Rights
Movers did not show up
A no-show on the agreed pickup date is a breach of the bill of lading and, on an interstate move, of the reasonable-dispatch rule. The fix is paper first: a written pickup date, a deposit you can trace, and a company whose name matches the truck. Then a plan B you can call the same morning.
Call +1 (866) 961-9682Haulest data team · Desk opened official pages 17 September 2026. Editorial.
Why you are here
You booked in June, took the day off, and at 11am the dispatcher stops answering.
Why Haulest
What the rule says, what to do by noon, and a count of no-show and on-time rows in the dump.
| Phrase family | Rows | Share of rows |
|---|---|---|
| No-show, never showed, cancelled on us | 42 | 2% |
| On time, early, punctual | 309 | 16% |
| Late, delay, delivery window | 246 | 13% |
By noon on the day
Call the office and the USDOT-registered number, not just the salesperson's cell. Ask for a new time in writing. If the answer is tomorrow, ask what they will pay toward the extra day.
If it is silence, you are shopping same-day leftovers. A written inventory and a name that matches the van still matter at 2pm. Ask for a USDOT or company number on the phone before anyone drives over.
Why no-shows happen
Overbooked peak weekends, a broker that sold your job to a carrier who never confirmed, a deposit-first operator with no trucks. Two of those three show up in the estimate stage if you ask who owns the truck.
A deposit paid by card can be disputed. A deposit paid in cash or app transfer usually cannot. The checker is one page.
Afterwards
Write it up with the date, the USDOT, and what they promised. Post it here; it stays dated. For an interstate mover, file with the NCCDB. For a broker, the same. Dispute the deposit with your card issuer with the paper attached.
Before you hire
1. Written estimate after a look
Interstate movers must give the booklet and a written estimate after a survey or a full description. A $499 ad is not an estimate.
FMCSA Protect Your Move2. Legal name matches SAFER
USDOT on the paper, the truck doors, and the census. A different name is the walk.
USDOT / Companies House lookup3. Walk from cash and blank paper
FTC: unregistered interstate, huge deposit, cash only, or a blank contract. Photograph and leave.
FTC: hiring a mover4. 110% on a COD non-binding job
Pay up to 110% plus agreed extras and they must hand over the load. Not a cap on extras you signed.
US interstate rules
Official sources
Links go to the publisher. Haulest does not add findings. We checked these URLs in September 2026. If the live page moved, believe the agency.
- 49 CFR 375.601 (reasonable dispatch)
Opens a government site. Checked September 2026.
- FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database
Opens a government site. Checked September 2026.
- FMCSA Protect Your Move
Opens a government site. Checked September 2026.
Ask out loud
- Can I get my deposit back after a no-show?
- Ask in writing. Card payments can be disputed with the paper attached. Cash and app transfers are harder, which is why the deposit checker exists.
- Is a broker responsible if the carrier no-shows?
- A broker arranged the move and took your deposit. File against both, with the confirmation and the USDOT numbers.
Next
Call for a free quote
From, then To. Date and home size after that. A person on the phone is faster if you already know the dates.
Call +1 (866) 961-9682Haulest is not a carrier. We connect you to movers. We do not dispatch a truck.
Haulest is a research desk and quote line operated by Panaweb LLC. We are not a carrier.