Shipping agents manage the flow of goods transported by air, sea, rail and truck. According to the California Employment Development Department, shipping agents act as brokers taking orders for materials and arranging the route and method of delivery. The agent also handles customs and other regulatory documentation for the shipment.

Some freight agents work as independent business people and others work for freight brokerage companies. Some freight brokerage companies offer on the job training or internships for prospective shipping agents.

Contact local freight forwarding brokers for information. You can find some listings in the yellow pages and others by searching online. Make a list of all the ones you would like to contact for information.

Call the companies on your list and ask to speak to the human resources department. Explain your interest in becoming a shipping agent and ask for information about the job. They can guide you to resources to help you get started.

Search for colleges that offer programs in logistics and shipping. Some colleges offer programs designed to train you for a career either as an independent shipping broker or as an agent working for a broker. The program of study will help you gain knowledge of the transportation industry and the legal documentation required for working as a shipping agent. According to ed2go Online Career Training, a shipping agent needs to have Broker Authority. This is obtained from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Search online for the equipment and software you will need to work as shipping agent. Independent shipping agents need to purchase transportation software for managing the freight shipments while agents working for a brokerage will use the software provided by the agency. You will also need a good computer with broadband Internet access and a phone and fax set up for keeping in contact with clients.

Contact state and federal government agencies to investigate the job opportunities available for shipping agents. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics also offers information about shipping and freight agent careers. There you will find information about shipping agent careers including salary averages and working conditions. Your state Labor Department can provide data on shipping agent job opportunities in your state.

A fake drivers license isn’t hard to identify, yet so many people don’t know the distinguishing characteristics to look for. The exact details of a fake drivers license vary slightly from state to state but there are some basic things that can tip you off right away. Check out the information contained inside this article to understand how to notice a fake drivers license right away.

In a fake drivers license, one of the first things to look for is a hologram or any type of security stamp or marker. These things are costly for people to duplicate and are often left out in the hopes that the person checking the ID won’t notice, or won’t think to look for that. It’s going to be in a different location in every state and will vary a little bit but there should be something.

Another obvious marker of a fake drivers license is uneven text or slanted writing. People who create fake drivers licenses don’t have the same quality machines that the real ones are made with and consequently that translates to a cruddy job on the fit and finish of the license. If you notice that there are typos or text that isn’t lined up appropriately then that should raise your suspicion.

Make sure that the photo matches exactly with the person what you are checking, or it could be a fake drivers license or a license that belongs to someone else. Many times when people order a fake drivers license they will not have an actual photo of themselves on it because the person counterfitting it doesn’t have time to wait for an actual picture or the facilities to take a picture.

In addition to the photo make sure that the personal details are correct too. A fake drivers license will often have the physical descriptive characteristics improperly listed, stating that someone is much taller than they actually are or that they have different color eyes or hair so make sure to pay attention to this as well.

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Though many private citizens believe that vehicle license plate information may only be obtained by law enforcement officials, the task of gathering data on an assigned license plate is relatively easy. The search for license plate data will usually provide registrant name and address information, vehicle registration and expiration date, vehicle make and model, VIN number, title information, and the lien holder’s name if applicable. While this information is protected by the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994, you may still receive adequate amounts of information to complete your search.

Record and write down the license plate number. You must record the license plate number in the same format as it appears on both the vehicle registration paperwork and the vehicle license plate itself. If the number/letter combination displayed on either the registration or license plate does not match then notify your state’s department of licensing or department of motor vehicles immediately.

Visit the department of motor vehicles, department of licensing, or appropriate government agency in person. You may visit the vehicle licensing authority to obtain information on a specific vehicle license. You may either visit on a walk-in basis or use the appointment system available in some states. The amount and type of information you receive will be subject to the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, a federal statute that governs the release and use of personal information on licensed motor vehicle operators. You may either receive requested information immediately or after waiting a specified time period after paying the appropriate fees.

Visit the website of the appropriate government agency. Many state licensing authorities have made a number of driver and vehicle licensing services available online. Visit the web site of your appropriate state authority to complete a license plate query. For example, Wisconsin residents can visit the state department of transportation website to obtain information on the license plate expiration date, and the vehicle year and make. In many states users may also renew expired registration and license plates through use of the same state licensing website.

Run a reverse license plate search. The use of private investigators and organizations that specialize in obtaining background information on businesses and individuals can provide information on a license plate by conducting a reverse license plate search. You must provide the name and address of the business or person to begin the search. The company then uses this data to generate a report to include information regarding the vehicles owned by or assigned to the person or business. You may also use a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to obtain license plate information. Many of these private search companies advertise online and can also be found in the white pages of the local phone directory.

Monitor local police activity using a commercially available police scanner. Police scanners have long been available for use by the general public. You can use the scanner to obtain information on a licensed vehicle by listening to the reported activity discussed over the frequency in use. If your query involves a police-related incident or investigation then information regarding related motor vehicles may be discussed over the scanner.

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A truck driver’s DAC (Drive-A-Check) report highlights his employment history with other truck driving companies, as well as his motor vehicle record, or MVR. If negative information is in the DAC report, it can prevent the driver from gaining employment as a trucker. A trucker is entitled to one free copy of his DAC each year. DAC reports were originally issued by US Investigations Services, a commercial services business. In 2008, USIS merged with HireRight, a company that provides on-demand background checks. As of 2011, HireRight is responsible for issuing driver DAC reports

Contact HireRight at 800-381-0645 to request a copy of the USIS Consumer Report Request Form. This form can also be downloaded and printed from the USIS website (see link in Resources).

Complete the request form by entering information, such as your name, Social Security number, date of birth and contact information. In Section 3 of the form, select the options that are labeled “Employment History Information” and “Motor Vehicle Report Information.”

Submit the completed form, along with the required processing fee, to the address that is listed on the form. As of March 2011, the processing fee for a DAC report is $10. If you are entitled to a free copy of your DAC report, specify this in Section 4 of the request form. Wait to receive a copy of your DAC report in the mail. This can take up to 15 days from the date your request is received and processed by HireRight.

Alternatively, you can apply for a copy of your DAC report online if you don’t want to mail in a request form (see link in Resources). For an online request, a valid credit card is needed. Upon submitting an online request form, your DAC report will be mailed to you within 15 business days.

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A DAC (“Drive-A-Check”) report is a combination driving and employment record for truck drivers. This report shows how many tickets and accidents you have, how well you performed in the past, who you’ve worked for, and if you’ve ever abandoned a truck. This last can be a particular problem, since it’s a serious black mark against you and against your performance. It is possible to clear or change an abandonment, but you will often need legal assistance to do so.

Review your DAC report to see what is and isn’t on it. If you don’t have a reported abandonment, then there’s no reason to go any further because there’s nothing for you to remove.

Contact the company that claims you abandoned a truck. If you did not abandon a truck then ask the company to review the records and to change the entry. If there is a contention, then attempt to negotiate the label of an abandoned truck being changed due to circumstances. As an extreme example, if the truck was hijacked then you didn’t have much choice about leaving it. If there’s a cause for the abandonment to be changed, attempt to get it changed. If necessary, hire a legal representative to fight the company in court to change this.

Contact HireRight, the company that manages the DAC reports, and inform them of the change made to your record from the employer in question. Once the original incident has been changed with your former employer, you need to be sure that it’s also changed on the DAC report. Once again, legal representation is always helpful to have on your side.

Continue working. If you did in fact abandon a truck and there is no way around the fact, then you can’t get it removed from your record. However, the DAC report only goes back approximately 10 years. Additionally, when a company goes out of business, their information is supposed to be removed from the DAC report.

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The items you’ve accrued in your home often hold sentimental value and financial worth. That’s why you should be careful when it comes to finding movers. After all, movers are responsible for handling these items and, in some cases, packing and unpacking them. To ensure that your items are handled with utmost care and are not damaged, broken or stolen, you must hire a good moving company with an upstanding reputation.

Call local real estate agents for recommendations. They work closely with movers, packers and various moving-related companies and likely have a list of reputable movers.

Look in your phone book or online for moving companies in your area.

Contact moving companies and ask them how long they’ve been in business. Hire a company that has been around for at least 10 years and has positive reviews online and is spoken highly of.

Ask questions. Ask for the company’s address, their website and for references from clients. Ask for their DOT (department of transportation) and MC (moving company) license numbers.

Go to SaferSys.org to verify that the company’s DOT and MC license numbers are real and in good standing. While looking at the numbers, verify that the contact information matches the information the company gave you.

Request that the company come to do an in-home estimate. Moving companies that refuse to do this should be disregarded. It’s only possible to get an accurate estimate if the movers have actually seen the items they’ll be moving.

Types of Transportation By Rosallee Scott, eHow Contributor When planning a vacation, it is imperative that you plan not only how to get there, but how you are going to get around once you reach your destination as well. There are many modes of travel that you can use when seeing the sites in one city or traveling to multiple cities during one adventure. Vacationing is all about making the most of your time visiting and touring new or familiar favorite places again, and depending on what you consider exciting, there are many ways to accomplish your goals.

On Foot
There are many types of transportation that will get you to your destination, but few that offer the adventures that walking offers. This is where the old idea of backpacking through Europe became such a popular goal in life (see Resources).

Renting Cars
There is always the option of renting a car at almost any city that you choose to visit. This allows you to get places faster but still on your own time and schedule.

Public Rides
Buses, trains, subways, taxis and other chauffeured automobiles give you the leisure of having someone else who knows the area drive you around. Most popular hotspot cities even offer these types of transportation with guided tours, so all you have to do is sit back and look during your vacation.

Air Travel
Planes are still one of the most popular means of getting to a particular destination fast. This includes public flights, private jets and even helicopter tours.

Water Traveling
Another popular vacationing travel ideas is on the water. Everything from riverboat tours and whale watching voyages to long cruises, offers all the conveniences of home with different types of transportation to see the world in a whole different way than you would on land.

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