The word tariff sounds like a tax, but in moving it is a rate book. Every household goods carrier works from one, and the estimate you receive is the tariff applied to your own move.
The federal definition
Section 375.103 defines a tariff as an issuance, in whole or in part, containing rates, rules, regulations, classifications or other provisions related to a motor carrier's transportation services. It adds that the Surface Transportation Board requires specific items under 49 CFR 1310.3(a): an accurate description of the services offered, the specific rates or the basis for calculating them, and the service terms. The structure has to let anyone work out the exact rate and terms for any shipment.
Where the tariff shows up in your move
Section 375.401(b)(2) says that on a non-binding estimate the final charges rest on the actual weight and on the tariff provisions in effect. Section 375.505(b)(10) requires the bill of lading to state the terms and conditions for payment of the total charges, including any minimum charges. Accessorial services such as long carries, flights of stairs and shuttle service are tariff items, so each one is itemized rather than guessed.
Valuation, the choice between released value and full value protection, is also carried through the tariff and the bill of lading.
Nevada moves and the tariff
Moves within Nevada fall under the Nevada Transportation Authority. O'Brien's holds Nevada CPCN 1070, and a certificate holder charges from a tariff approved by that agency. The NTA treats the tariff as a public document, and this page does not reprint rates. For your move, the written estimate shows the charges that apply to your goods and services.
Questions that turn a tariff into a plain answer
- Which services on my estimate are tariff items, and what drives each one?
- What are the minimum charges, if any?
- How would a change in weight change the bill?
- What does the final figure depend on?
O'Brien's estimates are itemized and in writing, so these answers are on the page you hold. See binding and non-binding estimates for how each type reads.