She’s not asking for the world. Just a check.
After nine months of unanswered calls, shifting timelines, and countless assurances, Roseanne Dawson is still waiting.

“I just want my money back,” she says, clutching a folder full of notes and call logs. The total? $598 — two tickets for a trip that never happened. The company? American Heritage Trails, a local bus travel operator now under increasing public scrutiny.

“It Was Cancelled—But Not My Bill”

Dawson booked an overnight excursion to Frankenmuth, Michigan in the fall of 2024 — her second trip with American Heritage Trails after a pleasant summer jaunt to St. Joseph.

That positive experience gave her confidence. The bus was clean. The guide was friendly. The ride smooth.

But two weeks before her next adventure, on October 17, 2024, she received an abrupt notice: the trip was canceled.

No explanation. No new date. No refund.

“They just said it wasn’t happening and that I’d be receiving a refund in four to six weeks,” Dawson recalls. “It’s been nine months.”

A Pattern Emerges: From Day-Trippers to Junior Olympians

Dawson’s situation might have remained isolated — a one-off complaint in a logbook — if not for a July 2025 report by 21Investigates, which revealed eerily similar issues experienced by a local youth track team.

That team had hired American Heritage Trails to transport athletes to Georgia for the Junior Olympics. But the team was left stranded amid chaotic last-minute changes and, once again, spotty communication from the company.

When Dawson saw the report, her jaw dropped.

“I had to look at the piece twice to make sure it was the same company. And it was. They were telling them the exact same things they told me — word for word.”

A Recurring Script

• “We’re checking with the owner.”

• “You’ll get the check in two weeks.”

• “It’s already in the mail.”

• “Call back next month.”

“Every time I called, it was the same runaround,” Dawson says. “The promises changed, but the money never came.”

21Investigates Attempts Contact — Again

After their initial report on the stranded athletes, 21Investigates renewed efforts to speak with American Heritage Trails’ ownership — this time on Dawson’s behalf. But as before, calls went to voicemail. Some were left on hold indefinitely.

No comment. No explanation. No refund.

Multiple Community Complaints

“It’s Not Just About the Money”

For Dawson, $598 isn’t insignificant. But she’s just as frustrated by what she sees as a lack of respect and accountability.

“I’ve spent hours on hold, on voicemails, calling, waiting, hoping,” she says. “It’s exhausting. It’s like they’re counting on you giving up.”

She hasn’t. She’s documented every call since October. Her folder includes names of staff, timestamps of calls, even printouts of previous promotional emails.

But what she doesn’t have is a check.

The Emotional Toll of Unresolved Trust

At its core, this story isn’t just about money. It’s about trust — the kind that builds when a community relies on local transportation for travel, tourism, and connection.

“They used to be reliable,” Dawson says. “Now I don’t know what happened. Something changed.”

What She Tried

• Calling monthly: Logged 13 separate calls since October 2024.

• Requesting confirmation in writing: None provided.

• Asking for owner contact: Denied or deferred.

• Following up via media: Still waiting for results.

“I never thought I’d be one of those people calling the news,” she chuckles wearily. “But when I saw it was happening to kids too? I knew it wasn’t just me.”

Industry Regulation and Local Oversight?

There’s no indication that American Heritage Trails is under formal investigation, but the growing number of complaints — many public, some still anonymous — is drawing attention.

A spokesperson for the Indiana Attorney General’s office declined to comment on individual businesses but noted that “consumer refund complaints for canceled travel services have seen an uptick across the region in the past 12 months.”

Still, customers like Dawson feel left to navigate the system alone.

“I don’t want to sue anybody. I don’t want to be mean. I just want to be paid back for a trip I didn’t get to take.”

What Happens Now?

With no refund in sight and no new statement from American Heritage Trails, Dawson is exploring additional options — from reporting to the Better Business Bureau to contacting small claims court.

But what she really wants is simple:

“Just send me the check. And stop doing this to other people.”