Gail Bridgman, left, and Karen Burke could not find a rental car for their trip to Newfoundland, so they decided to hire a van to relocate U-Haul. (Jane Adey / CBC)
Two sisters who visit Newfoundland, who can’t find a rental car, have decided to turn to the next best thing: rent a U-Haul van to tour the island.
Gail Bridgman, who lives in Australia, and Karen Burke of Ontario booked their trip to Newfoundland for more than six months before arriving. However, confusion with their car rental provider left them without a vehicle.
“I thought everything was fine, then I received information that our car was available months before the expected date,” Bridgman said on Friday.
Bridgman and Burke are not the only passengers who have encountered difficulties in renting a car in the countryside.
Travel uncertainty at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has led some rental agencies to drastically reduce their fleets, leading to demand exceeding supply in Newfoundland and Labrador and other provinces.
Tourism Secretary Steve Crocker said in February that passengers should book cars months in advance to make sure the vehicle is reserved for them before the holidays of the year to return home to Newfoundland and Labrador.
The sisters decided to hire U-Haul to provide a vehicle for their crossing of the Avalon Peninsula – although they did not get what they expected when they arrived here.
The good thing about traveling with U-Haul? Lots of space in the trunk, as Burke illustrates. (Jane Adey / CBC)
“They promised us a small vehicle. And when we arrived to pick up the vehicle, they told us that the only one available was … actually 30 feet long,” Bridgman said.
Cars rented for the couple’s time in the countryside cost more than $ 1,100 a week, according to Expedia, while a 20-foot U-Haul van costs about $ 320 plus 89 cents a kilometer.
The sisters took the van to stay in St. John’s, Bonavista and Clarenville, where they managed to upgrade to a 20-foot van, which made the ride a little smoother.
“At the moment, we feel like we’re almost in a Maserati,” Bridgman said with a laugh.
But while their mode of transportation may have been unconventional, Burke says it hasn’t stopped them from enjoying Newfoundland to the fullest.
“We love … your countryside. We just met some really beautiful people. Everything was wonderful,” she said.
Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
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