When you think about preparing to move, it might initially seem like you’re all alone. With all of the horror stories about moving scams and lost property, how are you supposed to navigate the moving industry? The American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) helps answer that concern, setting standards and codes of conduct for all of its members. AMSA members can include van lines, agents, independent movers, suppliers, and freight forwarders.The road to today’s AMSA has been a long one. The National Moving & Storage Association (NMSA), formed in Chicago in 1920, was the first trade association for movers. In 1935, the Household Goods Movers’ Group was formed by the American Trucking Associationthis organization changed its name in 1962 to the more-manageable American Movers Conference. In 1936, the Household Goods Carriers’ Bureau was formed to assist truckers with the Motor Carrier Act of 1935. For almost sixty years, these three organizations existed independently of each other. In 1994, the AMC and HGCB merged to become a single organization. This organization joined with the NMSA in 1998, and AMSA was born.Over 3,200 members are in the group today. Linda Bauer Darr serves President & CEO of the organization, with John Brewer as Senior Vice President & CFO. According to the association’s home page, its five goals are:

• to be the leading certifier of professional movers in the U.S.,
• to promote effective government regulations and other legislation
• to advocate for the industry and the consumer
• to provide education about the industry and the ProMover brand
• to operate “a financially sound associationin a cost-effective manner”

The ProMover program is what helps protect consumers from those moving impostors mentioned above. The AMSA background-checks all of applicants before awarding membership, and promotes the ProMover “M” symbol (seen here) as a way to recognize professional companies.AMSA is not just a tool for consumers. It is also dedicated to its members, and helps foster networking between agencies and firms across the country. AMSA publishes its organizational magazine, Direction, every two months, and also publishes a data report, Industry Trends, every quarter. AMSA protects its members with loss and damage claims arbitration and supports fair and reasonable government regulation. The organization also supports new technologies that can enable faster and safer moving for everybody involved. This includes applying new media, such as social media networks, to their goals. Visit AMSA’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, or Wikipedia account to learn more.