KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A good Samaritan named Keith Richardson said that on Thursday, around 12 people scheduled to ride a Greyhound bus spent hours at a hotel without a room.
The bus was scheduled to leave Wednesday night, but Greyhound said there was a mix-up with drivers, and the bus did not leave until Thursday night.
A spokesperson said people were stranded at the Red Roof Inn on Papermill Drive because of a scheduling issue.
"Red Roof Inn couldn't give them a room because they didn't have evidence that Greyhound would pay for it, then Greyhound quit answering the texts from the passengers," said Richardson.
When wait times are longer than usual, Greyhound said lodging is usually provided. But when ten passengers arrived at the hotel, apparently there was a mistake.
None of them got a room from the company. A few people used their own money to book a room so they could each get showers. Richardson, who lives in Knoxville, volunteered his time to help. He made sure they got hot meals from Waffle House and Buddy's Bar-b-que.
He said for 24 hours, people waited in the lobby until hotel staff moved them to a waiting room.
Greyhound says it operates an intricate network of buses that depend on the availability of alternative buses and drivers, should a bus' arrival or departure need to be canceled for any reason.
Recently, the bus stop in Knoxville has also been moved away from its original location near The Old City to a location off Cherry Street in East Knoxville. That location is near several gas stations but does not have a building.