Greyhound bus lines charges an $18 "gift ticket fee" if a customer purchases an online bus ticket for someone else. The fee often falls hardest on low-income customers who are trying to help out a friend or relative who can’t afford a bus ticket. In some cases this fee can even double the cost of a Greyhound ticket. In my opinion, Greyhound is taking advantage of the many lower-income people who use its services because flying is not an affordable option with this fee.

The gift fee is unique to Greyhound and not required by other bus services. For instance, I just purchased plane tickets for my son using a popular online travel service and I did not have to pay a gift fee to purchase his ticket.

Greyhound has offered several vague explanations for the fee (from fraud protection to a handling fee) but none of them hold up to scrutiny For instance, in an article in the Toronto Star, Visa Canada states there is no evidence of higher fraud rates in the bus industry. Will you join me is asking Greyhound to do the right thing and eliminate this price-gouging fee?

In addition, would you help me as an petition organizer? It's easy - just e-mail some friends or post a link to this petition on your Facebook wall? Thank you so much!

Photo credit: Thomas Hawk