Misplaced Pages

Suburban Express: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 00:07, 19 May 2013 editEpicgenius (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Page movers, File movers, IP block exemptions, Mass message senders, New page reviewers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers329,921 editsmNo edit summary← Previous edit Revision as of 02:24, 19 May 2013 edit undoKevinCuddeback (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users3,339 edits →History: Copedit Paragraph 1. Removed overly-specific facts/themes/issues which seem POV and Cherry-picked. Toned down the "newsiness"Next edit →
Line 32: Line 32:


==History== ==History==
Suburban Express was founded by a former student at the University of Illinois, Dennis Toeppen, in 1983. It sold tickets for half the price of incumbent Greyhound. UIUC didn't allow Suburban Express ticket sales at the travel center, since it earned a commission from Greyhound. A price-war ensued between Suburban Express and Greyhound that led to both sides decreasing prices more than fifty percent. Suburban Express survived two Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) investigations initiated by Greyhound, and its ticket sales caught up with Greyhound by 1985. The travel center began allowing Suburban Express tickets to compensate for lost Greyhound commission revenues and the service expanded to Eastern Illinois University (1985), and Illinois State University (1989).<ref name=farewars>''Fare wars - Bus service run by student butts heads with Greyhound''. Dan Rozek. ]. Chicago, Illinois. Sunday, October 20, 1985. Page 20.</ref><ref>Russell's Guide September 1999 - GLI Schedule 397 removed from publication</ref> Suburban Express was founded in 1983 by Dennis Toeppen as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois. At that time, the ] travel center sold ] tickets exclusively (earning a commission on the transactions) and initially disallowed Suburban Express ticket sales at the travel center. Suburban Express undercut Greyhound's ticket prices, and an ensuing price-war led both Suburban Express and Greyhound to decrease prices more than fifty percent. Suburban Express survived two Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) investigations initiated by Greyhound, and its ticket sales reached parity with Greyhound by 1985. The travel center began allowing Suburban Express tickets to compensate for lost Greyhound commission revenues, and the service expanded to Eastern Illinois University (1985), and Illinois State University (1989).<ref name=farewars>''Fare wars - Bus service run by student butts heads with Greyhound''. Dan Rozek. ]. Chicago, Illinois. Sunday, October 20, 1985. Page 20.</ref><ref>Russell's Guide September 1999 - GLI Schedule 397 removed from publication</ref>


From 1994 to 2013, Suburban Express filed 204 lawsuits, with 125 of these filed in 2013.<ref name="DI-26Apr2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyillini.com/news/local/article_43a45b74-ae1a-11e2-9a0d-0019bb30f31a.html |title=Suburban Express lawsuits reach 125 this year; conversation continues on Reddit |last=Ruff |first=Corinne |publisher=] |date=26 April 2013 |accessdate=27 April 2013}}</ref> Many of these lawsuits target passengers for alleged violations of Suburban Express' terms of service,<ref name="Ars-26Apr2013">{{cite web|url=http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/express-to-internet-hate-bus-company-threatens-redditor-with-lawsuit/ |title= From 1994 to 2013, Suburban Express filed 204 lawsuits, primarily for alleged violations of its terms of service, with 125 of these filed in 2013.<ref name="DI-26Apr2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyillini.com/news/local/article_43a45b74-ae1a-11e2-9a0d-0019bb30f31a.html |title=Suburban Express lawsuits reach 125 this year; conversation continues on Reddit |last=Ruff |first=Corinne |publisher=] |date=26 April 2013 |accessdate=27 April 2013}}</ref><ref name="Ars-26Apr2013">{{cite web|url=http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/express-to-internet-hate-bus-company-threatens-redditor-with-lawsuit/ |title=
Express to Internet Hate: Bus company threatens redditor with lawsuit |last=Gallagher |first=Sean |publisher=] |date=26 April 2013 |accessdate=27 April 2013}}</ref> including failing to pay penalty fares of $100 for presenting invalid or misdated tickets, or for canceling payment for buses that did not show up.<ref name="News-Gazette-26Apr2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-04-26/bus-firms-lawsuits-criticized.html |title= Express to Internet Hate: Bus company threatens redditor with lawsuit |last=Gallagher |first=Sean |publisher=] |date=26 April 2013 |accessdate=27 April 2013}}</ref><ref name="News-Gazette-26Apr2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-04-26/bus-firms-lawsuits-criticized.html |title=
Bus firm's lawsuits criticized |last=Brumleve |first=Will |publisher=News-Gazette |date=26 April 2013 |accessdate=27 April 2013}}</ref> Students and journalists have questioned the company's practice of filing lawsuits in neighboring ], rather than in ],<ref name="News-Gazette-26Apr2013"/><ref name="DI-26Apr2013"/> as students at ] are not entitled to aid from Student Legal Services for lawsuits outside of county boundaries.<ref name="News-Gazette-26Apr2013"/> Bus firm's lawsuits criticized |last=Brumleve |first=Will |publisher=News-Gazette |date=26 April 2013 |accessdate=27 April 2013}}</ref> Students and journalists have questioned the company's practice of filing lawsuits in neighboring ], rather than in ],<ref name="News-Gazette-26Apr2013"/><ref name="DI-26Apr2013"/> as students at ] are not entitled to aid from Student Legal Services for lawsuits outside of county boundaries.<ref name="News-Gazette-26Apr2013"/>


In April 2013, a Reddit moderator accused Suburban Express of using ] accounts to post favorable comments and attack those posting negative ones. Suburban Express threatened to sue the moderator claiming he was making libelous comments and removing genuine comments that support the bus company. After Suburban Express received negative reactions in the media, it withdrew its threat of lawsuit against the moderator and also withdrew the 125 lawsuits it had filed against its customers.<ref name="SubEx_BoingBoing">{{cite news| url=http://boingboing.net/2013/04/27/suburban-express-bus-line-send.html | work=BoingBoing | title=Suburban Express bus-line sends bullying, cowardly legal threat to Reddit, discovers Streisand Effect | first=Cory | last=Doctorow | date=2013-04-27}}</ref><ref name="Ars-26Apr2013"/><ref name="SubEx_Popehat">{{cite news| url=http://www.popehat.com/2013/04/28/suburban-express-took-the-first-bus-to-the-streisand-effect-have-they-disembarked-in-time/ | work=Popehat.com | title=Suburban Express Took The First Bus To The Streisand Effect. Have They Disembarked In Time? | first=Ken | last=White | date=2013-04-28}}</ref> This incident was called an example of the ] in ]<ref name="SubEx_BoingBoing"/> and ].<ref name="Ars-26Apr2013"/> In early 2013, after Suburban Express received negative reactions in the media and sparred with online critics, it withdrew its threat of lawsuit against a website moderator and withdrew 125 pending lawsuits.<ref name="SubEx_BoingBoing">{{cite news| url=http://boingboing.net/2013/04/27/suburban-express-bus-line-send.html | work=BoingBoing | title=Suburban Express bus-line sends bullying, cowardly legal threat to Reddit, discovers Streisand Effect | first=Cory | last=Doctorow | date=2013-04-27}}</ref><ref name="Ars-26Apr2013"/><ref name="SubEx_Popehat">{{cite news| url=http://www.popehat.com/2013/04/28/suburban-express-took-the-first-bus-to-the-streisand-effect-have-they-disembarked-in-time/ | work=Popehat.com | title=Suburban Express Took The First Bus To The Streisand Effect. Have They Disembarked In Time? | first=Ken | last=White | date=2013-04-28}}</ref> This incident was called an example of the ] in ]<ref name="SubEx_BoingBoing"/> and ].<ref name="Ars-26Apr2013"/>


==Routes== ==Routes==

Revision as of 02:24, 19 May 2013

Illini Shuttle, operated by Suburban Express, at Illinois Terminal in Champaign, Illinois.
Founded1983
Headquarters714 S Sixth Street
Champaign, Illinois 61820
Service areaIllinois, Indiana, Iowa
Service typeIntercity coach service
Destinations6 Universities served and Chicago Suburbs
Chief executiveDennis Toeppen, President
Websitehttp://www.suburbanexpress.com

Suburban Express is a bus company that serves six universities in the Mid-Western United States. It was founded in 1983 by Dennis Toeppen, then a student of the University of Illinois (UIUC). At first the University would not sell Suburban Express tickets, since it gained a commission from competitor Greyhound; however, by 1985, Suburban Express accounted for half the tickets sold at the UIUC travel center.

Suburban Express has been criticized online on Yelp and Reddit for "cutthroat business practices," including a $100 fine for using a ticket on the wrong day or for the wrong destination and suing 125 of its own customers.

History

Suburban Express was founded in 1983 by Dennis Toeppen as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois. At that time, the UIUC travel center sold Greyhound tickets exclusively (earning a commission on the transactions) and initially disallowed Suburban Express ticket sales at the travel center. Suburban Express undercut Greyhound's ticket prices, and an ensuing price-war led both Suburban Express and Greyhound to decrease prices more than fifty percent. Suburban Express survived two Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) investigations initiated by Greyhound, and its ticket sales reached parity with Greyhound by 1985. The travel center began allowing Suburban Express tickets to compensate for lost Greyhound commission revenues, and the service expanded to Eastern Illinois University (1985), and Illinois State University (1989).

From 1994 to 2013, Suburban Express filed 204 lawsuits, primarily for alleged violations of its terms of service, with 125 of these filed in 2013. Students and journalists have questioned the company's practice of filing lawsuits in neighboring Ford County, rather than in Champaign County, as students at UIUC are not entitled to aid from Student Legal Services for lawsuits outside of county boundaries.

In early 2013, after Suburban Express received negative reactions in the media and sparred with online critics, it withdrew its threat of lawsuit against a website moderator and withdrew 125 pending lawsuits. This incident was called an example of the Streisand Effect in Boing Boing and Ars Technica.

Routes

Suburban Express serves six midwest universities: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois State University, Eastern Illinois University, Purdue University, University of Iowa, and Indiana University. Weekend services transport students from all six campuses directly to several Suburban Chicago locations. The Illini Shuttle runs every day from Champaign and Urbana to the Chicago Airports of O'Hare and Chicago suburbs. Suburban Express is a "virtual" bus company, in that it does not own any buses or facilities, but instead contracts buses from other carriers.

References

  2. ^ Gallagher, Sean (26 April 2013). "Express to Internet Hate: Bus company threatens redditor with lawsuit". Ars Technica. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  3. ^ Fare wars - Bus service run by student butts heads with Greyhound. Dan Rozek. Daily Herald. Chicago, Illinois. Sunday, October 20, 1985. Page 20.
  4. Russell's Guide September 1999 - GLI Schedule 397 removed from publication
  5. ^ Ruff, Corinne (26 April 2013). "Suburban Express lawsuits reach 125 this year; conversation continues on Reddit". Daily Illini. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  6. ^ Brumleve, Will (26 April 2013). "Bus firm's lawsuits criticized". News-Gazette. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  7. ^ Doctorow, Cory (2013-04-27). "Suburban Express bus-line sends bullying, cowardly legal threat to Reddit, discovers Streisand Effect". BoingBoing.
  8. White, Ken (2013-04-28). "Suburban Express Took The First Bus To The Streisand Effect. Have They Disembarked In Time?". Popehat.com.
  9. Special Weekend Service Between U of I and Chicago Suburbs
  10. Illini Shuttle service between Champaign and Chicago Airports

External links

Categories: