AAAdvantage Auto Transport was the company that wound up with my transport after AA-Automovers brokered it to them. It did not go well. I was under the impression that AA-Automovers was a shipper when in fact they were just brokers. I didn't like the idea of them not having a direct link to my car, and found the responsibility being bounced between the two every time there was a holdup.
They faxed my pickup contact some information regarding the pickup process, that luckily my contact then sent me. Not sure why the OWNER wouldnt' be included in communications regarding their vehicle, expecially when neither the pickup nor drop off contact was the owner.
The pickup driver, Jeremy, told my pick up contact (a day ahead luckily) he was working another job and wouldn't be able to get there till the last day of the original pickup (5/4). My contact left him a specific voice message stating that the times he had told her were not going to work as she had a meeting and couldn't leave work at those times and he should come another time. He called her 10 minutes prior to the meeting to say he was going to be right there ... well obviously the car didn't get picked up. It didn't get pickedup until 5/9 and at that point sure wasn't going to get across the country on time for the 5/12 delivery date in Albany, NY. When I called Jeremy I got the "I've been sick" line and that he wasn't going to be able to get back to that area for a pick up for a few days. He didn't mention the other job he had mentioned to my pickup contact, so not sure what's true or not.
When I noted that I had not lost money on a non-refundable payment for my own transportation to Albany to get the car the company's line was a standard "your pickup person was not availble at the pre-arranged time so it's not our fault." They somehow seem to keep overlooking that my contact, A DAY AHEAD OF TIME, told the driver that the time was not going to work. Apparently the driver hasn't got a handle on checking voice mail. Who know's, maybe he wasn't even nearby when he said he was and found this a convienent way to get out of having to drive across the San Francisco Bay to pick up a car as he wanted to do it some other time.
it then sat in their lot in Livermore(?), CA for two weeks, all the while they kept telling me that they had trucks leaving "any day now." The company that had actually brokered the deal (AA-Automovers) was not much help either, as both companies bounced responsibility to the other. The price was also non-negotioable, although they now had possession of it and it was not going to be delivered in the dates they had originally promised. I was indeed somewhat screwed and was stuck having to wait.
After calling AGAIN on 5/29 did I find that it HAD left the terminal in CA and was currently in TX. An email would have been nice that it had left. I asked the operator (Don't start me on the time spent waiting for the customer service operator to answer) for an email update. She noted that she didn't have any access to email. When I pushed and said that maybe her manager could send it, she somehow found a way to get one sent. What kind of company doens't have email access or even NOTIFY the OWNER that their car has started its transport. Not very good service. I was
More delays as it went from KY to IL, to OH, then to NY. I live in VT so it's not exactly close for me to arrange tranposrtation to Albany, NY to pick it up either. The Thursday drop-off passed by, and so did a Friday. Last I was told by the operator it was in Ithica, NY on Friday and would probably make it to the terminal in Albany over the weekend, but they don't deliver on weekends so it would probably be delivered on Monday. Well there goes being able to work. I did get a ride down to Albany and stayed at a friends house to await the delivery. I then had to call the terminal, after I got no calls from them by 1:30PM. The operator gave me the terminal number so I would bother her less I think. I called the number and got the towing company that was going to deliver it to the house. It didn't seem to be a priority for them to move it, and I wonder if I hadn't called when they would have. He did then seem like he wanted to get it to me. He said it would be delivered within the hour. Well I called back 2 hours later and asked where it was. He was suprised I didn't have it and looked around. Apparently a State Police car wreck got pulled into the yard and that side-tracked everybody. OK.. so how about now ... He got it sent right over and indeed it was there withing the NEXT hour.
I got it and then drove it up to VT.
I can understand that they are trying to fill up their carriers so that they aren't shipping half full loads, but to tell me certain dates, they renig on the promise and not compensate me is not fair. THEY promised dates and took possesson of it. If THEY missed those dates, they need to bring my car back, refund any money, and let me look for another carrier.
