We chartered three (3) buses from USA Caribbean Tours Corp to take our students to Universal Studios for Grad Night on May 1, 2026--and what followed was an absolute disaster.
The buses showed up late, and literally as soon as we left the school, one of them broke down. All three buses had to pull over and wait. That should've been our first warning sign. Eventually, we were told it was "fixed" and got back on the road. Keep in mind--we had to be at Universal by 4:00 PM, it was already 1:00 PM, and it's about a 4-hour drive. Do the math.
About an hour later, the SAME bus breaks down again. This time we're stuck at a rest stop, where we're told that ALL THREE buses have no air conditioning. Yes--no A/C, in Florida, in 90-degree weather. A bus full of students and chaperones just sitting there sweating. Totally acceptable, right?
After waiting around 45 minutes for a "mobile mechanic" to change a filter, we're back on the road... briefly. Not long after, the bus starts failing AGAIN and can barely go 15 mph on the Turnpike. Now we're not just uncomfortable--we're a safety hazard, backing up traffic so badly that a Florida Highway Patrol trooper has to escort us off the road.
At the next stop, we're told the bus is done. The other two buses leave, and we're stuck waiting for a replacement. The driver casually mentions it's his FIRST time driving a double-decker bus and that he's nervous. That definitely made everyone feel better. (Sarcasm.)
We're told the backup bus is over an hour away. Time passes. It finally shows up around 7:30 PM--and here's the best part: the replacement bus arrives DAMAGED...CRASHED!!! The driver had gotten into an accident on the way to us and was missing a headlight and part of the front of the bus. You honestly can't make this up.
At that point, the trip is a lost cause. The kids completely miss Grad Night, and the decision is made to head back to Miami... on that same damaged bus, at night, with no headlight. Completely safe, right?
We finally got back around 10:00 PM after nearly 10 hours of this chaos. The entire event was ruined.
And if you think the experience couldn't get worse--the company's response was completely nonchalant. Parents tried calling the number listed online (305-323-6939) and got a disconnected line. When I finally reached a manager ("Dani"), she downplayed everything, claimed she only knew about "intermittent A/C issues," and acted surprised about the breakdowns and the crashed replacement bus--then asked me to send photos because she didn't believe it.
So here you go--photos included. Sending it here so EVERYONE CAN SEE!!!!!!
Bottom line: this company clearly does not maintain their buses, their A/C doesn't work, their drivers are inexperienced, and apparently accidents don't even get reported. Worst of all, they don't seem to care.
There are plenty of other charter companies in Miami. Do yourself a favor and use literally any of them instead.
This is their USDOT Number: 3650940 and MC-1452531 read more