Whats wrong with Kelowna transit?

[gardengirl]

I think there are certainly two sides to this.
Fact: The driver was caught using his phone, which is not permitted.

Fair enough. We don't know who was on the other end of the line. Someone here has suggested that the call may have come from the someone at the bus company. Was it a test?
Was it a coincidence that this kid was there to capture it on his phone?
We don't know.

I am wondering where the kid was sitting when he took the shot. Was he creating a distraction? Was he "in the driver's face"?

We don't know these details. If the kid has a "history" with the drivers, I can understand that they would be ticked off.
That aside, I don't believe they are right to refuse him service, at least not as a reaction of what they believe he did to another driver.
If he refuses to pay, refuse him service.
If he is disruptive on the bus, make him get off.
Refusing him service is not helping the driver nor the Union's position. It appears petty and childish and lends credibility to what the kid is saying.

With regard to being fired, I do believe that is heavy handed. If this is a first offence, I believe the driver should be reprimanded in some way.

I think the aggression is misdirected. Instead of being angry at the kid for reporting the phone use incident, which undeniably occured, they should be angry at those who saw fit to fire the driver rather than employ some other type of reprimand.

[gordon_as]

Simple solution here. Watch the traffic ( not a passenger ) and drive the bus. Then everybody is safe.

Is there a link to the actual video. I have not been able to find it on youtube. Seeing it would help me to decide if Nathan was acting in an appropriate manner , or was in fact in the drivers face causing a distraction and subsequently an unsafe situation.

[gardengirl]

Simple solution here. Watch the traffic ( not a passenger ) and drive the bus. Then everybody is safe.

However, if a passenger is disruptive and distracting the driver, no one is safe. There are situations where a passenger is creating a safety issue for everyone on the bus. I am not saying that is the situation here, but it does happen.

[gordon_as]

Thanks gardengirl , I was adding something similar to that at the same time as you posted.

[kdc001]

I am a professional driver. I hold a BCDL Class 2 with 15 Endorsement. For those not familiar with the BCDL classes and endorsements, that means that I am trained and licenced to drive any bus with air brakes. The transit driver video recorded while using the cellphone will have the same licence and endorsement. I do not work for BC Transit, but I do drive buses on a regular basis.

It is illegal to use a hand held device while driving a vehicle in BC. Period. There are no exceptions. All drivers are expected to obey this law for the safety of themselves, the people in their vehicle, other drivers and their passengers and the general public. While all drivers are expected to obey these rules I believe that professional drivers can be expected to be held to a higher standard than the average motorist.

This driver was caught breaking the law red handed. He, and his union, need to admit it, suck it up and deal with it.

Further, they need to keep in mind that although they may try to ban the young fellow that took the video of the driver using the hand held device while driving for "safety concerns", they can't ban all youth that have cellphones with cameras from riding the bus. Rest assured, the young fellow has friends that ride the bus.

The transit drivers, transit management and their union will lose if they try to take on all of these kids. If these kids decide to try to "get" transit drivers that don't follow the rules, they will "get" them. The drivers will have to be constantly watching their backs.

Deal with the driver. His conduct was illegal and unprofessional. Leave the kid alone. Everyone will be better off for it.

[gordon_as]

Just watched the Castanet Video again. The drivers union spokesman says they are worried about getting fired for eating a sandwich or drinking a coffee. I would think that they should not be eating a sandwich while driving a bus full of people.

On the other hand. Nathan was clearly standing at the front of the bus tapeing the driver while the bus was in motion. So both parties are in the wrong. Nathan was breaking the rules , and driver was breaking the law.

[gordon_as]

if nathan uses the bus to go to work as he claims, I would like to know when he works. he boards the bus first thing in the morning and ususally takes the last bus home. also hanging around queensway most of the night.

What are you insinuating mx ?

[theyeti]

kelowna has aweful transit service so happy i have a cpl vehicles now and i dont have to wait hrs for the bus any more .

[smarty-pants]

Watch the video! He was not breaking the law he was breaking company policy! He was using a Bluetooth which is permitted bye law!

[nextimeround]

Watch the video! He was not breaking the law he was breaking company policy! He was using a Bluetooth which is permitted bye law!

Yes but let's consider this. The union is saying that the drivers are distracted by this passenger video taping them and yet it's okay to talk on a phone, as if that's not more distracting? This is a policy for a reason. Talking on the phone, even if using a hands free device, is distracting and takes away concentration. I assume this is why it is a company policy but can only speculate on that.

I might have missed something here that describes how Mr. Peters is being disruptive (beyond video taping the driver). If it's just the video taping then clearly this is bull. The drivers are being vindictive in my opinion. It's much easier to believe that's true than the story of that it's about safety "because drivers are looking behind them". Give me a break.

[gordon_as]

"I believe what the drivers are doing is they're worried - that while they're worried about him on the bus videotaping them, THEY'RE WATCHING BACKWARDS WHEN THEY SHOULD BE WATCHING FORWARDS ," says Les Milton, President of Amalgamated Transit Union local 1722.

Thank You Les , you have solved part of the problem.

[smarty-pants]

I talked with a driver this morning and this kid is challenging the drivers trying to provoke a incident! He is not this poor abused kid. The drivers have in the past tried to help him with free rides, money, and even cigarettes . One of the drivers even before this had a police file for harassment on this young man.

[gordon_as]

Please clarify : who was doing the harassment , the kid or the driver ?

[crookedmember]

crookedmember

No laws prohibit it, but it is covered by the golden rule.If some stranger recorded me, it would creep me out. That's why I don't aim my phone at others.

For the same reason, I'm not disrespectful to police officers, lest one gets *bleep*, chases after me and punches me in the face.
There's no law against being a disrespectful, but sometimes these little jerks get what they deserve.

What golden rule?? Wake up, in today's society almost every cell phone in use has that function. Suck it up!

Being disrespectful, now that I grew up with as a golden rule.

Anyone older then I, my parents, my teachers, the neighbour, the Police, you did not disrespect. If people today had that Golden rule we would be much farther ahead!!

This post comes down to a driver failing to follow the rules of the road, not my golden rules. He fails to do so and he is upset because he was caught on tape. If he was not on the phone, would he be pi$$ed about this kid taping him??

I ask, the driver can respond to as well. Would you be doing the phone if you were being tested for your drivers licence?

When I was a kid, I was further taught ignore the bug and it will go away!


PS- why can we not be accountable of our actions...this driver seems not to be!

Ken, as far as I know, the driver was using a bluetooth device, so what rules of the road was he breaking?

If someone followed you around with a video camera for a day, is it possible they'd catch *you* breaking some rules set by your employer?

[breeolson]

why don't they install video cameras in the buses facing the driver and passengers so its safety number one for the bus driver and two it helps keep an eye on passengers ..... just a thought