Castanet

That bus driver was lucky he had a couple passengers who didn't beat the crap out of him...

Kidnapping bus driver
by CTV - Story: 84235
Dec 7, 2012 / 9:55 am



Two B.C. bus drivers are being accused of behaving badly, including one who kicked a mother and her three children off a bus in Victoria and another who allegedly "kidnapped" his passengers in Kamloops in a confrontation caught on video.

BC Transit spokeswoman Meribeth Burton says the company is investigating the Victoria incident, in which a woman filed a complaint claiming she was booted from the bus because the driver thought her family was making too much noise.

The mother boarded the bus Tuesday with her infant son and two other children on a trip from Esquimalt to the University of Victoria.

Fellow passenger Karita Del Moral said the driver asked the mother to keep the noise down, even though it wasn't disruptive.

"He finally said, `you can get off the bus...this if your stop, you're going to get off' and kicked her off the bus with her three children," she said.

The mother left the bus in tears, said Del Moral.

Burton said the actions of the driver were not the policy of BC Transit.

"Families, babies, children are warmly welcomed on BC Transit and if someone wasn't following BC Transit policy or conduct of which we expect from our drivers then that will be an internal investigation and we'll deal with it," said Burton.

In a separate incident, Burton said BC Transit has suspended a Kamloops driver with pay after an video posted on YouTube titled Transit Driver Kidnaps Passengers showed a male and female passenger yelling at a driver to let them out after he apparently missed their stop.

Burton said the driver is being investigated for allegations he didn't follow disembarking protocols.

"Management here at BC Transit has watched the YouTube video and we're very concerned with what we see and hear," said Burton.

"There is a high degree of professionalism that we expect at all times," she said, regardless of the challenging situations they might encounter each day.

The video, posted by TrueLiesCanada, captures the incident after the confrontation had already begun. It records a female passenger yelling at the driver for missing her bus stop.
"This is public transit, all I want to do is be able to get off at my stop!" she says.

http://www.castanet.net/news/BC/84235/Kidnapping-bus-driver

A couple of things......

I will reserve judgement until we hear BOTH sides of the story...especially on the second incident in Kamploops.

Secondly, there are about 550 transit drivers in Victoria alone...not sure about in the entire province. I'd like to think 95% of these drivers try and do the job they are supposed to.

And, perhaps....THESE TWO need to smarten up...or find another job!

I have no opinion about this case because I don't know the facts. I also know that a many types of people use the bus system so this is not a bashing session on all transit users. But as always there are some very bad apples.
I do think transit drivers are getting fed up with being treated like crap in general and this is why we have been getting more reports of incidents with drivers.
We have been hearing for years now about transit drivers, just trying to make a living, being physically and verbally abused by their passengers over things they have no control over. Examples include; crackheads not having enough money for fares and demanding service anyway, angry passengers because the bus is late (perhaps weather and traffic were holding up the bus) and angry commuters who don't understand that a bus is larger and slower than a car- I could go on.
I have a class 1 licence and have put up with a lot of situations, and have done many different kinds of driving, but I would starve before I drove any kind of bus; I just don't have the temper for dealing with some of the people I would meet.
My favorite incident recently was the driver in Saskatoon cussing at the idiot jaywalker who stood in front of his bus and wouldn't move. His employer disciplined him for not calling his supervisor to deal with the problem! Meanwhile, do you think the pasengers are going to sit on the bus for 45 minutes without yelling at the driver to do something about the problem because they are all running late. You just can't win these days.

Personally, I wouldn't drive in places like Victoria or Vancouver...but I enjoy driving transit in my smaller community. We have 11 buses on the road at any given time, and most of our drivers feel as being a part of the community, knowing most of our riders by name. To me, my job isn't work....it's my social event of the day! I feel very fortunate!

That being said.......

I've been verbally abused twice in the past year, backed up against the bus by both people who were very out of control (thankfully it never made it to the physical level). One of the incidents lasted about 10 minutes with the guys nose about 1/2 inch from mine. He was mad at me because HE got on the wrong bus!!! I felt very thankful that 3 of my other male passengers started to move in closer as this guy started to get closer to me.....they were ready to step in....a by-product of getting to know your passengers as friends! Our management has charges on order for these two....

We have another driver that has been off now for 8 months because of being physically attacked. Not so much for injuries as stress. Don't laugh......being physically attacked by an out of control person WILL or CAN affect you. Another driver was physically attacked by 3 drunks and required police to attend. And this is just in our small community, can you imagine Kamloops, Victoria...Vancouver?

Not only do transit drivers have to deal with the "unfriendlies" ON the bus, we also have to deal with the "unfriendlies" outside of our bus....drivers and pedestrians. Why should I get fingered when I leave my stop and someone may have to slow down a bit....remember.....according to the MVA, you MUST yield to a transit bus leaving a stop......within reason of course. If someone stops to let me in....I not only wave, but give them the thumbs up! We as drivers appreciate the courtesy....and believe it or not....you may just get it back too! If my schedule allows it, I'll let other vehicles move before I do at 4 way stops, or in parking lots etc. I'd rather the other driver give me a wave and a smile than the finger!

Pedestrians and cyclists are probably the biggest "pain in the butt", not only for bus drivers...but ALL drivers. You have the pedestrians that all of a sudden turn to use a crosswalk and just ...well....walk! Don't even bother to see what is coming...and my bus takes a little bit more time to stop than a regular vehicle. You wonder why buses are driving below the speed limit sometimes? To give ourselves time to react to situations like that......so please....a little patience when behind.

A couple of things to keep in mind too. We have cargo on board that is priceless......kids....grandmas...students....adults going to work....etc. NONE of them are wearing seatbelts, a VERY key thing for the transit drivers to keep in mind. Our driving CAN make a big difference in how their day goes......smooth ride....smooth day! Accident.....not such a good day.

Not everyone is cut out to be a transit driver, as not everyone is cut out to do the job YOU"RE doing! In the two cases mentioned above, perhaps this ISN'T their job...or...perhaps....an incident happened just prior to the video ......what did the passengers say to the driver before....or while getting on....or ....or...... let's see what BC Transits investigation brings out first.