U-Haul Company ripoff License Plates / Licensing Phoenix Arizona
A word of caution to any U-Haul renters. Check your license plates. I am a Police Officer and have logged well over 100 tickets issued to U-Haul trucks/trailers. The tickets (no-points to violator/driver) were issued for NO LICENSE PLATES or EXPIRED LICENSE PLATES. - U-Haul will attach a white sticker to the rear, stating "Temporary License", and in marker pen write an isuue date, equipment number, and plate number. This is their own sticker, not a "Temporary License" issued by any government entity. In many cases, maybe the plate was lost that was supposed to have been on the equipment, but if you or I have a loss of our plates, we park the vehicle and go get a replacement... oh but not U-Haul, they put the equipment back on the road, and assume that local cops (and even some troopers)will believe that the white sticker is just some other state's tempirary tag. I had originally just gave warnings, so it would not cost a renter fine money, but then found out that U-Haul will pay the fines. I cautioned each violater cited that they must get the money from U-Haul and pay the ticket themselves, and not to trust U-Haul because if not paid, the warrant and subsequent license suspension for non-payment will be on the violator. Many times I was called by the violator, thanking me, who told me they raised enough h**l that the rental was ultimately free also, because of their "hassle" with the cops.
Aside from NO PLATES, they used to rent out so much equipment with EXPIRED PLATES. Somehow after I, and I'm sure many coppers nationwide began a big ticket campaign against U-Haul trucks, they must have gotten into bed with someone in Arizona where they are based (maybe big political donations, because now, probably 95% of their trucks all have Arizona, NON-EXPIRING plates! What is this all about, can't tell you, but Arizona has lost big money by not making them renew annually, as well each other state, where many of their trucks are designated "local only", thus, here in Ohio, as an example, a truck may be used on our roads for several years, and Ohio never sees a cent from registration fees, only the sales tax from the rental. - So in cloing, I urge all who renta U-Haul to make sure the vehicle or trailer is street legal.
Gene
Wickliffe, Ohio
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Cory
San Antonio,Texas,
U.S.A.
Why Do You Think?
#4Consumer Comment
Mon, March 06, 2006
Why do you think just about every credit card company in the U.S. is chartered, or headquartered, out of Delaware? There a couple of other states, NV, SD that are almost as bad. The laws in Delaware allow the cc companies to screw their customer, no matter where they live, because that's where they operate out of. No company pays taxes. Their customers pay the taxes. Or in this case, the licence plate/registration fees. If U-Haul pays more in fees, the price to rent one will increase. They may very well have some kind of sweetheart deal with some crooked politicians in AZ.
Gene
Wickliffe,Ohio,
U.S.A.
Reply to Employee
#4Author of original report
Mon, March 06, 2006
Chris,
Your reply is well taken, and glad to hear that the "Centers" are supposed to down the vehicle or trailer until proper registration is obtained, but you know as well as I, that the Center Manager is also on a commission, so put em out and make some money, and that is exactly what is done!
As far as the white sticker goes, what purpose does that serve, other than to try and pull the wool over the eyes of your renter by making them believe they have a street legal unit, or a copper without the knowledge that these stickers are nothing but counterfeit "Temporary Licenses" printed by U-Haul, so as to continue to make $$$ until the proper registration is obtained! When mine or your plates expire, we park our vehicle, no matter where it may be and take care of the task of renewal.
U-Haul needs to do the same! On the subject of only paying Arizona once a year, versus 50 states all year long... and why not, money is being made in all 50 states. I urge all that read this to write to your legislators and demand that the "Local" U-Haul Trucks, those that are restricted for use within the general area that they are rented, due to age, condition and mileage, should pay tax, in the form of license plate registration.
If I owned Gene's Electric and had even one truck and operated it 365 days a year in Arizona, you best believe Arizona or any other state would demand that I license my truck in their state and pay, pay pay. U-Haul, step up to the plate. Oh... did I neglect to mentionn that even though U-Haul may pay Arizona, many states are more expensive to register a commercial vehicle... so let's be realistic, I still say there is a sweetheart deal somewhere!
Chris
Ft Collins,Colorado,
U.S.A.
registrations
#4UPDATE Employee
Sun, March 05, 2006
uhaul still sends trailers out with temp tags,expired etc.
but the white replacements that are on them are from the correct licensing places from where they are to be from.
ones that show expired are ones that are in between getting the new ones replaced.
we are also instructed at each center,maybe not a dealer,to put said equipment out of service until the proper updated plates are mailed.
the idea of having all the truck plates from arizona is because the home office for corporate is located there.therefore it would make sense to register all trucks from there and to make it even more simpler they make sure they have perm tags.
fees are paid when due,each year at the same time with a lump sum instead of muliple payouts all year.
as a personal note,no i dont think its fair to the other 47 states that have local only trucks,to not get any of the fees for there state,but its a corporate nationwide buisness and thats how the law allows them to run it.
any of my info ,if so happens to be deemed false,please identify the wrongs and your position in the company to show these wrongs.
thank you