On January 18, 2026, my father rented a U-Haul truck from the U-Haul location at 9416 Hwy 5,…read moreDouglasville, GA 30135. Within less than two miles of pickup, the truck completely shut off while driving and left us stranded in the middle of an active traffic lane with an senior citizen who has a serious illness and a minor child in the vehicle.
We were forced to physically push the truck out of traffic while repeatedly calling U-Haul for help. Multiple tow companies were dispatched and then canceled, leaving us stranded in unsafe traffic conditions for nearly five hours. Eventually, police stopped and arranged for the vehicle to be towed because of the danger. Only after law enforcement became involved did anything move forward.
When we returned to the store, the treatment from staff was unacceptable. Store Manager Samantha was dismissive and rude throughout the interaction. Her father, Chris, who stated he was a manager from another location and was brought in to "resolve" the situation, was combative, raised his voice, waved his hands in an intimidating manner, and created a hostile environment. At one point, he was also vaping inside the store. This behavior was completely unprofessional and inappropriate.
Despite the breakdown being clearly caused by equipment failure, we were forced to pay again for another one-way rental late in the day just to finish our move, which ended after dark.
During the transfer of our belongings between trucks, a Peloton exercise bike was damaged while being handled by U-Haul staff. We have video documentation showing the item intact immediately after towing and damaged after staff handled the transfer.
When we attempted to escalate the matter, a manager later stated that because legal action was mentioned, they would no longer communicate with us and disconnected the call.
This entire experience placed lives at risk, caused unnecessary emotional distress, damaged our property, and demonstrated a serious lack of accountability and professionalism. This location failed at every level: vehicle safety, roadside support, customer care, and ethical conduct.
I strongly caution anyone considering renting from this location.