A
JOHN W ZAGARELLA (DBA CITY HAUL TRUCKING)
USDOT 521656 • MC-262055 • LOWELL, MA
MoverAudit grade: A, based on federal records below
✓ No major red flags found
Complaint history
No federal complaints on record in the last 4 years. Records checked against the FMCSA household goods complaint database.
Company details
Legal nameJOHN W ZAGARELLA
Doing business asCITY HAUL TRUCKING
Address41 OAK ST, LOWELL, MA 01852
Phone(978) 937-7333
Company officerJOHN ZAGARELLA
OrganizationCorporation
In business sinceMay 1993
Last FMCSA updateJun 2025
Fleet & authority
Power units (trucks)1
Drivers1 (1 CDL)
Operation classAuthorized For Hire
Carrier operationInterstate
Broker authorityn/a
Carrier authorityn/a
Safety ratingNot rated
Prior revocationYes
MoverAudit risk score: 0/100
Computed from objective federal flags only: broker-only registration, fleet size, complaint volume and severity, hostage-goods reports and past revocations. Lower is safer. This is a summary of public records, not a review.
Complaints vs. other checked movers
Red flags & green flags
!No federal complaints on record in the last 4 years.
!Operating authority was revoked at least once (see authority history below).
✓USDOT registration is active.
✓1 truck registered with FMCSA.
✓No hostage-goods complaints on record.
✓In business since 1993: a long federal track record.
✓Never had operating authority revoked.
Roadside safety & insurance
Roadside safety record
Vehicle out-of-service rate, this company vs. national average:
Vehicle inspections1
Driver inspections1
Crashes, last 3 years0
FMCSA safety ratingNot rated
FMCSA safety categories (SMS BASICs), last 24 months:
Unsafe DrivingClean, no violations on record
Hours-of-Service ComplianceClean, no violations on record
Driver FitnessClean, no violations on record
Controlled Substances / AlcoholClean, no violations on record
Vehicle MaintenanceClean, no violations on record
Insurance on file
Liability insuranceOn file
InsurerGeneral Insurance Company Of America
Policy effective sinceJul 2025
Cancellations, 3 yrs1
Source: FMCSA Licensing & Insurance filings, refreshed nightly.
Insurance policy history
Oct 2014 → Nov 2020
The Commerce Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Feb 2011 → Sep 2012
The Commerce Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Jul 2005 → Jul 2025
Travelers Property Casualty Co. Of America (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Jul 2004 → Jul 2005
St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Co. (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Oct 2003 → Feb 2011
The Commerce Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Oct 2003 → Mar 2011
The Commerce Insurance Company (Bipd/primary)
$750k
Cancelled
Dec 2000 → Jul 2004
The Connecticut Indemnity Co. (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Jul 1998 → Jul 1999
Underwriters At Lloyds London (Cargo)
$750k
Cancelled
Every liability policy this company filed with FMCSA, newest first. Frequent insurer changes or repeated cancellations are worth a direct question; one long-running policy is what stability looks like.
Recent roadside inspections
Sep 3, 2025 Full inspection, MA
Clean, no violations
Last 1 roadside inspections from FMCSA records (up to 3 years). "OOS" means the driver or vehicle was ordered out of service on the spot.
Authority history
Nov 17, 2020 Revoked
Household goods common carrier: reinstated -> revoked
Nov 17, 2020 Revoked
Motor property common carrier: reinstated -> revoked
Sep 12, 2012 Revoked
Motor property common carrier: reinstated -> revoked
Sep 12, 2012 Revoked
Household goods common carrier: granted -> revoked
Mar 3, 2011 Discontinued revocation
Motor property common carrier: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Jul 20, 2004 Discontinued revocation
Motor property common carrier: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Oct 12, 1999 Revoked
Motor property common carrier: reinstated -> revoked
Oct 14, 1997 Revoked
Motor property common carrier: granted -> revoked
Aug 16, 1996 Discontinued revocation
Motor property common carrier: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Dec 5, 1995 Discontinued revocation
Motor property common carrier: involuntary revocation -> discontinued revocation
Shared identity check
Clean identity check. This company's address, phone number and officer do not match any other registered mover in our database. No sign of the "chameleon" pattern where a burned company re-registers under a fresh name.
Is John W Zagarella reliable? Our read of the record
On the evidence, John W Zagarella looks like a reliable operator: operating since 1993 with zero federal complaints in the last four years, 1 registered truck. A record like this is exactly what an honest mover's file tends to look like.
No public record can guarantee your specific move, so keep the basics: written binding estimate, USDOT 521656 on the paperwork, and reasonable deposit. But nothing in the federal file says walk away.
This assessment is generated from the public federal records shown on this page: registration, fleet, complaints, inspections, insurance and authority filings. It is a summary of records, not a review or an accusation.
Carriers to compare in Massachusetts
About John W Zagarella
John W Zagarella, doing business as City Haul Trucking, is a federally registered mover based in Lowell, Massachusetts, registered with FMCSA since May 1993. Federal filings show 1 power unit (trucks/tractors) and 1 driver.
Over the last four years, the federal complaint database shows no complaints against this company. For a mover doing real volume, a clean federal record is a genuinely good sign; for a very small operation it may simply reflect a small number of moves. Combine it with the fleet data above and recent references.
How to read this report
The grade and risk score at the top are calculated by MoverAudit from objective federal flags: whether the company is a broker or a carrier, how many trucks it operates, the volume and severity of complaints, hostage-goods reports, and past authority revocations. They are not official government ratings, and they are not reviews: every input is a public federal record shown on this page.
The complaint categories come from the FMCSA household goods complaint system. A single bad move can generate complaints in several categories at once, so the category sum can exceed the total. Pay the most attention to "Hostage Goods" and "Deceptive Business Practices": those describe intent, not accidents. "Loss and Damage" at low volume is normal friction for a carrier doing thousands of moves; the same number at a tiny company is not.
The fleet numbers matter more than they look. A company advertising nationwide service with zero or one registered truck is not doing that work itself: your move will be handled by someone you have not vetted. Compare the fleet size to the promises in your quote.
If you are considering this company, use this report as a starting point, not a verdict. Get the estimate in writing and check whether it is binding, confirm the USDOT number on their paperwork matches 521656, and if a different company shows up on moving day, stop and check that company here before a single box goes on the truck.
Questions about JOHN W ZAGARELLA
Is John W Zagarella legit?
John W Zagarella has an active USDOT registration (521656). It has no federal complaints on record in the last 4 years.
Is John W Zagarella a broker or a carrier?
Federal records do not show interstate household goods authority for this company. Ask them directly who holds the authority for your move.
Where is John W Zagarella based?
41 Oak St, Lowell, MA 01852. Phone on file: (978) 937-7333. Registered with FMCSA since May 1993.
Sources: FMCSA Motor Carrier Census (registration, fleet), FMCSA Household Goods Complaint History via NCCDB (complaints, checked Jul 17, 2026). MoverAudit summarizes public federal records; it does not accuse any company of wrongdoing. Verify details at protectyourmove.gov.