Uhaul Story

All wet U Haul

I made a reservation for a one-way rental, a 10-foot truck, to go ~1000 miles. The reservation was confirmed. The day before my scheduled pick-up, I called the toll- free number to find the location of the truck, to be within 35 miles. The location was within 10 miles, but there were no 10-foot trucks available. I was given a 17-foot truck at no extra charge ($857). So far so good, I suppose.

Then the rains began. The passenger side of the truck leaked like a sieve. Of course the cargo compartment leaked as well…a few boxes on the floor were wet. And this was a truck with only 24000 miles on it. Upon closer inspection of the contract, it was noted that U-Haul vans are water-resistant, not water-proof. My bad. Also adding to the discomfort of the ride were non-reclining seats and a storage console that lacked logic: one cup holder for a three person cab, no level surfaces or “cubbies” for toll change, and a cavernous pit to hide for the duration of the trip whatever you had the misfortune to place in it. For good measure, the power plug (nee cigarette lighter) was inoperable.

Drop-off location was within 15 miles from my final destination, in a somewhat frightening part of town.