Stretch Limousine, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/05/10) */
Customer booked 26 passenger party bus. Please see attached confirmation email. Customer overloaded the bus with 34 passengers without driver's knowledge. Bus left pick-up location 20 min after scheduled pick-up time and got stuck in...

traffic on I-90/94 right before junction. When bus started to experiencing mechanical issues and started to loose power, dispatch immediately send backup limo, 26-passenger double axle hummer h2 limo (Please visit http://stretchlimochicago.com/prom-limo-party-bus-packages.htm and compare package #14 for a bus with #15 SUV limo) Both are the same rate in similar sized vehicles. The backup limo arrived location within 15-20 min while bus was still in motion, stuck in traffic with passengers. At that point SUV driver took over the reservation. The return transportation was also provided in the double axle hummer. Dispatch follow all guidelines as outlined in our contract with customer. Unfortunately, customer did not want to settle for anything other then full refund.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/05/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The response is unacceptable. They continue to try and lay the blame for the incident on the NUMBER of students on the Party RV and NOT the fact it broke down and adequate arrangements were made to accommodate.
1) according to their website, the Party RV holds 26 adults and "up to 30 teens." I went back and have photos of the entire group and there were 33 teens. I had asked the reservationist if the RV could accommodate a few more than 30 because I knew the number of students invited was 30 but there could be a few more. She said it was fine because it was an RV and there would be plenty of room unlike a regular limo which would not allow the students to stand and move around.
2)I contend it is the driver's responsibility to count the number of students and decide before the RV leaves whether or not it is safe and whether the trip should proceed with the number of students. The driver (and an assistant driver) was the owner! I met them at the pick up location where all the students were there with their families. At any time, the driver could have spoken to me about any concerns and any parent could have taken a few couples to the restaurant if there had been any concern about overcrowding.
3) The RV experienced electrical issues so the "party" bus was a bust. The disco lights were not working, the AC did not work and the RV limped along at 10-15 miles per hour on the highway until the other limo was sent and the students were off loaded on the side of the road and put in the Hummer limo.
4) When they called me at 7:30 to tell me about the problem and the solution, I voiced my concern that the students WOULD NOT fit in the Hummer limo if it ONLY accommodated 26 students since there were more. I was told it was going to be fine and they were aware about the number of students. I told them that without if being an RV, I had serious reservations that the students would fit and they promised it would be fine. I told them it was an issue of safety and if it was overloaded, I wanted a call and I would come and get some students for reasons of safety and they promised they would call if there was any issues.
4) They crammed 33 students into a limo for 26
5)The pick up time was 5:30 and the RV loaded at 5:45Pm and left at 6:00PM. The dinner reservations were at 6:30PM and the students got to the restaurant between 7:45 and 8:00PM. They got to the Prom at 9:30PM.
6) They are trying to blame "the traffic" but I took the same route leaving 40 minutes after them in a regular car and I was already in the city when I got the first call. The reason it took so long was because the RV was traveling at 10-15 miles per hour.
7) I would have been partially satisfied if when they realized the Hummer limo did not fit the students and the kids had to lay on top of each other on the floor in their tuxes and ballgowns, they had sent an additional limo for overflow so the students could be transported safely home. There was 2.5 hours in between when the students were dropped off at the prom and when they were picked up to be driven from Chicago to [redacted] They knew the Hummer did not work, they knew it was overloaded and unsafe and they did NOTHING to fix the situation. That is unacceptable. They also did not tell me. If I had known, I would have arranged with other parents to come get the overflow so the kids would have been transported home safely.
7) I paid over $2000 for a Party RV with disco lights, air-conditioning and a first class safe experience and that is NOT what I got. When I called to speak to the owner to ask for a refund, he was incredibly rude and never apologized or offered any type of discount or settlement. He took no responsibility for ruining 33 students evening or the fact he made 33 students and hour and 15 minutes late for their Senior Prom which comes once in a lifetime. He keeps wanted to talk about "overcrowding" but if that was really the issue-it should have been addressed before the RV left the first location. I paid TOP DOLLAR for the best RV experience and it was a nightmare. If it had been handled better with Stretch Limo apologizing, if they had sent another car to provide a safe trip home when they realized the Hummer limo did not fit the kids or if they had offered some significant discount after the debacle-I would never had brought this to the attention of the Revdex.com. They sent the Hummer to rescue them from the broken down RV which was in a dangerous situation traveling 10 miles an hour on the highway but the dangerous condition remained when they were overloaded in the Hummer to go to dinner, to prom and finally when they were picked up 2.5 hours later to go home. Stretch Limo could have easily made a different plan for the way home having 2.5 hours but they chose not to. Trying to lay the blame on us for the number without ever admitting to creating an unsafe situation and offering a full refund is unacceptable. I would question who I could complain to to report this unsafe driving situation. I would imagine the Department of Transportation and Safety would contend it is the driver's responsibility to count the number of students and to keep everyone safe.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2014/06/05) */
Even though round trip transportation was provided, the company is willing to refund $500 if the customer is willing to settle.
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2014/05/27) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
1, I did receive a note after the fact apologizing for the incident from the General Manager (not the rude owner) who expressed his sorrow for the incident and losing a loyal customer for four years.
2. I paid over $2000 for a Party RV that broke down. It was three people over its listed max and it was a recreational vehicle where people could stand. Fitting even 30 people in a 26 passenger Hummer limo where there is nowhere to stand is unacceptable. I clearly communicated to the dispatch who told me of the issue that there were more then 26 students and the Hummer would not fit everyone.
3. After off loading the students off the RV and onto the Hummer-the driver should have noted the kids lying on the floor and sitting on top of each other and could have made safer arrangements for the transport back to Winnetka. It was dangerous and overcrowded at 7:30PM, at 9:30PM and again at 12 midnight. At anytime, another car could have be brought on board to make sure the students were safe and that did not happen.
4. It was a nightmare. Why should the students pay for being late to the prom, traveling in a broken down RV and then crammed into a Hummer limo too small for them.
5. It is up to the driver to make decisions on safety and how many people get on the RV. I was right there and saw the bus off and the driver (owner) never expressed any of the overloading concerns to me.
6. I left 30 minutes after the bus traveling the same route and I got to Chicago 45 minutes before the students. It was traveling 10-15 miles per hour because it was broken!!! I was told this.
Telling me to get over it is unacceptable. It was a dangerous situation and it ruined their Senior Prom. Why should I pay for that?

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/06/13) */
We are sorry the buses where late; therefore, customer was immediately discounted $500. Customer accepted discount at the time of pick-up, decided not to cancel and continued service. Service rendered.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal...

/* (3000, 7, 2014/06/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I could not cancel the trip at the last minute because I had 80 students and 8 chaperones ready and waiting to go on the trip and I have to get board approval. Going on a class trip with this many people involved is a process and I did not want to disappoint them any more than they had already been disappointed. Furthermore, the condition of the bus was not addressed in their response (i.e. non working washrooms, condoms, beer cans, etc.) and the attitude of the bus driver on the boys bus was not addressed. I was not on the bus, but from everything that was told to me he was extremely rude.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2014/06/26) */
As our policies state, in a situation if our driver is late more than 15 min, we will apply negative wait time credits to your reservation.
The customer had an option to either completely cancel the reservation or accept a hefty discount and continue service. The customer was heavily discounted, total of $630.
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2014/07/03) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The fact that the students were traumatized because they found condoms and beer cans on the bus still has not been addressed. Furthermore, some of the discount that was received was from the prior year's gratuity. Our driver was rude in 2013 and I was assured that this year would be much better and our drivers would be courteous. I was giving the company another chance to get it right. However, they got it terribly wrong. The only reason I gave them a second chance was because in spite of the 1 rude driver last year the trip was wonderful and the service was great. They were on time and the busses was impeccably clean. I am pursuing this so heavily because I do not want another school to have to endure the same terrible service that we encountered and their good rating with the Revdex.com should definitely be reconsidered and possibly reversed or revoked.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/06/06) */
Contact Name and Title: [redacted]
Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Contact Email: [redacted]@stretchlimochicago.com
First of all, customer was issued a $40 credit sent via email on 5/16/2014. Today, full 100% front end driver's gratuity was refunded...

to Customer's credit card for the first driver's car not being spotless which is driver's responsibility. On the return, Customer was in contact with driver directly, as indicated in customer's statement, customer spoke with driver Dario at 11.04pm. Both drivers were on time based on gps tracking device from a car. Full round trip transportation was provided.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2014/06/16) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Below is the one and only correspondence that I received from the company prior to filing a complaint with Revdex.com. In this complaint I was called a liar & offered a $40 voucher for future services, NOT A REFUND. I receipts of credits made to my account in addition to the full payment I paid
The refund I received was $19.80 on June 6,2014 in response to this complaint.
I again I receipts of credits made to my account.
I would like the total amount of $40 that was stated in this email as a REFUD & not TRAVEL VOUCHER, I do not wish to do any additional business with a company with unsafe business practices & also has no interest in providing customer service. There response to this complaint was fsbricated and they can't prove that credited or Refunded me any amount other thsn $19.80 because this is all the amount that was given back to me.
Please view the contents of the one and only email I was sent on May 16,2014.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Dear [redacted],
I'd like to begin by apologizing for the delayed response, your email somehow made it to our SPAM folder and we were unable to reply to you sooner. Customer Satisfaction is our number one priority, and when a customer is not satisfied with our service we take this matter very seriously. We first became aware of this email on WEDNESDAY, MAY 14 and it was than when we began investigating the situations that occurred on May 3rd. After checking office phone records, driver GPS HISTORY and driver phone records we have some answers for you.
In regards to the dirty car; You are right, it is the drivers responsibility to maintain the car and absolutely unacceptable, [redacted] the driver has been notified and consequences have been issued. Furthermore, in regards to the alleged mix up with vehicles, it has come to our understanding that you and your son were both notified of the change. [redacted] the first driver spoke to the party in the vehicle before drop off, and told your son that he will not be the driver after prom and made your son double check that no personal items were left behind. [redacted] the driver on the return trip had spoken to you before scheduled pick-up time and notified you of the change. [redacted] later spoke to your son and gave him detailed information about the car that was picking him up (BLACK SUBURBAN License Plate [redacted]
Due to the inconvenience you experienced with the dirty car and because this was a very important event in your sons life, we would like to offer you a $40.00 Travel Voucher that you can use on any of your future travel needs. Once again, we appreciate your business and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Regards,
[redacted]
Customer Relations

Stretch Limousine, Inc.

Revdex.com A+ rated business
Phone: [redacted] (Reservations, quotes, customer support)
Phone: [redacted] (Airport pick-ups, 24/7 dispatch)
Fax: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Internet: http://stretchlimochicago.com
Chicagoland and Midwest transportation leader!
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2014/06/26) */
First of all, the customer was called a "lier"!
Second of all, the customer was already refunded maximum amount as outlined in our terms and conditions / service issues at http://stretchlimochicago.com/terms-and-conditions/service-issues.html .
The additional $40 credit is complementary from the company on top of refund.
Final Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2014/07/11) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Revdex.com,
I am uncertain how a supposed business can repeatedly change their story, attempt to submit different pieces of their website as evidence that never prove their claim that I, as a previous customer am a liar. I would be insulted by the juvenile use of a four letter word that would be used as an adjective if it were true. However, my statements have not changed in any way, since day one when I contacted this establishment by telephone & by email to discuss the unsafe practices this limousine company exhibited on the night of May 3, 2014. The only person that has been forthcoming & truthful apparently was the pickup driver who admitted to having provided service in a dirty car. My calls went unanswered and the one and only reply by email, started by insulting me and calling me a liar. There has never been any attempt to provide me with customer service or address the safety concerns I still have today. Unsuspecting parents like me will use this limousine company in the future without the knowledge that there are no safety precautions practiced by this company. My child was in downtown Chicago looking for a vehicle and specific license plate of the driver who decided to pick them up in a totally different vehicle. This can't be made up, because I would have no knowledge of the license plate numbers of the vehicles the drivers use, had this information not been provided to me by their office. In addition to the email, calling me a liar, a $40 voucher was offered for future services. No refund of any amount was ever offered prior to starting my claim with Revdex.com.
On 6/19/14 $19.80 was credited to my account. However this company states I'm a liar and received a refund of a higher amount. In order to prove me a liar, I would expect that proof would be rendered with an amount and date, other than the $19.80 that was supposedly credited to me.
I again have no problem proving bank statements from Chase bank & cellular phone recorded that document my numerous attempts to speak to someone regarding my safety concerns.
The juvenile person, with poor or no customer service training responding to this complaint should take time look at the misinformation that are trying to fraudulent prevent. Proper evidence document can easily prove or disprove the facts of this complaint.
I have enclosed my initial email that I sent to this company and the only response I ever received which was again a $40 voucher for future services. Never was a refund offered or rendered, prior to my Revdex.com claim. If this had been truth and not fabricated, Stretch Limousine would definitely have proof of the transaction.