bolt bus, what happened?

I love the Bolt Bus.

It's inexpensive.

Clean.

Decent fellow riders.

Pleasant and capable drivers.

And a convenient pick-up location.

So when I take it on Tuesday to head up to the Cape, I'm not expecting it to be anything other than that.

My first disappointment comes when I try to book a ride on the east side, and learn that the pick-up location nearest my home no longer exists during the week. Damn. I now have to go to 36th and 7th (vs. 36th and First). That's a big time difference.

I take a Via at 7am and barely make it to the stop on time. The driver goes in the opposite direction to pick someone up, and then takes a ridiculous route through midtown to pick up and drop off another two passengers. I am so anxious the entire trip; the subway would have been faster.

But I do make it on time, and by 8, everyone is boarded. The gruff-looking/gruff-speaking driver gets on, stands in the front of the bus, and asks, "Who was just using the bathroom?" A man, clearly embarrassed, raises his hand. "Here's some toilet paper," the bus driver says as he hands the man, who is in his seat, a roll of toilet paper. I mean really. So many things wrong with this scenario I won't even bother to list them.

We stop in New Haven where a couple of passengers get on and off. Then we sit there. For 20 minutes. The bus driver never announces that we'll be on hold until 10:15. No announcement about stretching legs or anything else. 

And then, some ignorant, tough-looking guy decides to stand in the middle of the aisle, and carry on a conversation in another language, loudly. 




When I ask him if he could step outside while he's conversing, he looks at me and says, "It's none of your business." If he could, he looks like he'd hire a thug to take me out. And then I wonder, am I the only one on this very-full bus who cares?

We arrive in Boston and the driver makes zero attempt to help passengers retrieve their luggage. The whole experience has not been a pleasant one. So much so, that I decide to tell Bolt management.

So, here's a good customer service hint. If you ever want a response from customer service, do not write to them. Find the name and email of the CEO or President and write to that person.

That's what I do.

I email Dave Leach — President and CEO of Greyhound (parent of Bolt Bus) — at 9:44 am. I get a response from his office at 10:36 am, less than an hour later.

In the letter, my specific complaints are addressed and I am told I will get a full refund (despite not asking for one).

Sometimes it pays to speak up.