issued Official Notice for one or more of these violations:

The companies cited were:

Cease and Desist Notice

CPUC issued 43 cease and desist notices to the companies listed below for operating and advertising as a household goods carrier without a valid permit:

Craigslist - CPSD was able to arrange with Craigslist, an Internet advertising medium, to install a direct link from their Labor/Moving ads page to the CPUC website. The link directs the general public to the "Moving Companies" informational page on the CPUC website. This page provide the public with a wealth of information such as consumer advisories, warnings about moving scams, license status of prospective moving companies, moving guide, how to file a complaint, and CPUC investigations of moving companies. Staff also periodically scans Craigslist want-ads for passenger services as well as moving service to determine whether they the ads are placed by licensed carriers. CPSD contacts Craigslist to "flag" or remove those carriers' ads that are advertising for services without having a valid permit. CPSD also contacts each licensed carrier, if needed, to cite them for not putting their license Cal-T or TCP license information on the Craigslist ad, which is required by CPUC statute.

For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

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