CHARLOTTE, NC - Being in the top 99.5% sounds good. Except, when it's the unsafe driving record for a discount bus service in Charlotte.

General Bus, Inc. received its federal operating license in May.  Since then, the company has been handed multiple safety violations.  They also have a direct connection to another bus line involved in a deadly crash.

"Because you pay only $40 for a trip, only for one way," said Anna Cruz, who used to live in Charlotte. Now she visits her father from New York City, traveling by bus.

According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration inspection reports, several motor coach companies operating out of Charlotte have a terrible safety record.

"Yeah, this is scary," said Cruz. "When you think, like something happened before, it's like 'oh my God,' only God save me."

Cruz is talking about a deadly crash in Virginia last May, involving Sky Express. The New York bus company had a stop in Charlotte, before the Transportation Department shut it down .

Now, five different bus lines operate from the Queen City: Apex Bus, I95 Coach, Oriental Pearl, Bus Pearl, and Brothers Bus Line.  Of those five, only Brothers Bus Line is listed under the federal motor carrier safety adminstration. 

However, Apex and I95 have the same pick up time and location at a hotel along I-85 in West Charlotte.

The licensed bus that stopped Sunday night belongs to Happy Go Travel Bus, Inc. out of Philadelphia. According to government records, the company is in the top 20% for fatigued driving violations. Its also being investigated for a controlled substance and alcohol violation.

Some New York City bound passengers don't mind. "Well guess what, Greyhound gets bad marks," said a rider named Barbara. "Flights get bad marks, we're good."

FOX Charlotte found Oriental Pearl and Bus Pearl also share a pick up location. The bus stop is the same place Sky Express used when it operated, off Independence Blvd.

The new discount bus company doing business out of that location, General Bus, Inc. went into business just as federal investigators were in the process of shutting down Sky Express last May.

"We're trying to find out if you're the same company as sky express?" asked FOX Charlotte's Marvin Beach as the General Bus driver loaded up passengers on Sunday.  "No," the bus driver answered.

Despite denying any connection to Sky Express, FOX Charlotte discovered General Bus, Inc also has the same New York City store front that Sky once had.

Two different insurance companies have canceled their policy with General Bus, Inc. since May.

As for Happy Go Travel Bus, Inc. passengers told FOX Charlotte the drivers often talk on their cell phones.