My daughter rented a 26ft U-haul truck and autotransport on-line to move from South Carolina to Northern Ohio. The rental was assigned by U-hauls computer system to the Fire Fox Motel in the hometown of North Augusta for pick-up. At the time the operator balked at her request to attach the car dolly to the truck. When she pointed out the electrical connecters appeared to be broken she was told by the U-haul agent to put tape on it at home. She also noted that the part number fot the autotransport genterated by the computer order had been scratched out by the U-haul agent and replaced with a hand-written number.
She loaded the truck the new day, attached the dolly to the truck and attempted to load the car onto the dolly. The car became stuck in a half-on/half-off position. The called U-haul service call center at ~ 3pm. It required multiple phone calls to obtain service. A mechanic did not arrive on the site till 11:30pm that evening.
I found during my many calls that U-haul dispatched the call to a company in Columbia SC 60 miles away when Augusta GA was only 4 miles away. I also found out from the Transport Services dispatcher that U-haul canceled the call at least once, attempted to reinstate the call but at that time there was no mechanic available to service the call. The service call only was confirmed after I personally called the dispatcher at Transport Services and explained my very pregnant daughter was standed in a parking lot with a broken U-haul truck. She assured me she would have the next available mechanic dispatched it U-haul would confirm the call.
I then called U-haul service center demanded to speak to a supervisor who as rapidly as possible passed me back down to a low level representative. I informed this gentleman that Transit Services would respond to the call if dispatched. I also demanded that I be called within 30 minutes with an update on the service call (this was now 9pm) I also informed him that I would personally call Tranport Services to confirm U-haul had in fact authorized service. U-haul and Transit Services both called to confirm. The mechanic arrived at 11pm.
I informed my daughter & son-in-law the dolly was the improper size and should of never been rented for the car. I provided a hand-written letter documenting the impoper dolly and broken electrical connector. I called by U-haul service call center, they informed me that I would have to return the dolly back to the U-haul agent and obtain new equipment. I told him there was no way I would let my family member return to this unsafe dealer and requested the numbers of a corporate owned location.
I called in the am only to find the locations given did not have the proper equipment. I called customer services SC region and was sent to a company location which provided the proper autotransport and made sure it was attached properly to the truck. The technicain at the Gordon Road GA location told my daughter that the original dolly was incompatible with the 26ft truck rented, that the brake and safely lights could not be attached to the new model truck.
I am fortunate that the equipment failed at the point of departure and the damages were limited to damage to the car bumper and a 21 hour delay. I have reported this dealer to the South Carolina Department of Public saftey and I hope he is shut down before his poor training of pure negligence causes death of injury to someone else's family. I also blame U-haul corporate for refering to this dealer. I was well know by the company owned location employees that this agent was a problem.
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