Passengers complain of mega problems while riding MegaBus to New Orleans

ATLANTA — A local woman told Channel 2 Action News that she had mega problems when she took the MegaBus from New Orleans to Atlanta.

Darlene Hart said the bus broke down three times along the way and at one point, passengers noticed smoke began seeping into the bus.

"We had to almost like go up to the driver to tell him the bus is on fire," Hart told Channel 2's Tom Jones.

Hart said passengers on the MegaBus became frantic after they noticed sparks near the gas tank and smoke started coming inside the double-decker bus near Evergreen, Alabama, Saturday.

She said at first, the driver didn't believe them.

"It wasn't until people got up and went to the doors and started banging on the door trying to get out of the bus," she said.

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Once passengers evacuated, Hart recorded cellphone video where she talks about how this was the worst bus trip ever.

"We've been stranded for six, almost seven hours," she said on the recording.

Hart told Jones that the bus broke down three times, leaving a bus full of passengers stranded on the side of the road.

She said each time the bus broke down the driver was told to get the passengers off the bus, wait a while, then continue the trip.

"The mechanic told the driver to cut the air off, maybe the air is pulling juice," Hart said.

She told Jones that the driver was also told mechanics had been having trouble with this bus before the trip began.

Megabus eventually sent another bus to finish out the trip.  A company representative said it was a charter bus. He apologized for the inconvenience and said passengers were given $29 vouchers.

The spokesman also said the delay was only two hours. Hart told Jones that trip took several hours.

She said MegaBus customer service was no help at all.

"We were treated like wet dogs that couldn’t swim," Hart said.

MegaBus reiterated that it regrets the inconvenience.

Cox Media Group