Mayflower Van Lines/Sierra and United Van Lines - On or about August 1, 2004, we contracted with Sierra/Mayflower, Las Vegas, Nevada for shipment of our household goods from Las Vegas to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Mayflower Van Lines/Sierra and United Van Lines - On or about August 1, 2004, we contracted with Sierra/Mayflower, Las Vegas, Nevada for shipment of our household goods from Las Vegas to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Mayflower Van Lines/Sierra and United Van Lines

The following is a letter sent last evening to Customer Relations, Mayflower/United Van Lines.

Hello, Jennifer B,

Ref: Mayflower Load Nr. 1863-321-4

I wish I were writing you under different circumstances, but I'm afraid this is one of "those" letters.

A retired USAF Colonel, my wife, family, and I have been moved all over the world by a variety of USAF Contract movers -- and this move to Coeur d' Alene, Idaho is the worst move we have ever suffered.

On or about August 1, 2004, we contracted with Sierra/Mayflower, Las Vegas, Nevada for shipment of our household goods from Las Vegas to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Contract pick-up date was August 13th, Load date August 16th, Delivery date August 22nd-24th. We were promised boxes and tape by Berna at Sierra but they never appeared, so I had to drive 21 miles to Sierra Moving in North Las Vegas to get them.

Packing was fine - in fact, excellent - but during packing we learned our shipment would not go onto the delivery van but would first go into storage until another van was available. We didn't like our goods being handled and moved twice, but accepted that as necessary because of "scheduling" problems.

On August 16th, I called Sierra and talked with "Berna," who told me our load wouldn't be picked up until August 23rd; the driver, Daniel Lipich, being in Tucson but would pick up our load with two other loads to be delivered first to Oregon. A delay past promised (GUARANTEED?) delivery date, but so be it. Nothing Berna had told us in the previous week had been as promised, and she had failed to contact us regarding any of the changes.

On or about August 20th, I called 1-800-927-3345 and spoke with Kim, learning (1) our shipment would not load until August 28th, and (2) that the driver was Joseph Moss, not Daniel Lipich. We had still not heard a single word from Berna at Sierra in Las Vegas and had no idea when and IF our shipment would arrived.

After a week of staying with Col. and Mrs. Cothern (an old flying buddy), and trusting the "Guaranteed" delivery date given by Berna at Sierra, we bought a bed, some pots and pans, night stands, small table and chairs, and lamps and moved into our new home, leaving our Golden Retriever in a local kennel for what we thought would be "a few days."

On, I think, August 25th I called Lorelei (Ext.3679) in your Customer Service Department and tried to find out where our household goods were, when they would be shipped, and when we could expect to receive them (we had still not heard a single word from airhead Berna in Las Vegas). Lorelei was very friendly, nice, pleasant, but unable to add much to what information we already had. She did, however, offer to reimburse $200.00 for the more than $800 we have spent on minimal furnishings, not to mention $120.00 for boarding fees for our Golden Retriever.

She did, additionally, promise to call us TODAY and up-date us. It is now 8:00 PM PST and we have heard nothing from Berna OR Lorelei. We try to make do with minimal creature comforts, communicate with cell telephone and this laptop computer, and STILL have no idea when we can resume our lives, so there's nothing I can or will ever say to recommend Mayflower Moving and Van Lines or UNITED Van Lines..

Based on our current experience, Mayflower/United Van Lines has to have THE worse employees and Customer Service of any Moving and Van Lines in the entire world. Once, long ago, Mayflower was one of the best, if not THE best in the business, and we felt comfortable having Mayflower move us to our many assignments.

But having had two very bad experiences with Mayflower in the past six months, I can only tell you and the Secretary of the Air Force your company and its employees are neither to be trusted nor employed. My grandson planned to use Mayflower in October for a move to Pensacola, Florida; I have helped him select a more reliable alternative.

John A. S

Col., USAF (Ret)

Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815

John A. S Click this link to e-mail the above consumer: //