One Deathtrap Can Ruin a Long Term Trust U Haul
Towing a uhaul trailer with a toyote corrola? I will be traveling 1,200 miles and mostly boxes..packing my car too with as much...can i tow safely a uhaul rental trailer that is one of t...
U Haul …. Well Maybe U Haul I have been a reader of these opinion pages for a long time and can certainly sympathize with those who have had problems with U-Haul. I ...
The following review largely involves the events that took place November 15 of last year. Like another review mentioned, it’s taken me a while to calm down and rationally think this review process through. (That, and I’ve been a little lazy. Worked hard over holidays and haven’t really had the time.)
I have used U-Haul a few times before as I change apartments annually. Past occasions have usually gone without a hitch, but the most recent experience was so terrible…
I’ll get into that in just a moment. Folks, it’s as if I had a long-barrel shotgun and I’m blasting the stars off one by one. I learned that one really bad customer experience can really ruin a business. I’ve been displeased by other companies before, but I find that I can just sort of “cool off” from there and I would go back. Not with U-Haul. Businesses, as I’ll rephrase later on, if you want to keep your business going strong, you have to practice good customer service. Price, service, ease of use — those things matter, of course, but when things go amiss, please do care of us customers and make things right. Or else.
How It Works
U-Haul specializes in the rental of moving trucks. They offer various sizes accommodating everything from studio-size apartments through several-bedroom houses. The business plugs larger trucks as they provide more room and less back-and-forth loading trips between old and new residences. Customers reserve trucks by calling their local U-Haul branch or making an online reservation. Once scheduled, the business will call you to confirm a pick-up time. Set the pick-up date and time and the return time, go to the branch, and pick up your wheels.
Customers are advised to reserve moving days for the middle of the week, as trucks are harder to come by on the weekends and also at the beginning of the month. I live in a larger city with a couple of U-Haul branches to choose from, so I’m fortunate there.
U-Haul adds a non-refundable reservation fee to a set dollar daily rental amount depending on the size of the truck, multiplied by the number of days needed and a mileage charge. Most of my moves have been local ones. For a one-bedroom, I’m paying a $5 nonrefundable fee, about $25 for a truck, and 99 cents per mile. I can get all my things in one truck, so mileage works out to $25 or so.
U-Haul only provides equipment. In addition to trucks, you can purchase and/or rent a wide range of moving products such as furniture dollies, protective padding, packing peanuts, duct tape, and an abundance of assembling boxes. You can pay an additional surcharge to insure the truck against damage. However, you cannot purchase mover assistance (e.g. someone to help you load and unload trucks).
Customers return equipment to their respective branches at the completion of their rental term. Equipment is given a quick inspection for damage, returned, and the move is complete. Your credit card on file is charged for the moving costs and any incidental charges. If you return the truck after hours, you can lock up the truck and deposit the keys in a safe deposit box at the entrance of the building.
Truck Controls
U-Haul offers several different moving truck sizes, all of which certainly require a… ummm… bit of adjustment. Hey man, I drive a Civic. You can’t get behind the wheel of a big ol’ truck and expect it to operate the same.
Obvious facts down first. Takes way longer to stop this thing, so leave a lot of room between cars. Even more so while it’s fully loaded. Trucks aren’t easy to park. They take up a ton of room. Thankfully, it’s cool to have an accessible ramp to get furniture on and off the truck. It descends neatly to a concrete surface. The air cab ride creates a comfortable ride and the cabin is situated high to provide a good vantage point ahead on the road. Mirrors are somewhat difficult to adjust to provide a solid side and rear view.
Cabins also feature a centralized lighting knob to power on the interior and head lights. Trucks are equipped with air conditioning and heat and onboard AM/FM radio.
When It’s Bad, It’s Terrible!
Like I said earlier, readers, my past transactions with U-Haul have been decent. While there are understandable hurdles that come with a household move, you expect the parent company to make those hurdles as manageable as possible.
Last November, I rented a U-Haul for a long distance move. I had to rent a vehicle from my mom’s home to transport her furniture to Lexington. She gave it to me after moving to Germany a week thereafter. Long distance (or one-way) moves require a larger cash deposit; in return, you’ll get unlimited mileage and more days to transport the cargo, which was fine. The move took place on a day of inclement weather; it had been overcast and raining moderately hard the entire day.
Arriving at the hometown branch, there was only one member of personnel on duty, the proprietor. I called earlier that morning to apologize, as I would be a bit delayed in getting there. We arrived as we said around noon. He was immediately gruff, nonetheless, and he told me he had been waiting on me and that I kept him from his lunch. I apologized and shrugged it off. According to the reservation, he not only misspelled my mom’s name (how can you screw up Janet?) but he had been allegedly told that the rental would be paid in cash. I was bewildered by that. “I have a credit card,” I responded. He repeated an insistence for cash and I looked him square in the face and explained, “But I don’t have that much cash on me. This is my debit card. I have enough to cover it, unless you don’t want my money…” I paused. He took my card and ran it through the system. I declined insurance coverage.
A few minutes later, he returned with a parked truck outside the entrance and emoted the following information. He told me to disregard the CHECK ENGINE light on the dashboard. He said that all of his trucks have it and that there’s nothing wrong with the vehicle. I drove to my mother’s house, and naturally worried my behind off trying to figure out how to get the truck parked on a steep hill. That worked out, thankfully, and the truck was loaded up within an hour. I left for Lexington.
I stopped for gas while in town, and as I pull in, my roommate following behind says, “Did you turn on your blinker?” I said that I had done so, and she said that she didn’t see any tail lights come on. I had her check again while we were parked. Nothing.
At this juncture, I admit in retrospect that I could have taken the truck back to the pick-up location and complained. I still can’t imagine how effective that would have been, as my roommate can hardly lift a thing and I imagine some old man wouldn’t give me the courtesy (or ability) to reload the thing. It took an hour with six people. I was tired and thought to chance it. Let’s just get back, I said.
To my dismay, I plodded along the highway, being incredibly diligent about the weather. My roommate kept communicating with me via cell phone, reporting that none of my exterior signals were working. Brakes included, folks. The next feasible stopping point was the entrance to Bluegrass Parkway in Elizabethtown, which serves as a connector to Lexington. I pulled over and sought assistance in the dashboard manual.
I placed a call to a service department and explained that none of my interior lighting or exterior controls were functioning. I was essentially riding around in a deathtrap, giving other traffickers no signals to follow. Brake lights, tail lights, head lights all out. After a patience-trying telephone call to the dispatcher, a serviceman arrived well past the 45-minute quote time. (It took him an hour and a half, even when I tried to make it as clear as possible my location.) Even more ironic than that, my roommate’s battery died out as she used to keep my cell phone charged. (Thankfully, AAA is a little more expedient.)
While waiting, I called the destination site, fuming, because of this mishap. I tried to remain composed, and I said that I wanted to file a complaint with the equipment. I explained what had all happened, and I was advised to get this taken down on a Customer Feedback sheet of sorts to be forwarded to the company. The girl on the end was helpful; she took down my information.
The guy entered the cab and tweaked some controls on the dashboard. I don’t even know what he did. He said that it was a tricky fuse in the lighting switch, but that “everything should work now.” I thanked him and continued on my way. We arrived in Lexington past nightfall, and the weather hadn’t let up. I was increasingly nervous about traffic approaching my apartment as I live on a highly congested side of town. There was a collision right behind me. I was freaked but I finally made it home.
My apartment complex couldn’t accommodate the size of the vehicle. I had a friend help me unload the furniture, and we returned the truck that night. I was all too happy to be rid of it. My friend reported that he almost ran into me, again, because my brake lights didn’t come on as I pulled into the destination site.
Re-aggravated, I marched up to the destination site and requested a refund for the experience. The manager, who I had known for being brash anyway, dismissed me and said that the originating agency is in charge of refunds. He couldn’t do a thing for me. I asked him who I needed to talk to. I was given another feedback sheet (that I had to fill out again) and took on a wild goose chase of customer service 1-800 numbers. I eventually learned that it was my responsibility to talk with the regional field manager in my area to explain my case. He would be the one to decide whether or not I would get a refund.
His name is Chris Minnick, and he took his sweet time getting back to me. I understand a bit of a delay around the Thanksgiving holiday, but it took him until the 28th to talk to me. I recapped the events. He explained that I was only entitled to a 20% refund due to mechanical failure. I was appalled. I responded with a query about responsibility if I had been given a citation for inoperable equipment or if I had gotten into an accident. He regarded that, but — and I don’t even think he said it was a corporate policy — he said that because I had gotten my furniture where it needed to go, he couldn’t do anything else.
A refund of approximately $34 was deposited onto my debit card a few days thereafter. He promised a VIP coupon that would entitle me to a free day’s move, but that never came.
Several fateful missteps, ladies and gentlemen.
Dysfunctional moving equipment. Consistently rude staff. Inconsistently responsive staff. An inability to get an expedient process in an emergency situation. A lacking set of recourse for a difficult move. A disembodied corporate policy regarding proper reimbursement, especially after being told that this regional guy was the top of the response chain.
One Star
I’m not going to rent from U-Haul anymore, I’ve decided. God, just rehashing this nightmare reminded me why I would refuse them in the future.
I need to find a new rental company. I think we have a couple that do local moves, and as I’ve noticed, their rates might be as competitive as U-Haul’s. I’m going to move to California in a couple of years to pursue a doctorate, and I’m hoping to find a long-haul place. I’m also hoping that having weathered enough moves, maybe I can pack everything I own in my car instead. Wishful thinking, perhaps.
In the meantime, I’m just floored that a company that I thought knew better could drop the customer ball in so many ways. Maybe it was a bit ambitious to ask for a full refund, but with such a paltry settlement, I think I would have handled a “F*ck off!” with a little more grace.
Is UHAUL is any good comparing to other moving companies? How UHAUL differ from other moving companies, does it needs improvement? If you are going to go the do-it-yourself moving route, I would rec...
Do not trust your reservation, even if you PAY and confirm! U Haul I had scheduled a reservation since may, not listening to my friends telling me about U-Haul's awful reputation and their bad experiences wi...
U Haul BLOWS Go elsewhere U Haul In one way, I am glad to see that I am not alone in my disgust and hatred of U-Haul, as at least I know it's not me alone that gets the shaf...
Service. What service??? U Haul I booked a 17 ft U-haul truck over a month in advance and was told that everything was ok. The day before moving, I got a call saying that t...
How are these guys still in business??? U Haul If you do any research concerning move-it-yourself-truck-rentals and STILL rent a U-Haul truck you deserve what you get! Harsh, but true. ...
We Fail is more like it! U Haul U-Haul has been around so long it's become a generic term, like kleenex and scotch tape, but unlike those items, which are the best of their...
Tags: brakes, mover, moving truck, moving trucks, packing, rental com
You must be logged in to post a comment.