Southern Connections

09/22/2008 Posted by SBofColumbia

Our company booked service through Southern Connections for eight dates. On the second booked date we had several issues with the bus...poor air conditioning, bad smell, dirty bus with broken window. Complained to management and requested discount of 50% considering bad experience and we had to put our guests on this bus, but only offered $100. GM said several people had stayed on bus and possibly attributed to the smell! After our company decided we would not do business any longer with SC, but were going to use them for the next date (which was the following day), we sent an email explaining our troubles and our regret that we would not be able to continue with the future dates, the owner called our company at 5:30pm and said they would not provide the bus for the following day! Our company was left with no notice and no bus and apparently this was not the first time they had done this to someone! I felt horrible for the employees and even the GM. Apparently the owner off business and treats customers in an unprofessional mannner often. Although everyone (except the owner who canceled our bus) apologized profusely, the damage was done. Luckily we were able to contact another company who graciously helped us out and provided a bus for us on such short notice. Although Southern Connections price was a little less expensive than others, apparently with this company you get what you pay for! HORRIBLE SERVICE! The owner needs to stay out of running the company before they lose all their business! IF YOU MUST work with this company, make sure you work with Jennifer and DO NOT complain, otherwise the owner may leave you on the side of the road somewhere! Mediocre buses, great employees, BAD OWNER.....We will never do business with this company again unless the owner is no longer there!

Pros: Friendly staff, except the owner

Cons: If you complain, you may be walking!

07/27/2007 Posted by lakeviewbaptist

I used this company twice in the last three years. The first trip was to West Palm Beach with a group of teeneagers and adults. The bus they sent was very old. The air-conditioning broke down about 5 hours into the trip. The driver was very nice. He dropped us off at a mall in Jacksonville, Fl. and took the bus to be repaired. We were in the mall for 5 hours. There was never any call from the owner apologizing for the problems we had. Our most recient trip was in July. I called Southern Connections around October of 2006 to schedule the bus. I told Michelle at the time of the problems we had with the bus on our trip to West Palm Beach and she told me that bus was no longer a part of their fleet. The morning of the trip the bus Michelle told me was no longer a part of the fleet showed up in our parking lot. The air did not work very well, a panel came off the side of the bus and came in contact with the car following us, we stopped several times to keep duct taping the remaining part of the panel to the bus, we also had to stop to dump the septic tank because the smell was so bad. I tried to call the bus company to talk with the owner while on the trip. I left several messages and no one ever returned my calls. The bus driver was in contact with the owner but the owner refused to speak with me. By chance the bus driver saw another Southern Connection Bus traveling in the opposite direction and called that driver. The drivers agreed to swap buses so we took over an hour to move our luggage from one bus to the other. The second bus was better although it had problems with the air-conditioning and the restroom. I contacted Michelle a week after our trip. I told Michelle I did not like the fact that she lied to me about the bus no longer being in their fleet. She said she did not appreciated being called a liar. I told her the mechanic told me that I was lied to and that it was in fact the same bus from two years ago. She hung up on me. I will not use them again.

Pros: None

Cons: Many