I reserved a truck and tow dolly a month in advance. The day before I was to pick up the truck I received a message that they did not have the tow dolly available. I called back to ensure they still had the truck ready and was informed that they cancelled the whole order! I luckily found another company that had a truck available but I had to pay twice the cost. I find it terrible that if the customer cancels their order less than 48 hours in advance they get charged a significant amount of money, but Budget thinks nothing of cancelling on the custoler less than 24 hours in advance.

I made reservations to pick up a truck from Belair MD on 11/14/2009 and return it to Woodlawn MD on 11/15/2009. The reservations included a 16ft truck and free 99miles. I received a phone call from budget informing me that they did not have any trucks at that location and informed me that I would have to pick up a truck from Parkville MD.

Which is out of the way? The lady gave me the difference in mileage added to the free 99 miles. My reservation informed me to call the drop off location in Woodlawn Md because they were closed on Sundays. I called them and they said it was fine to drop it off and asked that I drop the keys in the drop box and it would be processed the next day.

I dropped the truck off before the drop off time and dropped the keys in the box. I find out 2 weeks later that they charged me and additional day usage plus going over my mileage. I then called customer service which I was rudely greeted. The lady informed me that I did not have 99miles and she did not see where extra mileage was given to me for picking the truck up out of the way.

This is bogus. I did not drive anywhere close to 99miles. I would like a full refund of additional charges please. This is an unfair and wrong charge. I did not expect to be treated like this from Budget because I have been a previous customer who is why I chose to go with Budget and not Uhaul.

I am writing to advise you of a multiple problem rental encounter. I have never used Budget before and this is my first experience. Let me compliment all your personnel who spoke to me face-to-face. Each person whether employed directly by Budget or through a partner arrangement were polite.
As per my agreement, I attempted to contact the “Dispatching Dealer” at 601-261-5465 on Saturday, November 20, 2010. I attempted to contact this number approximately 20 different times on this date from 9:00am CT through 7:00pm CT. Each time I received an answering message which told me to contact the National Budget Toll Free Number. I was unable to leave a message On Sunday, November 21, 2010, I again attempted to confirm my truck and trailer reservation. However, I was unable to make contact with the “Dispatching Dealer”. At this time, I decided to call the 800 Budget number. I was advised by the operator that the rental was confirmed but that I should continue to attempt contact with the Dispatching Dealer. I continued to attempt contact through that day but was unable to make contact.
According to the rental contract, the truck and trailer were to be picked up at 10:30am, Monday, November 22nd. Since I had been unable to make contact with the Dispatching Dealer, we arrived early to the location at approximate 10:10. During the signing of the contract, two separate phone lines were ringing. One of the lines were never answered and received no discernible voice mail. The other line was answered and responses seemed to be in relation to Self Storage business. My hypothesis is that a separate line exists for Budget rental customers and this is why I was unable to confirm reservations.
Upon arrival we were told that Community Self Storage had a truck as requested but no trailer. The representative at Community Self Storage was highly apologetic but advised that Budget was not her employer. That it was my responsibility to drive to another location on Hwy 98 and retrieve the trailer from that location.
During inspection of rental truck, it was discovered that no moving blankets were supplied. It was a clear expectation during my rental request that moving blankets would be available. The move was to assist my elderly grandmother (81) to move from Mississippi to Texas to live with me. Some of her belongings are over 50 years old and 2 of them are antiques. These moving blankets would have relieved a little bit of stress from the situation. Unfortunately, Budget did not supply these.
Additionally, an inspection of the Dolly provided revealed a large tear in the strap and appeared to be unsafe to use. We did use the dolly but it was not without trepidation.
After inspection, the truck was driven to 6497 Hwy 98 West in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to retrieve the auto trailer. While there, a locking mechanism was purchased for $13 dollars. This lock did not work on the back of the truck and I fully expect to be reimbursed for this cost plus tax. The salesperson, Kay, assured me this lock worked with the truck rental.
I advised Kay at the 98 West location that if the truck was driven over 44 miles an hour a violent shaking took place and I was concerned for my safety and others on the road. Kay advised she did not work for Budget. She explained that sometimes Budget trucks did that and for me to have someone look at it if I felt unsafe. She also advised there were no other trucks available.
On Wednesday, November 24, 2010, an attempt to deliver the truck was made to the “Destination Dealer”. The worker there refused to take the trailer because he did not have a space for the trailer. Again, we were reminded that “Morningstar Mini Storage Plano” did not work for Budget. On the contract, Budget indicated the “Destination Dealer” at the address 5920 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas, 75093; dealer number 750930. Why did a legal contract contain this address if the dealer was unable to accept the trailer and has not accepted trailers for some time?
At this point, a call was made to Customer Service at 1-800-283-4382. My first attempt at conversation was met with the phone being hung up on me before an amicable decision. My second attempt was not met with better results. Individuals answering the customer support line were hostile. My simple request to speak with a manager took 18 minutes to process and I did not receive a manager. The person who answered the phone was a “second line” employee who repeated multiple times that “it was the responsibility of the renter to return the truck to Budget”. Repeatedly, I explained to him the truck and trailer were at the designated “Destination Dealer” as written in the contract. His response continued to be that I had to return the truck and trailer to Budget. When it was remarkably clear that I would be charged more money if I did not do as I was told, the truck and trailer were driven less than 3 miles from the “Destination Dealer”. Why could the Budget dealer not come get the truck?
It is my understanding after speaking with your phone representatives and on-site personnel that erroneous information is routinely communicated on the contract agreement. When the contract is written, a database pulls the nearest location according to zip code. No attempt is made by Budget to ensure this location is actually able to accept a truck and/or a trailer. In this day and age, I can not understand why “partnerships” are not required to login an internal Budget system and advise if space is available. In this instance, the “Destination Dealer” knew well in advance his trailer spots were rented for several months. He attempted to contact me but was only given my work number not my cell number. A search on google.com provided a plethora of similar stories. This process is broken and I would recommend some adjustment be made.
Overall, I have to say this is the worst customer service experiences of my life. While I am happy that my 81 year grandmother is living with me now, I am forever mentally scarred by the way Budget has treated such a life-changing experience. Our family should have spent more time with one another to ease the burden of moving. Unfortunately, due to Budget’s poor business model, our family spent an enormous amount of time and energy dealing with Budget’s inefficiencies. I hope everyone at Budget enjoyed Thanksgiving. Our family was unable to enjoy our meal on Thursday due to Budget’s disorganization.

I rented a Budget truck and had all kinds of problems- was rented a trailer with rusty, unsafe rims that blew a tire as I was leaving town. Roadside assistance was terrible, took 3 hours to get a tire changed in the middle of Seattle! Returned the trailer the next day because the surge brakes weren't working and was credited the rental charge and given an extra day. By the time I got to my destination which was 750 miles away, the odometer read I had traveled 940 miles! Absolute lie, they are renting defective equipment to get extra mileage charges or are purposefully rigging them to make more. I told the return office and they didn't care. In broken english they told me "take eet up wit corpoorate, weee are indeependent company only. not our probleem." Contacted customer service with a detailed email, no response. Tried calling the 800 number and nobody answered. What kind of company doesn't have a 24 hour number? I will NEVER rent a Budget truck again to try to save some money. NOT WORTH IT!!!

I reserved a 24’ moving truck and car carrier online for a move from Maryland to Florida . The equipment was to be picked up from Pasadena Citgo on Fort Smallwood Road in Pasadena at 8 am 5/25. I began calling the Pasadena Citgo to re-confirm at 10am on 5/24. The number provided with the confirmation just rang, then diverted to the recording suggesting to call back or contact national reservations. I called throughout the day with no answer. At 4:30 pm with the same response, I called the national reservations number and gave them the information and they provided me with an “alternate phone number” for the location. Upon calling the newly provided number, the telephone was answered with “The President’s not in, call back later”, laughter and hang up. I called back to confirm that the number was for Citgo and the same “gentleman” informed me that yes, it was a gas station, but that he “didn’t know nothin’ about it, he ain’t in charge of trucks, just gas” and I had to call back after 10 or 11 the next morning. I told him that I was to pick up the truck and car carrier at 8 am- 2 hours before the person that supposedly handled Budget trucks may or may not be in. I asked him if there was a 24’ truck and car carrier there and he said “No, but we got 2 15’ trucks, maybe they’ll give it to you for the same price WHEN YOU CALL BACK TOMORROW AFTER 11 LIKE I TOLD YOU!” and hung up.

I called national customer service back and told them what happened and the lady said that she couldn’t do anything, a “regional inventory specialist” would call me back by 9pm that night and that she would change the rate code to reflect the original 20% off discount from the USPS change of address packet since apparently, the last “coupon” that is clicked on the website over rides a manually entered code.

I finally received a call from a “Robert”, who was allegedly the regional inventory specialist at 7 am on 5/25, an hour before I was supposed to pick up the equipment and begin my move! In a very degrading manner, this obnoxious idiot then informs me that the only place both items are available are over an hour away, each way! I asked him if he had checked the Budget in Glen Burnie and he reiterated slowly and demeaningly “I told you that the location that I just gave you is the ONLY location that has your equipment”. Budget had me over a barrel at this point, so I had no real choice but to waste 2 hours traveling to get equipment that was not properly assigned to my location.

The new pickup point was “Windsor Express” in Windsor Mill, Maryland. The contact number that “Robert” gave me was incorrect and I was unable to confirm with them. I was online trying to get a good street number for them and find out where they were on Windsor Mill (there is both “road” and “boulevard”). An agent from “Windsor Express” called me at 9 am and demanded that I pick up the truck within 15 minutes since they had no room for it. I told him that I was over an hour away and was trying to get directions after I had him confirm the street address to put in mapquest. He called me every 15 minutes while I was driving there! This location is in the ghetto! The actual facility was a check cashing place with bullet proof glass and (illegal) slot machines! I was VERY uncomfortable! When I went in, the man behind the glass took my credit card and driver’s license, then disappeared for over an hour with my IDs! I was trying not to cause a “scene” but after an hour of standing around and trying to stay out of the way, I was very nervous and upset. I asked the other guy where the guy disappeared to with my ID and he told me “around back”. I went outside and there was only 1 Budget truck on the lot, or to be seen at all. The condition was deplorable! The treads were coming through on 3 tires that I could see in the back, the front tires were bald and the retread on one was already puckered and falling off! The back metal bumper was smashed, bent and rusted- the damage on the driver’s side was so bad, that it blocked the lower part of the loading door. I went in and told “the other guy” that I needed to talk to the guy with my IDs and that the truck was unacceptable as I thought that the guy with my IDs was hooking the car carrier up to the dilapidated mess and I wanted to catch him before he did. No worry there though, since THEY DIDN”T HAVE A CAR CARRIER and he was on the phone trying to locate one- in Washington, DC! His plan was for me to take the truck from there since they didn’t have room for it, then drive another hour or two away to pick up the car carrier in Washington DC or Virginia! This after being told by “Robert” earlier that morning that I had to drive an hour away since that was the only location with BOTH pieces of equipment.

I got on the phone with customer service and updated them on what was happening and “Aileen” in customer service apologized profusely and said she was crediting an additional 5% off for the “inconvenience” and that the “RIS” would be notified immediately (since they were not answering their phone when she tried to transfer me) and they would contact me with where to pick up the reserved equipment. No “supervisor” was available (at 11am est!???) and a “level 2” would call me back within the hour to discuss with me what had happened. I asked her for the number of either “Robert” or a competent inventory person and she said that she couldn’t give that out, that I had to wait to hear back after they located the equipment, which “could be several hours”! I asked her to check the location in Glen Burnie, Maryland as they were larger and only 15 minutes from my house and she allegedly put that through to the “Inventory Supervisor”. I tracked down my license and credit card and left, only after I had to threaten to call the police if he didn’t return them to me!

I still had not heard back from ANYONE at Budget and stopped by the location in Glen Burnie that I had earlier referenced. Out front were 2 car carriers and several 24’ trucks in the back! I stopped and asked if they were available for rent and was told yes! I showed them my reservation and told them what had happened up to this point and they told me to call the reservation number and have them reassign the reservation to that location. I called back customer service and spoke with “Janie” who needed the whole story from the beginning. She eventually transferred the reservation after telling me “Budget guarantees rates, not equipment availability” which has to be one of the most asinine comments ever- how can you guarantee a rate for a product that you don’t have? This comment as well as the feeling that I was making her go out of her way while I’m doing several peoples jobs for them sent me back over the edge. I requested to speak with a supervisor and was once again told that no supervisor was available and that it was already noted that I was “in que” to speak with “level 2” and she further informed me that there was no way that I should expect to hear back from a level 2 within an hour (which had already passed!) and that it is generally 24-48 hours and there was no way to escalate a response- they would call me back when they got to me!

The agents at the Glen Burnie location were great considering the total failure on behalf of anyone that I had dealt with at Budget up to that point. They offered apologies for Budget and handled themselves professionally, even as I was screaming at “Janie” at this point and were able to accommodate my confirmed reservation with Budget, in spite of the fact that according to Budget's inventory people there were no vehicles available, especially frustrating since this location was a) less inconvenient than Windsor Mill; b) a location that I suggested that your staff check and c) actually had the equipment that I reserved.

After the transfer, and after doing the rental paperwork in a state of complete and utter disbelief at the ineptitude of "Customer Service" employees, they began to hookup a car dolly to a truck. When I told them and showed them from my confirmed, printed reservation that it was supposed to be a car carrier, NOT a dolly, we had to start all over. They showed me on the computer that the system was showing a 2 wheeled car dolly now. Apparently changed by an inventory manager since a DOLLY was available in DC, NOT a Carrier! This is especially annoying to me since the car being towed is my pride and joy and exceptionally well taken care of and I would NEVER consider dragging her with a tow dolly which is why I reserved the full car carrier. They would have sent me all the way to Washington, D.C for the wrong equipment AGAIN!

Over an hour elapsed for this reassignment and hooking up the carrier to the truck after the dolly was removed and customers were returning other trucks. It was now almost 2 pm when I was supposed to pick up my equipment at 8 am- ie, an entire day was now wasted since no one at Budget could pull their heads out of their asses long enough to actually provide any manner of “customer service”! When the new rental agreement was printed, there was still no change to the rate and it was actually HIGHER than the reserved price with the wrong discount applied. I was told that they couldn’t alter it that I had to take it up with customer service “Level 2”, who was allegedly supposed to be calling me back any minute now since it had been well over the hour that Aileen said they would call me back. The destination location was not open on the day it was to be returned and I was told that there is an additional $10 fee for dropping it off if they are not open that was never mentioned previously either. I called back customer service and spoke to “Frank” about the changes, charges and non call from “level 2”. His “solution” was that Budget would have been just as happy to cancel my reservation and leave me high and dry without any way to move, AFTER CHARGING A CANCELLATION FEE as to actually help me or do what they were contracted to do. I was also told by both Frank and the counter people that any discounts not in the original reservation had to be put in by a supervisor and that I should take the truck and they will have the issue resolved by the time that it is returned and they will issue a credit back to the charge.

So after wasting a day of moving, everything seemed “OK”… until I got the truck and carrier on the road. While loading my car I noticed that there seemed to be an “impromptu” repair to the beaver tail section of the car carrier- the right side brace was improperly tack welded on with unequal length parts, the bolt was spinning and the opposite side was bent so badly that I had to use a sledge hammer to secure the pin into the hole! The truck itself was filthy on the inside and reeked of cigarettes, butt and feet- I was at this point desperate and put behind the 8 ball by them, but I would address that with the supervisor when they called as well. Once on the road, the truck got even worse! I was aware of the body damage that was marked in the front of the truck and sides and I was reasonably “OK” with it considering the circumstances. Apparently when whoever hit whatever to damage the headlight and fender, they also knocked the passenger side mirror loose so it rattled and spun LOUDLY and CONSTANTLY. Here is some more of this “gem” of a truck; the remaining rubber trim around the windshield blew loose before I hit Virginia, making a slapping noise in the wind, if I exceeded 55 mph (in circumstances like merging traffic) the passenger side windshield would flutter at the top corner! Seriously- the windshield in this truck was not secured or glued! I’m sure that this was aggravated by me having the driver’s side window down the entire drive to keep from vomiting from the smell. The fuel gauge did not work correctly and would just swing wildly below half a tank and no matter how much fuel I put in, it never registered to “F”. The alignment was off and it had a constant pull as well as grinding feel when making low speed turns. This is in addition to non self canceling turn signals and lights front and rear, inside and out that flickered every time the turn signal was manually turned off. I do not feel that this truck was roadworthy and should not have been sent on a long distance move.

But the car carrier was even worse! Late at night, just outside Savannah Georgia, I checked the jiggling and spinning passenger side mirror- the matchbook shim that I improvised had fallen out and there were sparks coming from the back! I was in a state of panic and pulled off as soon as I could. The car carrier had blown the right rear tire! I called Budget roadside assistance number and was once again given the long wait and poor customer service. Before anyone answered the call, I was already at a motel off of the exit that I was able to limp to at 20mph on the interstate. When they finally answered, I was told that they needed the equipment ID # and they couldn’t do anything via the rental agreement! Over 28 minutes on hold for emergency roadside assistance only to be told that I needed to go find a number “somewhere on the chassis” that was an equipment ID#. I DID manage to see that this particular piece of equipment was first registered by Ryder in 1991 and apparently had not seen proper service since. When I called back, I was once again left holding for almost a half hour. When I gave them the information that they needed she said that someone would call me back when they located a mechanic to respond and could locate me and that it would probably be several hours! It was already after 11 and I checked into the motel where the truck was stranded. I received a call around midnight from the mechanic that the wheel and tire was replaced and Todd the tow truck/ mechanic even helped me remove the rubber streaks left on my car from the blown out tire. He was of course, NOT an employee of Budget! An hour later (1:12am) I got a call from roadside assistance to tell me that their equipment had been repaired.

Upon miraculously arriving unharmed in Florida the following afternoon, the chains on the carrier would not release! I did everything I was told upon pickup and the tension chains would NOT reverse ratchet. I even resorted to the sketchy instructions in the pamphlet that I was given. After 2 hours under the car in the hot Florida sun and moving the vehicle repeatedly I was able to get enough slack to loosen the chains and release my car. The non functioning reverse was noted upon return as well as the half-assed “repair” to the beaver tail/ ramp and I was told that it should not have gone out in that condition. Then we got to the truck- when he checked the mileage he said that the tank was not reading full and I began enumerating the MANY problems with the vehicle, he opened the fuel tank and fuel was literally at the top of the cap. His response to the defects was simply “we’ll have to have somebody look at it” and I was told that it was only a 2004, but it was probably about to go to auction. Seriously? It seems to have come from a salvage auction!

At this point I STILL had not heard from anyone at Budget in regards to ANY of my numerous complaints and difficulties with this transaction. When I asked him about the final charge he informed me that the charge was put through when I rented it and that the receipt that he gave me would only show a zero balance due, NOT any credits back from Budget. I had to check my credit card statement for any credits. Sure enough, when he printed my return receipt, it basically said that the truck and carrier were returned and closeout reference # which he told me to give to the customer service person that I was speaking to and once again requesting a supervisor, that not shockingly by now, was not available. Apparently they don’t have any supervisors or “Level 2” as I STILL to this day have not received 1 return call from anyone at Budget!

Also- the length of the truck has little to do with how much it actually contains! Budget has the least amount of interior cubic foot space among the moving truck rental companies!

I also sent a written complaint in writing (snail mail) and on their website (feedback). Their response was to email me a coupon code for 15% off my next rental! The email was sketchy looking too- the sender was ABG and the subject was the name of the attachment that ended up being a generic "sorry you're not happy- please try again later" in XL spreadsheet extension!

AVOID Budget Truck Rental LIKE THE PLAGUE THAT THEY ARE!