Moving Dictionary : s Terms

s Dictionary Terms

Sale-Leaseback

A seller deeds a property to a buyer, who, in return, leases the property back to the seller.

Sales Contract

A written agreement between the seller and buyer whereby the seller agrees to the terms of the sale, giving transfer of ownership to the buyer.

Salvage

The retrieving of damaged items from the customer for which Atlas paid full value in the settlement.

Satisfaction of Mortgage

The complete fulfillment of a mortgage.

Scale Ticket

A voucher providing the weigh scale reading for tare weight and/or gross weight of a van.

Schedule "B" Number

The official federal government schedule of commodity classifications to be used in reporting export shipments from the U.S. and in compiling the official government statistics on exports of merchandise from the U.S.

Schooling Allowance

See Education Allowance.

Seal

A special metal closure inserted on the doors of a steamship container or a truck that must be broken to be opened, and is used to determine if any tampering with the contents may have occurred.

Second Mortgage

An additional loan, usually with a shorter term and higher interest rate, that is inferior to and is imposed upon the first mortgage.

Second Proviso

An old term for a shipment consisting of furniture, fixtures, equipment and the property of stores, offices, museums, institutions, hospitals and other establishments.

Self-Haul (SLF or SH)

The booking agent's right to perform all services using its own personnel and equipment.

Selling Price

The price a buyer actually pays for a property.

Semitrailer

A freight-carrying, powerless truck trailer with one or more axles and constructed so that the front end rests upon a truck tractor.

Separate Property

Property owned individually that is not considered community property or is jointly owned.

Setback

The restricted zoning area of a property between the curb and an imaginary line running parallel to the curb where no structure may be built.

Set-Off

The temporary holding of a shipment at a point between origin and destination.

Set-Off for Furtherance

A situation whereas Atlas' household goods operations department directs a van operator to pick up a shipment and take it to a warehouse in a better traffic pattern to provide service.

Settlement

See Closing.

Settlement Fee

A real estate closing cost that includes payment of all monies and the preparation of the deed.

Set-Up (SU)

A piece of furniture or property is put together to its complete state.

Shared Appreciation Mortgage

A mortgage where the lender shares in the appreciation of a property when sold. It is a fixed-rate, fixed-term, lower-than-conventional mortgage.

Shelter Differential

See Housing Differential.

Sheriff's Deed

A court-induced deed given with the sale of property to satisfy a judgment.

Shipment (SPMT or SHMT)

Property made available by a customer for transportation by Atlas.

Shipper (SHPR)

The person paying for the move, the employee moving for a national account, or the person being moved by the military or government.

Shipper Load & Count

The customer counts, pads, loads and unloads.

Shipping Order

Instructions given to Atlas for transportation of a shipment.

Short Haul

Shipments moving less than 400 miles.

Short-Term Contract

Contract with a customer for a limited period of time. Certain pricing restrictions and service parameters apply when this contract method is utilized.

Shuttle Service

A service provided when a shipment cannot be serviced, picked up or delivered by a road van, and a smaller unit must be employed for movement to or from the road van. The fee is chargeable to the customer. Also called Auxiliary Service.

Single Factor

A type of contract giving an all-inclusive rate for basic tariff charges for a shipment.

Site

1. Land that, with the addition of utilities or other services, is suitable for building purposes.
2. A land's location.

Skid

See Pallet.

Skin

A small, thin paper pad used to protect a shipment for transportation.

Sole Ownership

One individual has ownership of a property.

Source of Down Payment Statement

A written report identifying the funding sources utilized for the down payment. These sources may be a savings account, prior home sale, etc.

Space Reservation

Customer may reserve blocks of cubic footage in 100 cubic foot units.

Special Customs Invoice

A form required by the U.S. Customs Service if the rate of duty is based upon the value of the shipment and if the value of the shipment exceeds $500.00. This document is normally prepared by the foreign exporter, who must attest to the authenticity of the data.

Specialized Transportation Group (STG)

One of the two main divisions of Atlas Van Lines. This division consists of the special products division and the commercial truckload division.

Special Orders

Documents issued by the military that declare an individual is authorized to move.

Special Products (SP or SA)

Commodities like electronic microscopes, radio and radar equipment, biomedical products, computers, exhibits, general commodities and new products that have an unusual nature or value requiring specialized handling or equipment.

Special Products Division (SPD)

The division of Atlas that specializes in transporting items requiring special handling. This division is part of the Specialized Transportation Group. See Special Products.

Special Purpose Property

A property that is declared for a certain use, making it inconvenient for other purposes.

Special Retirement Credit

Credit an expatriate receives while on a foreign assignment that goes toward retirement as if the credit was earned inside the U.S.

Special Warranty Deed

A deed limiting the seller's liability against title defects during his or her time of ownership and not any defects before that time.

Specific Commodity Rate

Custom-made economy rates based on criteria of quantity, frequency of shipping or physical nature of a particular item or goods.

Specific Performance

A court of equity decision requiring the defendant to uphold the terms of an agreement or contract.

Spendable Income

The portion of a person's salary that goes toward expenses like food, savings, investments and life insurance. The costs of housing and transportation are excluded from spendable income.

Spendable Income for Housing

See Home Location Housing Cost.

Spot Load

A shipment loaded on a commercial truckload trailer.

Spread Date

Agreed period of time stating the earliest and latest delivery dates the shipment will arrive at destination. Also called Delivery Spread.

Square Foot Method

Method for calculating the reproduction cost of a building in which the cost per square foot of a recently built comparable structure is multiplied by the number of square feet in the subject property.

Stair Carry

Moving a shipment up or down a flight of stairs. The charge for this carry is listed as the Elevator, Stair Carry and Long Carry Charge.

Stairmobile

A piece of power equipment used in the moving of items up or down stairs.

Statement of Customer Responsibilities/Inventory of Items of High Value

A form used to assist the customer in determining total value of a shipment and to aid Atlas in determining what items need special handling and protection.

Statistical Tax

See Hypothetical Tax.

Steamship Container

A metal container either owned outright by a steamship line or leased from another source used for containerization or unitized handling of cargo with steamship lines.

Stopover Allowance

A compensation for expenses an employee incurs while traveling if the route is extremely long.

Storage

Safekeeping of goods in a warehouse.

Storage in Transit (SIT)

Placing a shipment in a warehouse temporarily, usually due to the customer not having a residence to accept delivery. SIT is limited to 180 days between pickup and delivery.

Stowage

The plan as to how cargo has been placed or positioned within a container, vessel, truck, etc.

Straight Bill of Lading/Straight Consignment

A bill of lading that is non-negotiable, identifying only the individual who is to receive the goods and the terms of the contract.

Strap

A logistics control strap, used to secure tiers, that locks into tracking on the sides of a van operator's trailer.

Stretch-Wrap

A material used by Atlas to protect overstuffed furniture (except leather and suede) from damage.

Structural Engineer's Report

A report reflecting an engineer's inspection, stating the soundness of a structure.

Subject to Mortgage

A buyer takes over the title to a property and at the same time assumes the mortgage. Without a release of liability, the original maker of the mortgage remains responsible for the loan, but the buyer loses equity in a foreclosure.

Sublease

A lease given by a lessee.

Subrogation

The substitution of the government or a national account's insurance carrier, which has paid a claim, for the owner of the household goods.

Substituted Service

The use of a different mode of transportation to fulfill a bill of lading obligation.

Summary of Dispute Settlement Program

An arbitration program that can be used by the individual customer in settling disputes on loss and damage claims.

Supplemental Billing

An invoice containing charges not billed on the original transportation invoice.

Supplemental Foreign Service Premium

See Hardship Premium.

Supplements

Publications containing additions or revisions to the original tariff or other publications.

Surcharge

A charge above the usual or customary freight charges.

Surface Transportation Board

Government body responsible for the regulation and monitoring of railroads and rates for the household goods industry.

Survey (SRVY)

1. An Atlas document filled out by the origin agent when the origin agent physically looks at the goods to determine what services are required.
2. The examination of a property to determine its exact location and loss line, and determine easements and rights of way.

Survey of Corporate Relocation Policies

An annual Atlas-sponsored survey of relocation professionals that identifies relocation policy trends and assists companies in developing their relocation policies.

Suspension

Punitive action taken by military installations against a carrier/forwarder for tender of service violations.

Swamper

A person hired by the van operator to assist in the loading and unloading of goods.

Sweat Equity

Equity earned by the buyer for making necessary repairs to a property. The repairs may be needed to acquire a Federal Housing Administration insured loan. Their cost can be used toward the down payment.