Prime Time Shuttle ShuttletoLax.com Culminative reports of Prime Time Shuttle that are deleted from their YELP.COM site Inglewood, California

You need to be very careful with these shuttle companies. You are NOT an owner operator. You are driving for their company under their company flag. You have to purchase their insurance. You can't use your own liability, no matter how much you may be covered for. If you have a spare $3000 laying around to drive, and don't care about losing your initial investment, then go for it.

Anyone here a Owner-Operator? I'm considering joining. Anyone here have any real-life experience or insight to this opportunity? I'd like to hear from you before I schedule my interview. Thanks

Since I found out YELP filters all reviews that have only one review I decided to post reviews that were removed due to TOS, as stated by yelp. This is America, and if you don't like a business for its practices you certainly have a right to speak up. Bad business needs to fail. Onward we go again..

39 reviews
Star S.
Aliso Viejo, CA

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1.0 star rating
Update - 8/22/2011

USE SUPER SHUTTLE INSTEAD! (800-258-3826)
USE SUPER SHUTTLE INSTEAD! (800-258-3826)
USE SUPER SHUTTLE INSTEAD! (800-258-3826)

I still can't believe **these guys bailed on me at 4am!***

They called me at 4:05 and said I had to find my own means to the airport! 4am???? Who the hell is up at 4am to give someone a ride??? When you book a shuttle it's because you can't get a ride. AIRLINE TICKETS are NON-REFUNDABLE and NOT CHEAP.

USE SUPER SHUTTLE INSTEAD!
USE SUPER SHUTTLE INSTEAD!
http://www.supershuttl...
(310) 782-6600
(800) BLUE VAN (800-258-3826)

Comment from Bobby G. of Prime Time Shuttle 8/23/2011    Hide
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Hey Star,

I'm not sure I'm following but i think you just updated the same review after only using our service once correct?  Or did you use us again and have another problem?

I'd be more than happy to help prove to you that problems occur on less than 1% of our reservations if you'll give me the chance.

Pleaes contact me directly and we'll see what we can do to try and earn back your trust which I agree we deservedly lost.  But we are making an effort to improve and I'd like to show you.

Bobby Gibson
Marketing Manager
bobbyg@primetimeshuttl...

When he thinks I'm not watching the reports he deletes. Where did he get his education from? The prison at Chino?

Roger W.
Playa del Rey, CA
1.0 star rating
7/31/2011

I've never experienced such incredible poor customer service in all my days
of travel.  My girlfriend and I made a reservation to be picked up outside
United Airlines at LAX at 11:40 PM.  After getting our luggage we walked over
to the curb attendant at 11:30 to notify him of our reservation.   Right away
we should have known it would only go downhill at the point when he started
off by telling us, "If you want to know a secret, you are better off getting
a cab."  Over the next 45 minutes, that became more true by the second.  When
it was 11:55, and still no shuttle pulled up (plenty of Prime Time vans
passing around on the outer circle, though) we asked him how soon could we
expect our pickup.  He replied, "Any minute now."  Soon other people started
showing up and they too were waiting and waiting.  During this time, Super
Shuttle, which stops right next door, had a van pulling up about every 3 - 5
minutes and picking passengers up. When it was 12:05, we again asked the
attendant  how soon our ride would show up.   He then told us that dispatch
was not responding to his calls.  Three parties of us who were waiting chose
to call Prime Time's customer service number on our cell phones.   After
being put on hold for nearly 5 minutes, the number disconnected.  About this
same time, a woman driving one of the red vans pulls up (apparently a
supervisor, but I'm not certain about that), but states she can't take any
passengers -- that she can't leave the airport.   Finally at 12:20,  a third
party car service van that was called in arrives and picks us up.  We're
thinking, "Great, we're finally out of here!". But no. Even though United is
at the end of the circle right near the LAX exit, the driver states that he's
going to do one more pickup back at Tom Bradley Terminal.  So we do one more
run around before leaving the airport.  We end up getting home, which is
about 2 miles from LAX, at about 1:00 AM -- nearly and hour and a half after
the appointed pick up time.  I will not be calling on Prime Time Shuttle for
any future transportation needs, and I will highly discourage any of my
friends and associates from using this service.

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Debbie d.
Pelham, NH

1.0 star rating
7/5/2011

My first time using Primetime Shuttle and my last.  I booked on line received
confirmation for 2:20am pickup I was not picked up until 2:50. I called their
number asking where the fdriver was and the agent told me she would contact
find out.  at that time they never told me my p/u had been changed.  I also
sent an email at 2:45am asking where the driver was never got answer.  I have
contacted them via email asking for a refund according their policy.  I
called them and they refuse yes refuse to refund my money because they claim
they made an automated call to my cell phone indicating my p/u time had been
changed.  I asked to give me a 100% assurance that I was made aware of that
change and they could only tell me that their records indicate the automatic
call was made.  OH WOW that is their guarantee.  The agent I just spoke to
was rude I asked to speak to a supervisor she said she was the supervisor and
would not refund my money.  I WOULDN'T ASK IF WERE NOT IN THEIR POLICY.
NEVER EVER AGAIN WILL I USE PRIME TIME, come on at 2am how many pick ups do
you have that you are that late there was one guy in the van and we picked

another that kept us there 25 mins looking for him.
BUYER BEWARE.
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Max P.
Oakland, CA
1.0 star rating
6/30/2011

There's nothing like waiting at the LAX curb for 35 minutes after you shuttle
was called in by the guy standing there.  I was told "it will be here
shortly" at minutes 15, 25 and 30 by the man standing there. At one point he
handed me a card for his dispatcher. I called it twice, no answers. Once in
the shuttle the driver showed off his driving skills by missing exits, taking
up two lanes on the freeway for a good 1/2 mile, and the highlight was when
he pulled a U-turn so we started driving the wrong way down the street.
Take your money and pay a friend or take a cab, easier and safer.

Why would Super Shuttle do that kind of thing anyway, as suggested by Jackie of Anaheim, or Maru of Newport Beach? After all Prime Time has had to farm out its work to SS, when they don't have enough drivers. Anyway I see Bobby deleted another review, so here it comes.

Irene J.
Redondo Beach, CA
1.0 star rating
7/31/2011

Reading over the other Yelpers reviews, i agree with everything everyone else has mentioned, specifically:
- waiting almost an hour after our reservation time for a shuttle
- watching with envy as all the Super Shuttle vans whisked by picking up their passengers
- nonexistent customer service when calling the (800) number
- having a Prime Time Shuttle driver pull up in an empty van, but refusing to take any of us who were waiting
- watching numerous Prime Time Shuttles driving by, but not stopping
- finally 3 of us were picked up in an unmarked van(!), meanwhile 3 other poor souls were left on the curb with useless reservations that had already been paid in advance online. I wonder if they're still waiting???

P.S. The side of their vans say, "on time or it's free".  Wonder how often that occurs.

That slogan is never honored Irene, and it should come out of Prime Time management pockets, not the drivers.

Unknown D.

Prime Time should be ashamed of themselves. That's what the RIPOFF Report was set up for. To expose tactics by less than ethical companies, that try to boost their business by deleting negative reviews on YELP. Amazing there are plenty of reviewers (that are probably fake) who only contributed 1 review, yet have given Prime Time a 4 or 5 star review. Could it be the 2 drivers that they have who speak so highly of Prime Time have got all these customers? I doubt it due to the logistics. Anyway here are more deleted reviews. Any input Bobby?
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Eike J.
West Hollywood, CA
1.0 star rating
7/25/2011

I had a very bad experience with Prime Time Shuttle 14 years ago when I was a college student. I am writing this review so I can release the remaining grudge and forget that this company ever existed.

In 1997, I called Prime Time Shuttle to make a reservation to pick me up from my home in Pasadena and drop me off at LAX airport. The friendly Prime Time representative started taking down my information and street address until I casually mentioned I live near Caltech. From that point on things went downhill. She informed me that I would be picked up at the Caltech Faculty Club, which is about a mile from my home. Apparently, Prime Time picks up customers departing from Caltech on-campus buildings without a street address at a central location, the Caltech Faculty Club. Despite my several attempts to explain to her that I did not live on campus and expected to be picked up at the street address of my home like all their other regular customers, she insisted that Prime Time could only pick me up if I walked a mile with heavy baggage to the Caltech Faculty Club. Walking to a station miles away from your home sounds more like the kind of service you can expect from a bus operator in a remote area than from a shared ride operator in LA. When I finally asked her to speak to a manager, she hung up on me.

It shouldn't be a surprise I did not use their service that time, nor have I used it ever since.

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C C.
Los Angeles, CA
1.0 star rating
7/23/2011

Getting to the airport was no problem.  Great service.  However, trying to get home from LAX was another matter entirely.  We spent about 10 mins driving around the terminal picking up a total of 9 passengers when I saw other Prime Time Shuttle vans sitting empty.  Then, the driver decides he's going to "try something different," meaning that a 20 min drive home ended up taking 45 mins because he decided to take the 105 Fwy to Palms.  WTF??  Next time I will just take a cab from the airport!

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matthew F.
Redondo Beach, CA
1.0 star rating
7/20/2011

This company should not be in business.  It is disgrace to any transportation service.  I made reservation to be picked up at LAX.  I was waiting for 2 hours.  The representative at LAX made several attempts to contact dispatch, no clear answer received.  There were several other frustrated customers waiting with no resolution from Prime Time Shuttle Dispatch Office.  The on-site representative told me that Prime Shuttle does not have enough vans, but they making promises.  I called 310-536-7922.  The answering device was repeating that "some-one will be with you shortly" for an hour, hung up.  I recommend you make plan B, before using Prime Shuttle.  The Commissionaire at LAX should review this company.

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LAURIE D.
Simi Valley, CA
1.0 star rating
7/19/2011  

Prime Time Shuttle did not honor the original arrangemnents to pick me up at LAX at 11:30 pm.  They took several days to send me a confirmation of the reservations.  When I did receive an email confirmation, the agreed upon pick up time was innacurate.  Prime Time Shuttle failed to honor the original arrangements made by phone unless I upgraded to a more expensive ride which would have added an additional charge of $100.  This is very bad customer service.  I will never again use Prime Time Shuttle.

You wonder why? Because they keep deleting negative reports like these 2 below.

Joseph D.
the truth"
West Covina, CA    
1.0 star rating
7/20/2011

WARNING***WARNING***WARNING***WARNING***

"DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY"  They will be eventually shut down by the BBB and Federal Trade Commission eventually!...

Bad business, not ethically enclined people, will rip you off!!!....

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J J.
Simi Valley, CA
1.0 star rating
7/17/2011  

Booked this shuttle for 6 people (two kids, both under 8 yrs old) about two weeks before the pickup and dropoff would be needed.  There were no problems with the pickup and transport to the airport.  On the return leg we called 3 hours before we got to LAX to verify the shuttle would be there.  We were told no problem and to report to the PrimeTime employee waiting at their spot at curbside.
 Upon contacting this employee we were told to wait 15 mins for the shuttle.  15 minutes later he leaves and another employee arrives shortly and tells us that he is not sure if they have a van big enough for us and he will know in 15 minutes.  I asked him how he would resolve this as this was a reservation we made two weeks prior.  Told flat-out that I needed to arrange my own transportation.  Then told us that whoever we talked to on the phone LIED to us.  Then told a supervisor was enroute with the final word.  15 mintues later the Supervisor arrived and stated PrimeTime screwed up and that they are having problems with drivers not being there.  Not sure what the real reason was for this as we were told multiple different reasons for their failure to follow through on a contract that we had already paid two weeks prior.  Eventually got a ride with Super Shuttle.  PrimeTime was not able to reimburse us for their screw up.  We will see if they follow through on their promise to reimburse us.  Either way they will not get paid by my credit card for failing to provide their service.
 We were lied to, we were told multiple reasons for them not being able to supply our return trip that was booked TWO WEEKS!!! prior.  Bad organization and management that left a family of 6 with little kids fending for themselves at the airport with no one able to step up and provide us a voucher for another shuttle.

There are plenty of Airport Transportation companies out there Bobby. Yes I know you're Bobby Gibson. So far you can call me whatever names you want me too. Meaning of Independent Contractor from the IRS website below, FYI. I was led to believe that what I was at Prime Time, but I was not. Hence I quit after one day. Now stop being a jerk, and fix your company, instead of leading people to believe you have a spotless record (which you don't). Because with the web spiders start picking this up in the search engines, people are going to see what a farce you are, and the company you represent.

If you are an independent contractor, you are self-employed.

You are not an independent contractor if you perform services that can be
controlled by an employer (what will be done and how it will be done). This
applies even if you are given freedom of action. What matters is that the
employer has the legal right to control the details of how the services are
performed.

If an employer-employee relationship exists (regardless of what the
relationship is called), you are not an independent contractor and your earnings
are generally not subject to Medicare and Social Security Taxes for
Self-Employed.


Another 2 reports that were deleted follow.

Patrick M.
West Linn, OR
1.0 star rating  
7/16/2011
 
We made a reservation for shuttle pick up at LAX. We prepaid and also pre paid the tip. The reservation was confirmed with a scheduled pick time from the airport. We contacted Prime Time after we picked up our baggage. The representative instructed us to seek a transportation coordinator outside. The coordinator said our shuttle would be arriving. After twenty minutes I inquired about our pick up and was told that a Prime Time Sedan would pick us up. Thirty minutes later I inquired again and was told that the Sedan went to pick up someone else. The coordinator stated that they had no shuttles and would put us on Super Shuttle. We saw several Prime Time shuttles going by that could have picked us up. We were finally loaded into a Super shuttle van after we had inquired multiple times. We waited over an hour before we left the airport. Since we prepaid the tip, and definitely wereen't going to tip again with the lousy service that we received. The driver for Super Shuttle was stiffed by Prime Time for the tip. Prime Time got the tip for the Super Shuttle Service. The driver said he would not be paid a tip since it was paid to Prime Time. I called Prime Time to file a complaint and was told there was no customer service rep. available to take my complaint but my call would be returned in a few days. A week went by and my call was not returned so I called again. The customer service rep said my prior call was logged in and they were not going to do anything to compensate our trip. The rep. said that they got us to our destination. Obivisouly they are not customer oriented. It is all about collecting your money and than making you wait for a shuttle. We could have taken a bus and arrived home sooner! I would not recommend prepaying your shuttle/tip and would not recommend Prime Time Shuttle.

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John T.
Tampa, FL
1.0 star rating
7/16/2011  

The worst company I have ever dealt with. I was so disgusted that I subscribed to Yelp just to warn everyone how horrible they are. I called to let them know my flight was delayed and confirmed a pick up at 145. Called when I landed and they said they will be there at 3. Then saw the driver drive by and waved him down and he said he will be right back around then saw him pass us for the second time. And don't try and call customer service you will just wait and listen to their empty promises on their recorded message. Screw these people they suck!  If u could give negative stars I would gladly!  Rosie in customer service is a lair and so is the dispatcher!

With you saying you are not an employee just shows that you are playing "Word Games".  You may not technically have been an employee, it actually sounds like you were defined as an Independent Contractor.  For purposes of reviewing a company and claiming rip-offs if you "left" the company on bad terms, you could be seen as "disgruntled".

Your not going to sue them for removing reviews from YELP, and if you are I don't blame you for not wanting to post the court information because it would really just show how silly you are. 

You are going to sue them for what you think they did to you.  Had you come here and posted YOUR situation instead of just claiming that they delete bad reviews perhaps your "RipOff" may be more evident.   Because right now it just looks like you are a disgruntled ex "employee"(or what ever).

I doubt very much you'll be able to follow a small claims case.
Actually that is incorrect.  Los Angeles County Superior Court, the court you would probably file the Small Claims case in is On-Line and you can get at a minimum the Case Summaries if you provide the Case Number and court location.  If you don't provide this and with the other lack of any "RipOff" it really puts this report into the "whatever" category, as in "Yea this person was probably just full of hot air".

And again we even have no idea of the ones that were removed were actually legitimate or not.  Perhaps they were also done by "ex-employees".

Do you want to do business with a company that manipulates negative reports? I counted 3 more.

Cheryl F.
Pasadena, CA
1.0 star rating
7/11/2011

I will never use Prime Shuttle again. If another shuttle is $10 more -- pay it because when you're standing on the curb for 50 minutes you'll pay any price to get home. VERY IMPORTANT: They charged my credit card THREE times. I called them. They took off one charge but not the third. They NEVER called me back. Now my credit card company is having to handle the dispute. I called 4-5 times. No call back.

Here's my experience:

1. Found the Shuttle Guy with the red hat and approached him. He did not say hi or give eye contact. Finally, I said, "Hi, I'm here for my shuttle." He grumbled at me and took my name. I'd been traveling 30 hours. Not a great way to be greeted.

2. He said the shuttle would arrive in 16 minutes. I could tell there was a line of people who had been waiting longer than necessary. I said I was going to grab a snack and I'd be right back (again, I'd been traveling 30 hours and I was starving). He YELLED at me and said if I left he would cancel my shuttle. So, I sat down.

3. Waited with my fellow shuttlers. We watched Blue Super Shuttles arrive about every 3 minutes. Still no Prime Shuttle. One guy said he'd counted 14 Super Shuttles for every 1 Prime Shuttles. (Lesson: go with Super Shuttle). All my fellow shuttlers had been wait 30-60 minutes.

4. One woman was in her 60s/70s and it was 10:30 at night and she'd been waiting an hour. She was just going to pay Super Shuttle to get her home!

5. The Shuttle guy just kept grumbling and yelling. Never, "I'm sorry you're having to wait, we're doing everything we can..."

6. We all called Prime Shuttle as we stood there. I was on hold for 20 minutes. Finally got through and the phone guy was YELLING too!! NO CUSTOMER SERVICE HERE. He said, "It's a holiday and we can't get our shuttles in LAX!" Again, not "I'm sorry..." I said, "that's odd because about 20 Super Shuttles have been here since I arrived and I've only seen 2 Prime Shuttles"

7. Finally, a shuttle arrived for my destination. I got on.  The shuttle driver started YELLING at me. Really? "I don't have your info, he didn't give me your info!!!!" Wow. I'd given the guy my info an hour ago at this time and talked the the YELLING phone guy.

Finally got home about 2 hours later than I should have (about midnight). No one said, "I'm sorry"

Dear Prime Shuttle: Please hire nice people. Please don't yell. Please make it right when you can. Offer people a free shuttle ride or something! Really.

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Kenny H.
Covina, CA
1.0 star rating
7/8/2011

Shuttle arrived 15 minutes late, and driver has been running red lights and making illegal u-turns. DO NOT RIDE PRIME TIME!

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Sabrina S.
Los Angeles, CA

1.0 star rating
7/6/2011

This is the WORST possible shuttle service you will ever find to ANY airport in the United States.
The WORST!
Stay away!
They have terrible customer service, are late to pick you up, and once you do get picked up, you spend at least 45 minutes circling the airport.
I saw one driver have a fight with a customer because her luggage hadn't arrived yet and she was having to work to locate it. That was clearly not her fault. Yet, he got out of the van in a huff, threw her other belongings out of the van and onto the curb, and sped off.
Despicable.

Go check their YELP site, its up to 2 stars from 1.5. And I doubt very much that those 5 star reviews posted on 7/25 and 7/26 are legit (because the reviewers have only reviewed Prime Time).

I doubt very much you'll be able to follow a small claims case. Like I said, I was never an employee. I had 3 days to cancel the business contract(which I did). I'm still out over $1500 because Prime Time misrepresented what drivers could earn daily.

YELP was right to delete that review.  Nothing in the review provided anything useful, much like your posting this report.  However, unlike YELP this site allows you to put what ever you want on this site. 

Just keep in mind that you could go down the "Nut Job" road if you don't be careful.  Because to an "outsider" it looks like you may be an ex-employee or someone who may be trying to "blackmail" them.

Whether or not this is a good company I have no idea.  But if your claim is that they got YELP to  delete bad reviews wouldn't they have a higher rating than 1.5 stars?

Anyway when you do file suit post the court name and case number here so that it can be followed.

Yeah, I wasn't an employee, but made to feel I was one to fund the benefits of that management team at Prime Time. Guess I'll be filing a lawsuit next week, to get my initial deposit back.

Hi Unknown,

We wanted to let you know that we've removed your review of Prime Time Shuttle. Our Support team has determined that it falls outside our Content Guidelines (http://www.yelp.com/guidelines) because it appears as though you were an employee of the business you reviewed.

We review every situation with detail and take the removal of reviews very seriously.

Removed Content:
A Day Late and Dollar short again? Nice to know that the hourly workers are unionized. No wonder why Prime Time treats its customers so bad.

Regards,
Zvone
Yelp User Support
San Francisco, California

He won't listen so when he deletes them there, They come here.
 

  Chelsea B.
    Austin, TX

1.0 star rating
6/29/2011

Prime Time shuttle is a terrible company with an exceptionally bad customer service department. I paid $62 for a shuttle ride to the airport an hour away. However, Primetime failed to meet me at the designated pick-up time  (4:20 AM for an early morning flight).

I was out in the lobby of my hotel 5 minutes before the time that I was given in my confirmation email, only to discover that the shuttle had just left... what?! Unfortunately, at that time in the morning, Primetime doesn't have a dispatch. So, if you get stranded at your hotel, you are out of luck.

I paid a LOT of money to get to the airport in time to catch my flight. Once the Primetime offices opened,  I called them to report the situation and request a refund. I talked to three different customer service personnel, including the supervisor and was treated very rudely by each of them.
The supervisor tried to quote a section of the contract that she clearly was not familiar with. When I read to her verbatim the line in the contract that stipulates the company's commitment to arrive on time and even wait 15 minutes after the pick up time, the supervisor put me on hold indefinitely.

I still don't have my refund. PLEASE spare yourself the money and stress by using ANY OTHER mode of transport to the airport.