I rented a truck 2 months ago from Budget traveling across 2 states; truck broke down 50 miles from our destination and had to wait for several hours in the cold to get a ride back to destination from tow truck. Truck was towed to home and left in front of our house for 3 days before being picked up. In the meantime the local agency called us twice wanting to know why we hadnt dropped off the truck-seems company communication is lacking. Never was there mention of reimbursment for all the headache of the truck breaking down and our planned move being off schedule ( a big problem when you are leaving one rental and moving to another-as well as job changes). Found out this week that Budget removed the price of our rental from our account again (2 months later) and had to spend hours on the phone with rude customer service to find out what happened and how to get our money back. We found out on the 26th of December and still have not been reimbursed for over 1000.00 taken from our checking account.
Okay, this report is after three phone calls to Budget Truck Rental customer service. I reserved a 12' moving truck online. during the process, there did not appear to be any way to unslect the insurance (I was given three options and all three were an insurance package) or an option for "no insurance". I was assured by Budget Truck Rental that I would be able to decline the insurance when I picked up the rental truck. When we arrived to pick up the vehicle...we waited almost 45 minutes for the gentleman to finish doing his "ice compnay" business before we were helped. During the process we were told that they did not have a 12' truck (something that an employee had previously verified) and that we would be given a "16' truck at no additional charge!"During this process, when the insurance question arose, I indicated that I did not wish to carry the insurance since I was only going a few hundred miles the approx. $100 wasn't cost effective given the probability of an incident.* The gentleman went through out paperwork...having me intial in places and informing me of additional charges for this...and additional charges for that...blah blah blah. We went outside to inspect the truck...I was concerned about the additional fuel charges due to the larger size of the truck and the agent assured me that it would only be an additional $20 or so. WRONG!** Due to already being about an hour behind schedule...I put my trust in this agent, intialed and went on my way.
The inside of this truck was filthy. There was a thick coating of dust all over the cab of this vehicle. It took 3-4 Clorox wipes to clean the seats, doors and dash. The air conditioning was so full of dust that we could not utilize the air conditioning due to dust being blown into our face. The truck was mechanically sound, I will give Budget Truck Rental that much. We had no problems, nor concerns about the vehicle breaking down or having any mechanical problems/issues. It was during the pick up proces that the agent indicated there were additional charges for rental vehicles that were left in the wrong location. Knowing that the drop-off location was only open until 2pm on Saturday (we planned on returing Saturday evening) and that the location was closed on Sunday, I tried to contact the location all say on Saturday. I was met, each time, with a voicemail recording. With issues mounting up, I decided to give Budget Truck Rental customer service a call to relay my dissatisfaction with the service that I had received. As I reviewed the contract (the only copy was in the envelope that I was to leave in the truck upon return...none in the envelope for me) I noticed that the pick up location agent had in fact charged me for insurance ($92.97)...I was livid. I relayed all my above concerns to the customer service agent...who simply told me that he could do nothing...I was to return the truck to the location and give the location a call on Monday to discuss these issues. This response was unacceptable to me and I asked to speak with a supervisor. I was basically told that it would do me no good..."transferred"...and listed to a ring for approximately 3-4 minutes. I hung up and called back. The 2nd customer service agent explained that they would assist me, but could not do anything because the rental was still "open" and it had to be "closed" before they could assist.
Today (10/19/16) I contacted Budget Truck Rental customer service again. The young man that I spoke with indicated that he would provide me with a $25 credit for the filthy truck inside, a $29 credit for the additional fuel charges (are you kidding me? $29? WOW! This is 2016, fuel is over $2/gallon, it's not 1950! I spent nearly double for fuel because of that larger "16' truck at no additional charge"!) and that they would do nothing about the insurance situation. When I pushed back, indicating that I felt that the agent was fraudulent and that I would like to speak with a supervisor...this customer service agent indicated that I should have notifed them on the date of the rental or before I returned the truck. Really? Like I did on Saturday...when I noticed the charge? He also indicated that I should provide them with verification that I had insurance coverage on a rental vehicle from a commercial insurance agent and submit to them and they would review whether to refund my $92.97 or not. Huh? The last time I checked...if you elect the insurance, and an accident happens you are covered by that insurance...if you decline, and an accident happens you are personally responsible for damages that you are fault for. When I told the agent that I did not wish to have the insurance, they never asked me to prove that I had insurance on their equipment...my financial responsibility was addressed...not the presence of other insurance. I will be the first one to admit, I was personally negligent in my failure to adequately review the contract. But...given the circumstance...I was in a rushed mindset after waiting quite a while for the agent...and I never once thought that I couldn't trust the agent to document my wishes appropriately. In addition, all the paperwork that we intialed...not one section indicated that I had elected any insurance products. At least none that I can see on the contract...the one thatI had to take a picture of on my phone because only one was provided and I had to leave it in the truck upon drop off. Whatever the outcome...the bottom line is that I have reason to believe that I was deceived by Budget Truck Rental.
First, I contacted Budget over a week before i needed a truck, 2 days prior to my move, they cancelled on me! No phone call.. just an email! Not happy about this, i called and ended up rescheduling to rent another truck. No one in the call center could give me a straight answer as to why my reservations were cancelled, but after speaking to a local rep, it was becuase i was picking up and returning withing a 50 mile area. Even after explainign that my move was over 160 miles, and that the only reason i reserved that location for pick up was becuase i was going to be passing through (not to mention it was one of the closest locations from my house, still, no one could use common sense and push it through, so i agreed (they were quiet a bit cheaper than local competitors) to drive1.5 hours the other direction from where i was moving too to get this truck. The rep knew how frustrated i was so made it a point to "Guarantee" my pickup times.
So pickup day arrives, i drive 1.5 hours the wrong directoin to pick up this 26 ft truck that had been promised to me.... just to get there and find out that i was not the only person that was "guaranteed" this truck. We waited for over an hour, called several other companies and Budget (corp) never once tried to offer a solution. Local office was great, but were equally as frustrated to have so many people in their office that they could not help.
So after a VERY VERY frustrating phone call with corp, we ended up telling them we were out of time and paif double what they were going to charge and went to Penske.
3 days go by and i just checked my credit card to see they hit me for a $50 NO SHOW FEE!!!!!! I can proimise you that will be disputed and they company will get yet another ugly phone call.
Moral of the story is.. JUST BECAUSE THEY SEEM CHEAPER... THEY SUCK!! WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER DEALT WITH!!!!!!!!!!!!! STAY AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE
On April 29th, 2016, I picked up a 16’ truck that I prepaid for online via their website. It was late in the afternoon, just prior to their closing time. The location I picked the truck up at is: 1501 N State Road 7, Margate, FL.
I signed the appropriate paperwork and also took out their insurance, as I was to make an 800+ mile journey from South Florida to North Carolina.
At this point they took me out to inspect the truck.
I walked around pointing out dings and scratches as people typically do, but then I looked down and noticed deep gouges in the sidewall of the passenger rear tire. When I brought this up, I was assured that the trucks are fully inspected and are perfectly fine. Now, I was inspecting much more closely and found a second tire with a big chunk taken out of the sidewall as well; this tire is the front driver side tire.
The Budget representative called the mechanic whom assured him that everything was fine, but I was not ok with it. That being said; I had a schedule and they were about to close, they didn’t have another truck available and weren’t able or willing to replace the tires. I had to take the truck because I needed to load it up that night so I could leave in the morning since the lease at the current apartment ended that day, so the plan was to drive nonstop to North Carolina.
Uncomfortable as I was, I had my sister take pictures with her cell phone of the two tires and took the truck.
I was also given the truck with a nearly opaque windshield due to the large amount of dead bugs and road grime on it. I didn’t think much of it, since I can just flick the wipers on and wash it, of course when I did that, nothing came out. I figured they neglected to put windshield washer fluid in, but when I looked, the reservoir was full, it just didn’t work. I called Budget, but no one answered so I just bought some Windex and paper towels and hand washed the window myself. (I had to pull over several times en route to North Carolina to hand wash the windshield).
That night we loaded the truck. My family (mother and sister) were moving to North Carolina and left in the predawn hours driving straight through. I was to leave a few hours later and meet them up there between 8 and 10pm where we would at least unload the beds.
At 7am I started the truck, but noticed a message on the dashboard that read: “Service Battery Charging System”. I didn’t recall seeing that yesterday, so I thought… ok, let me go to the store (1/4 mile away) to get a drink for the trip and see if that will turn off, it didn’t.
I wasn’t sure what to make of it, so a few minutes later when I came back from the store I went to start the truck and it was dead. Now I’m stuck in a supermarket parking lot. I called the locale where I picked my truck up at, but they weren't open yet, so I called Budget customer service, spoke to one rep, then another and another when finally it was determined that they needed to call a 3rd party mechanic to come out and look at the truck, but that was going to take 90 minutes!
And so I waited…
A mechanic came out and he jump started the truck and determined it wasn’t the battery, but the alternator.
The option now was for him to call his office, which in turn has to call Budget who then decides whether to have them fix the truck or if they themselves will take care of it. A decision that should take under 5 minutes, took over an hour! The mechanic waited for 30 minutes before he came to me and said that he could no longer just sit here, understandably, he had other work to do and so he left me there with a broken truck just telling me to wait for Budget to call with what they’re going to do.
And so I wait… another half hour goes by and I call Budget back, they still had no answer! I hung up, about 10 – 15 minutes later they call me and finally say that they’re going to have that 3rd party mechanic fix the truck, but now they had to find an alternator, then install it here in the parking lot.
When it was all said and done, I had been delayed 6 and a half hours! Sitting in the hot Florida sun and humidity, sunburnt and miserable I call Budget and say, listen, at this point, I can’t make this trip in one day, I’m sunburnt and exhausted, I’ll need to get a hotel tonight because I’ll be too tired to continue. Additionally, this means that my elderly mother whom is recovering from a major stroke, my sister and our dog had to sleep in their car tonight or on the floor since all our finances are tied up in this move and they couldn’t afford a hotel.
Generally, if a family can afford to hire a moving company, they do it. Budget (as the name states) is a lesser expensive option because you don’t have the money for a better option. Of course, they didn’t care about how they displaced my family and now I had to start this drive in a truck that I really wasn’t sure about at this point, I mean an alternator was installed in a random parking lot, was it new or refurbished? Was the mechanic competent or not? I didn’t know.
So I began my trip, but didn’t notice something until I was on the highway going highway speeds and that was that the wheels were unbalanced and severely misaligned. The truck was pulling so hard to the right, and the steering wheel shook so badly it was like driving a shake-weight. I was literally fighting this truck just to keep it straight. Again I called Budget, but what could they do? I was already delayed so much I lost a day, if they towed this truck the furniture and boxes in the back could get damaged and I’m not going to unload this truck and repack everything into another one, especially not at the side of the highway. The only feasible option was to suffer and deal with it as best I could.
That night when I got a hotel, I was in so much pain, I couldn’t even lift my arms up over my head. I also have multiple back injuries (herniated discs etc…) that were aggravated at the constant contorting of my body as I struggled to drive this unsafe and unreliable vehicle. Had this truck operated safely and without duress, I would have physically felt fine.
When I did finally arrive in North Carolina the following day, I had to drive through some heavy rain; it was not raining when I arrived. However, when the truck was unloaded less than an hour later, several boxes were water damaged because the truck leaked! If anyone has any doubts about the weather conditions during my trip, several websites keep detailed daily historical records. It was dry and sunny when the truck was packed, dry and sunny the day it broke down and for most of the drive until the second day. No boxes were wet prior to moving and nothing was broken in a box or leaked from within the truck.
Did I make it to North Carolina? Yes, eventually, but I was clearly and knowingly put in danger by Budget Truck Rental. Had one of those tires blown while I was on the highway, not only could I have been killed, but I could have hurt or killed someone else as a result. Is that what it takes for Budget to acknowledge their negligence? Someone dying???
I have actively pursued a full refund, which Budget has categorically denied. I have been in touch with their corporate office: who after 3 weeks of correspondence is willing to refund at most 25% of the total truck rental which is $1074.10.
This is completely unacceptable!
Upon further inspection (looking at my sister’s tire pictures for the first time) you can clearly see what looks like steel threading poking through on both damaged tires. It wasn’t noticeable in person, but the pictures are not photo-shopped and that is what it looks like.
Budget Truck Rental should be ashamed of themselves: they should feel humiliated at what they put my family through. To even consider not giving a full refund is morally reprehensible and irresponsible.
Budget Truck Rental was fully aware of every issue I had with this truck as they occurred, and did absolutely nothing about it, barring the replacement of the alternator, which took a ridiculously long time.
I understand being inconvenienced, and Budget offering a 25% discount for that, but they knowingly put my life and health at risk because of their incompetence and inability to provide the one and only thing their company is supposed to do… provide safe and reliable transportation.
How is it that a truck gets mechanically cleared to be rented, with deep gouges in the sidewalls of two tires, an alternator that in all likelihood was never inspected, no wheel alignment especially before long distance travel, a windshield washer that didn’t work and a truck bed that leaked? Not having a working windshield washer alone should deem that truck unsafe and unfit for driving; a person needs to be able to see the road, I mean really? A child with a fisher price tool kit and 3rd grade education could have done a more thorough mechanical inspection of that truck!
What’s it going to take for changes to be made to their safety regulations, not to mention their robotic customer service and location reps whom are largely unqualified to sit on a couch eating potato chips let alone hand an individual the keys to a deathtrap?
How many of the approximately 32,000 trucks at more than 2,800 United States locations are unsafe to be put on the road, which (like my rental) they are currently renting?
I’m writing this to help prevent any future loss of life due to Budget Truck Rental’s irresponisibility and greed. I did everything right in accordance with my rental agreement, and Budget did everything wrong, yet here I am… getting screwed by not (minimally) offering me a full refund no questions asked. Putting all this added stress and aggravation upon me by not accepting full responsibility and forcing my hand in writing to the BBB, consumer blogs and social media.
Since the problems began, I have been professional in my approach. I have exhibited patience and I have given Budget Truck Rental every opportunity to do the right thing, but they have refused over and over again.
Budget Truck Rental’s revenue is approximately $374 million dollars. It’s parent company Avis Budget Group’s revenue is $8.5 billion as of 2014 and likely higher now.
One way or another, Budget will pay for my experience. And by that I mean, had they done the right thing and fully reimburse me, I would have let it all go, instead, I am going to go out of my way to make sure people looking at renting from them look elsewhere. In the long run, Budget will lose thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars in business, and all because they wanted to flex their muscle and step on the little guy.
I have no problem standing up to corporate giants, my voice will be heard and hopefully in writing this, and reporting them to the BBB etc... lives that Budget are currently putting at risk by renting out structurally unsound vehicles due to their lackadaisical approach in management and mechanics will be saved.
Yes, I survived (and I’m not saying that to be dramatic) because without drastic changes to the way they unethically conduct business, at some point, I am fearful that someone will not.
G-D forbid that happens, it will cost Budget / Avis and family(s) so, so much more. Budget Truck Rental’s shady business practices and poor business ethics need to be addressed!
I hope to be the catalyst that prevents any loss of life from ever happening.
Long story short, truck was defective, had a huge hole in ceiling of cargo area, so everything got wet, lift gate didn't work, battery cables melted and circuits were jerry-rigged with staples. took 3 hours for roadside assistance and BUDGET would not refund money or one word of apology or concern. So...I disputed the $200 charge on my VISA, where Budget responded with rude uncalled for comments, like this was my fault. I countered and the charged was credited by my bank. Budget then turned me over to collections who send me letters, that i ignore. Bottom line is don't let this company rip you off, stick up for yourself, dispute the charges. Worst customer service ever.
We left Corpus Christi, TX on August 8th at 12:00pm. I was to start my new job on Monday, August 10th at 10:00am in Colorado Springs. We were traveling with 2 single females (I and my sister), a 5 year old child and a dog and cat. We were barely outside of San Antonio, TX when the transmission light, engine light, brake and ABS light all came on. We immediately lost power in the truck and were able to coast into a gas station. We immediately called roadside assistance, explained the problem and were told that someone would be out to look at the truck. A gentleman arrived about 3 hours later, took about 3 hours to look at truck and said that we would not be able to continue traveling with this vehicle. We called back roadside assistance who explained that we would have to wait until the morning for a determination on if we would be receiving a new truck or not. This was at 10:00pm at night. We had been sitting at the gas station for almost 7 hours, we were hot, dirty and frustrated. I asked what my next step would be. I was told I could get a hotel room, but that they would not be able to help up front with that cost. We checked into the Motel 6 in Boerne, TX with a rate of $130. The next morning we got up early, called roadside assistance and waited. Roadside assistance called us back stated that they would be switching our truck out but wouldn’t have a new truck there until almost 2:00pm. Check-out at the hotel was 11:00am. I was able to get the motel manager to let us stay in the room until 12:30pm. At that point, we went and sat in 97 degree weather until the new truck arrived at almost 3:00pm. The movers arrived before the truck did. The movers that showed up to switch my belongings from one truck to another were absolutely amazing and made a bad situation survivable for the day. The tow truck driver was a complete a*s. We had our car loaded on the dolly, and we asked if he was going to help with car. He stated “no, I’m not paid to do that” and that “Budget should have thought of that”. We were able to get the car off of the dolly and re-hooked back up to the new truck. We were back on the road about 5:00pm ready to get to Colorado. About 8:00pm we were about 40 miles outside of Sweetwater, Texas when the trucks engine started revving at a very high rate and would not go above 40 miles an hour. The check engine light, brake and ABS light came on. We immediately pulled over in a little town that had no lights and barely got a cell phone signal. We immediately called roadside assistance and was repeatedly put on hold, disconnected or lost service. We let the truck cool down for about 30 minutes when we decided we would try and make it to the next big town as we felt our safety was at risk. We went 20 miles an hour for 40 miles until we reached Sweetwater. The truck was making horrible revving noises, the floor of the cab was extremely hot, and if you went above 40 mph it would sound like a foghorn. Once again, we called roadside assistance who told us that the nearest mechanic would not be able to reach us until the morning. By this time, we were familiar with the protocol and got a room at the Best Western for $96.72. First thing in the morning, we called roadside assistance. The mechanic arrived about 9:00, took the truck for a test drive and said that yes, that the trucks tended to overheat in Texas heat, and that the oil was too thin and that is why the engine got hot. He suggested that as long as we did 60-65 mph (we were towing a car) we would be okay. We left Sweetwater about 11:00am, excited to be on our way. About 30 minutes into the drive, the engine started revving again and the truck would not go past 40 mph. We attempted to call the mechanic who proceeded to tell us that we would have to call roadside assistance again. We called roadside assistance that proceeded to tell us that we needed to pull over on the side of the road and wait for a mechanic. Please keep in mind that it was already 100 degrees outside, we have a 5 year old child and a dog and cat. We can’t run the AC because the truck overheats, and roadside assistance tells us to pull over? At this point, we have had enough. Your “roadside assistance” is insensitive to the situation, has frustrated us to the point of where I just want to leave my personal belongings and rent a car home. We finally made it home to Colorado on Monday, August 11th at 1:00am by going 50 mph. I have now missed my first day of my new job. When we call Budget to get the truck extended, we were given the run a round. “you need to call where you rented from”, “you need to call Customer Service” or you need to “call the drop off place”. I finally just took the truck in, explained the situation to the guy at the desk and turned the truck in. The manager at the return place did listen to the truck and agreed that we had mechanical issues.
I feel that Budget/Avis has handled our situation in the worst way possible. The customer service and attention is/was severely lacking. You put our lives in danger by our numerous breakdowns. Suggesting that we “sit” on the side of a highway with no shelter/water in 100 degree plus weather is absolutely dangerous.
I would like to be reimbursed for our hotel stays, and for a fair portion of the rental of the truck. I missed 2 days of work and have attached a document stating that. I spent extra money that I had not budgeted on food and necessities. The hotel stays cut deeply into my budget and I had to use my emergency credit card for the remaining gas home. The truck not running properly did use extra gas and time lost. We should have arrived in Colorado on Sunday, whereas we did not arrive until early Tuesday morning. The emotional aspect of our trip has impacted me, and I will never rent a Budget truck again. I hope that we can come to a reasonable reimbursement amount. One last question, what happens to the individuals that do not have the money for hotel rooms or extra meals?
Budget Truck Rental Reviews
I rented a truck 2 months ago from Budget traveling across 2 states; truck broke down 50 miles from our destination and had to wait for several hours in the cold to get a ride back to destination from tow truck. Truck was towed to home and left in front of our house for 3 days before being picked up. In the meantime the local agency called us twice wanting to know why we hadnt dropped off the truck-seems company communication is lacking. Never was there mention of reimbursment for all the headache of the truck breaking down and our planned move being off schedule ( a big problem when you are leaving one rental and moving to another-as well as job changes). Found out this week that Budget removed the price of our rental from our account again (2 months later) and had to spend hours on the phone with rude customer service to find out what happened and how to get our money back. We found out on the 26th of December and still have not been reimbursed for over 1000.00 taken from our checking account.
Okay, this report is after three phone calls to Budget Truck Rental customer service. I reserved a 12' moving truck online. during the process, there did not appear to be any way to unslect the insurance (I was given three options and all three were an insurance package) or an option for "no insurance". I was assured by Budget Truck Rental that I would be able to decline the insurance when I picked up the rental truck. When we arrived to pick up the vehicle...we waited almost 45 minutes for the gentleman to finish doing his "ice compnay" business before we were helped. During the process we were told that they did not have a 12' truck (something that an employee had previously verified) and that we would be given a "16' truck at no additional charge!"During this process, when the insurance question arose, I indicated that I did not wish to carry the insurance since I was only going a few hundred miles the approx. $100 wasn't cost effective given the probability of an incident.* The gentleman went through out paperwork...having me intial in places and informing me of additional charges for this...and additional charges for that...blah blah blah. We went outside to inspect the truck...I was concerned about the additional fuel charges due to the larger size of the truck and the agent assured me that it would only be an additional $20 or so. WRONG!** Due to already being about an hour behind schedule...I put my trust in this agent, intialed and went on my way.
The inside of this truck was filthy. There was a thick coating of dust all over the cab of this vehicle. It took 3-4 Clorox wipes to clean the seats, doors and dash. The air conditioning was so full of dust that we could not utilize the air conditioning due to dust being blown into our face. The truck was mechanically sound, I will give Budget Truck Rental that much. We had no problems, nor concerns about the vehicle breaking down or having any mechanical problems/issues. It was during the pick up proces that the agent indicated there were additional charges for rental vehicles that were left in the wrong location. Knowing that the drop-off location was only open until 2pm on Saturday (we planned on returing Saturday evening) and that the location was closed on Sunday, I tried to contact the location all say on Saturday. I was met, each time, with a voicemail recording. With issues mounting up, I decided to give Budget Truck Rental customer service a call to relay my dissatisfaction with the service that I had received. As I reviewed the contract (the only copy was in the envelope that I was to leave in the truck upon return...none in the envelope for me) I noticed that the pick up location agent had in fact charged me for insurance ($92.97)...I was livid. I relayed all my above concerns to the customer service agent...who simply told me that he could do nothing...I was to return the truck to the location and give the location a call on Monday to discuss these issues. This response was unacceptable to me and I asked to speak with a supervisor. I was basically told that it would do me no good..."transferred"...and listed to a ring for approximately 3-4 minutes. I hung up and called back. The 2nd customer service agent explained that they would assist me, but could not do anything because the rental was still "open" and it had to be "closed" before they could assist.
Today (10/19/16) I contacted Budget Truck Rental customer service again. The young man that I spoke with indicated that he would provide me with a $25 credit for the filthy truck inside, a $29 credit for the additional fuel charges (are you kidding me? $29? WOW! This is 2016, fuel is over $2/gallon, it's not 1950! I spent nearly double for fuel because of that larger "16' truck at no additional charge"!) and that they would do nothing about the insurance situation. When I pushed back, indicating that I felt that the agent was fraudulent and that I would like to speak with a supervisor...this customer service agent indicated that I should have notifed them on the date of the rental or before I returned the truck. Really? Like I did on Saturday...when I noticed the charge? He also indicated that I should provide them with verification that I had insurance coverage on a rental vehicle from a commercial insurance agent and submit to them and they would review whether to refund my $92.97 or not. Huh? The last time I checked...if you elect the insurance, and an accident happens you are covered by that insurance...if you decline, and an accident happens you are personally responsible for damages that you are fault for. When I told the agent that I did not wish to have the insurance, they never asked me to prove that I had insurance on their equipment...my financial responsibility was addressed...not the presence of other insurance. I will be the first one to admit, I was personally negligent in my failure to adequately review the contract. But...given the circumstance...I was in a rushed mindset after waiting quite a while for the agent...and I never once thought that I couldn't trust the agent to document my wishes appropriately. In addition, all the paperwork that we intialed...not one section indicated that I had elected any insurance products. At least none that I can see on the contract...the one thatI had to take a picture of on my phone because only one was provided and I had to leave it in the truck upon drop off. Whatever the outcome...the bottom line is that I have reason to believe that I was deceived by Budget Truck Rental.
First, I contacted Budget over a week before i needed a truck, 2 days prior to my move, they cancelled on me! No phone call.. just an email! Not happy about this, i called and ended up rescheduling to rent another truck. No one in the call center could give me a straight answer as to why my reservations were cancelled, but after speaking to a local rep, it was becuase i was picking up and returning withing a 50 mile area. Even after explainign that my move was over 160 miles, and that the only reason i reserved that location for pick up was becuase i was going to be passing through (not to mention it was one of the closest locations from my house, still, no one could use common sense and push it through, so i agreed (they were quiet a bit cheaper than local competitors) to drive1.5 hours the other direction from where i was moving too to get this truck. The rep knew how frustrated i was so made it a point to "Guarantee" my pickup times.
So pickup day arrives, i drive 1.5 hours the wrong directoin to pick up this 26 ft truck that had been promised to me.... just to get there and find out that i was not the only person that was "guaranteed" this truck. We waited for over an hour, called several other companies and Budget (corp) never once tried to offer a solution. Local office was great, but were equally as frustrated to have so many people in their office that they could not help.
So after a VERY VERY frustrating phone call with corp, we ended up telling them we were out of time and paif double what they were going to charge and went to Penske.
3 days go by and i just checked my credit card to see they hit me for a $50 NO SHOW FEE!!!!!! I can proimise you that will be disputed and they company will get yet another ugly phone call.
Moral of the story is.. JUST BECAUSE THEY SEEM CHEAPER... THEY SUCK!! WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER DEALT WITH!!!!!!!!!!!!! STAY AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE
On April 29th, 2016, I picked up a 16’ truck that I prepaid for online via their website. It was late in the afternoon, just prior to their closing time. The location I picked the truck up at is: 1501 N State Road 7, Margate, FL.
I signed the appropriate paperwork and also took out their insurance, as I was to make an 800+ mile journey from South Florida to North Carolina.
At this point they took me out to inspect the truck.
I walked around pointing out dings and scratches as people typically do, but then I looked down and noticed deep gouges in the sidewall of the passenger rear tire. When I brought this up, I was assured that the trucks are fully inspected and are perfectly fine. Now, I was inspecting much more closely and found a second tire with a big chunk taken out of the sidewall as well; this tire is the front driver side tire.
The Budget representative called the mechanic whom assured him that everything was fine, but I was not ok with it. That being said; I had a schedule and they were about to close, they didn’t have another truck available and weren’t able or willing to replace the tires. I had to take the truck because I needed to load it up that night so I could leave in the morning since the lease at the current apartment ended that day, so the plan was to drive nonstop to North Carolina.
Uncomfortable as I was, I had my sister take pictures with her cell phone of the two tires and took the truck.
I was also given the truck with a nearly opaque windshield due to the large amount of dead bugs and road grime on it. I didn’t think much of it, since I can just flick the wipers on and wash it, of course when I did that, nothing came out. I figured they neglected to put windshield washer fluid in, but when I looked, the reservoir was full, it just didn’t work. I called Budget, but no one answered so I just bought some Windex and paper towels and hand washed the window myself. (I had to pull over several times en route to North Carolina to hand wash the windshield).
That night we loaded the truck. My family (mother and sister) were moving to North Carolina and left in the predawn hours driving straight through. I was to leave a few hours later and meet them up there between 8 and 10pm where we would at least unload the beds.
At 7am I started the truck, but noticed a message on the dashboard that read: “Service Battery Charging System”. I didn’t recall seeing that yesterday, so I thought… ok, let me go to the store (1/4 mile away) to get a drink for the trip and see if that will turn off, it didn’t.
I wasn’t sure what to make of it, so a few minutes later when I came back from the store I went to start the truck and it was dead. Now I’m stuck in a supermarket parking lot. I called the locale where I picked my truck up at, but they weren't open yet, so I called Budget customer service, spoke to one rep, then another and another when finally it was determined that they needed to call a 3rd party mechanic to come out and look at the truck, but that was going to take 90 minutes!
And so I waited…
A mechanic came out and he jump started the truck and determined it wasn’t the battery, but the alternator.
The option now was for him to call his office, which in turn has to call Budget who then decides whether to have them fix the truck or if they themselves will take care of it. A decision that should take under 5 minutes, took over an hour! The mechanic waited for 30 minutes before he came to me and said that he could no longer just sit here, understandably, he had other work to do and so he left me there with a broken truck just telling me to wait for Budget to call with what they’re going to do.
And so I wait… another half hour goes by and I call Budget back, they still had no answer! I hung up, about 10 – 15 minutes later they call me and finally say that they’re going to have that 3rd party mechanic fix the truck, but now they had to find an alternator, then install it here in the parking lot.
When it was all said and done, I had been delayed 6 and a half hours! Sitting in the hot Florida sun and humidity, sunburnt and miserable I call Budget and say, listen, at this point, I can’t make this trip in one day, I’m sunburnt and exhausted, I’ll need to get a hotel tonight because I’ll be too tired to continue. Additionally, this means that my elderly mother whom is recovering from a major stroke, my sister and our dog had to sleep in their car tonight or on the floor since all our finances are tied up in this move and they couldn’t afford a hotel.
Generally, if a family can afford to hire a moving company, they do it. Budget (as the name states) is a lesser expensive option because you don’t have the money for a better option. Of course, they didn’t care about how they displaced my family and now I had to start this drive in a truck that I really wasn’t sure about at this point, I mean an alternator was installed in a random parking lot, was it new or refurbished? Was the mechanic competent or not? I didn’t know.
So I began my trip, but didn’t notice something until I was on the highway going highway speeds and that was that the wheels were unbalanced and severely misaligned. The truck was pulling so hard to the right, and the steering wheel shook so badly it was like driving a shake-weight. I was literally fighting this truck just to keep it straight. Again I called Budget, but what could they do? I was already delayed so much I lost a day, if they towed this truck the furniture and boxes in the back could get damaged and I’m not going to unload this truck and repack everything into another one, especially not at the side of the highway. The only feasible option was to suffer and deal with it as best I could.
That night when I got a hotel, I was in so much pain, I couldn’t even lift my arms up over my head. I also have multiple back injuries (herniated discs etc…) that were aggravated at the constant contorting of my body as I struggled to drive this unsafe and unreliable vehicle. Had this truck operated safely and without duress, I would have physically felt fine.
When I did finally arrive in North Carolina the following day, I had to drive through some heavy rain; it was not raining when I arrived. However, when the truck was unloaded less than an hour later, several boxes were water damaged because the truck leaked! If anyone has any doubts about the weather conditions during my trip, several websites keep detailed daily historical records. It was dry and sunny when the truck was packed, dry and sunny the day it broke down and for most of the drive until the second day. No boxes were wet prior to moving and nothing was broken in a box or leaked from within the truck.
Did I make it to North Carolina? Yes, eventually, but I was clearly and knowingly put in danger by Budget Truck Rental. Had one of those tires blown while I was on the highway, not only could I have been killed, but I could have hurt or killed someone else as a result. Is that what it takes for Budget to acknowledge their negligence? Someone dying???
I have actively pursued a full refund, which Budget has categorically denied. I have been in touch with their corporate office: who after 3 weeks of correspondence is willing to refund at most 25% of the total truck rental which is $1074.10.
This is completely unacceptable!
Upon further inspection (looking at my sister’s tire pictures for the first time) you can clearly see what looks like steel threading poking through on both damaged tires. It wasn’t noticeable in person, but the pictures are not photo-shopped and that is what it looks like.
Budget Truck Rental should be ashamed of themselves: they should feel humiliated at what they put my family through. To even consider not giving a full refund is morally reprehensible and irresponsible.
Budget Truck Rental was fully aware of every issue I had with this truck as they occurred, and did absolutely nothing about it, barring the replacement of the alternator, which took a ridiculously long time.
I understand being inconvenienced, and Budget offering a 25% discount for that, but they knowingly put my life and health at risk because of their incompetence and inability to provide the one and only thing their company is supposed to do… provide safe and reliable transportation.
How is it that a truck gets mechanically cleared to be rented, with deep gouges in the sidewalls of two tires, an alternator that in all likelihood was never inspected, no wheel alignment especially before long distance travel, a windshield washer that didn’t work and a truck bed that leaked? Not having a working windshield washer alone should deem that truck unsafe and unfit for driving; a person needs to be able to see the road, I mean really? A child with a fisher price tool kit and 3rd grade education could have done a more thorough mechanical inspection of that truck!
What’s it going to take for changes to be made to their safety regulations, not to mention their robotic customer service and location reps whom are largely unqualified to sit on a couch eating potato chips let alone hand an individual the keys to a deathtrap?
How many of the approximately 32,000 trucks at more than 2,800 United States locations are unsafe to be put on the road, which (like my rental) they are currently renting?
I’m writing this to help prevent any future loss of life due to Budget Truck Rental’s irresponisibility and greed. I did everything right in accordance with my rental agreement, and Budget did everything wrong, yet here I am… getting screwed by not (minimally) offering me a full refund no questions asked. Putting all this added stress and aggravation upon me by not accepting full responsibility and forcing my hand in writing to the BBB, consumer blogs and social media.
Since the problems began, I have been professional in my approach. I have exhibited patience and I have given Budget Truck Rental every opportunity to do the right thing, but they have refused over and over again.
Budget Truck Rental’s revenue is approximately $374 million dollars. It’s parent company Avis Budget Group’s revenue is $8.5 billion as of 2014 and likely higher now.
One way or another, Budget will pay for my experience. And by that I mean, had they done the right thing and fully reimburse me, I would have let it all go, instead, I am going to go out of my way to make sure people looking at renting from them look elsewhere. In the long run, Budget will lose thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars in business, and all because they wanted to flex their muscle and step on the little guy.
I have no problem standing up to corporate giants, my voice will be heard and hopefully in writing this, and reporting them to the BBB etc... lives that Budget are currently putting at risk by renting out structurally unsound vehicles due to their lackadaisical approach in management and mechanics will be saved.
Yes, I survived (and I’m not saying that to be dramatic) because without drastic changes to the way they unethically conduct business, at some point, I am fearful that someone will not.
G-D forbid that happens, it will cost Budget / Avis and family(s) so, so much more. Budget Truck Rental’s shady business practices and poor business ethics need to be addressed!
I hope to be the catalyst that prevents any loss of life from ever happening.
Setup truck reservation by internet site, using my credit card for a sort truck rental that would have cost less than $40.
Had to cancel 200pm pickup at 130 pm.
Received confirmation of cancellation via email, with no mention of NO SHOW charge.
I was charge $50 no show charge on my credit card.
Called to complain , they said the policy is 48 hour notice required.
I reserved and cancelled within 40 minutes and they charged me a NO SHOW CHARGE?
Long story short, truck was defective, had a huge hole in ceiling of cargo area, so everything got wet, lift gate didn't work, battery cables melted and circuits were jerry-rigged with staples. took 3 hours for roadside assistance and BUDGET would not refund money or one word of apology or concern. So...I disputed the $200 charge on my VISA, where Budget responded with rude uncalled for comments, like this was my fault. I countered and the charged was credited by my bank. Budget then turned me over to collections who send me letters, that i ignore. Bottom line is don't let this company rip you off, stick up for yourself, dispute the charges. Worst customer service ever.
We left Corpus Christi, TX on August 8th at 12:00pm. I was to start my new job on Monday, August 10th at 10:00am in Colorado Springs. We were traveling with 2 single females (I and my sister), a 5 year old child and a dog and cat. We were barely outside of San Antonio, TX when the transmission light, engine light, brake and ABS light all came on. We immediately lost power in the truck and were able to coast into a gas station. We immediately called roadside assistance, explained the problem and were told that someone would be out to look at the truck. A gentleman arrived about 3 hours later, took about 3 hours to look at truck and said that we would not be able to continue traveling with this vehicle. We called back roadside assistance who explained that we would have to wait until the morning for a determination on if we would be receiving a new truck or not. This was at 10:00pm at night. We had been sitting at the gas station for almost 7 hours, we were hot, dirty and frustrated. I asked what my next step would be. I was told I could get a hotel room, but that they would not be able to help up front with that cost. We checked into the Motel 6 in Boerne, TX with a rate of $130. The next morning we got up early, called roadside assistance and waited. Roadside assistance called us back stated that they would be switching our truck out but wouldn’t have a new truck there until almost 2:00pm. Check-out at the hotel was 11:00am. I was able to get the motel manager to let us stay in the room until 12:30pm. At that point, we went and sat in 97 degree weather until the new truck arrived at almost 3:00pm. The movers arrived before the truck did. The movers that showed up to switch my belongings from one truck to another were absolutely amazing and made a bad situation survivable for the day. The tow truck driver was a complete a*s. We had our car loaded on the dolly, and we asked if he was going to help with car. He stated “no, I’m not paid to do that” and that “Budget should have thought of that”. We were able to get the car off of the dolly and re-hooked back up to the new truck. We were back on the road about 5:00pm ready to get to Colorado. About 8:00pm we were about 40 miles outside of Sweetwater, Texas when the trucks engine started revving at a very high rate and would not go above 40 miles an hour. The check engine light, brake and ABS light came on. We immediately pulled over in a little town that had no lights and barely got a cell phone signal. We immediately called roadside assistance and was repeatedly put on hold, disconnected or lost service. We let the truck cool down for about 30 minutes when we decided we would try and make it to the next big town as we felt our safety was at risk. We went 20 miles an hour for 40 miles until we reached Sweetwater. The truck was making horrible revving noises, the floor of the cab was extremely hot, and if you went above 40 mph it would sound like a foghorn. Once again, we called roadside assistance who told us that the nearest mechanic would not be able to reach us until the morning. By this time, we were familiar with the protocol and got a room at the Best Western for $96.72. First thing in the morning, we called roadside assistance. The mechanic arrived about 9:00, took the truck for a test drive and said that yes, that the trucks tended to overheat in Texas heat, and that the oil was too thin and that is why the engine got hot. He suggested that as long as we did 60-65 mph (we were towing a car) we would be okay. We left Sweetwater about 11:00am, excited to be on our way. About 30 minutes into the drive, the engine started revving again and the truck would not go past 40 mph. We attempted to call the mechanic who proceeded to tell us that we would have to call roadside assistance again. We called roadside assistance that proceeded to tell us that we needed to pull over on the side of the road and wait for a mechanic. Please keep in mind that it was already 100 degrees outside, we have a 5 year old child and a dog and cat. We can’t run the AC because the truck overheats, and roadside assistance tells us to pull over? At this point, we have had enough. Your “roadside assistance” is insensitive to the situation, has frustrated us to the point of where I just want to leave my personal belongings and rent a car home. We finally made it home to Colorado on Monday, August 11th at 1:00am by going 50 mph. I have now missed my first day of my new job. When we call Budget to get the truck extended, we were given the run a round. “you need to call where you rented from”, “you need to call Customer Service” or you need to “call the drop off place”. I finally just took the truck in, explained the situation to the guy at the desk and turned the truck in. The manager at the return place did listen to the truck and agreed that we had mechanical issues.
I feel that Budget/Avis has handled our situation in the worst way possible. The customer service and attention is/was severely lacking. You put our lives in danger by our numerous breakdowns. Suggesting that we “sit” on the side of a highway with no shelter/water in 100 degree plus weather is absolutely dangerous.
I would like to be reimbursed for our hotel stays, and for a fair portion of the rental of the truck. I missed 2 days of work and have attached a document stating that. I spent extra money that I had not budgeted on food and necessities. The hotel stays cut deeply into my budget and I had to use my emergency credit card for the remaining gas home. The truck not running properly did use extra gas and time lost. We should have arrived in Colorado on Sunday, whereas we did not arrive until early Tuesday morning. The emotional aspect of our trip has impacted me, and I will never rent a Budget truck again. I hope that we can come to a reasonable reimbursement amount. One last question, what happens to the individuals that do not have the money for hotel rooms or extra meals?