My name is Jason, and I used to work at signature van lines. The first day I showed up for my interview I had a positive feeling about this place. But things changed when I found out what was really going on. First off there are only two people who work there and she makes it sound like everyone in the state of PA is working for her. My first day, Carleen, Shelly - her girlfriend-, Terrance - my co worker, myself, and Carleens uncle and his wife were all headed to new york to switch penske trucks, because she doesnt own her own truck, and we werent permitted to drive a stick shift. The truck ran out of gas on the corner of 940 and industrial park dr. It was a blizzard outside on this day.
Finally after several trips to the gas station with a car, we finally managed to get the truck running again. After 4 hours of driving to new york and happy conversations and all, we arrived at the penske truck facility at 8:00 that night. Only to find out that there were no automatics. So terrance and I wound up spending the night at a nearby motel. She provided me with 20 dollars being very generous with the expenses for food and lodging. The next day terrance and I took a taxi to penske, and were told that we had to be 21 to drive any truck, by state law. Carleen drove from PA to let the penske salesman, Jason, see her drive the truck and stopped by a nearby gas sation to let terrance take over.
When we finally got to work and finished our job, the realtor of the house wanted a copy of some paper work for the previous owners and herself. Terrance, by conversation on the phone with Carleen, said that we werent permitted to do so. After 10 minutes of arguing we finally went to our next job. After we were done. Terrance and I didnt get home unitl 4:00 that morning, which is understanding since in the moving industry you never really know when the job will be done. But than we were told to be at work at 7 that morning. So I showed up and no one was there. Until 8 and carleen said that terrance had told her that both terrance and I discussed to be there at 8. Which was a lie. But terrance didnt say anything. We werent finished with that job until 5 the next morning. This was getting ridiculous and exhausting.
Our next job was in new york. She stated that we will be moving a "poor family". So that day while it was pouring rain outside, Carleen said for us to not rap anything in blankets and put it on the truck. After we were done. There were some misc. Things that needed to be put on the truck. Carleen said that they needed to be put in boxes. Each box cost $32 each. And the customer was fuming. I couldnt understand why these things needed to be put in boxes when she didnt want any of the furniture rapped or padded in blankets. The next job was a small office job with filiing cabinets, student desk chairs, and office desks. The customer wasnt told any form of payment over the phone, or elsewhere. When the customer mentioned that she only had a credit card carleen stated that we couldnt move any of the belongings until we had gotten $500.00 cash. So the customer asked about keeping it in storage, and stated that signature van lines add states that there is no storage fee, but when the customer asked if she could hold her stuff over night until the next morning so she could get some cash, carleen added a "holding fee". The customer was getting upset. When we were finished we arrived at the unloading destination.
Terrance called carleen, and after several minutes of conversation the bill was raised to $800 dollars. And that if we were to move it to the unloading destination it would be $1000 dollars. The customer said she couldnt come up with that kind of money because the agreement was $500. So she gave terrance $500. The customer said that she would be fileing reports such as the better business bureau. Carleen said that she would call me the next morning at 8 to discuss when and who will be picking me up. She never called. So I called her at 9:30. And asked if we were still working, and she said, "are you holding me to a schedule"? I stated that I only wanted to know if we were still working. She asked if I could find a ride to the warehouse, and I told her I would call her back in five. She called me back and said that this wasnt going to work out between us and that I should make arrangments to pick up my check. So I did. And my mother and I went to the warehouse to do so.
I went inside to ask for my check and Carleen said that her girlfriend, shelly, was running out to get it, and stated, "why are you hovering over my desk, have a seat" I walked outside to a talk to a new coworker and carleen called him inside. When he came back out, he told me that she was saying to him" who does he think he is"?:"he's not the boss of me", "noone in PA wants to work, they would rather work for the white man at mcdonalds, and get payed minimum wage". Shelly finally showed up and they gave me my check after they made a copy of it. They said that I had to sign for it. I didnt sign until I looked over the hours that they wrote down. 29 hours it read, when I should have gotten paid for much more than that. I spoke up and said that "I think your gipping me some hours" she got upset and said, "you know what? Get out of my office". We argued for about 1 m minute and I went to go and sit down and while sitting down she removed the chair from under me. I told her how I felt and said that"I'm going to shut you down". She said, "your just jealous, you white trash, thats why your homeless" she than tried pushing me out of the door twice and shelly at to remove her away from me. My mother came in and asked if everything was ok, and carleen stated, "he's fine" my mother said "im talking to my son". Carleen followed with an "excuse me"? This was turning into something unprofessional.
She insisted on leaving the office and leaving me inside because she was setting the alarm and said that if I stay than the cops are going to come. I left to the car and carleen went to hers. Shelly came over to ask if I was going to sign for the check, so i asked if I could get it at another time and she stated that I would have to go through court. Carleen than gets out of her car with a camera and starts video taping my mother and I, and kept on saying "are you gonna sign the check"? Without letting me speak. I finally signed the check and we both went our seperate ways. All in all this isnt the first employee or customer that this has happened to. There are countless stories that Ive heard from my coworker that have have blown this incident out of the water. I DO NOT reccomend signature van lines to anyone. And i'm deeply sorry for anyone who has had there belongings stored in the warehouse and cannot get them back. Without a doubt this place is a scam.
Jason
Effort, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.
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