Trying to return home for spring break, I left Rensselaer’s campus very happy to take a break on Friday. At the terminal, I picked up the ticket that I had ordered a week in advance, only to get attitude and grief from the unhappy employee behind the counter. He was upset that I didn’t have my confirmation code, and that I was bringing my fish home in a small container. After I got my tickets and was forced to put my fish in a bag from the cafeteria, I waited in line for my 6:15 pm bus.

Soon 6:15 pm came and went, and there was no bus, and the line for New York City was making its way all the way to the back of the terminal. Almost an hour later a bus did arrive and I got on, relieved that in a few hours I would be home. Other passengers weren’t so lucky. The bus filled up and they were left waiting for the next bus to arrive a few hours later.

Once I settled in, the bus driver called up the passengers going to Ridgewood, N.J.—my stop. The problem was that he wasn’t quite sure how to get there, since he was a relatively new driver and had never done the route at night. So the other passenger heading to Ridgewood and myself sat in the first row of the bus to give directions to the driver. I was already anxious about getting home and nervous about my fish, and now the bus driver is telling me he doesn’t know if he quite knows the way—how is Greyhound making the trip safe and enjoyable?

To say the least, I got home a few hours later in one piece but not the least bit relaxed. I had been in transit from 4:30 pm and it took me over five hours to get to my home only 150 miles away.

Spring break came and went and it was time to return to RPI with my $80 round trip ticket. The stop I take to get back to school is midway between New York City and Albany. The bus was supposed to come at 3 pm that Sunday. As I waited on Route 17, buses came, but none were mine. In the meanwhile, three buses heading to Albany sped right by the stop. After waiting for about an hour I inquired at the ticket office about my bus. I was informed the buses going to Albany were full and there wouldn’t be another one until 7 pm that night and that one might be full too. So what was I supposed to do?

I had to get my parents to drive me back to school. Sure I got back to school, but the agony and aggravation over the whole transportation experience was unnecessary. Greyhound on their website says it does not guarantee its departure and arrival times, and that it is not liable for any inconvenience or expense caused as a result of such a delay. Doesn’t that sound the least bit hypocritical from their earlier statement of providing such outstanding service and care to its passengers?

The least they could do is stop and say this bus is full instead of leaving passengers literally out in the cold and without knowing when the next bus will come. This is Greyhound’s way of making sure they get the most profit because they oversell tickets and it comes down to supply and demand; if you need a bus ticket you’ll buy one, and if you need to get somewhere you’ll wait and you’ll get on that bus. So in the end Greyhound always wins, right? Well from now on—at least in my book—Greyhound is not going to win; my trip was not safe, not affordable, not enjoyable. I think Greyhound should rethink their high views of themselves and say what they are: cash guzzling hypocrites.