Complaint Review: THE PARTY RIDE - A1 QUALITY LIMOUSINE CO

Beware of Tony the Badgering Pole Dancing Busdriver!!! This driver requests your credit card at the beginning of the trip and requests you to sign and initial them to make an imprint on receipts for any incidentals and when he determines you will not be giving him a 20% gratuity he sends it through without your consent. He was assigned the bus I reserved for a trip to the Inauguration for President Obama. This driver inquired about his tip on three separate occassions during my trip. Once, at the beginning he asked if his tip would be cash or credit. I replied that I didn't know. Second, after arrival in Washington, DC he asked if he could be paid in cash because the company takes too long to pay him. I responded that I didn't have cash at the moment. Third, when we returned to the departure point. Based on overage fees that I incurred I explained to the driver that I would not be paying a gratuity because the funds were not available. He then began to badger me by asking if he did anything wrong, didn't he do all that I asked him to do, and stating "he works for tips". I then asked him, why is it that everytime he mentioned to me a gratuity he never mentioned it was at my discretion. He responded that it was my discretion and I then told him I was not paying it. He agreed that would be fine. He then handed me a blank receipt and indicated it was the tip receipt and that I could tear it up. Almost immediately after his departure my card was debited for the amount. After checking my balance it was shown that a 20% gratuity was taken from my card without authorization based on the "imprints" and signatures that he had taken at the beginning of the ride. Do not provide this driver with your card information at the beginning of your trip if your balance is paid in full, which mine was. Ensure that every receipt is accounted for. The contract clearly states that gratuity is at the clients discretion. A customer should not be badgered for gratuity. Gratuity is based on service. This driver had to ask me where he was to go when we arrived at our destination and he constantly kept after me for our restaurant location. He was equipped with a gps system that was not adequate. Tony was better equipped to dance on the pole with three female passengers than manuever Washington, DC. By the way...they tipped him. During the ride home he requested that a passenger sit up front with him so that he could get back "faster". Meanwhile, I have yet to receive my refund. I was told that it would take a "few weeks" because there are other refunds to be processed ahead of mine. Hmmm, not the only one. I was also told that I could get my money back faster if i did a chargeback with my card company...go figure...

Hoodwinked
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.