HILLSBORO, Ore. -- Three illegal moving companies were busted in a sting by the Oregon Dept. of Transportation Tuesday. Each of them was issued a $1,000 citation for not having a moving permit.
The sting involved making movers think a family in Hillsboro needed help moving out of a three-bedroom home. The first to show up to the empty rental home was a father and son team in a farm-licensed dump truck. ODOT says it's illegal to use farming equipment in a household move. Also, the men don't have a permit so they were given the citation.
Household moving is regulated in Oregon. That means, the rates legal companies quote you, should be about the same for what you're moving. Prices depend on hours, the number of moving personnel and the geographic area. To be legal, moving companies must show proof of insurance, background checks on each employee and pay for the permit through ODOT, a $300 cost. It's a lot better than the $1,000 fine for failing to have a permit.
After Tuesday's citation, illegal mover Jonathan Guthridge told KGW, he will have paid over $3,000 in fines over the years. He's now been caught in three of these stings.
"It takes money to get legal and so I chose to run illegally," Guthridge told reporters after the sting. "I mean, we have insurance and we have all that stuff so it's no threat to the customer, but I chose to go against ODOT for a month so I could make the money to get legal."
However, after a Washington Co. Sheriff's database check of his drivers license, Guthridge was handcuffed and arrested on his third driving on a suspended license charge. This is why ODOT stresses to make sure you hire a licensed mover listed on their website. Officials say then you know whoever is coming into your home is background checked and driving a safe truck, legally.
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