US Cellular Roadside Assistance, Louisville, KY - sat for almost 2 hours without tow truck arriving - so called own tow truck

# 30 for August 26, 2003

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on August 25, 2003:

From:

RE: US Cellular Roadside Assistance, Louisville, KY - sat for almost 2 hours without tow truck arriving - so called own tow truck

I was traveling last week and happened to run out of gas at 1am on a Saturday nite about 5 mls north of Louisville, KY. I called Roadside Assistance and was told someone would call me back within 10-15 mins. to let me know how long it would be before they could get there. After waiting half an hour I called back only to be told they were still trying to locate a wrecker service in the area that could come help me.

After waiting another half hour without no call, I called back again only to be told they were still trying to find service for me. I explained to the lady that I was about five mls north of Louisville and I didn't understand how they couldn't find someone in that large of a city to help me and if not call someone from Sellersville (where I actually was located). She again told me she would call back in 10 mins. In the meantime a police officer has arrived and has now sat with me for the better part of this whole hour.

After about 15 more mins. the officer asked if I had any money and that he could call one of "their guys" to help and he could be there in about 5 mins. I told him to do so and I called Roadside Assistance back and told them to forget it that I had found someone myself. I asked if they would reimburse me for what I was going to have to pay out of my pocket. She said yes and gave me the address to send the bill to (which I only did today so can't say if I get a hassle gettin' it paid yet or not but we'll see).

The interesting thing about it all was...as soon as the wrecker service arrived, the first thing he says to me..."Triple A or Roadside Assistance?" When I told him Roadside Assistance, he proceeded to explain to me that the reason they couldn't find anyone to help me was because the wrecker services are refusing to go out on calls for Roadside Assistance because R.A. won't pay the wrecker service bills after the service has been performed, so no one is willing to help out if it is a Roadside Assistance call.

I was stuck for almost two hours with my 6 yr. old son...this was not a pleasant experience for me when I figured I was well covered and when I signed up for this service I even asked the lady how long response time was and she told me an average of about 20 mins. BE WARNED! I'll decide if I'm gonna keep the service after I see how they treat me in reimbursing me my $40 towing fee.

If they do, next time I have a problem I'll call someone on my own right away, but still...you're suppose to be assured by the fact that if you get stuck without any means of paying for help, that Roadside Assistance would be able to be billed by the service company so the customer didn't even have to worry about having enuf money or not. I don't know...I'll update ya.