On January 8th 2010 my wife Jessica and I called Budget Corp and reserved a 16 foot gas moving truck. Budget told us to be at the 492 Windsor Park Drive Dayton, OH 45459 location by 9AM on January 9th 2010 or they’d charge us a $50 reservation fee. On January 9th we arrived at the 492 Windsor Park Drive location at 9AM and waited 30 minutes with other patrons for the location to open. Once the location opened they said that they did not have the 16 foot truck which we had reserved because Budget Corporate did not send the truck to their location and the only option they had was a 24 foot diesel truck. We really did not want to drive such a large vehicle especially since they are hard to drive and cost a lot more on fuel but it was the only option they gave us. By the time we left the 492 Windsor Park Dr. location, it was after 11AM and we did not get to our loading destination until 12AM after navigating the massive 24 foot truck. All these delays cost us valuable time on the 4 hour loading process and we did not make it to our Columbus destination until dark.
When we arrived out front of the gas stations next to Budget Rental on Morse Road in Columbus at 1:45PM, the gas stations did not sell diesel fuel or where to get it close by. So my wife and I drove around trying to find diesel fuel and finally called Budget on Morris Road at 2:03PM and did not get an answer. When they finally called back, we got directions to the nearest station that sold diesel, and I spent almost 20 minutes in 8 degree weather making sure that the fuel tank on the rental truck was completely full up to the neck of the fuel tank. Once fueled we drove back to Budget on Morse Road and called Budget again. They told us to leave the keys in the drop box. So, we left the 24 foot truck out front with 2 other smaller 16 foot Budget trucks with a copy of our Budget rental agreement and a copy of my fuel receipt for $65.09.
On January 11th 2010 Budget on Morse Road called at 9AM saying that we needed to fill up the truck or be charged $30 filling fee plus the cost of fuel after I had spent 20 minutes in the freezing cold topping off the tank. My wife and I drove down to the Morse Road rental office to see what the issue was and to resolve it. When we got to Budget on Morse, they gave us the keys to the truck and I also took the male employee out to the truck with me to confirm that I had filled the truck up. I opened the tank for the Budget employee and he confirmed that it was completely full. When I went to get into the truck, I could not because Budget had gotten the trucks mixed up and given my wife the wrong keys to the 24 foot diesel truck that was parked right behind our 24 foot rental. I also checked the full tank on the 24 foot truck behind me and yes it was not filled with fuel. Budget had once again made another mistake at our cost and the lady at the counter did not even apologize, gave my wife attitude, and rolled her eyes at us. We still have not received a close out receipt from Budget showing what the charged us which is against the law and they did not even call to verify the $150 charge before running it.
In conclusion, first, Budget did not have the correct truck that we reserved which cost us over 2 hours waiting at the 492 Windsor Park Dr. location, over an hour with slower driving/navigating of a huge truck and not having diesel fuel station near the Morse Road drop off. Second, diesel fuel cost 35 to 40 cents more per gallon than gasoline and becomes especially expensive when paying over $65 to refuel the rental truck. Third, Budget on Morse Road called us at 9AM to tell us that we needed to refuel our rental truck when Budget had gotten two 24 foot trucks confused even after I left a copy of my rental agreement in the truck. Fourth and final, Budget on Morse Road did not confirm the charge amount before running it and still has not given us a copy of what they charged us for.