One of my pet peeves in business has always been surcharges. These make me angry because it feels that the company is not providing value, just trying to get an extra dollar out of me.

I rented a car last week in Phoenix from Budget. They have a new policy to get money out of the customer during these tough times. Forget all the taxes and other fees that almost double your rental. Forget the car insurance they try to scare you into buying. Now they have a new method:

If you drive fewer than 75 miles for your rental, you must show them a receipt that you bought gas or they will add an “EZFUEL” charge of $13.99 to your bill! What a deal!

When I inquired about this new charge, they said that many cars show the tank still being full even though the car has been driven many miles. Budget says they are just trying to recoup what has been lost to them all these years.

One message I get from Budget is that when I rent their cars, they don’t trust me. If they are losing money on unfilled tanks, then I suggest they slightly increase their rates instead of using this type of policy that screams, “PROVE IT!”