Nelson’s main supplier of rental moving trucks and trailers has closed down.
U-Haul dealer Woody Wudkovich, who ran the service out of his main business, Kootenay Glass and Mirror on Lakeside Drive, told the Star the closure is partly for health reasons.
“I injured my neck a while back and I can’t lift the trailers on for people and lift the blankets and things like that,” he said.
Also, he’s not happy with the increasing workload caused by some new U-Haul requirements including allowing customers to return trucks at any time of day or night.
Wudkovich will continue to run Kootenay Glass and Mirror. “I’ll be there forever,” he said.
U-Haul in Nelson is a dealership, not a franchise. Wudkovich earns a commission on his rentals, which number about 10 trucks and 20 trailers per month.
He said he gave U-Haul a month’s notice, and the company then “started taking my reservations away and moving them to Castlegar, so I have a bunch of angry customers.”
He said he has been telling potential customers for two weeks that they should make other arrangements.
Wudkovich said he is not shutting down because of lack of business.
“It’s quite busy,” he said. “It would be a good business opportunity for someone.”
With the Nelson’s location gone, the nearest U-Haul dealers are in Pass Creek and Salmo.