First Charter Bus Rental - West Valley Reviews 20

TrustScore 2 out of 5

2.2

11233 San Fernando Road, 91340 San Fernando, CA, US


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See what reviewers are saying

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

First Charter was very accommodating, especially since the bus request was for after regular business hours. They were also fair and equitable in solving a billing issue.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Whenever I need First Student to get a bus for a trip, they always come through for me. Keep up the good work. Thank you

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Mr. Valdez was an awesome driver and he was very patient with the 50 kids or so that we brought on the bus.


Company details

  1. Bus and Coach Company
  2. Bus Charter

About First Charter Bus Rental - West Valley

Written by the company

Think Yellow for your next event.

From field trips and party buses to corporate events and conventions to national organizations and non-profits, choosing yellow is the fun and flexible choice for all types of groups and destinations. School bus rental prices range from $85 to $125* per hour.

First Student is North America’s largest and most trusted provider of chartered yellow school bus transportation because we have the best drivers, buses and customer service.

The best buses

Because we have North America’s largest fleet, we are able to provide you with the best, newest and cleanest buses in the industry.

The best drivers

Most of your experience comes down to the driver, and we take our responsibility to provide you with a safe, respectful and caring professional driver, very seriously. We have a thorough screening and selection process to ensure we hire only the best and a continual training program to make them even better.

The best customer service

First Student has dedicated charter centers across North America, staffed with transportation professionals who know your region and are ready to partner with you on your most complex transportation needs.

*Location prices vary. Minimum trip time and other restrictions may apply.

Your Event
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Contact info

  • 11233 San Fernando Road, 91340, San Fernando, CA, United States

  • 800-309-1421

2.2

Poor

TrustScore 2 out of 5

20 reviews

5-star
4-star
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1-star

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Time is of the essence

We have used First Charter for years and will continue to use the services, but this time there were a lot of issues.
On the freeway section of the trip up, the driver was nodding off. For the return trip, the bus was over an hour late and did not have enough fule so we had to stop to refuel in order to make it to our destination. The reason for the delay was different from the driver than the yard. The driver admitted that he had left the yard left. The yard said that there were road closures, but the driver confirmed that there were none.

February 14, 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Job well done.

Whenever I need First Student to get a bus for a trip, they always come through for me. Keep up the good work. Thank you

January 15, 2024
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Awesome

Mr. Valdez was an awesome driver and he was very patient with the 50 kids or so that we brought on the bus.

January 27, 2023
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

The bus was 30 minutes late arriving

The bus was 30 minutes late arriving. I called First Student and had two conversations with customer service reps who also had conversations with dispatch attempting to find out what the problem was. The driver told dispatch that he arrived at Chandler but did not know where to park because there were no parking signs posted. Supposedly he called the contact phone number on the confirmation paperwork but could not get through, and the teacher (contact I provided) said she had no missed calls. Dispatch told me that he parked around the corner however he was unable to find his way back, making me wonder if he actually made it to Chandler in the first place.
My third phone call was to dispatch and I had to give them very specific directions to the address that was on the original request. (He was at the intersection just east of the school and was wondering where to go. I told them he needed to continue west on the same street, Seco St. from Lincoln Ave., toward the next block, closer to the Rosebowl.)
According to the teachers on the trip, the bus was dirty - there was candy and trash in the bus when they got on at Chandler. He relied on one of the teachers to use their GPS to get them to their destination. The driver seemed very confused about where he was going, from the time of his first arrival at Chandler, when he left, to getting the class where they needed to be.

October 27, 2022
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great Service !!!

The bus arrived on time and was very patient with us while we were still doing registration and loading the bus. Both bus drivers were cautious and took safety first when transporting our passengers.

September 23, 2022
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Wrong location and lateness

2 of the buses ended up going towards Long Beach instead of Manhattan Beach. When one of the teachers tried to re-direct the driver, she was arguing with them.
The buses were supposed to be there by 1:15 pm by they got there around 1:35 pm.

September 20, 2022
Rated 2 out of 5 stars

Our bus to the camp location broke down…

Our bus to the camp location broke down 7 times. We had no AC on the bus and it was over 100 degrees. I had many parents who were angry and worried. Rightfully so, as their children could've been hurt. The bus ride back home was pleasant but still did not make up for the danger of our bus ride there.

September 6, 2022
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

1.5 hours LATE - missed first half of the event!!!!!

The driver showed up, but while we were taking attendance of all of the students waiting in front of the school to go on the field trip, the bus driver drove off. I chased him but he didn't stop. I called the company dispatch to get him to come back, but it was 1.5 hours before a bus showed up. The students missed the first half of their event and did not get to receive the backpacks, shirts and other items that were handed out. I emailed after we returned to get a refund for the time we were charged and had no bus. Please follow up on our refund.

March 7, 2020
Unprompted review
First Charter Bus Rental - West Valley logo

Reply from First Charter Bus Rental - West Valley

I apologize for your experience and assure you this is not typical. We pride ourselves on our drivers. My name is Cesar and I run the Charter Center responsible for the Western US. Will you please call me at 848-456-0288? I want to understand more about your experience so I can take any necessary corrective action, and work to make your situation right.
Thanks,
Cesar

Cesar M. Perez
Charter Center Manager – Western United States
Cesar.perez2@firstgroup.com
Desk: 513-665-3003
Mobile: 848-456-0288

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