COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — A metro Atlanta Uber driver says he finally received a nearly $2,000 refund from Hertz more than a year after he was charged what the company now admits was a mistake.
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Savian Walker says Hertz incorrectly charged him a “driver’s fee” in January 2024, an amount that overdrew his bank account and ultimately caused his account to close. Walker said repeated attempts to resolve the issue through customer service went unanswered until Channel 2 Action News contacted Hertz on his behalf.
“This definitely would not have been possible without Channel 2 stepping in,” Walker said during a Zoom interview.
Walker said he rented the vehicle through Hertz in January 2024 as part of the company’s partnership with Uber. He agreed to pay about $2,000 for a six-week rental so he could continue earning money as a driver.
“I just thought it would be a good opportunity for me to continue making money,” Walker said.
Instead, Walker says Hertz added an additional charge of more than $1,900 labeled as a “driver’s fee,” nearly doubling the cost.
“The driver fee ended up overdrawing my checking account,” he said.
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Walker said employees at the College Park Hertz location could not explain the charge and told him to contact corporate. He provided Channel 2 Action News with several emails showing he contacted Hertz’s corporate office and a regional manager, but says no one responded after January 2024.
“I reached out to customer service numerous times over the months,” Walker said.
After Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln contacted Hertz about the charge, Walker said a company representative called him and confirmed the fee should never have been applied.
The company refunded Walker nearly $2,000, though Walker said Hertz did not explain how the charge appeared on his bill or why it took more than a year to correct the error.
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Channel 2 Action News also reviewed Hertz’s website and found no listing for a general “driver’s fee.” While Hertz does disclose an “additional driver fee” for rentals with more than one authorized driver, Walker said he never added another driver and did not agree to the charge.
The company has not responded to Channel 2’s request for comment about how the error occurred, but did confirm with Lincoln that it’s issuing Walker a refund.
“I really just felt super relieved,” Walker said.
Walker said he hopes sharing his story will help other drivers who may be facing similar issues.
“I’m glad I took the necessary steps to get their attention, and other Uber drivers who might be in similar situations can do the same,” he said.
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