Moving Words – Peak

Written by Timothy Brady.

“Zeal is a volcano, the peak of which the grass of indecisiveness does not grow.” Khalil Gibran, Lebanese-American artist, poet, and writer

Peak season will be upon the household moving industry before we can say ‘April showers bring May-flowers.’ We all must be united in our preparedness when the crunch of more people wanting to move than there are resources to move them is on us atlas-t, so we can best sirva the moving public. Being indecisive in how we prepare for the challenges of peak season will come back to haunt us once the going gets tough, as demonstrated by the pun-ishing perspective of this paragraph.

Seriously, it’s how we prepare for those peak season challenges that will determine success or failure at the end of September. Here’s a list of reminders for doing military moves during peak season:

DDC-PP Advisory 17-0072, dated 15 March 2017, regarding the DP3 2017 Peak season.
(Link to the 9-page document regarding 2017 Defense Personal Property Program (DP3) Peak Season Message for Movement of Department of Defense (DOD) Personal Property Shipments  http://iam.files.cms-plus.com/SDDCDocuments/SDDC-PP%20Advisory%2017-0072%20(2017%20Peak%20Season%20Message%20for%20HHGs)%2015%20March%2020….pdf)

 

No Refusals: TSP are reminded that refusals are not allowed and they must actively manage their capacity availability using the DPS black-out capabilities.

 

• Confirmed Moving Dates: Customers should understand their dates are not confirmed until their shipments have been awarded to a TSP and the TSP has contacted them and performed a pre-move survey to finalize the actual pack, pickup, and any necessary adjustments to the required delivery date (RDD). NOTE: TSPs should be reminded that RDD changes must be agreed upon between the customer and the TSP during the Pre-move Survey. Any changes to this date without the customer or PPSOs approval are not authorized.

 

• Short Fuse (SF) Window Changes: SF shipments are defined as those with requested pick-up dates within five (5) government business days of the shipment offer. To help offset capacity shortage, SDDC has the option to expand the SF shipment window. SDDC and the Services will monitor peak season developments and if the need arises to expand the SF window.

 

• Origin Storage-In-Transit (SIT): PPSO may request SIT at origin, however, TSPs must submit preapproval requests via DPS for origin SIT through the PPSO prior to the pickup date. Origin SIT can be considered for customers who know they will require storage at destination or those without a direct delivery address.

 

• Destination Storage in Transit (SIT): TSPs are responsible for contacting customers and offering shipments for delivery prior to requesting SIT. TSPs are required to enter the shipment arrival date in DPS on the actual day it arrives. When the shipment goes into storage, DPS will notify customers of storage location, however, TSPs should communicate with the customer and make every effort to meet the customer’s expectations when they request delivery.

 

• SIT First Day: SIT cannot begin prior to the arrival date or before the “first available delivery date.” If the customer can accept delivery on or before the first available delivery date, SIT is not authorized. Again, TSPs are required to enter a shipment’s arrival date on the actual day it arrives

Finally, and this is extremely important for your pack crews, van operators, and their labor: to have access to a military installation, they must have Proper ID. What is the Proper ID?
To answer questions not covered by this article: https://www.dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqs
Enacted by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act has established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. In addition, it prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards.

Noncompliant States/Territories: Military facilities will NOT accept driver’s licenses from the following states:
• Maine
• Missouri
• Washington
• Minnesota
• Montana

 

Extension States/Territories: The following states/territories have an extension through October 10, 2017, allowing military facilities to accept driver’s licenses:

• American Samoa
  • Massachusetts
  • North Carolina
  • California
  • Michigan
  • North Dakota
  • Guam
  • N. Marianas
  • Puerto Rico
  • Idaho
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Illinois
  • New Jersey
  • Texas
  • Louisiana
  • New York
• Virgin Islands

 

Limited Extension States/Territories: The following states/territories have an extension through June 6, 2017, allowing Federal agencies to accept driver’s licenses:
• Alaska
• Oregon
• Virginia
• Kentucky
• Pennsylvania
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina

If packers, van operators or labor have a driver’s license from a noncompliant state without extensions they will need to show an alternative form of ID ( example – US Passport) when visiting federal facilities, nuclear power plants and military bases. Your best action is to contact the facility to determine what identification will be accepted if you are from a Noncompliant State.

 

The following states/territories are COMPLIANT with the REAL ID Act:
• Alabama
• Hawaii
• Ohio
• Arizona
• Indiana
• South Dakota
• Arkansas
• Iowa
• Tennessee
• Colorado
• Kansas
• Utah
• Connecticut
• Maryland
• Vermont
• Delaware
• Mississippi
• West Virginia
• Washington, DC
• Nebraska
• Wisconsin
• Florida
• Nevada
• Wyoming

• New Mexico
• Georgia

 

 

The bottom line is, if you do Military moves, make sure your people who will be entering the military base or U.S. Government facility have the correct ID to gain entry. This also goes for any van operator, their co-drivers and labor who have been dispatched a shipment that requires entering any Federal government facility to pick up or deliver. Your best bet is to call the specific base or facility and find out exactly what they will require to enter.

Any additional questions, you may go to the DHS website:

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqs

“One of the saddest realities is that we never know when our lives are at their peak. Only after it is over and we have some kind of perspective do we realize how good we had it a day, a month, five years ago.” Jonathan Carroll, American fiction writer, primarily known for magic realism, slipstream or contemporary fantasy novels.