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A good friend's daughter is in a bad way.

Not to get into too many irrelevant details, but... She was sent to Arizona to dry out, ended up getting ripped off and is currently living in a shelter. She has no money, and no photo ID.

I'm trying to get her back to Colorado as soon as possible; she's in danger staying where she is, and sending her money will likely increase that danger.

Greyhound sells "will call" tickets on their website. However, they appear to require the traveler to have a photo ID in order to pick them up. Given Greyhound doesn't normally ask for ID, I'm hoping there is a way around this requirement.

Ideas?

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  • I am sorry if I am not getting this right, but couldn't you just buy the ticket and send her the ticket number? The ticket number is all you need nowadays. You can even check her in through the website of the airline and send her the boarding by email.
    – Nean Der Thal
    May 6, 2014 at 10:00
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    Greyhound is a bus company - and most importantly, a form of transportation that doesn't normally insist on passengers having a photo ID, which is a show-stopper for airline travel.
    – Shog9
    May 7, 2014 at 17:42

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I think you might be able to use a password instead. See Greyhound's Purchase Options page:

Gift Ticket Orders (GTO) are available for purchase on this website. GTO allows you to purchase a ticket online for another person. This ticket is delivered to the departure bus station, under the following criteria:

  • The buyer pays a non-refundable gift ticket fee at time of purchase, regardless of number of tickets purchased
  • Tickets may not be sent outside the U.S.
  • Both stations must be open at the time of the transaction and of ticket pick-up
  • Buyer and recipient should allow three hours from time of purchase to departure time to complete the transaction
  • Appropriate ID or a password is required to pick up the ticket [emphasis added!]
  • Only the purchaser may cancel the ticket or apply for a refund

Ah, yeah, I'm pretty sure now. See also the "Will Call" section under "Types of Online Tickets":

Will Call tickets allow you to purchase a ticket online and then pick it up at the counter. If the credit card holder is traveling on the trip, present the credit card used for purchase, the reference number (displayed after purchase), and valid photo ID. If the credit card is not presented at the counter, a fee will apply. A non-refundable fee also applies for Will Call orders. If the credit card holder is not traveling on the trip, the reference number and valid photo ID are required to pick up tickets. You also can create a password for the traveler to use as ID. A non-refundable gift ticket fee is applied to each Will Call transaction where the credit card holder purchasing tickets is not traveling on that trip. [Emphasis added again, obvs.]

Hope this works out! Good luck!!

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  • 4
    The website's order form is a bit confusing here, as the mobile version doesn't offer a password option. A call to customer service revealed that the password is set to "mobile" when ordering via the mobile website, and the rep also cautioned that some drivers may still insist on ID. She's on her way to pick up the ticket now though, so... Fingers crossed.
    – Shog9
    May 6, 2014 at 15:26
  • I started to edit a couple of links, but it looks like the options have changed to the point where the whole answer should be updated.
    – choster
    Jun 21, 2019 at 3:48
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Is driving an option? Denver to Phoenix is a full day drive, but there's no chance of her getting into trouble on the way back. By bus, she has to get to the station, get (and keep) her ticket, and deal with the long trip and the likely transfer. She will need some money for en-route expenses too. I can see a lot of things going wrong rather quickly, esp. if she's unstable.

If you drive down there, she's in the passenger seat (and your care) from the shelter door to her parent's place.

Look at rental cars with unlimited miles if your own vehicle is a bit gas-hungry.

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    Yeah, that's currently our backup plan; depending on how things shake out, might end up being a combination of the two.
    – Shog9
    May 6, 2014 at 15:34

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