Complaint Review: A1 Auto Transport Tony Taylor

I have never dealt with a more unprofessional, uncooperative, rude, belligerent, arrogant, and threatening organization (subject A1 and Tony Taylor) in my life. After checking the BBB website after the fact, I now see there have been 34 formal complaints in the past 12 months and 52 in the past 36 monthsI now understand why. When can we count on our legal departments to take action against individuals and companies such as this?

On the morning of Tuesday, March 4, 2003, I contracted A1 Auto Transport (A1) of Carson City, Nevada to transport a vehicle from Indianapolis, IN to Pacific, WA.

I had been in a contract with a shipping company prior to A1 that I eventually fired because they had not made arrangements to ship my vehicle after waiting 10 days and guaranteeing 5 days. After doing some comparison-shopping for a new transport company I received quotes ranging from $850 to $1100. A1 offered to ship the vehicle for $1090. Although on the high end of my quotes, they assured me they could pick up and ship my vehicle within 3-5 days, in fact, the woman (Linda) who I contracted through put an absolute latest pickup date of Monday, March 10, 2003 on the contract. The ONLY reason I contracted through A1 was because they were the only company that assured a 3-5 day pickup and ship window; I was willing to pay a little extra to get my new vehicle in the shortest amount of time. Other companies were honest and said it would be a minimum of 7-10 days.

On Monday, March 10th (6th day from contract) I had not heard a word from A1, so I contacted the company. I received an e-mail back saying the car would not be picked up until Friday, March 14th? This pushed their 3-5 day window to 10 days. I couldve contracted through any other company for a less rate and been assured 10 days. I decided to contact the owner (I was told Tony Taylor) of the company to find out what was going on and what he could do to expedite, or cut his rate for this lost time. From his initial answering of the phone, Tony was extremely rude, telling me he had no time for me. Eventually, in a second phone conversation that same day, we verbally agreed to have the vehicle shipped to my residence (Bainbridge, WA) for the extra 5-day inconvenience. Approx 10 minutes after the verbal agreement, Tony e-mailed me and said, we will try to deliver your unit as close as we can to bainbridge island, wa --as long as you are willing to meet the driver @ a safe unloading place. I then e-mailed Tony back and replied with, During our conversation I requested you state "ON Bainbridge Island". "As close to" Bainbridge Island is too open for interpretation and not acceptable. I will be happy to provide directions to a large McDonalds parking lot 3/4 of a mile from my home and meet him there. This was the last I heard from Tony until arrival of my vehicle on Thursday, March 20, 2003.

On Tuesday morning, March 18th I had not heard a word from the shipping company. I inquired about the status of shipping and was told the vehicle was in Boise, ID and would be delivered on the 19th or 20th. On the 20th, I still had heard nothing. I contacted A1 and they stated the vehicle was in Pacific, WA at the terminal. I later received a call from Kenda of Coast-to-Coast Auto Shippers, the company who was sub-contracted by A1 for the transport. Kenda said, per their instructions from A1 they would be delivering the vehicle to Seattle. When I mentioned the agreement was to bring it to my residence in Bainbridge, she stated no such instructions were given to her and they would charge an additional $140 for that delivery.

I contacted Tony Taylor at A1 to find out why our agreement was not fulfilled? Tony was the most uncooperative, unethical, belligerent, arrogant, threatening semi-professional I have ever met. I began the conversation by explaining to him what had happened and to remind him of our agreement via e-mail. He rudely interrupted me and said, How much of my valuable time do you need? I said, just a couple minutes. He said, I dont have time for you right now, can I call you back later? I informed him it would just take a minute and I had to take care of it now so I could go back to work and my wife and baby could arrange to get the car. After going back and forth for a minute and Tony deciding there was nothing he was going to do, I told him as his customer I was tired of being treated so rudely and I was going to contact the BBB to file a formal complaint. Tonys response was, and I quote, Go ahead and contact the BBB or whoever youd like and then stick it up your a*s! He then hung up on me! I was floored that someone does business this way?

I contacted Kenda at Coast-to-Coast to let her know how uncooperative and rude Tony was and that Id be picking up the car in Seattle. Tony called me approx 20 minutes later and asked if I was the Jim West he just got done yelling at? He then went on to ask what he could do to make me a satisfied customer, although admitting he didnt think he could do anything. I just asked him to fulfill the agreement of brining my vehicle to Bainbridge. He said no. I then asked him to please reduce the shipping cost $95 to $1000 to help offset my time and expense of traveling to pick up the vehicle. He said he would do this, but only if, you go pay the full $1095 now, then write me a real nice letter kissing my a*s; only then will I think about it? Tony also said if I wasnt real nice to him he would hold my car at the terminal indefinitely until I decided to be nice. Again, I was floored at this approach and it ended our conversation.

In an attempt to keep this letter to a minimum yet get my point across; I have omitted details, profanities, and aggressions of conversations between Tony Taylor and myself.

I did make an attempt to recover some of my money by paying only Coast-to-Coast Transport the amount of money they were owed. After speaking with Coast-to-Coast, they informed me they were making $850. and A1 would be making the remaining $240. The funny thing is Tony expressed he couldnt cut the rate any further because he wouldnt be making any money from the deal. Come to find out hes making $240 and wasnt willing to cut his rate to satisfy a customer; just one more lie. In the end, Coast-to-Coast could only accept the full amount to release the car per their contract with A1.

I have obviously made a mistake working with A1 Auto Transport and their Better Business Bureau track record of complaints supports this thinking. I cannot believe a business can treat their customers so poorly and remain in business, but perhaps Tonys time is due. I ultimately would like to recover the $240 I paid A1 for their lack of service.

Jim
bainbridge, Washington
U.S.A.

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