Automoves car-shipping delays frustrate family

Update added May 10, 2016, at 1 p.m.: CBC Calgary first ran thisstory on radio at 6:30 a.m. on May 9 and posted it online at 12:09 p.m. Automoves notified us about four hours later that the vehicles had been delivered to the family at noon on May 9, which was confirmed by the family on May 10.

A woman and her son who recently moved to the Calgary area says the company theyhired to ship theirvehicles has beengiving themthe runaround,while the shipper says there have been unexpected delays.

Liseand DanCouture moved from Ottawa in early April, and expected to pick up their vehicles at a car lot in Calgary on April 20,but theyweren't there when they checked.

"I realized all this stuff I'm missing. It's like, 'No it cannot be gone, no way,'" said Couture.

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She paidshipping companyAutomoves about $2,900to sendher VolkswagenBeetleand her son's Ford truck to Calgary. Both cars were packed with additional items, including equipment for her acupuncture practice.

The company has not been giving a clear responseto calls and e-mails, says Couture's son, Dan.

"Just like some kind of answer would have been nice, just any answer, right? He's just dodging."

Automoves manager Andy Leeds says they were late in paying their fees, whichdelayed the shipment.

'There was a delay'

Couture says her bank records showthe money was deposited ahead of the due date.

"It's a long-distance trip from one province to another, trucks break down, people get sick, things happen," said Leeds.

The companyships 200 units a month and15 per cent of them get delayed, according to Leeds.

"People a lot of times have unreasonable expectations. I'm not saying that in this particular case that it's unreasonable. I'm saying, yes, in this case, there was a delay."

CBC's Go Public did a story focusing on another complaint against Automoves last year aboutdelays and additional fees charged to the customer. He eventually got his car.

Leeds says both vehiclesshould arrive some time this week.