If you’re planning a long-distance move, do yourself a favor and do not rely on U-Haul. On Friday, June 12, I went into the Santa Clara store to see if I could get a one-way truck from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. They told me they didn’t have one available that day, so I adjusted my entire plan. I decided to fly back up on June 20, stay in a hotel, and pick up a truck on June 21. I explained all of this clearly to the manager, Ashlee Truong. I told her I would be buying flights, booking a hotel, and that I had no Plan B. She told me that if I put down a deposit, I would 100% have a 15-foot truck available on June 21 at 9:00 a.m. at the Santa Clara location. Great. So on June 12, I still had to rent a van to move my things out of my dorm and into storage. I returned the van on Saturday, June 13, and once again explained my situation to an employee. I asked him to double-check my reservation. He confirmed everything was set and told me there would be no problem picking up the truck on Sunday, June 21. Fast forward a week, just a few hours before my flight, I got an email saying that if I wanted the 15-foot truck, I would have to pick it up in Aptos, near Santa Cruz. For anyone local, you already know how ridiculous that is. SFO to Aptos/Santa Cruz can easily be a 1–2 hour drive. And remember, I was flying in. I had no car. So, apparently, the new plan was for me to magically teleport from SFO to Santa Cruz to pick up a truck I was repeatedly told would be ready in Santa Clara. I called the Santa Clara location and asked why my pickup was suddenly over an hour away. I asked to speak with Ashlee, but was told she “doesn’t work weekends.” Interesting, considering I had spoken with her on a weekend before. The employee said there was nothing he could do. I called U-Haul customer service. Same answer. I called U-Haul scheduling. Same answer. So now I’m left trying to figure out who is actually responsible for the false information I was given. On June 12, U-Haul Santa Clara told me the truck and location were guaranteed. On June 21, literally three hours before my flight, the story suddenly changed to: “Sorry, scheduling is messed up, and we can’t help you.” The store points to scheduling. Scheduling points back to the store. Meanwhile, I’m the one who booked flights, paid for a hotel, and planned an entire move around their guarantee. The most frustrating part is the complete lack of professionalism and accountability. Southern California U-Haul locations have never given me this kind of issue, but the Bay Area locations seem to operate in a completely different universe. I don’t know if this location needs new leadership, better training, or a full culture reset, but something needs to change. Long-distance moves are already stressful enough without being misled until the last possible minute. TL;DR: I was repeatedly told my one-way truck reservation from the Bay Area to Los Angeles was guaranteed at the Santa Clara location. Hours before my flight, U-Haul changed the pickup to Aptos/Santa Cruz, over an hour away, despite knowing I was flying in with no car and no backup plan. If you’re a Stanford student, employee, or anyone planning a long-distance move, avoid this location and use another rental company nearby.
ALEJANDRO O
Rob Roy Storage
(U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer)
Services at this Location:
One-Way and In-Town® Rentals in Aptos, CA 95003
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Trailer was ready and the two gentlemen working there were helpful with pickup and drop off. Good experience.
George BThe guy at the counter was polite very helpful and I will definitely go back to rent there again thanks guys!
Fernando mTruck out of alignment
kerry rVery helpful at the location of pick up.
BRIAN S