(a) The use of the public highways for the transportation of used household goods and personal effects for compensation is a business affected with a public interest. It is the purpose of this chapter to do all of the following:
(1) Preserve for the public the full benefit and use of public highways consistent with the needs of commerce without unnecessary congestion or wear and tear upon those highways.
(2) Secure to the people just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory rates for transportation by household movers operating upon the highways.
(3) Secure full and unrestricted flow of traffic by motor carriers over the highways that will adequately meet reasonable public demands by providing for the regulation of rates of all household movers so that adequate and dependable service by all necessary household movers is maintained and the full use of the highways is preserved to the public.
(4) Promote fair dealing and ethical conduct in the rendition of services involving or incident to the transportation of household goods and personal effects.
(b) To achieve the purposes of subdivision (a), the bureau shall do all of the following:
(1) Prioritize the timely processing of applications and hold application workshops for potential applicants around the state.
(2) Enable electronic filing of applications, reports, and fee payments.
(3) Dedicate staff to answering telephone calls, mailings, and electronic inquiries from household movers.
(4) Prioritize the timely processing of consumer complaints.
(5) Implement electronic case tracking of complaints and their disposition.
(6) Implement a process for appropriate and timely enforcement against illegally operating household movers, including performing staff-driven investigations and enforcement through sting operations and other forms of presence in the field.
(7) Maintain relationships with, and implement outreach and education programs to, local law enforcement, district attorneys, and airports, and coordinate with law enforcement agencies pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 19283.1.
(8) Meet with household mover trade associations at least annually.
(9) Implement a consolidated case tracking system that integrates each of the transportation program core functions and data collection, administrative compliance details, complaints, and investigations.
(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 421, Sec. 8. (SB 19) Effective January 1, 2018. Operative July 1, 2018, pursuant to Section 19294.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018