Navigating the moving process can be stressful, and choosing the right moving company is crucial for a smooth transition. Unfortunately, some companies operate under deceptive practices, leaving customers with financial losses and damaged belongings. One such company that has garnered significant negative attention is Allied Transportation Group. It is essential to understand that Allied Transportation Group is NOT affiliated with the reputable and long-standing Allied Van Lines. This distinction is critical, as many individuals have mistakenly conflated the two, leading to misplaced positive reviews for Allied Transportation Group intended for Allied Van Lines.
Numerous customer reviews paint a grim picture of Allied Transportation Group‘s operations, highlighting a pattern of deceit and unprofessionalism. One customer’s experience, detailed below, serves as a stark warning to anyone considering using their services.
The ordeal began when “Allied” contacted the customer. Mistakenly believing they were dealing with Allied Van Lines, based on past positive experiences with the latter, the customer’s fiancée was misled by the representative. Despite being a newly established broker (only 11 months old at the time), Allied Transportation Group did not clarify their separate identity and allowed the customer to believe they were engaging with the well-known Allied Van Lines. This initial misrepresentation set the stage for a cascade of problems.
After a quoted price of $3450, Allied Transportation Group failed to fulfill a legal requirement: providing a list of actual movers. Nor did they identify who would handle the move until later. The movers turned out to be Visions, a Houston-based company also operating under names like Royal Transport and other DBAs. Visions holds an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is associated with numerous online complaints detailing similar “horror stories.” Adding to the red flags, Allied Transportation Group instructed the customer to prepare payment in cash, money order, or cashier’s check upon arrival – a practice often associated with dubious moving operations.
The situation worsened when Visions’ co-owner, Victor, arrived with a U-Haul truck, not a professional moving van. Despite an initial overestimate by Allied Transportation Group of 18 bins, Victor initially assured the customer there would be ample space for additional items beyond the estimate within the quoted 1130 cubic feet. However, this was quickly proven false. Only upon direct questioning did Victor admit the truck was full, even though approximately 20% of the originally estimated items remained un-loaded. To move these remaining items, Victor demanded an exorbitant additional fee of nearly $4000 – a 70% increase over the initial quote! This dramatic price hike was particularly shocking given that the box size estimates were significantly inflated, and no oversized furniture was involved in the move. Faced with this unexpected financial demand and the inability to pay in cash immediately, the customer was left to scramble to move the remaining belongings themselves. Victor’s dismissive response, “Not my problem,” underscored the company’s lack of customer care.
Further issues arose with packing supplies. Despite agreeing to purchase one roll of shrink wrap and two crates, the customer was billed for three rolls and six crates, along with charges for stairs that were supposedly included in the initial estimate. After disputing these extra charges, Victor reluctantly reduced them slightly, framing it as “doing [them] a favor” while simultaneously threatening to unload the truck if the inflated charges weren’t accepted – a clear act of extortion.
Delivery date discrepancies added to the chaos. Victor verbally stated delivery would be at least a week after July 25th, citing logistical impossibilities for earlier delivery. However, the only First Available Delivery Date (FADD) documented in writing on the binding estimate was August 23rd, significantly later. Two days later, Victor reaffirmed the week-plus delay via phone. It was only after the customer explained they had to postpone their departure and rent a truck due to the delayed delivery that Victor, after a fabricated phone call to the “driver,” suddenly announced delivery would be on July 25th or 26th. He then threatened storage and redelivery fees, potentially in the thousands of dollars, if no one was available to receive the delivery on this revised, unwritten date.
Adding insult to injury, the customer received no hard copy paperwork from either Visions or Allied Transportation Group, only a digital image of the Bill of Lading (BOL) after signing and a PDF of the binding estimate. Despite the lack of written FADD, Victor insisted on the July 25th delivery date. He then texted a copy of the BOL with his signature and a FADD of “7/25/22” scribbled in AFTER the fiancée had already signed – a blatant act of fraud.
When the customer contacted Allied Transportation Group‘s representative, Daniel Summers, to report these issues, they were initially ignored. Summers later responded dismissively, stating he had other customers and would address the concerns when he could. His eventual response was to indignantly refuse assistance, offering only to provide paperwork, which he ultimately never delivered.
It was only through intervention from a consumer advocacy radio show, hosted by Tom Martino, that Victor and the driver, Sam, finally agreed to a First Available Delivery Date and guaranteed no storage or redelivery fees. They reluctantly agreed to send a picture of the goods loaded on the truck before arrival but refused to allow inspection of the contents upon arrival before demanding payment, threatening to auction off the items if the customer disagreed.
The nightmare continued after delivery. Moving the remaining 20% of their belongings themselves cost an additional $5500. Upon arrival, the delivered goods were a disaster. A significant portion – 225 cubic feet of boxes, bins, and furniture – was missing. Antique items were broken, fragile boxes were crushed at the bottom of stacks, items inside boxes were broken, and boxes were open with contents missing. The mattress was stained with urine and mold, a vanity was damaged, and a precious antique dresser, supposedly crated, was splintered. The extent of the damage was extensive and heartbreaking.
Despite months of attempts, neither Visions nor Allied Transportation Group has provided a means to file a claim for the damages and missing items. Daniel Summers, from Allied Transportation Group, initially agreed to send a claim link but then ceased communication and ignored further requests.
In conclusion: Allied Transportation Group is strongly recommended to be avoided. They appear to be operating a deceptive and fraudulent business, partnering with similarly unscrupulous movers like Visions/Royal Transport. Customers have reported being subjected to misrepresentation, inflated pricing, damaged goods, and a complete lack of customer support. If you have been cheated by Allied Transportation Group, you are encouraged to email [email protected] to explore potential collective action. Protect yourself and your belongings by choosing a reputable and verified moving company and STAY AWAY from Allied Transportation Group.
Move size: 3 Bedroom Home
Service cost: $3450
