Use Agreement

This Use Agreement represents the entirety of the agreement between the User, the Service Provider of highwaybus.com (the Website), and bus ticket companies with respect to the use of the Website.

Definitions

The “Service” refers to highwaybus.com, which the Service Provider owns and operates for the purpose of providing an online highway bus reservation service and other related services. 
The “User” refers to an individual who makes a member registration or reservation via the Website after accepting this Use Agreement. 
3. “Non-member reservations” refers to cases where the User uses the Website on a one-off basis. In non-member reservations, the User does not register as a member, but they do register their name, email address, and telephone number. Even in non-member reservations, this Use Agreement shall apply.

Scope of Use Agreement

Article 1.
This Use Agreement applies to the User’s use of the Service. By clicking on the “Agree” button, the User is acknowledging that he/she accepted this Use Agreement and agrees to be bound by its provisions.

Article 2.
Business systems related to the handling of highway bus tickets purchased or reserved via the Website and other operational matters shall be governed by the terms and conditions stipulated by the relevant bus operating company. Therefore, any issues related to fare collection or other such matters shall be dealt with between the User and the company that collected the fare from the User.

Scope of Service

Article 3.
1. The User may use the services listed below; however, the User may be required to register, or submit on a one-off basis, their credit card information when using the services under items iii, iv, v, vi, and vii:
(i) view and reserve vacant seats;
(ii) confirm, change, and delete the details of the reservation;
(iii) purchase bus tickets by credit card;
(iv) display “WEB tickets” or “mobile phone tickets”;
(v) obtain a refund of the amount paid under item iii;
 (vi) purchase (pay), use, or obtain refunds for WEB carnet tickets (registered members only);
 (vii) use the Website’s loyalty point services (registered members only);
(viii) alter membership information; and
 (ix) deregister membership.
2. The highway bus reservation service, which is provided as part of the Service, covers routes, bus services, and seats for which the relevant bus operating company has granted permission.
3. The Service can be accessed using a PC, smartphone, tablet, or similar device; however, it might not be possible to access the Service on certain devices.
4. The Service Provider may add services to or remove services from the items listed in paragraph 1 upon issuing notice as stipulated in Article 4.
5. The Service is provided free of charge. The User will not be charged any commission for using the Service; however, the User is responsible for any communication charges arising from the use of the Service.
6. The Service is available to use 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; however, the operating hours may be changed when it is judged necessary to temporarily cease or suspend the operation of the Website for maintenance or another reason. In addition, the operating hours may be changed when the provision of the Service becomes impossible due to unavoidable circumstances. The Service Provider shall assume no responsibility for any disadvantage or damage incurred by the User as a result of the temporary cessation or suspension of the Service.

Notice to Users

Article 4.
Notices to the User concerning the operation of the Website (changes to the Agreement, the addition of services, alteration to services, removal of services, etc.) shall be posted on the Website. The User shall be deemed to have been fully notified the moment said notice is displayed on the home page of the Website.

Account Details

Article 5.
The Website shall assign to the User “Account Details” that will enable use of the Service.
“Account Details” refers to the username and password that the User submitted when registering as a member.
In the case of non-member reservations, “Account Details” refers to the User’s name, email address, telephone number, departure date, and bus number.


Registering Account

Article 6.
1. Those who wish to register an account (“Applicant”), must register as a member through the procedure specified on the Website (“Application”).
2. The Applicant shall ensure that the personal details they provide are completely accurate, and they shall agree to keep their registered personal details constantly up-to-date, complete, and accurate in accordance with the terms of this Use Agreement.
3. If the delivery of any service listed in Article 3 becomes hindered as a result of the User submitting deficient or inaccurate information during their Application, the Service Provider may suspend the affected service(s) without prior notice. The Service Provider shall assume no responsibility whatsoever for any disadvantage the User may suffer as a result of such suspension.
4. If the User’s personal details have changed since the time of Application, they shall promptly update their registered details through the designated procedure.
5. The User acknowledges and agrees in advance that, if they neglect to undertake the update procedure mentioned in the preceding paragraph, and if the notice issued by the Website fails to arrive, said notice will be deemed to have been given at the time when the notice should normally have arrived.
6. Using a database that it manages itself, the Service Provider stores details that the User submits during the Application as well as any information it obtains from the User during the User’s use of the Service; however, this does not apply to items listed in Article 7.


Consignment of Credit Card Payment Operations

Article 7.
1. The Service Provider consigns credit card payment operations to Sony Payment Services Inc. (“SPS”).
2. The User shall authorize SPS to make substitute payment and shall allow the Service Provider to disclose, provide, or entrust information to SPS as necessary to process the payment.
3. When the User submits credit card information (cardholder’s name, card number, end date, security code), this information is entered into SPS’s database; Keio Dentetsu Bus Co., Ltd. does not retain any of this information.
4. The Service Provider discloses and provides to SPS any credit card information that the User has submitted during their Application before January 1, 2018, as well as any internal ID codes that cannot by themselves be used to identify the individual concerned. After disclosing and providing this credit card information, the Service Provider deletes the information and no longer retains it.


Refusing Membership

Article 8.
In the following circumstances, the Service Provider may refuse the Applicant’s Application:
(i)  the Applicant has forfeited their User status by violating the Service Provider’s Use Agreement in the past;
(ii) the Applicant has submitted false, inaccurate, or incomplete information during their Application;
(iii) the Applicant is a minor, adult ward, person under curatorship, or person under assistance, and their guardian does not consent to the Application;
(iv) the Applicant registers an email address during their Application through which the Service Provider might struggle to identify the individual; or
(v) the Service Provider otherwise deems the Applicant unsuitable as a User.


Account’s Period of Validity

Article 9.
The User’s account has an unlimited period of validity and can be used for free.
However, the Service Provider will delete the account of any User who has not made a reservation on the Website for at least one year since the day they last made such a reservation or the day they registered as a member.
In the case of non-member reservations, the account period of validity lasts until the departure date of the reserved service or until the person cancels the reservation.


Account Management

Article 10.
1. After Application, the User is entirely responsible for using and managing the account that the Website assigned to them. The User is not permitted to allow a third party to use their account, or to assign, transfer, change the holder name of, sell, pawn, or otherwise dispose of their account.
2. The User shall be liable for any damage they may incur as a result of mismanaging or misusing their account, allowing a third party to use it, or committing any act of a similar nature; the Service Provider shall assume no responsibility whatsoever for such damage.
3. If the User learns that their Account Details have been stolen or that they are being used by a third party, they shall promptly notify the Service Provider and comply with any instruction the Service Provider may issue in response.
4. The Service Provider shall assume no responsibility whatsoever for any damage the User may incur as a result of a third party using their Account Details. If the third party uses any of the Website’s services through the User’s account, the Service Provider shall deem that the User has used the said service(s), and the User shall be entirely responsible for settling any purchases that third party may have made and any other liabilities arising from the said use.
5. The provisions of the above paragraph also apply to non-member reservations.


Prohibited Acts

Article 11.
1. When using the Service, the User shall refrain from engaging in the following acts:
(i) any act that damages or is likely to damage the Service Provider or a bus operating company;
(ii) improperly using Account Details;
(iii) using via the Service or in connection with the Service, or transmitting to the Website any harmful program such as a virus or corrupt file;
(iv) any act that constitutes or is likely to constitute inconvenience or disadvantage to a third party, an outrage of public decency or order, or a violation of any law or ordinance;
(v) making a double-booking or any other improper reservation on the reservation service provided via the Website; and
(vi) any other act that the Service Provider deems inappropriate.
2. The User shall refrain from engaging in the following acts with respect to the company that issued the credit card that the User registered as the method of payment:
(i) using a false name when entering credit card details;
(ii) using another person’s card improperly or violating the rules prescribed by the relevant card company; and
(iii) any other act that the relevant card company or financial institution deems inappropriate.


Suspension/Revocation of User Status

Article 12.
1. If any of the following items apply, the Service Provider may immediately and without prior notice suspend or prospectively revoke the User’s status as User of the Service; however, if the User used the Service prior to the date when their Application was revoked or when their Account Details were deleted and if, moreover, an agreement for the use of services or purchase of goods (“Purchase Agreement”) as stipulated under Article 3 has taken effect, the User shall be liable toward the Service Provider with respect to the said Purchase Agreement:
(i) it comes to light that the User entered false information in their Application;
(ii) the User engaged in an act that constitutes a prohibited act under Article 11;
(iii) the User violated the provisions of this Use Agreement;
(iv) it has become impossible to contact the User due to a change in the User’s email or postal address;
(v) the User disrupted the operation of the Website; and
(vi) the Service Provider otherwise deems that the User’s behavior is unbecoming of a User.
2. The Service Provider shall assume no responsibility for any damage the User may incur from no longer being able to use the Service as a result of the Service Provider taking the measures stipulated in the preceding paragraph.


Forfeiture of User Status

Article 13.
If the User wishes to discontinue use of the Service, the User shall personally issue notice to this effect to the Service Provider in accordance with the designated procedure. The user status shall be deemed forfeit pursuant to the provisions of this Use Agreement once the Website issues a use discontinuance notice by email or other means; however, even after forfeiture of user status, the provisions of this Use Agreement shall apply in respect of any Services the User may have used prior to said forfeiture.
In the following circumstances, the above notice may be issued through a proxy:
the User has died; or
the Service Provider otherwise deems it appropriate for a proxy to issue the notice.


Reservations

Article 14.
1. A tentative reservation shall be deemed to have taken effect when a reservation completion mail is transmitted to the User or when the reservation appears on the Website’s reservation confirmation screen. However, where the desired bus ticket(s) can be purchased at either the bus operator’s designated point of purchase or via the Website, the reserved bus ticket(s) will be unusable until the User has purchased said ticket(s) via the Website. The Service Provider will not be responsible for guaranteeing against cases where the User or other travelers were unable to use the desired bus service(s) because the User did not purchase the ticket(s).
2. A reservation will come into effect when the User purchases the bus ticket(s).
3. There shall be a time limit on tentative reservations for certain routes. Where the time limit applies, the tentative reservation shall be cancelled if the User has not purchased the bus ticket(s) by the deadline.


Ticket Payment/Issuance and Refunding on the Website

Article 15.
1. Regarding ticket payment/issuance via the Website, a transaction concerning the purchase and issuance of a ticket shall be deemed to have taken effect when a bus ticket issuance mail is transmitted to the User or when the issuance of the ticket is confirmed on the Website’s confirmation screen.
2. Refunds for tickets issued via the Website shall be handled through the procedure specified on the Website; however, there shall be a cutoff date after which no refund shall be granted.
3. The commission fee pertaining to the refund shall be in accordance with the transportation agreement of the operating company.


Loyalty Point System

Article 16.
1. Keio Dentetsu Bus Co., Ltd. (the Company), under whose authority the highwaybus.com’s executive secretariat operates, shall award, at its own determined ratio, highwaybus.com loyalty points (“points”) to registered Users who use any service that it has separately stipulated as a point-earning service.
2. Registered Users can use points to pay for a portion of any service that the Company has separately stipulated as a redeemable service; however, this shall not apply to certain cases that the Company may have stipulated.
3. Any matter concerning the loyalty point system that is not stipulated herein shall be determined in accordance with the Company’s “highwaybus.com Loyalty Point Agreement.”


The User’s Responsibilities

Article 17.
1. The User is responsible for managing their Account Details or password in such a way that they are not used improperly. The Service Provider shall assume no responsibility whatsoever for any impropriety or dispute that may arise in relation to the User’s abovementioned responsibility.
2. The User shall prepare a suitable environment (device, software, etc.) for using the Service at their own risk and cost.
3. The Service Provider shall assume no responsibility for any defects in the Service or effects created by such defects (including disruption in the User’s provider/ communication line or defects in the User’s device, etc.) that are attributable to the User’s facilities.
4. The User shall observe the provisions of this Use Agreement, and generally accepted etiquette, ethics, and technical rules related to the use of the Internet. In the case that the Service Provider incurs damage as a result of the User violating the provisions of this Use Agreement or engaging in any improper or illegal act, the Service Provider may suspend the User’s use of the Service or pursue damages.
5. The User acknowledges and agrees in advance that if the Website, a bus operating company, or a third party incurs damage as a result of the User violating the provisions of this Use Agreement, a Purchase Agreement, or any law or ordinance, the User shall be responsible for compensating said damage, and the Service Provider, bus operating company, and third party shall be exempted from such responsibility.
6. In the case that the Service Provider, a bus operating company, or a third party incurs damage as a result of the User engaging in any act stipulated in Article 11, the User shall continue to bear all legal responsibilities even after forfeiting their user status.


The Service Provider’s Responsibilities

Article 18.
1. While the Service Provider will make all efforts to settle any ambiguities or disputes arising in connection with the Service or related services through good faith negotiation between the parties, it shall assume no responsibility and make no guarantees concerning such.
2. The Service Provider shall assume no responsibility concerning whether reservation details the User sends will properly reach the Website or whether the reservation details received on the Website match the details that the User sent.
3. The User acknowledges that cipher processing necessary for the use of the Service may not be absolutely safe.
4. The Service Provider shall assume no responsibility for any damage incurred by the User as a result of using the Service.
5. The Service Provider shall assume no responsibility for any disadvantage or damage incurred by the User or a third party as a result of the Service becoming subject to a delay, alteration, temporary cessation, suspension, termination, access restriction, discontinuance, or similar event.


Alterations to the Service

Article 19.
1. When deemed necessary concerning the operation of the Service, the Service Provider may, at its discretion, restrict access to the Service.
2. In one or more of the following cases, the Service Provider may temporarily cease or suspend the operation of the Service without providing prior notice to the User:
(i) there is routine or emergency maintenance of the system connected to the Service;
(ii) the normal provision of the Service has become impossible due to an emergency situation such as war, rioting, public unrest, a labor dispute, an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, flooding, a tsunami, a fire, or a power blackout; and
(iii) it is otherwise deemed that, due to operational or technical circumstances, the Company must temporarily cease or suspend its services or that the Website’s provision of such services is unviable.
3. The Service Provider may transfer the operation of the Service to its affiliated company without requiring the prior consent of the User.
4. When the Service is subject to alteration, suspension, or temporary cessation, the Service Provider shall provide the User notice to this effect; however, this provision shall not apply in emergency situations.


Ownership of Rights

Article 20.
The Service Provider owns the rights to all programs, software, services, procedures, trademarks and trade names, and services provided under the Service, as well as the general technology associated with such, and the User shall refrain from engaging in any act that infringes on said rights.


The Service Provider’s Secretariat

Article 21.
The Service Provider’s secretariat shall be established in Keio Dentetsu Bus Co., Ltd.


Protection of Personal Information

Article 22.
Personal information handled by the Service Provider shall be governed by the separately stipulated “Personal Information Protection Policy.”


Inquiries

Article 23.
The User may contact the following address for any questions, complaints, or opinions regarding the Service, or any inquiry about the handling of personal information. However, the following contact address shall only be for inquiries related to the Service; inquiries about highway bus operations and services, complaints about bus operating companies, and similar inquiries shall not be accepted. User inquiries about highway bus operations and services shall be directed toward the bus operating company(ies) pertaining to the relevant route(s). The Service Provider shall be under no obligation to respond to inquiries that are not related to the Service.


Updated on January 24, 2018.


highwaybus.com’s executive secretariat: Transport Management Division, Keio Dentetsu Bus Co., Ltd.
Telephone: 042-352-3716
Operating hours: 9:00 A.M – 8:00 P.M.
E-mail: info@highwaybus.com
*It may take time to respond to the inquiry.