Carmel Car & Limousine Service

Review: Customer service failed to provide assistance

An improper or inferior service

I did make reservations for Limousine Service with Carmel. the reservation process was somewhat smooth. I was surprised that it required pre-payment for both trips but ok - no problem.

5/**/2014. the driver arrived at the pick-up location in time (4.30am). we completed a few last minute tasks and we left at 4.45am towards JFK airport.

even thou the driver had GPS, we needed to guide him on how to get to the highway leading to JFK Airport. the expectation is definitely that the driver can use the tools available to him in the car so that there is not need to disturb the passenger.

I noticed that during the trip, the driver was listening to music (my guess) as his right hand kept on moving as if he was directing an orchestra. I mentioned this to the driver that he must keep his full attention to driving. the driver complied. during the trip, a few lane changes were somewhat careless, especially the one when the driver cut in front of an unmarked state trooper's Crown Victoria. the trooper immediately used his police warning sounds and the driver moved back onto the middle lane. shortly after crossing the whitestone bridge, the driver came to a complete stop on the highway as he could not figure out which way to take - left of right - on the upcoming concrete deviders. dangerous situation and could easily be read incorrectly by other drivers.

upon arrival at the airport area, the driver asked how his driving was. this would help him improve service as he was new to this occupation. so we informed him of his shortcomings and mistakes and where he must be more attentive, at which point the driver wanted to argue his actions - but there was absolutely no interpretation issue - those were his mistakes.

to top it off, once our luggage was moved off the call, the driver developped a very bad attitude and started complaining about out being 15 minutes late on pick-up, and that his driving was impeccable.

since out return on 5/**/2014 I have tried to get in contact with someone at Carmel - with nothing to show for. all customer complaints are directed to a voice mail service, which most times is not possible to take on new messages as the voice mail box is full.

therefore, not only was the service provided by the driver well below the advertized "high quality of service", but that now extends to their customer support.

as it stands today (6/*/2014), I will not encourage any of my fellow frequent travellers to use Carmel's Limousine Service.Desired Settlement: a refund of the fair for the reservation of 5/**/2014

Consumer

Response:

At this time and since submitting the complaint, I had one attempt by Carmel Car & Limousine Service to contact me, but upon trying to return their call, I have only reached their automated answering systems regarding complaint ID [redacted]. I have not heard anything from them since.

Sincerely,

Review: I made a shuttle service reservation at 1AM ($149.00)on 4/** from Woodbridge to Baltimore and make a payment online that was on 4/*/14.

On 4/**, Carmel car called me that they would charge for a late pick and tips of additional $50, and I told them to cancel. They agreed to cancel and told me that I would get a refund. The next day, I did not see the refund and called. They told me the it is processed.

After I came back from the trip on 5/**/14, there is still no refund and they refuse to refund because I cancelled the reservation when they showed up. This is a complete lie. They say they called because I was not waiting for the ride. There is no record of them calling to reach me. I had to drive up myself to Baltimore and stayed. I have the receipt for the hotel that night.

This is a scam and I demand a refund.Desired Settlement: Please refund $149. ASAP.

Review: For Shuttle Service to/from my address, I was quoted by Carmel on [redacted] a fare of $69 each way for a total of $143.00. The reservation ID from [redacted] was [redacted] and the Carmel Car & Limo Confirmation Number was [redacted]. This price was for full service without a tip for the driver. The night before I departed, I got a call informing that I was going to have to pay an additional $10 for early morning pick-up. This additional charge was not part of the voucher nor mentioned at the time of sign-up. When I got in the car the next morning, I was informed that the charge was now $15 and the driver we directed to collect the extra charge plus tip. The driver was from a company called ING Limo who had apparently been sub-contracted by Carmel to do the service. Fearing my return pick-up would be cancelled if I did not pay, I went ahead and paid the $15 fee and tipped the driver. When I returned and called for my ride, I got told that was going to have to pay an additional $25 since my home was in North Silver Spring. The original voucher stated my address and this was not an issue when the voucher was issued. Once I got home and got my bags out of the Limo, I tipped the driver but refused to pay the fee.Desired Settlement: I want a refund from Carmel Limo for the additional $15 fee I paid on the out-bound trip and I want an apology for their deceptive practices.

Review: On December [redacted] 2015 Carmel limo service was supposed to pick me up at my location at 2 p.m. the vehicle that was supposed to pick me up was a SUV but I get a call from Carmel limo service that my vehicle had changed to a minivan so I told them that will be okay I will take the minivan then around 1:45 p.m. I get another call from Carmel limo service that my driver was in Queens in my driver won't be there until 2:30 p.m. I informed Carmel limo service that my wedding reception was at 2:15 p.m. and I need it to get there by 2 p.m. but they informed me that the driver was still in Queens and could not get there till 2:30 so I told Carmel limo service that it's okay I will call another taxi around 8:15 p.m. I receive a call from Carmel limo service that my driver was outside waiting I did not know that the driver was going to pick us up because I never got confirmation from Carmel limo service that a driver was going to be picking me up so around 8:30 p.m. we get inside the car the driver drives us to our destination upon exiting the vehicle we handed the driver $70 and the ride cost $58 so after we unloaded all of our items from the vehicle the driver proceeded to get back in the car to drive away but before he did we asked him can we have our change but he said what about my tip we informed him that we would like our change we were going to give him a tip but he refused to give us our change from the $70 he kept proceeding for a tip so he got back in his car and drove away with our change there were five witnesses standing there that can confirm this had happened I am very very disappointed in this service on my wedding night I had to endure this treatment from this driver he was very rude not polite at all the resolution that I want from this a full refund of my $70 plus a formal apology from Carmel limo service as well as an apology from the driver.Desired Settlement: A full refund and a apology

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Carmel Car & Limousine Service regarding complaint ID [redacted].Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: Service was excessively late, dispatch gave incorrect and incomplete information to both, the driver and the customer, creating undue physical burden and stress on an elderly man whose health is already vulnerable, as well as his escorts and caregivers. An 89-year old man with [redacted] needed to needlessly wait outside for 20 minutes while the car was delayed for a half hour in total. Customer service did not seem to understand the severity of the failure in delivering service and would not refund the fare paid.

I ordered car service to pick up my ailing 89-year old father at 3PM and bring him to NYU for a 3:30pm doctor's appointment, a week after being discharged from a hospital stay. This is a less than 20-block trip. My mother (who is 82) and a home health aide were his escorts. A number of miscommunications between Carmel's dispatch and the driver delayed their pickup -- but not before they were directed to go downstairs by dispatch when the driver was NOT YET at the location and necessitating a 20 minute wait by an ailing elderly man. I was called at my work -- rather than phoning our home number, which was requested very clearly at the time of ordering the car -- by the driver, who needed extra directions about how to find the building. This also resulted in having to make multiple calls to the doctor's office, which was closing its reception area at 4PM.Desired Settlement: The service of a scheduled pick-up on November *, 2013, was not delivered. On the contrary, the situation created stress, uncertainty and the need for multiple phone calls to manage the delay.

At the least, Carmel is liable for a refund of the full fare amount -- $23 -- due to lack of delivery of reliable service.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],

Please extend our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience caused to [redacted]. The phone numbers and address are given to our operators by the person making the reservation. We also send out confirmation emails so the customer can look over the trip information in case of human errors. Our records indicate that a customer service representative offered a voucher on 11/*/2013 that would be valid on her next trip with us. Unfortunately the customer refused the voucher. A full refund is not

possible since the services were rendered and the driver has to be paid for them.

Once again we at Carmel are truly sorry for any inconvenience caused to our passenger.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

Carmel argues incorrectly that the service was accomplished. The purpose of a car service is to provide reliable on-time delivery and competent communication with customers. Carmel's own website states their purpose as being " Consistent reliability and personalized attention."

None of these were accomplished. A driver did finally arrive, after the 89-year old customer (my father), and his 82-year old wife had made 3 phone calls and went downstairs to stand outside on a cold November day, for 25 minutes. We engaged Carmel for the purpose of having reliable door-to-door service to the hospital for a frail elderly man and to avoid complications. Flagging down a medallion taxi would undoubtedly have taken less time and have been safer and less complicated, in retrospect. We trusted the claim to "reliability and personalized attention."

The claim for having delivered the service is unfounded. Moreover, the dispatcher I spoke with after this incident offered a discount coupon, not anything even close to the amount that was paid to the driver. It is inconceivable that one could trust Carmel for reliable service -- there is simply no advantage and quite the opposite, compared to a medallion taxi -- much less accept a discount coupon for a future ride.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

I have often used Carmel car service and I have never ever encountered any rude behavior from their drivers until yesterday. First of all, he demanded his payment midway during the ride. Isn't it customary to request this upon arrival at your final destination or perhaps when you're somewhat near your destination and stuck in the middle of traffic? Neither of these situations was the case.

Second, he dropped me off over a block away from my destination which was supposed to be [redacted]. I am on crutches and am not able to put any weight on my right foot due to a recent surgery. The driver stopped the car at 49th & 5th Ave and asked me if it was "ok", but evidently I had no choice in the matter since he already stopped the car, opened my door and informed me that he couldn't make a left onto 5th Ave at that time (~ 10am).

I was headed to a medical appointment and the walking distance was very challenging for me. The driver should have offered to go to 6th Ave, make a right, and go up and around, not just do what was convenient for him, especially since he received his payment earlier on. While this would have been a longer trip, he should have made this extra consideration for someone on crutches. It would have just been the humane thing to do. He made absolutely no accommodations for someone with an impaired health condition.

Last, he surely did not deserve the 20% tip, but he didn't give me the electronic payment device to sign. He just took my credit card, asked for the amount of tip, and then hit a couple of buttons to complete the transaction without my signature.

Review: On Monday, July *, 2014, I used Carmel to transport me from Newark Airport to my home in Manhattan. The trip was terrible--my safety was compromised on multiple occasions during the trip due to the reckless and inappropriate behavior of my driver. He exhibited extreme road rage, rear-ended a bus, and later stopped the car in a traffic jam, got out, slammed the door (leaving me there in the middle of the jam with the keys in the ignition) and went to yell at the driver of another bus. After returning to the car he ran a red light and nearly hit some pedestrians crossing the street. That evening I sent Carmel a written description of the experience and requested a full refund of the $71.20 that I paid for the trip. Two weeks went by and I got no response. On Thursday, July **, I called Carmel to follow up on the complaint. My call was directed to an automated system and I left a message. Six days later, on Wednesday, July **, I received a call from Carmel, which unfortunately I missed because I was in a meeting. A Carmel rep left me a voicemail and I returned the call right away, only to get directed back to the automated system where I left another message. Another two weeks went by with no word from Carmel. On Tuesday, August **, I called Carmel a third time and was again directed to the voicemail system, where I left yet another message. It's now August **, and still no response. So not only was my life endangered due their incompetent driver, but now I am dealing with negligent customer service.Desired Settlement: Carmel should immediately refund my full fare of $71.20 and apologize for the dangerous and discourteous behavior of their driver.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Carmel Car & Limousine Service regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,

Review: I had a reservation with Carmel for a trip to New Ark airport for a Basic Fare of 68.00, they fare was quoted online, confirmed by Carmel Rep, on the phone, and I received an email confirmation for my itinerary indicating basic fare of 68 dollars. However, my credit card has been charged for a basic fare of 74 dollars. I have contacted above business for a credit of 6 dollars back to my credit card and they refused to honor their fare and refund the over charge

I am attaching copies of receipt and reservation confirmation email for your reference

-------------Trip Itinerary # [redacted]

Date & Time: Thursday, June *, 2013 7:15 AM

Car Type: Full Size Sedan 1-4

Passengers/Luggage: 2 passenger(s) / 2 pieces of luggage

Drop Off: EWR ----------------

Basic Fare*: $68.00

----------------------------

[redacted] ------ Trip Receipt------

Date: 6/**/13

Time: 7:15AM

Driver's Car #: [redacted]. ----------------------

---- Basic Fare: $74.00 ----------------

Tolls: $13.00

Coupon: -$3.00

Total: $84.00

Charge Summary

Time Charge Description Paid By Amount

Jun ** 7:52AM Credit-Card Swipe $84.00

$84.00

Thank you for choosing Carmel.

Company: Carmel TLC Lic. #: [redacted]Desired Settlement: refund of overcharged fare of 6 dollars back to above credit card

Business

Response:

[redacted] booked a trip with Carmel on 6/*/2013 leaving from Fort Green Brooklyn to the (EWR) AIRPORT. [redacted] was quoted an incorrect fare by one of our new operators in reservations. The correct trip amount was $78 which was later communicated to [redacted] by another representative. The issue was brought to Carmel's customer Service department and this was explained to [redacted] we apologized for any inconvenience this might have caused him and offered him a $12 voucher. [redacted] refused the voucher and said he will find other means of resolving the issue. If [redacted] would like to

be issued the voucher in the amount of $12 this offer still stands. We are very sorry to hear that our customer is dissatisfied with our resolution but we hope that [redacted] will continue to be a valued Carmel customer.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]

Unfortunately we are not able to refund the passenger for this trip. The information that was given in the original reservation was incorrect. Once the correction was made, we contacted the passenger to inform them of the correction and fare change. An additional confirmation email was also sent to the customer to inform electronically as well. The passenger received the service and signed for the credit card transaction. The fare quoted in the original reservation would have been honored if the information on the reservation was correct.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Carmel Car & Limousine Service regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Sincerely,

Review: On Tuesday July ** I ordered a car to pick me up at 7:30 PM in Astoria, Queens (Itinerary #[redacted]). The car was delayed by nearly an hour, and did not show up until a few minutes before 8:30 PM. I am seeking to get a full refund for the cost of the trip, to reimburse me for this hassle and unreasonable delay.Desired Settlement: I am seeking to get a full refund for the cost of the trip, to be credited back to my CC ending in [redacted], to reimburse me for this hassle and unreasonable delay.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],

Unfortunately we are not able to refund the passenger for this trip. We were delayed due to unforeseen events and attempted to keep the passenger abreast to the current situation. Because they agreed to wait for the driver and received the service, a refund is regrettably not available. I would be more than happy to issue them a $12.00 voucher that they can use on their next trip with us. Please extend our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience that was caused by the delay.

Consumer

Response:

I have not received a refund for a ride that was nearly an hour late.

Review: I believe I was overcharged for a trip, and tried calling and e-mailing Carmel repeatedly but was unable to get someone on the phone as to why I was charged the amount I was charged. I ended up initiating a dispute through American express, which was able to get a hold of someone that stated the amount I was charged included return tolls from Newark Airport. I was also charged a toll through the Battery Tunnel for $7.50. I did not take the Battery Tunnel and I was not picked up near the Battery Tunnel. I was picked up at my apartment which is closer to both the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges which have no tolls. If the driver chose to take the Battery Tunnel to get to me, I feel this is his choice, and not something I should be charged for. It would have made no sense for him to take the Battery Tunnel over the Brooklyn or Manhattan Bridge.

I never received an e-mail confirmation of my receipt which I was told I would. I did not sign anything at the end of my trip. The driver never handed me his tablet to sign at the end of my trip. He just asked how much I wanted to tip and then said I was all set. At no point did I see the final price as I was under the impression the total would just be the base fare plus tip as we did not go through any tolls whatsoever. The confirmation e-mail when I booked stated nothing about return tolls.

I would appreciate a credit back to my American Express for the $7.50 for the Battery Tunnel. I also feel it is not being charged for the return tolls from Newark, but I guess that is a policy that is poorly communicated to customers. My e-mail confirmation said tolls were additional, but did not specify that RETURN tolls were also added to my bill.Desired Settlement: My desired settlement is a refund of the $24.50 in total tolls would be ideal as I did not go through any tolls. At the very minimum, a refund of $7.50 for going through the Battery Tunnel should be made as there was no need for the driver to take that tunnel at any point in the trip from picking me up to returning to Manhattan.