Greyhound's parent company, Laidlaw Inc., which recently filed for bankruptcy protection, has been struggling for years to make its operations profitable. Judging from the complaints we've received, a good place to start might be training its staff to deal with customers in a polite and professional manner.
Here are just a few of the hair-raising tales from our collection:
The Package Express service offered by Greyhound is not a safe shipping option. Approximately three years ago my computer and computer monitor (packed separately) were lost between Seattle, WA and Santa Cruz, CA. My experience began when I made the mistake of taking the advice from the worker at a shipping solution store who suggested I use the Greyhound Package Express service as an alternative to UPS or USPS. I went to Greyhound's website and found the description of the shipping service with technology and medicine items.
While I boarded a plane to San Jose, CA from Seattle, WA my mom drove my packaged apple computer and 17 inch monitor to the Greyhound in Tacoma, WA. I seem to remember her mention that the offices were out of the Amtrack station? Anyhow I waited for weeks in Santa Cruz for my items to arrive. They never arrived. I went through a horrible time contacting all Greyhound bus stations who were en route with no success. Most of the time I was transfered from one extension to the next and most people I spoke with were not helpful.
Once I gave up hope (after 3-4 weeks) and could not receive any answers from any of the workers at the various stations I contacted Greyhound headquarters in Texas. It was very frustrating and initially completely unhelpful as the agents I spoke with told me to keep waiting. they tried to convince me that the packages might be en route still. I had taken out the 1000 cap of insurance offered on shipping the two items. Finally I was put in touch with a manager and went through a long process and procedure of sending him copies of the receipts for the shipping services and to prove the worth of my computer and monitor.
Two months after this entire situation occurred I received the insurance check. I would not ever recommend this shipping option to anyone. I wish Greyhound would remove the false ideal that they provide safe and secure shipping.
I did not have a computer for two months upon arriving in a new town. I was job and house searching and was forced to bum off other peoples computers and visit the public library to use the computers there. The time and energy I spent attempting to receive the insurance money so that I could purchase a different computer was grueling. It was stressful.
Arcille of Sahuarita, AZ July 26, 2008
karen charged me 78.40 for my bag and did not give me a chance to take some stuff out and put in another bag which would have cost me 5.00.she was very rude.i feel i'm due a refund of 73.40.she said she is a supervisor. In my opinion she is not supervisor matererial. She too rude
Maganbhai of Burnaby, Bc, OTHER July 24, 2008
I have two complaints: (1) My wife and I were travelling from Toronto, Ontario to New Ark, New Jersey on July 16, 2008 by 6:30am bus from Toronto. We had to change our bus at Buffalo to go to Syracuse because the existing bus was heating up. We were the first passenger at the get to get into the bus. The lady bus driver had placed her personal belongings on first row seat (left side of the bus) at the entrance of the bus. My wife had knee replacement surgery as the result she likes to seat where she has some room to extend her feet. The seat where the lady driver placed her belongings was the most comfortable.
We requested the lady driver to relocate her personal belongings to the first see which is right behind the bus drivers seat but she refused to do it. Drivers personal belongings can be placed anywhere in the bus but the bus driver did not corporate us.
(2) In the same trip we were carrying three peaces of luggage. One of these was little heavier, weighing approximately 23 Kg. When we flew from Vancouver BC we knew that we are not allow to carry more than 23kg for that reason it was exactly according to airlines specification. When we were transferring at New York City, bus terminal 78 at 8:30 pm bus going to New Ark, New jersey one of the luggage transferor crew ask us to pay five dollar because the bag was to heavy. He is not going to serve if I do not pay five dollars. I argued that I came all the way from Toronto, Ontario and no one complaint about the weight of luggage. You are the first one. He told us to go to luggage claim office in order to make him to load the heavier bag into New Ark, New Jersey bus.
My wife decided to go to the baggage claim office in order to load the bag into the New Ark bus. The lady bus driver who was checking the passengers ticket at the gate 78 asks for reason for going to the baggage claim office. My wife replied that the baggage transferor refuse to load my one of the luggage to load into the New Ark bus. The lady driver ordered the baggage crew to load the bag and finally he did.
These are harassments you have to face in USA Greyhound. I traveled so many times in Greyhound Canada without any problem. Greyhound USA did not response for my compailnt
Anderia of Denton, TX July 23, 2008
On July 18, 2008, I purchased a one-way ticket, for travel from Newark, NJ to Dallas, TX. The ticket included stops at several cities along the route, including arrival in Roanoke, VA at 12:25a on July 19th and departing from same city at 12:45a - a typical 20 minute layover.
I'll cut to the chase here. We riders were stranded on this bus until 10:20a. No one in the terminal at downtown Roanoke came aboard to communicate/explain any information to us. When the terminal manager finally arrived at 7:30a, she did not make it her priority to come aboard and greet us or give us any information. Finally, when we were boarding our 'rescue' bus at 10:00a, she gave each us of a breakfast biscuit sandwhich and a bottle of orange juice. Wow! This is Greyhound? Not for me! I want a refund for this horrible travel journey. Please help.
I was physically and emotionally drained. I felt very unsafe sitting on an open bus with the engine running in a very dark, very unfamiliar downtown location. Ultimately, I was delayed nearly 12 hours, causing my trip to extend to 3 days.
Lorinda of San Antonio, TX July 21, 2008
i came alll the way from africa for a students summer program in san antonio.i picked a greyhound bus from new york on the 14 of july to san antonio.when we got off at dallas to change buses i realised my luggage was missing i reported but asked me to get to my destinatiom fist.they were so unconcerned.
since this was my first time in the states i knew no one and thelos of my bags made it worse.i spent a lot to pick up cabs to take me to buy stuff i neeeded.ilost everything.african artefacts as gifts for friends,documents,personal belongings and clothing.the fnrustration they have given made my trip to the states meaniless.i had nothing to wear for days and their phones were busy and kept you holding forever.i was very hurt.
Roseann of Bronx, NY July 8, 2008
My daughter and I bought two tickets to Toronto on 6/27/08 leaving on the 7:30 P.M. and was informed of the PRIORITY SEATING option for an additional 5.00 per ticket. We paid 10.00 additional for two seats which were not honored when we embarked the bus-we waited in line & luckily got seats. It was and is a rip-off to consumers. Riders should be informed. riders on the line told us that they were scammed also!
PRIORITY SEATING IS NOT HONORED AND IT IS A RIP-OFF TO CONSUMERS
Russ of Memphis, TN July 5, 2008
On July 4 2008 i was in Memphis taking pictures of people enjoing themselves. After i left Peabody Hotel where i took some nice pictures and i went to the greyhound bus station and stood there at the end of the public cross walk, leading to the greyhound entrance. I stood far away from the entrance and began to wait for my wife to pick me up as we agrreed before. it was about 7.30 pm. uddenly some afro-american female - security guard ( company ASAP )from grayhound came up to me and angrily told me: you can't stand here, they dont want you to stay here. I asked why i couldnt stay there and she began to shout at me, : dont stay IN FRONT of the bust station, or i will do smth(i couldnt understand what exactly she was going to do but i felt threatened because she was angry and had a gun).
So i went to the very left end stood there, not in front, but rather behind the front, waiting for my wife to come. Then the same female security came and began to shout at me: i told you to not stay here on greyhound premises, get out of here or i will do smth. (again i couldnt understand what exactly because she was shouting and talking not clear.)
i then took my wideocamera and went to the right side of the bust station and when i passed the entrance i saw her and asked her where i could stay and why she was singling me out when there were about other 10 people staying there and she again began to shout at me agressively, saying, : they are waiting for the bus, and if you are not waiting for the bus you cant on grayhound premises! (she was screaming and i felt so bad because other people were looking at ame as if i was some kind of a thief or another bad person.)
i videtaped her at this time shouting. 4 of July was ruined for me. I came home very upset. I often use greyhound bus lines myself and i shall admit that stuff working ther are mostly rude people who shout at you, dont care about your baggage, do not provide any good customer service. Buses inside are dirty, stink horribly with urine and other bad smells comming from the dirty toilets. Often doors in toilets are broken and if you sit at the end of the bus, then you will have to smell that smell several hours. DELAYS ARE HORRIBLE TOO. i cant believe that this is happening in USA. I travelled all south and central America and buses there are better. Here they perhaps don't have competition and that makes greyhound treat people as they want. i wish i could use another bus lines but there are not any that i know in Memphis.
Sue of New York, NY July 1, 2008
Here in New York State, all of the north to south runs on the Greyhound buses originates in Canada and then hits the cities like here in Albany along the way and then ends in New York City. I travel this run once a month to go to Washington DC to work on some legislation on Capitol Hill. Greyhound has never made changes to this Canada based run since the World Trade Center disaster in 2001 and since the U.S. laws were changed to force VISA's to be shown at the Canadian border. What is happening out of this bizarre situation is every other bus run is cancelled due to the deboarding and violations found at the Canadian border. This means further down into the run like here in Albany, is a complete CrapShoot as to whether or not our bus will actually leave on according to our purchased tickets.
For me to arrive in Washington DC with absolute certainty to attend government meetings, I have to leave some 6 hours well before my best world arrival time to absorb and allow for the ongoing cancellations from the Canadian border. A run that takes 9 hours already, then also takes on an additional 6 hours in cancellation and layover time just to eat the nonsense at the Canadian border. This problem, just a few days ago got completely worse.
Up until now, Greyhound was offering a 4-tier pricing system. Refundable, non-refundable, 7 day early bird booking, and 14 day early bird booking. All of those have now been removed and Greyhound is forcing passengers to purchase only and exclusively the top dollar non refundable tier of pricing. So we have 2 things going on, 1. forced and rigged pricing for top dollar tickets with no hope for refunds no matter what, which is then followed by 2. the relentless cancellations stemming from the Canadian border which hostages the entire eastern coast run from Canada to New York City with all of the little stop off cities in between.
Greyhound stands accuse of monopoly, and price fixing / gouging at the impairment of passengers who first must endure ride inconveniences one after another after another, and THEN must also be forced to pay for non refundable tickets in the face of all of this schedule and bus availability bungling.
Brenda of Bowie, TX June 30, 2008
Ive rode Greyhound several times and at each terminal that you transfer to and from, the entire building including restrooms are filthy. They at least should have clean areas for people whom pay for their services. Recently as yesterday I rode Greyhound, stopping in OK City and Joplin, MO. The restrooms were filthy, and smelled really bad as usual. Someone needs to do something in regards to healthy conditions. LETS GET WHAT WE PAY FOR!
Billie of Erlanger, KY June 28, 2008
My sister was stranded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with her 3 year old child whom is disabled. The passenger had no money and was unable to feed her child or herself. The Driver denied her seating on the bus because it was already full. She had purchased her ticket 1 week prior to the trip and those whom purchased their tickets minutes before the bus was sheduled to leave were granted seats. Customer Care in Oklahoma treated her badly and even told her she would be arrested.
Her luggage was on the bus and she has no way of knowing when she would receive her luggage or if she will at all. When i called customer care to assist her i was hung up on two times and was yelled at both times i tried to call. I feel the service was very poor and i feel that the money i paid was not worth the service i received. And unfortunately it was a child whom suffered.
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