I have been gone for the past two weeks… helping our daughter move from the west coast (Oakland, CA) to east coast ( Durham, NC)… As a dedicated Father of a only daughter… I flew out from our Indiana home on the 16th (Thursday) to Oakland… Friday picked up a 16′ box truck (I had rented the truck from Penske and they provided me with a new GMC with 5000 miles on the odometer. ) on Friday and attended our only grandson’s “graduating” from PRE KINDER GARDEN… YES .. graduating from pre kinder garden !… Saturday… three “moving guys” showed up to pack the truck… by 13:00 ready to roll.. however.. I was “dragging” her car on a car trailer behind the truck… I had to disconnect the car trailer from the truck .. to assist in loading the truck.. so as I attempt to reconnect the car trailer.. the hitch would not “lock down”.. so I called the “800” number for Penske… within ONE HOUR.. there is a service guy from Penske … apparently either the trailer hitch “broke” on the five mile trip from the pickup point to the house.. or .. the prep team did not properly inspect the hitch’s operation.. luckily.. I have been dealing with hitches for more years than I wish to count … so I knew something wasn’t working right.. so off I go… 16:00.. Just me… my GPS.. and my XM radio…
Daughter & grandson flying out (red-eye) on Sunday night to Durham…
I was driving north out of Oakland area up to Reno Nevada… looking at my gas consumption for the first half tank of fuel.. I figured that I could make Reno for fuel… which would most likely be cheaper than in California… was estimating that I was getting 8-9 MPG’s… that is until I started UP HILL to RENO… and mileage drops down to MAYBE 4-5 MPG’s. and the fuel gauge started quickly moving toward the BIG “E” on the gauge… No big deal.. find a exit and buy some fuel… the first exit.. clearly marked “NO SERVICES”…. after several miles… a second exit clearly marked “NO SERVICES”… then a third exit “NO SERVICES”.. as the fuel gauge passes the 1/8 mark headed toward the BIG “E”…. and sunset is not that far away… in the middle of no where… finally the four exit has ONE SERVICE STATION… not going to have to sleep the night in a truck with bucket seats and no console.
A few nights later … several nights in motel/hotels.. and I arrive in Durham.. some 3000 miles later… went to dinner with daughter and grandson… left the truck at a local hotel… after dinner … it is 21:00 and I check the truck to make sure that everything is locked up… going to unpack the next AM… notice that one of the tires on the car trailer looked “low”… movers were scheduled the next AM to unload the truck at my daughter’s new condo she is renting… So I dig out the truck’s paperwork and the “800” number… told the person on the other end of the call what the concern was.. “having a flat tire the next AM and being late for the movers – they charge by the hour”.. he took all the information and where it was parked… he said that he would have it taken care of… and I went into the hotel and went to bed.. I had driven ~ 600 miles that day…
The next morning.. I go to the truck and there is a brand new tire – manufacturer’s stickers still on the tread – on the trailer… I am good to go…
There was some other minor bumps in the road along the 3000 miles and moving into her new “digs”…but.. no move is perfect…
My experience in moving is very limited… personally having lived in the same house – that I built – since 1974.. but.. other than what I consider “sloppy ” pre check of the truck.. my rental experience with Penske – especially the on the road service – was – IMO – second to none…
Having had my own store for 20 yrs and having as many as 200 home oxygen patients as the largest HME dealer in the area… I am normally especially critical of companies that claim to be service orientated… and it is not often that I find companies that live up to their promises… and/or provide a high level of customer service… IMO.. Penske .. falls into this category… and they deserve accolades .. too bad many of the companies that we Pharmacists work for.. could not follow the lead of this company in providing excellent customer service…
Filed under: General Problems
Leave a Reply