Polar Express Auto Transport Bait & Switch tactics from a dishonest company Pembroke Pines, Florida

Avoid this company! I needed to ship 2 vehicles from WA state to AL on 28 JAN... I received bids from numerous companies, but Austin at Polar Express was relatively quick to respond to my emails and inquires, and gave me a competitive quote (not the cheapest, not the most expensive), but the multi-car quote included a military discount and the promise of a $300 Visa gas voucher. His email responsiveness declined once the contract for $1850 (including the $300 deposit) was signed and the deposit paid via my AmEx card. On 07 JAN I emailed and reminded him that it was imperative that the cars be picked up on FRI 28 JAN since we were leaving Washington for Alabama the morning of the 29th. His response, was ok, no problem. On WED 26 JAN, I received a phone call saying the transporter would arrive on THU 27 JAN, and I would get a call with more information. I never received another call and this is when I began to have concerns about my cars being shipped. On WED & THU I called numerous times only to get voicemail or be put on hold for extensive periods of time, never getting an answer.

On FRI 28 JAN I called and spoke to Marilyn and expressed my dissatisfaction with the service and now realized the cars would not be picked up on the date for which I had contracted. This obviously presented a problem since I had moved out of my house and was about to fly from WA to AL. Marilyn said she would send me four $300 vouchers to help compensate me for the trouble. I gave her my PO Box address in AL and then sent an email confirming our conversation, and I got an email response confirming it her receipt. On 03 FEB I was told the four $300 vouchers had been sent. On 04 FEB, Rapid Transportation picked up my vehicles from the hotel parking lot in Selah, WA. On 08 FEB, Rapid Transportation delivered my vehicles to the gate of Fort Rucker, AL, I paid them with a cashiers check made out to Rapid Transportation. By 11 FEB, two emails went unanswered, nothing in the mail, I again called Marylin. She checked with the voucher department and she said that mine had not yet been sent but should go out on MON 14 FEB. She said she would email me when they were sent. That email was never sent. On 22 FEB, I again spoke to Marylin and was told they were sent on FRI 18th, should have them by the end of the week. On 25 FEB, I emailed, got no response and called again to speak to Marylin. She said shed call me on MON 28th. If the vouchers had not been received by then, shed resend. She did not call on MON 28th. On 03 MAR, throughout the day I had called to speak to Marilyn, was told shed be back in 30 mins, so I left a message, more than an hour later I called again and was told shed be back in 40 mins, I again left a message. The next time I called back I got voicemail and left a message again. No returned calls. On 04 MAR I called and Marilyn was not in yet, I left a message. I called back more than an hour later and spoke to Marilyn, she said she would re-send. I re-confirmed my address with her. On 11 MAR, I called and left a message with an employee asking Marilyn to call me. I was told shell call you back within 15 minutes. I never received a call from her (again). I called back later and spoke to Marilyn and explained that I do get mail, just never anything from Polar Express. She told me that she had found out the boss assistant is the one who mails the vouchers. She was going to check with him about the mail and then call me back. I politely expressed doubt, since she had not yet to date ever called me back. I told her that I looked forward to her call. She did not call back. On 15 MAR, I called and was put on hold, Marilyn was on another line. An employee came on the line after more than 5 minutes and said she was on the other line still working vouchers, I said that was the reason for my call as well. I left my name and number for Marilyn to call me when she got off the phone. No returned call. Two hours later I called again and was told she had stepped out after I was on hold for a few minutes awaiting her to answer. And was told some vouchers were mailed yesterday, I again left my name and number with the message to please call me back. On FRI 18 MAR, I called and got Marilyn, but she put me on hold for a few minutes. I was at work and had to hang up. I called back a few minutes later and the phone rang, then went straight to being on hold. Eventually, I was transferred to Marilyn and she told me that the four vouchers were mailed on WED. She also told me that the boss secretary had been stealing them rather than mailing them. On 23 MAR I called again and Marilyn cheked my address and read it back to me, she said she remembered my address because my street name, Brady, like the Brady Bunch. They were mailed last week and will call me in a day or two to check if I received. I did not receive the vouchers nor did I receive a call from her. On 28 MAR, I called a couple times, got put on hold immediately, but eventually got to speak to a person who told me shed call me back within an hour and a half, then she said within an hour. I never received the call back. Later in the day I emailed Marilyn explained the last several weeks and suggested she mail them with a tracking number to ensure I receive them and hinted that I was considering contesting the charge with American Express. I did not get a response to my email. I called back about 1:45pm but got the voicemail that the offices were closed due to construction, so I left another voicemail. On 29 MAR, I called again asked to speak to Marilyn and was put on hold for >7 minutes. An hour later I called back and Marilyn answered, it seemed she had read the email I sent from the previous day, and said she would call me in the morning with a FedEx tracking number. I did not receive that call. On 31 MAR I called late in the afternoon and the phone went immediately to being on hold for more than 8 minutes. I called back and was on hold again for more than 9 minutes. I called again straight to on hold again for 12 minutes before the line got disconnected. The next time I called, a voicemail option was available, so I left a voicemail. 01 APR, I contacted American Express requesting a refund of the $300 deposit I paid to Polar Express based on the more than 9 weeks of poor service, lack of promised four $300 Visa gas vouchers and that Polar Express did not ship my cars for the price contracted on the date contracted. In fact, Rapid Transportation transported the cars, but the total cost was $2000, not the $1850 (including the $300 deposit) contracted. On 06 APR, I emailed Marilyn and typed that I would like a refund of the deposit and said that I had contacted American Express to handle that for me. I got no response. Interestingly enough, on 28 DEC, before I had contracted with Polar Express, I received an email from Austin encouraging me to do business with Polar Express, the email said in part I understand that you may have already reserved your transport or found a lower rate; but in case you run into any problems, please keep my information and quote handy. Things to look out for... If the Carrier you chose tells you: They can't pick up your car on the agreed upon dates. There are sudden and unexpected delays. Their truck broke down. The price changes drastically. If any of these issues come up please call me immediately and Ill help you to actually get your vehicle moved.

Three of those things to look out for Polar Express did to me.

In the end, I have gotten a refund of the $300 from American Express, not from Polar Express. I contested the charge 3 times and the first 2 times Polar Express gave minimal information to AmEx, but the 3rd time they didn't even respond to AmEx, so AmEx sided with me and gave me the $300 credit back. It cost me $2000 to ship my 2 cars instead of the $1850 I had contracted for, but another company did the shipping. I don't believe the mythical gas vouchers even exist. I wish I had done better research on the company, it would have saved me a lot of stress. At least Polar Express didn't end up with any of my money!