Complaint Review: AAA Vanlines - Norcross Georgia

I had a very similar experience to the original poster in 2006. And if you doubt me, AAA, I can forward the email chain I had with Chad W. Curtiss, your "customer relations" guy. They lost our furniture on top of everything, and we were without our things for an entire month (I really can't believe we put up with that in retrospect, but they had our belongings hostage). I called them every day for about 2 weeks, and finally got our things.

Basically, we moved from Columbia, MO to Oceanside, CA, and the move was paid for by my now husband's company. Here is the email we sent to Chad at AAA in 2006, and as you can see, it details a very similar experience. I have XXX out the names.


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My name is Lauren, speaking on behalf of my live-in boyfriend, XXXX, who is the name on the account you hold. His account was paid for by XXXX.
 
We are very disappointed with your service. We did not receive several items in the shipment, and the items we did receive were not in the condition in which we gave them to you. Even then, obtaining our things became extremely difficult. Here are the events as follows:

 
- AAA picked up our things from Columbia, MO on November 3, 2006.

- On November 13, 2006, the driver called at 9:15 am to deliver our things to Oceanside, CA.

- We discovered that the 18-wheeler truck would not fit in the driveway of our apartment complex.

- We were told by the driver that we needed to pay $500 cash in order to facilitate the purchase of a rental shuttle. After speaking to Tanya (the account manager) from AAA, she informed us that it was possible to add it to our invoice, paid for by XXXX.

- We arranged for my boyfriend's company, XXXX, to authorize their company credit card to pay for the extra fee within an hour of the driver's arrival. We were told by Tanya that the card had been approved, and that the local moving company AAA contracted would be there in two hours.

- The other company never showed. No communication was maintained between the contract company, AAA, or ourselves, though we repeatedly called the driver and AAA. No one seemed to know what was going on.

- On November 14, 2006, 9 am (Pacific time) we called Tanya, and she assured us that she would have everything worked out by 3pm (we are 3 hours behind Georgia's timezone). She never called. The driver also had not heard any news from AAA.

- On November 15, 2006, at 8:15 am (Pacific time), we called AAA, and Tanya, who had been handling everything up until now was not there.

- I spoke to a woman named Novellette, who directed my questions to "Nick". We were told that we would receive a call the next day. We did not.

- On November 16, 2006, I spoke with Nick, who told me repeatedly that everything had been worked out, and that our things would arrive the next day. From then on, I spoke to Nick every business day there after, and he continued to tell me that our things would arrive the next day.

- Finally, Nick gave me Joseph's number at New Planet moving company, who he claimed to have already spoken to. He, again, promised me that our things would arrive the next day.

- Joseph informed me that he already told Nick that the earliest they would be able to deliver our things was November 21st or 22nd because they were currently in Vegas. I was assured that they will arrive then.

- We do not receive our things on November 22nd, and after calling Joseph, he assured me that they would arrive November 25th.

- We received our things on Saturday, November 25th. Only one mover showed up, and XXXX (my boyfriend) was forced to help him move some of the heavier furniture up the stairs because the mover was unable to do it himself.

- We discovered several of our items are missing: the top half of a burgundy leather recliner, an amber glass beaded lampshade (of which the lamppost it was attached to is bent), 3 heavy duty black garbage bags - one containing coats and various clothing articles, the other two containing hangers, and a beige and navy duffel bag containing plastic Tupperware.

The only explanation I can see for misplacing the garbage bags and the duffel bag is that they were the last thing to be moved, and do not seem to be added onto the list of items written down by the movers.

These things were undoubtedly picked up by the movers, and they are missing from our inventory, so we, of course, would like them back and would like to file a claim for them. At the very least, they should have a moving tag  (our pink slip says 196184, Green), and are most likely in a warehouse somewhere, though whether it is AAA's warehouse, or New Planet's warehouse, I don't know.

 
Both my boyfriend and myself feel that the earlier conduct could have been overlooked if we received all of our things, but the current result is very unsatisfactory. Regardless of the fact that you were forced to hire an outside company to shuttle our things to us, that is what your company is required to do, and we paid the shuttle fee within an hour of discovering this. Also, we should not have had to deal with the other company at all; we hired AAA Vanlines to take care of all of the details, not New Planet Moving Company. Also, though we understand that you have other business to take care of, customer service should be high on your list of priorities, as well as reliability. We rarely received a return call; we were always forced to call back ourselves.

 
All we really want is our things back. After living in an apartment for a month without any of our furniture, we would just be happy to have it all back. We would like to officially state a claim for these missing items. You may email me back at this address; additionally, you can call my cell phone at XXX XXX XXXX. We would like this taken care of as soon as possible.
_____________

They are crooks, plain and simple. I dare you, AAA, to dispute that, because I have the emails and receipts to prove it.


Lauren, CA

My apologies, Joshua, I was calling you Shlomo because you signed your above letter as the "Owner of Company", and the owner's name is Shlomo. But you lied, you are not the owner of the company, you are the guy that bad movers everywhere use to stall vict- I mean customers out of insurance claims. You also seem to be doing a whole lot of interference-running for matters other than insurance adjustment lately. Why are YOU answering for AAA Van Lines? What stake do you hold in the company, to be constantly referring to Doug's business with "us"? You are a separate entity in another state. You are not an "employee" of AAA Van Lines, and you do not have the right to argue AAA Van Lines' complaints ratio as "ours" Again, if the customer asked "you" for a re-weigh, it must be provided. Common sense or not, it is the law. Government ain't known for common sense. Definistion of Sarcasm: 1. A cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound. 2. A form of wit that is marked by the use of sarcastic language and is intended to make its victim the butt of contempt or ridicule. This reduces anomosity? "How can we provide a customer with an inventory of their items?" By going to their houses and seeing all the things to be moved. Oh, but this will mean that we are limited to clients in our home area, which I guess will cut down on the profit margin, so let's just call it a good deed to the customer and allow them to produce their own inventory list from a confusing and ambiguous list of furniture pieces on our website. What we won't tell them is that nomatter what they list, we will claim they have more stuff. They can't say a thing about it, because we'll already have their stuff on our truck! Now, THAT's sarcasm. Why would a customer contact the police for a mover asking for a tip? I dunno, let's read your own words: "If our employee insinuated that more money (in the form of a larger tip) would prevent damage to his belongings and shaving off of overage charges he should have contacted the police! That is extortion ? a felony!" As per that last statement about the insurance claim, you are the one to know about that. I suggested the original author contact the insurance directly to see if Anthem Claims Management, YOUR company, had even filed the claim. I'm curious, how is it that an insurance claims adjustor company is getting BBB complaints for Delivery issues and Repair or Service issues, things usually associated with Moving Companies? Could it be the customers of the bad movers on the list below are a bit confused when you contact them claiming to be the owners of the companies to deal with their problems? Is this what Anthem Claims Management is for? Known scam movers using Anthem Claims Management for stone-walling: Atlantis Van Lines (Blacklisted) Progressive Van Lines (Blacklisted) Express Moving & Storage Best Price Moving & Storage Hercules Van Lines RoadRunner Moving (A.K.A. "VEIB Enterprises") (Blacklisted) Fair Price Moving & Storage (Blacklisted) All Victory Van Lines (Blacklisted) (CA version of All Victory Moving & Storage) All Victory Moving & Storage (Blacklisted) (NYC version of All Victory Van Lines) Move4Less Movers of America Van Lines (Blacklisted) Coast to Coast Van Lines (Blacklisted) Mr. Move, Inc. dba Load-Rock-N-Roll United Express Moving Systems All USA Moving & Storage Galore Moving & Storage (Blacklisted) Back2Back Moving & Storage Lehigh Moving & Storage (Blacklisted) Globus Van Lines (Blacklisted) Empire Movers (of Georgia) now known as Freedom Moving & Storage Diamond Relocations (Blacklisted), AKA Galore Moving & Storage Nationwide Express Van Lines, AKA All-State Van Lines Interstate 1 Van Lines (currently unlicensed) Millenium Moving (one MC license revoked in 2002, other is touch and go) All State Vanlines (Blacklisted) AKA U Save On Moving East West Moving & Storage (AKA Globe Corp) Imperial Relocation (now unlicensed and possibly out of business)

Joshua....

Are you with Anthem Claim Management? I noticed that you are from Anthem Arizona, which is exactly the same place that the Anthem Claim Management company that AAA Vanlines uses to adjust for damaged or loss goods.

First of all Sharon, who are you??? We are trying to settle this issue with our customer. This web site says Do you have a consumer suggestion on how to resolve this problem or how to avoid it in the future? ONLY these types of responses will be added to the filed report. I don't see anything constructive in your diatribe.

Second, apparently you wouldn't recognize sarcasm if it slapped you in the face. I wrote that Laura's version of what occurred during her move was so far removed from the truth that I didn't recognize the story. Get it? Sarcasm often used to reduce the level of animosity in correspondences.

Again, my name is Joshua, not Shlomo.

Now to your harangue I'm not familiar with the term abricated. Did you mean abdicated? Using a spell checker would help you communicate better and show some courtesy. What rights did our customer give up? If you mean they signed a contract that stipulates exactly how the move and ancillary functions are to be performed then you are correct. What laws and rights did we violate? You shouldn't use generalities when accusing someone of crimes.

You are wrong about the re-weigh. Federal laws regulate how many hours our drivers can operate a vehicle. They must keep logs. If they said they were tired why would you want them drive our customer out on the freeway late at night. Show some common sense!

What in the world does this meanand I quote you The customers can only give accurate inventory lists if you provide them with one. How can we provide a customer with an inventory of their items? In order to lower costs to the consumer most moving companies rely on an accurate list from the consumer. We do provide them tools (lists, cubic feet conversions, etc.) to help them estimate the size of their move. But it is just what it says an estimate! Once we arrive at the home we do a walkthrough to determine if the estimate was correct. Many times people forget items in closets, garages, sheds, attics and even add things from off site storage! We do not use it as an excuse, if the customer has more goods to be moved than estimated we tell them prior to loading what the charges will be. And Sharon, let's keep the name calling to a minimum we resent your accusation of scamming. Once again, don't subject yourself to a libel suit with your baseless accusations.

Why would someone call the police if asked for a tip? We'd have to build bigger jails for all the waiters and pizza deliverers!! The Carmack Amendment preempts any state claims for loss, damage or delay to cargo including consumer fraud, bad-faith failure to procure insurance, deceptive trade practices, Uniform Commercial Code violations, fraudulent inducement into contract, and claims based on the carrier's handling of the claim. Interstate movers such as us are subject to stricter Federal laws.
You are wrong again about the Descriptive Inventory List being signed before we unload the truck. The list is used by the consumer to check off each item as it is unloaded from the truck. Additionally, they would note damaged or missing articles at the bottom of the form(s).

As for your last remarks about violations and our BBB complaints, we operate 365 days a year and do over 1,500 moves a year. That means our complaint to move ratio is a little over 1 percent that is pretty good for any business and I believe outstanding for a company that is involved in one of the more stressful situations a person can have moving!

A P.S. to Doug from New Jersey who said Once you have the Insurance company name and number go directly to the Insurance agent. You then file a claim. You DO NOT need to go through the mover to do this. Wrong, Doug.

First, it's not an insurance claim they would file with us. They released their load to us under Federal law as administered by the U. S. Department of Transportation. Specifically in regard to limitation of liability, 49 C.F.R. 375.203(b). The consumer was given information about acquiring insurance through third parties. If they did then they would file a claim with their insurance company. But they are obligated by their contract with us to send us a claim first if they didn't get additional insurance.

Wait, Shlomo, you don't think you are the company that did the move, but you go on to defend yourselves with details of said move?

I find it ludicrous that you think the customer abricated so many things. Your own comments show how you broke laws and violated his rights. If he asked for a re-weigh, you are required to give one, regardless of how tired your movers are. The customers gan only give accurate inventory lists if you provide them with one. Andf actually, the only way to give an accurate inventory is if you yourself walked around his house and marked everything down yourself. But no, this gives you an "out" by claiming the customer added things to the inventory. How many times do known scammers like yourself use this excuse?

If the foreman demanded a larger tip and the client called the police, the police would not do a thing, since it is a civil matter, as I'm sure you know. Good ol' Carmack Amendment, cushioning your nice fat wallet.

I bet you a million dollars the customer comes back and says he ware required to sign all those documents stating his things were in a good condition before the truck was even opened.

While I have your attention, do you have any comments on the fact that your driver's Out Of Service rating is 8 times the national average? You hire unlicensed drivers who falsify and ignore the federally regulated logbooks. You were even given two Critical Violations for such things. Or how about the 18 complaints in the last year from the BBB? You ecpect everyone to believe that this customer's complaint is an isolated incident?

Get real. I'd love to hear the customer's take on this "version" of the truth.

AAA Van Lines, Inc. regrets that our client s relocation experience was less than perfect. However, after reading their report on the facts of the move, we are not sure they were the people we contracted to move! We were astounded by the level of fabrication in their version of their move.

First, the estimate they mention was set at 4,700 pounds based on the list of items THEY provided us. First estimates for a move rely on the clients guess of the number of articles that will be moved. This number is converted to cubic feet from which a dollar amount for the move is given. If, on the move day, the actual cubic footage exceeds the estimate, an additional cost is incurred. This is why the client's move cost increased from the estimate. It is not uncommon for a client to not realize until pick up day that additional items in the attic, garage or basement have to be moved too. He was not informed two days later as he says, but we have a form with his signature approving the increase in cost prior to loading.

Client states that we arrived at his house for delivery in a large trailer and we were angry that there was no room to park in front of his house. You'd be angry too if you had a signed form from the client indicating there was room in the street for the trailer. Part of our pre-move documentation includes a checklist asking if there is room for a large trailer. It also states if there is not room there will be an additional charge for the shuttle to and from the trailer. Part of the client's fantasy was that we demanded $500 for the shuttle fee. In reality that is the maximum we can charge we gave him a discount charging him only $284.

Again we enter the client's Fantasyland he accuses us of extortion! If our employee insinuated that more money (in the form of a larger tip) would prevent damage to his belongings and shaving off of overage charges he should have contacted the police! That is extortion a felony! Our employees would never act in such a despicable manner. He should refrain from making libelous remarks in public without proof.

We offered to re-weigh the load with our client present. Since most weigh stations are located on the freeways we required that he meet us at the nearest weigh station. Our client declined our offer. But once we were at his home he requested we take him back to the weigh station and do the re-weighing. We of course declined his request we weren't about to run our large van back out onto the freeway and then back again to his house!

Further proof of our client's increasing dementia occurs in his last paragraph regarding who did the moving and at what time the neighbors decided to move their cars. He says after we (we, not the movers) moved a few loads our neighbors moved their cars. First, our crews work very hard and certainly did the major portion of the moving. The fact that our client helped is commendable but not required. Second, the move was almost three-fourths done when the cars were moved. And finally, if all it took was for the neighbors to move their cars for us to get in front of the client's house, why didn't he have them move them earlier and avoid the extra shuttle fee??!!

And finally, we processed the client's claim for damage and found no proof of lost items and there were no indication of any damages at delivery. In fact the client signed his contract and inventory stating that all his goods were received in good condition.

Client certainly tells an interesting story too bad the facts counter all of his rantings.

Laura,

Unfortunately Norcross is a big scammer area for movers. Also using internet based sites to obtain one is a NO-NO.

Contact the FMCSA either by calling or online. Using the MC# locate wether they are licenced and Insured to do Interstate moves. Once you have the Insurance company name and number go directly to the Insurance agent. You then file a claim. You DO NOT need to go through the mover to do this. explain your situation in details. This just might get their insurance cancelled again. Also it appears they brokered your move. If they are not licenced to do so file a complaint with the FMCSA.

Also why not contact the Atlanta area news stations and Clark Howard. They only recently had done investigations for mine and it was the worst publicity for these guy's. They might do follow-ups, never know.

Unfortunately if you would have seen the negatives on movingscam.com you would have avoided. Use that site to see also how to go after them as others are in the same situation.

Ex-bayonne'ite. 46th st.

Laura,

Unfortunately Norcross is a big scammer area for movers. Also using internet based sites to obtain one is a NO-NO.

Contact the FMCSA either by calling or online. Using the MC# locate wether they are licenced and Insured to do Interstate moves. Once you have the Insurance company name and number go directly to the Insurance agent. You then file a claim. You DO NOT need to go through the mover to do this. explain your situation in details. This just might get their insurance cancelled again. Also it appears they brokered your move. If they are not licenced to do so file a complaint with the FMCSA.

Also why not contact the Atlanta area news stations and Clark Howard. They only recently had done investigations for mine and it was the worst publicity for these guy's. They might do follow-ups, never know.

Unfortunately if you would have seen the negatives on movingscam.com you would have avoided. Use that site to see also how to go after them as others are in the same situation.

Ex-bayonne'ite. 46th st.

Laura,

Unfortunately Norcross is a big scammer area for movers. Also using internet based sites to obtain one is a NO-NO.

Contact the FMCSA either by calling or online. Using the MC# locate wether they are licenced and Insured to do Interstate moves. Once you have the Insurance company name and number go directly to the Insurance agent. You then file a claim. You DO NOT need to go through the mover to do this. explain your situation in details. This just might get their insurance cancelled again. Also it appears they brokered your move. If they are not licenced to do so file a complaint with the FMCSA.

Also why not contact the Atlanta area news stations and Clark Howard. They only recently had done investigations for mine and it was the worst publicity for these guy's. They might do follow-ups, never know.

Unfortunately if you would have seen the negatives on movingscam.com you would have avoided. Use that site to see also how to go after them as others are in the same situation.

Ex-bayonne'ite. 46th st.

Laura, you need to contact the DOT immediately. Besides the glaring legal problems with bribes and extortion, they broke all sorts of moving laws and should be reported. The only way investigations are triggered is by multiple complaints.

1-888-DOT-SAFT