A Party Ride - Brentwood NY PROM PLANNERS BEWARE Long Island City, New York

I have now had 2 problems, with 2 different proms, 2 years apart, with this company.  Obviously I have not been the planner for either ... after the first experience I wouldn't have hired them again, but have come to learn the kids like to use them because they are one of the few limo/party bus companies that will take a hefty tip from the kids (in addition to the ones the parents are paying) to allow the kids to consume alcohol on the bus.

The first incident 2 years ago, my daughter was simply a prom date of a friend.  At about 2 a.m. the bus driver (who was hired and paid until 4 a.m.) got sick of the loud music and dancing kids and pulled over on the side of a highway and threw them all off the bus and pulled away.  I believe I filed a report here and the parent who ordered the bus handled it from a payment standpoint.

Then last year my daughter's friend's mom was asked by her daughter to use this company ... I told her what had happened and that I had read all these reports and that the company had an "F" rating from the BBB.  She was very forceful in the booking.  Told them she had read all the horror stories and she would not pay them up front, a small deposit.  When the bus arrived in good condition with a/c and bathroom working she'd call in her cc for the balance AND the driver would only be tipped at the end of the evening and she would assure that the parent at the drop off spot had the money to tip appropriately ... driver would not be ripped off ... if the kids paid him extra to allow them to drink ... well at 17/18 that was out of our control ... they certainly weren't loading cases of beer onto the bus and only had small purses.  All went well, I'm sure b/c the booking parent threatened a law suit. 

This year, it was left to a kid to book, and of course, since last year went well she booked the same company.  Now they are 18/19.  She didn't 'lay down the law' like the mom from the year prior and low and behold the bus was to pick them up at 6:30 pm and after many panicked phone calls from lots of kids/parents (most not answered) ... they were finally told that their bus had problems and a bus was being send from a local spot where it had dropped a group off and another bus would be there to pick them up for the rest of the night.  The bus did arrive at 7:40.  The kids were dripping with sweat from waiting so long out in the heat and they missed the entire 'cocktail party' portion of the prom (obviously not cocktails ... but that type of food).  I got on the bus and told the driver that the 12-hour ride NOW began at 7:40, correct?  He said yes he'd pass that on to the other driver.  I then told him I felt that the company owed them another hour on the house for the inconvenience.  He agreed.  Guess what?  The kids were dropped off at 6:40 because the driver claimed not to know anything about any arrangement.

Look, I think the picture here is clear.  This is not an upstanding company that anyone would want to do business with.  Between these reports and the "F" rating, I'd recommend taking your prom, and other business elsewhere.