A van line is a national brand, and the people at your door are usually a local agent working under that brand. When you move out of Northern Nevada with a Bekins agent, the origin agent is the Sparks crew you meet first.
What the agent does at the start
Everything in those steps happens at the old address, before any miles are driven.
- Surveys your belongings in person or by video and prepares the written estimate.
- Explains valuation, the paperwork and the pickup dates.
- Packs the goods if packing is ordered and prepares the inventory.
- Loads the truck and has you sign the bill of lading at origin.
What the regulation says
A household goods agent, in the rule's terms, is either a prime agent, which provides or sells transportation service on the carrier's behalf under an agreement, or an emergency or temporary agent. The carrier must have signed written agreements with its prime agents and keep them at least 24 months after they end.
FMCSA's booklet gives the plain version: an agent is a local moving company authorized to act on behalf of a larger national company.
The bill of lading at origin
The bill of lading must be signed at both origin and destination, and before the vehicle leaves your residence it must be in the hands of the driver responsible for the shipment. The origin agent's job is to see that the paper is complete before the truck pulls away.
That paper names any other carriers who will take part in the transportation, when known, with their USDOT numbers.
O'Brien's at the origin
O'Brien's has been a Bekins Van Lines agent since 1955. For a move leaving Northern Nevada, the estimate, packing and loading happen in your home with O'Brien's crew, and the Bekins network carries the shipment onward. The office holds U.S. DOT No. 30611 and MC-109375.
Bekins was founded in 1891, and O'Brien's received Bekins' 65 Years of Service recognition in 2019. Ask for an in-home estimate at 775-359-6683.