Charlotte company accused of being an illegal mover

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Action 9 is investigating a Charlotte mover.

It's called Two Men and a Box Truck, not to be confused with the household name, Two Men and a Truck.

Tripp Moore owns Two Men and a Truck in Charlotte.

He believes Two Men and a Box Truck isn't even a legal moving company.

He reported it to the state agency that oversees household movers, the N.C. Utilities Commission.

The way the system works, the Highway Patrol is investigating.

"It's an issue. It's a consumer issue and it needs to be addressed," Moore said.

Movers need what's called a C-number to move household items in-state.

They need a USDOT number to move household items out-of-state.

Action 9 checked with the agencies that give those numbers, the N.C. Utilities Commission and the U.S. Dept. of Transportation (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration).

They said Two Men and a Box Truck doesn't have either.

Desi Zerpa runs the business.

He's tied to at least two other moving companies: Flat Rate Movers and Metro Move.  There's no record of either having a C- or USDOT number for household moves.

Metro does have a USDOT number for other purposes, but federal records specifically said, "Household goods no."

Action 9 asked Zerpa multiple times if any of the businesses he runs have C- or USDOT numbers for household moves.

He didn't give any examples and emailed this message instead:  "When customers ask us to do something out of our range of scope we will decline.  We have discipline[d] those who have gone outside of our policies."

The N.C. Utilities Commission warned Zerpa about "unauthorized moving" before.  In 2013, it even fined him $2,500 for that, called him "dismissive" and "evasive," and said he had "no regard for the law."

MULTIPLE BUSINESS NAMES

In 2011, the state warned Zerpa to be careful using multiple business names.  Action 9 obtained an email from the N.C. Utilities Commission to Zerpa, saying the state frowns upon cases where "the customer is 'blind-sided' with someone showing up that they cannot have researched."

NAME ACCUSATIONS

Two Men and a Truck also claims Two Men and a Box Truck is infringing on its trademarked name.  It's sending Two Men and a Box Truck a cease and desist letter.  Zerpa says he's allowed to use the name and isn't misleading consumers.

MARKINGS ACCUSATIONS

Legally, movers who move household items in-state have to post "the carrier's name (or trade name), home address (city, state), and C- number must be in letters and figures no less than 3 inches high on both sides of the vehicle.  The C-number must also be in the upper left quadrant of the rear of the vehicle.  In the case of a tractor-trailer unit, the side markings must be on the tractor; the rear markings must be on the trailer.  The markings can be on the vehicle itself or on a durable placard (perhaps a magnetic sign) securely fastened on the vehicle.  Leased or rental units must also be properly marked."

It is a "Class 3 misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $500 for the 1st offense and not more than $2,000 for any subsequent offense."

Some customers say Two Men and a Box Truck used blank white trucks.  "It was just a plain white truck," Jeffrey Funderburk said.  "It didn't say anything on it."

"DIRTY HALF DOZEN" LIST

The N.C. Utilities Commission says it's had four complaints against Flat Rate and Metro Move since 2014.  The Better Business Bureau gives both an F rating.  It included Flat Rate on its 2016 Mid-year "Dirty Half Dozen" list, a list of the companies in the Charlotte area with the most unresolved complaints.

LOGO ACCUSATIONS

Flat Rate has been using the prestigious ProMover logo on its website without permission.  The association that grants that the American Moving & Storage Association, told Action 9, "This company is not a member of our association nor are they a certified ProMover. We will contact them to demand that they remove this logo from their website."

FAILED INSPECTIONS

Action 9 checked federal inspection records for Metro Move.  The company had a USDOT number that was revoked in 2011 and, then, reinstated.  Metro Move vehicles were inspected 17 times in the last two years.  The driver was placed out of service six of those times.  That's 35.3%, more than six times higher than the national average, 5.51%.  The vehicle was placed out of service 11 of those times.  That's 54.5%, more than double the national average, 20.72%.

Also within last two years,  Metro Move drivers were inspected 16 times for hours of service (the number of hours drivers are allowed to drive) and they failed more than half of those inspections (nine).

Cox Media Group