Suburban Express

Suburban Express is a bus company that operates in the Midwest United States. The company has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons over the past few years. In 2018, the company was sued by the Illinois Attorney General for engaging in discriminatory practices against students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Suburban Express has also been accused of poor customer service, fraud, and harassment. In this article, we will take a closer look at Suburban Express and the controversies surrounding the company.

Background

Suburban Express was founded in 1983 and started as a reasonably small operation. The company aimed to provide affordable transportation to surrounding areas for University of Illinois students. The business slowly grew in size, and they began offering routes further out from the university. The company advertised to their day-tripper and commuter audience.

Discriminatory Practices

In December 2017, Suburban Express was involved in a lawsuit filed by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. The lawsuit claimed that the company engaged in discriminatory practices. The company advertised a clause that prohibited students from using their service, which allegedly targeted non-White and non-Christian students. The lawsuit came after numerous complaints from students who felt that they were being targeted by the company.

In May 2018, Suburban Express settled the lawsuit and agreed to pay a settlement of $100,000. As part of the settlement agreement, the company was also required to remove the discriminatory clause from their website and buses.

Fraud Allegations

In addition to the discrimination allegations, Suburban Express has also been accused of fraud. In 2016, the company was caught charging customers more than advertised rates. The company had posted false rates on their website, and customers were paying more than what they expected. Suburban Express was fined $10,000 by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office for the fraudulent actions.

Harassment Claims

The company has faced criticism from customers who have reported poor customer service and harassment. A former employee of Suburban Express claimed to have witnessed the owner, Dennis Toeppen, verbally harassing and abusing employees and customers. The allegations were reported to the press, and Toeppen later admitted to the harassment.

Suburban Express has also been accused of using social media to harass customers. The company has a reputation for attacking negative online reviews and deleting negative comments from their social media pages.

Conclusion

Suburban Express is a controversial bus company that has faced numerous allegations over the past few years. The company has been accused of discriminatory practices, fraud, and harassment. The company settled a lawsuit in 2018 for discriminatory practices, and has been fined for fraud. Despite the controversies surrounding the company, Suburban Express is still in business and continues to operate in the Midwest. As consumers, we must educate ourselves on the businesses we patronize and hold them accountable for their actions.