August 2018 by Irene M.
Last weekend my 84 year old mom and I took the Butler Motor Tours Lady Liberty Weekend to New York City. Both my mom and I have traveled extensively and taken many bus tours in the past. This was the worst bus trip either of us have ever taken. The bus had open seating, no reserved seating arrangements; but because of pick up schedules, our group was the last to board the bus in PA. By the time my mom and I boarded, only 2 seats were available. They were in the back of the bus wedged between the bathroom and the wheel well/rear window frame. Our seats were also against the back wall of the bus and could not be reclined, so we were essentially sitting in a boxed in area at the back of the bus, directly over the wheels. We were also seated lower to the floor than all the other seats, so we could not see over the seat backs in front of us, out the windows, or view the TV monitors further up the bus (onn which 4 films were played during the trip). The air conditioner vents stopped at the normal row ahead of us as did the overhead air vents, so for our 11 hour bus trip, we had no air conditioning, no incoming air from the vents, and no air circulation as we were against the back wall of the bus. At each stop of the bus, we complained about our seating arrangements and asked that seating be rotated so that we would not have to suffer the discomfort for the entire trip. We were simply told, we don't do that. Remember, this was open seating- no reserved seats. We survived the first day and set out the second day to be first on the bus rather than last so as to secure better seating, however we were told that everyone could regain the seats they were on the previous day and we would have to resume sitting in the worst seats on the bus. The bus driver told us that if we didn't want those seats, perhaps we didn't need to be on the bus. The host (of the trip) despite our many previous complaints only acted as if our concerns were inconsequential and offered no assistance or remedy. Mind you, we paid the same fares as any other passenger, no discount for third class steerage seating. Again, day three of the trip we were told we would have to sit in the seats at the back of the bus with no accommodation, apology, etc. At this point all I wanted to do was rip the host from the two seats she occupied in the front of the bus and have her sit in the back. I even suggested to her that she let my 84 year old mother sit in one of the front seats beside her. When I made the suggestion, she said she had a lot of "stuff" there. I suggested she put her "stuff" in the back seat, but we were again told we would have to sit in the back seats. This was the most uncomfortable bus trip either my mom or I have ever taken and our host and driver were the least concerned about our comfort or safety of any tour personnel we have ever experienced. We will never use this service again or recommend it to anyone else.
