A company that helps military families relocate has left dozens stranded in new homes without their belongings — sometimes for months — and the company claims that a truck driver shortage is to blame.
A recent report from KFOX14 Investigates explores claims from dozens of military families who say that moving company Suddath Relocation Systems has turned their relocation into a nightmare.
The military families claim that after Suddath loads up their moving truck during relocation, they arrive in their new homes, but their belongings are arriving weeks or even months late. The families say that they’ve had to pay to buy new household goods while they wait for the trucks with their belongings to arrive.
A representative from Suddath blames the lengthy delays on the ‘truck driver shortage’ and on high volumes of military moves during the summer time. Suddath also argues that they have a 94 percent on-time delivery rate.
Many trucking industry insiders including OOIDA say that the truck driver shortage is better described as a truck driver turnover and pay problem.
Suddath operates as a government contractor. Military families who are asked to relocate are not allowed to choose their moving company.
Suddath says that their company operates by letting trucking contractors claim open moving jobs via website.
Following KFOX14’s report, Florida Senator Bill Nelson has asked U.S. Transportation Command to investigate the claims against Suddath and to take action if necessary.