DoD's Revamped POV Shipment System's a Customer Pleaser

By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 12, 2000 – It used to be service members who shipped privately owned vehicles to Europe never knew where their wheels were until the freighter arrived at Bremerhaven, Germany. And that could take several weeks.

Then, they had to catch the "duty train" or hitch a ride to Bremerhaven to claim their vehicles and drive them back to their home station.

That's all passé now.

Nowadays, the Military Traffic Management Command in Alexandria, Va., uses computers and the Internet to ensure customers can locate their vehicles 24 hours a day. And it's easy. All they have to do is visit the "where is my POV?" Web site at www.whereismypov.com and enter their order number and last name. Presto! Their vehicle's location appears on the computer monitor.

Vehicle Processing Center Address List   The Military Traffic Management Command Global Privately Owned Vehicle System has proven itself faster, easier and more efficient than its predecessor. More than 75,000 vehicles roll through some 35 MTMC-operated full service processing sites worldwide every year. Directions and maps to the processing centers and more detailed information on shipping a vehicle can be found at MTMC's vehicle shipment Web site at http://www.whereismypov.com. The toll-free phone number for overseas centers is 1-800-TRANSCAR (872-6722) unless otherwise noted. For the list of vehicle processing centers with addresses and phone numbers, click here.

If members prefer, they can obtain the same information by calling the toll-free phone number of their nearest vehicle- processing center. (See related story for an address list.)

That's just two of several customer-pleasing features in DoD's Global POV Single Contractor Program implemented on Nov. 1,1998, according to Charles Helfrich, a team leader and traffic management specialist.

The new system has proven to be a customer pleaser because it's faster, easier to use and more efficient. More than 75,000 vehicles pass through the command's full-service POV service sites worldwide every year.

"We ship to any country in the world where Americans are stationed, including to countries were we don't have much presence, like Israel, Ecuador and Russia," Helfrich noted. "But the main focus is on Europe -- Italy, Germany, Turkey, England and Spain."

In Germany, processing centers are in Baumholder, Boeblingen, Grafenwoehr, Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, Schweinfurt, Spangdahlem and Wiesbaden. Italy has four centers: Aviano, Livorno and Vicenza in the north and Naples in the south, and satellite sites at Sigonella and LaMaddalena in the south.

Vehicle processing centers are also in Schinnen, the Netherlands, and Chievres, Belgium. Spain has a center outside the naval base at Rota and a satellite site in Seville. England has a main center at Lakenheath/Mildenhall and satellites at West Ruislip, St. Mawgan and Menwith Hill.

There are also vehicle-processing sites in South Korea, Guam and Puerto Rico.

Helfrich said nearly 20,000 vehicles are shipped between the continental U.S. and Hawaii each year.

Generally, all vehicles destined for Northern Europe are shipped to Bremerhaven and then trucked to the processing centers or satellites closest to customers' home stations, he noted.

He said center transportation officers arrange for owners to be present when their vehicles arrive. They conduct a joint inspection with the truck driver. On their return trips, truckers deliver outgoing vehicles to the Bremerhaven docks.

Helfrich said most DoD shipments are full-service movements, meaning one contractor is responsible for the entire movement of the vehicle. Under the old system, up to nine independent contractors might handle a vehicle -- so many people that DoD officials often had nightmares trying to determine responsibility in loss and damage cases.

Having one contractor saves money and improves service because the party responsible for loss and damage is clear, Helfrich said. The system's not seamless from origin to destination, though, because the contractor must use the command's transoceanic carriers.

Improved services means the days when service members spent long hours trying to process their vehicles are gone forever, Helfrich said.

"When a person enters a full service vehicle processing center, the contractors are required to process them within one hour," he noted. "We still have some partial service DoD processing sites that are not held to the one-hour requirement in Japan, Okinawa, Greece and Bahrain. Contractors for those facilities are hired locally."

The new system handles movement of vehicles for military personnel and civilian employees, including nonappropriated fund employees and DoD Dependent Schools system teachers. They are limited to one vehicle that doesn't exceed a volume of 20 measurement tons. One measurement ton equals 40 cubic feet; a typical compact car is 9 measurement tons; a full-sized car, 15.

Customers pay for each measurement ton over the limit when shipping a vehicle at government expense. Some large pick-up trucks and sport utility vehicles exceed the limit, for instance, he noted.

The extra cost depends on the destination, but exceptions may be granted for medical reasons. For example, he said, "If you're required to have a high-capacity van, say a 15-passenger van with a wheelchair lift, you would be allowed to ship it at no extra cost."

Only self-propelled, wheeled motor vehicles can be shipped. This includes automobiles, station wagons, jeeps, motorcycles, motor scooters, vans and pickup trucks.

Customers are getting their vehicles must faster than they used to. "Our contractor has been beating our transit time by as much as 15 to 20 days," he said. "Loss and damage claims have been cut from about 12 percent to about 8 percent. Contractors are paying more attention because the money is coming right out of their pockets instead of taxpayers' pockets."

Helfrich said the incentive for faster service is that the contractor doesn't get paid until the customer picks up the vehicle.

Customers can make it easier for themselves by removing all personal items, such as tape recorders, radios and other small electronics, before arriving at the processing center, he said. Household items, camping equipment, and flammable and hazardous substances such as waxes, oils, paints, solvents and polishers must be removed before shipping. Propane tanks must be purged and certified before the vehicle is turned in.

Customers may leave behind items they will need when they pick up their vehicle. This includes such things as jacks, tire irons, tire chains, fire extinguishers, nonflammable tire inflators, first aid kits, jumper cables, warning triangle, trouble light and tools valued at less than $200. A spare tire, two snow tires, portable cribs, children's car seats and luggage racks can be left in the vehicle.

Two-car families are warned that shipping a second vehicle can be expensive, and MTMC doesn't provide government shipping rates for them, Helfrich noted. Loss and damage reimbursements tend to be much lower than those paid by government contractors, he added.

Whereas DoD must use U.S.-flagged vessels for shipments, people shipping a second vehicle can use a foreign flag vessel. The bill could be as much as $900 one way, depending on the destination, he said, and owners might be liable for an import duty as well.

"You don't get the same services we provide," Helfrich said. "I'm told that on the ocean the carrier's liability is $500 per shipment. Under our contact, the contractor is liable for up to $20,000 per vehicle. If there is minor damage, service members can settle with the contractor on the spot up to $500. A lot of members take advantage of that."

Directions and maps to the processing centers and more detailed information on shipping a vehicle can be found at MTMC's vehicle shipment Web site at http://www.whereismypov.com. Also available at the site for more detailed information is the pamphlet "Shipping Your POV." The booklet is downloadable as a .pdf file and requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in to view.

Atlanta: 2579 Campbell Blvd.Ellenwood, GA 30049 Phone: 404 363-4449 Fax: 404 363-1858 Toll Free: 800 965-9155 Baltimore: 2501 Broening Highway Baltimore, MD 21224 Phone: 410 631-5751 Fax: 410 631-5756 Toll Free 800 631-5751 Charleston: 1599 Oceanic St.Charleston, SC 29405 Phone: 843 805-6667 Fax: 843 805-6671Toll Free: 800 747-9223 Dallas: 617 East Main St. Lewisville, TX 75067 Phone: 972 436-8864 Fax: 972 436-9215 Toll Free: 800 438-2046 Los Angeles: 23803 S. Wilmington Ave. Carson, CA 90745 Phone: 310 549-8277 Fax: 310 549-7438 Toll Free: 800 887-3344 Metro New York/New Jersey: 301 Supor Blvd. Harrison, NJ 07029 Phone: 973 485-8164 Fax: 973 485-6925 Toll Free: 877 269-3702 New Orleans: 5481 Crowder Blvd. New Orleans, LA Phone: 504 246-2102/0770 Fax: 504 246-2111 Toll Free: 800 721-9632 Norfolk: 3015 Airline Blvd. Portsmouth, VA 23701 Phone: 757 465-4127 Fax: 757 465-3970 Toll Free: 800 810-7480 Oakland: 1301 Canal St. Richmond, CA 94804 Phone: 510 231-6831 Fax: 510 237-4046 Toll Free: 800 704-2444 Orlando: 2255 North Orange Blossom TrailOrlando, FL 32804 Phone: 407 648-3677 Fax: 407 648-3650 Toll Free: 800 758-5998 Seattle: 2302 Ross Way Tacoma, WA 98402 Phone: 253 272-1712 Fax: 253 272-2375 Toll Free: 800 597-1833 St. Louis: 4236 Crescent Drive Pontoon Beach, IL 90745 Phone: 618 931-2888 Fax: 618 931-2892 Toll Free: 800 275-3706 Outside the Continental United States Belgium: Commander, 80th ASG Base Aerienne 7050 Chievres, Belgium Phone: 32(0) 68665999 Fax: 32(0) 68665948 The Netherlands: 254 BSB Nutherweg 60 6365 ER-Schinnen, The Netherlands Phone 31(0) 464432851 Fax: 31(0) 464432865 England: Lakenheath/Mildenhall: 40 Wimbledon Ave. Brandon, Suffolk, England Phone: 44(0) 1842813999 Fax: 44(0) 1842812981 London: U.S. Naval Activities U.K. RAF West Ruislip Phone: 44-189-561-6585 (Int'l.) Phone: 0189-561-6585 (Local) Toll Free: 00-800-87267227 Germany: Baumholder: Military Community Am Bahnof, Bldg. 8724 55774 Baumholder, Germany Phone: 49 67832445 Fax: 49 67833377 Boeblingen: Panzer Kaserne Bldg. 2930 71032 Boeblingen, Germany Phone: 49 7031222453 Fax 49 7301222561 Grafenwoehr: U.S. Grafenweohr Base Saratoga Ave., Bldg. 515 92655 Grafenwoehr, Germany Phone: 49 96418480 Fax: 49 96413597 Kaiserslautern: Kapaun Air Station Bldg. 2806 67661 Kaiserslautern, Germany Phone: 49 63198517 Fax: 49 63198518 Mannheim: Taylor Barracks Bldg. 348 68309 Mannheim, Germany Phone: 49 6217140511 Fax 49 6217140711 Schweinfurt: Conn Barracks Custer St., Bldg. 35 97421 Schweinfurt, Germany Phone: 49 9721803618 Fax: 49 672185224 Spangdahlem: Spangdahlem Air Base Bldg. 139A 54529 Spangdahlem, Germany Phone: 49 65654484 Fax: 49 65654469 Wiesbaden Mainz Kastel Housing Area Bldg. 7513 55252 Mainz Kastel, Germany Phone 49 6134 69303 Fax: 49 6134 63579 Guam: Guam Vehicle Processing Center Naval Forces, Marianas Code N83 PSC 455, Box 190 FPO AP 96540-1500 Freight Terminal Department Phone: 671 339 2205 Fax: 671 564 2105 Hawaii: Honolulu: Sand Island Parkway Pier 51-B Honolulu, HI 96820 Phone: 808 848-8383 Fax: 808 853-2116 Toll Free: 800 896-7745 Italy: Aviano: Via Ellero 1 Zona Industrial 33081 Aviano, Italy Phone: 39(0) 434661419 Fax: 39(0) 434661420 Livorno: Leghorn Army Depot Kelly Street, Bldg 5138 56018 Tombolo, Italy Phone: 39(0) 50579920 Fax: 39(0) 50579919 Naples: Naval Support Activity Via Scarfoglio Agnano Naples 80100 Phone: 39-081-724-4252 Fax: 39-081-724-3339 Toll-free: 1 67053388 (in Italy) Vincenza: Casern Ederle Bldg 61 36100 Vincenza, Italy Phone: 39(0) 444303924 Fax: 39(0) 444303959 (Information on centers at Sigonella and LaMaddalena is not available.) Puerto Rico: Avenida J. F. Kennedy, Km 2.5 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00920 Phone: 787 792-1233 Fax: 787 781-0688 Toll Free: 888 872-6064 South Korea: Pusan: 837th Transportation Battalion Pier 8 Kamman-Dong Nam Ku Pusan, Korea 608-070 Phone: 051 8017177 Fax: 051 8017859 Seoul: Camp Kim Bldg. 1230 APO AP 96205 Phone: 02 79157011 Fax: 02 79157000 Taegu: 20th Support Group Bldg. 1415 Camp Henry, Korea APO AP 96218-0562 Phone: (82)53 4708173 Fax: (82)53 4708173 (These numbers are the same)

Visit the DoD "It's Your Move" web site at www.defenselink.mil/specials/itsyourmove/.