All I wanted was an explanation. My son Noah is taking the Greyhound Bus home today for a weekend visit from Madison Wisconsin. He had asked for me to purchase the ticket online.
Not a problem. But when I was about to finish the transaction I saw a Gift Service FEE of $15. Now, the cost of a Greyhound Bus ticket from Madison Wisconsin to Minneapolis, MN...a trip of less than 300 miles is $47.00. Add to that a fee of $15 dollars and the cost is now $62.00 an increase about 30% .
So I called Greyhound customer service. To their credit they told me it could be an extremely long wait. 34 minutes later I reached a Mr. Camerillo( not sure of the spelling). I asked for the explanation.
He said if my son had called and the credit card was in his name then there would be a 4% handling fee. But they charge the $15 whenever someone purchases a ticket for someone else aka "a gift:
"WHY?" I asked, " How could the cost of handling my credit card be any different then handling the credit card of my son?"
That's when he said, " Well how much would it cost you to wire your son money to pay for the ticket."
Okay, I have never wired my son any money. and I have no idea what the fee is. But I also have no idea what the business practices of Western Union have to do with Greyhound processing my American Express card.
I pressed him on this point. But he kept on going back to what it would cost me to wire him the money for the ticket.
I asked to speak to his supervisor. He gave me a different number. Again, the message that it would take a long time. 1 hour and 1 minute later ( it is now 6 pm central) the call center picks up my call. Guess who answers? My good buddy Mr. Camerillo.
At this point I was not amused. Forget the fact that Greyhound has one person in their customer call center When I identified myself in a less than cordial manner, Mr. Camerillo offered to transfer me to his supervisor's line ( why you ask didn't he transfer me the first time? Because the first time, their offices were still open)
When I reached their executive offices I got a voicemail. I left a message. I will follow up.And, no I didn't purchase the ticket. I'll transfer the funds (free of charge) into his bank account and he can use his debit card to make the purchase.
Their policy is hideous. The only explanation I can come up with ( and I welcome a different explanation) is that they are gouging the poor. What other explanation can it be?
A 30% service fee on a bus ticket is unconscionable. If Keith Olbermann heard about this he would definitely name them today's ' THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD".
You can't make this stuff up.
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