Budget Van Lines? Any feedback? (moving truck, Allied, fuel, trucks)

[yche]

Originally Posted by yche

Very bad. We were get a low ball quote and promised a now more than 10% price. But ends up paying much more. Be careful, when you were quoted, the lower the weight, the higher the unit price. So when they came and picked up your furniture, you would pay higher price! As soon as you paid the first deposit, you were gone!

We got our furniture yesterday. It has almost taken one month (furniture picked up 4/29, delivered 5/27). We had to pay 1. about $100 for extra weight although when I was quoted with 10% margin (the extra weight is within 10% of estimated range). 2. about $200 packing fee for our king size mattress (never mentioned during quote). 3. When picked furniture, they even did not bring tape with them, we had to give them our tapes!. 4. Worst of all, they broke our king size bed frame and beside there was a big scratch on our mahogany head board!
Never use this company!

[Highway711]

Interestingly enough, i just used budget van lines for my last move and they paired me with a pretty good mover. I think it all depends on the moving company you get paired with that really has to do with the quality of your move. When i was quoted a price for my last move it was $200 less than the lowest price i found while shopping around myself. In the end with a little bit of luck and some help from the budget sales rep i had a good experience. Was anyone else in a similar situation? In terms of prices / quality

[sarah463]

I will just get to the point.........budget van lines will quote you a low price initially but you end up paying more than your quote, they are brokers, don't be fooled by their nice phone manners; all they care about is their broker fee. Unfortunately, I had a nightmare of a move. They scheduled my cross country move with All State relocation and told me that I should have no problems with my move. My belongings were two months late, and I ended up with only half of my stuff. Most of my furniture was damaged and it was obvious that they had loaded and unloaded my things several times from truck to truck. The worst part of this ordeal was that many of my items were damaged due to MOLD and MILDEW, need I say more? Anyone doing a long distance move, please stay away from Budget Van Lines and All State Relocation moving company. Also once All State Relocation had my belonging, they would not answer any of my calls and you can't ever get in touch with them, they called me once to collect 1/2 payment and promised my stuff in the next 2 weeks, after this conversation I could not get a hold of them again and did not see my things for 2 months......

[RikkiTikki]

According to the information included in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Protect Your Move website, consumers who have been victimized by a household goods moving company, broker, or any other motor carrier while moving interstate can submit a 'Household Goods Consumer Complaint' at the FMCSA's National Consumer Complaint Database at http://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov/HomePage.asp

Household Goods or Safety Violations Complaints can be reported online using the links above or, if preferred, you can use the toll free hotline 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238) available from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday Eastern Time.

In May, 2010, the FMCSA began conducting its annual peak moving season audit sweep of moving companies operating both of legally and illegally throughout the U.S! Supposedly the information in this database is used to target violators who fail to conform to the consumer protection regulations for the transportation of household goods in interstate commerce included in 49CFRPart 375: Transportation of household goods in interstate commerce; consumer protection regulations - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[DanBev]

I have posted elsewhere on this site,we accepted binding bid from North American,Mayflower $700 higher.One estimate 1250 lbs the other 1275 lbs if under $23 cwt.Both do background checks and drug tests.When they unload the helpers won't be from off the street.

[K4095]

I've never taken the time to post anything on the internet before. However, Budget Van Lines deserves some press. The sales people are GREAT, the quotes are GREAT. But after you're hooked you are screwed. If you are expecting a professional moving company, a moving company that shows up on time so that you can close on your house deal, a moving company that will actually deliver your things when they said they would, then you had better call ANOTHER company. "ALVIN", my sales person was very professional and spent over an hour with me on the phone. I've never heard from Alvin again. Meanwhile, it has been one month since my household goods were picked up in A SMALL U-HAUL TRUCK AND TAKEN TO A STORAGE UNIT ONLY A FEW MILES FROM THE HOME I WAS MOVING FROM!!! I have left messages at Budget, e mails to Budget, calls to the moving guy (the only reason i have his number is because of caller I.D.) and no one wants to tell me when or if I will ever see my things again. We have been in our new place for over 3 weeks and are sleeping on the floor. I've already paid Budget 4K and they will be expecting me to fork over another $2100 when the 'arrive'. DO NOT USE BUDGET VAN LINES. I am hoping there will be a class action suit against them and I will jump on that band wagon. There are posts about one, but I haven't verified it yet.

[jkwing]

NEVER USE A BROKER, Deal Direct With a Local Company Who Will Send Someone To The House To Do A Survey ! ! ! !

[Whimsy1119]

I am really happy to see that someone started a thread about Budget Vanlines. My experience with Budget Van Lines was not pleasant. Please do your research first regarding this company. I question some of the movers they contract with or find for your move. I normally do self-moves and wished I had never considered seeking out a full-service moving company. Budget VanLines sent out a local moving company that showed up late in the evening expecting for me to allow them to come in to my home to do the move. The truck was not a company truck with their logo on it, but was an Avis Rental truck. The trailer was so dirty and filthy filled with debris, etc. My complaint is too long to list on this forum, but in short, after requesting a refund and submitting my complaint in writing, Budget still stands behind their movers, employees, etc. I have spoken to Amy, Bonnie, verbally; however, the Manager, Melissa Lilly/Lily, never responding to my written complaints. I have a funny feeling that when you speak with Sales in NY, they only have one rep named Alan Katz.
Again, my experience could be turned into a book! I too would love to see an action class lawsuit against them, if I were financially in the position to hire an Attorney, I would do so in a heartbeat! Please do your research first about Budget VanLines and many reviews are not positive-they are crooks!! To All: NEVER USE BUDGET VAN LINES!!

[zarmar]

I would advise staying away from Budget. They give you a low ball quote. After all was said and done, I payed more than 3 times that amount. I don't think they're qualified to actually give a quote that is accurate. The movers I actually got were horrible. They never abided by their times for pickup and delivery. Very little communication, so you never really know what's going on. Beware of the .60 per pound insurance. I'm missing my Sony Blue Ray player. But it would be silly to file a claim because I'll only get about $6.00. Also these trucks are huge. Budget needs to make clear that if they can't fit, you'll have to pay a $300.00 shuttle fee for them to rent a U Haul Truck. A lot of surprises and frustrations. Know what you're getting yourself into.

[kiki598]

Ah, Budget Van Lines, the bane of my existence....for the past month anyway.

1. Since they are a broker, trying to actually get a truck on time is a farce.

2. One mover, who just couldn't quite make it out of bed the following day (hangover), freely admitted that they hire people off the street for cash so it would "no problem" to have enough guys. I cringe at the thought of who would be handling my belongings.

3. I have been give date after date, waiting for a truck to show up and my house and as of this moment.....nothing.

4. Theresa, the rude you-know-what, claimed we just made a reservation today???? and had no record of us ever having a moving date previously. Gee, Theresa, I must have been on a huge acid trip when I recieved and made all those phone calls since mid-October. And the last two dates you gave me on the phone.....that never happened right. So, you hear me demand an email and then you try to cover because this customer wants something in writing. Stupid. Curious, though, my cell phone bill is itemized...who was at the number 18006116001? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm? And all those off the wall excuses from dispatch? I'm sure the family who got blamed for not packing their belongings (which is why we didn't get a truck for the second time) might have a different story to tell. And how fortunate the day after, the movers went out drinking and decided to wait until the following day. Yes, they called us and just wanted to wait (wtf?). BUT THEN THE NEXT DAY....after us calling and wondering where everyone is? Oh, shucks, a part blew on the motor for the truck? What a coincidence!

Basically, Theresa implied I was a liar. Nice, huh? Oh, and beyond rude. Theresa, Theresa, Theresa....despite your claims that your company is not the one that the majority of people have compained about it....it is. That's the beauty of the Internet....angry customers share details like your name, phone number and website.....and we love emailing each other. I'll refrain from sharing with everyone, the four letter word that a nice lady from Florida called you (it starts with a "c". OUCH!). Manners so out the window when you mess with someone's personal life and posessions, I guess.

So, I called a couple of moving companies (not brokers, mind you) who gave me a fair quote AND insurance!!!! ooooooo, what a concept.

Here's the part that makes me hate you, Budget. I have three disabled children (autistic) and moving them is a very precarious task. Anyone who knows what lack of routine or sudden stress does to an autistic.....knows exactly where I'm going with this. So, thank you for that stress and heartache that I didn't need. Oh, and thank you for making it a possibility that my husband will not only not start his new job....but may also lose it due to not being able to get down there. Being unemployed is a treat, you know.