Bus driver terminated after using personal SUV

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Does anyone know the age of these kids? I don't get the feeling they were teens, I think they are elementary age.

The article said Jr High students.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by para transit fellow

The driver isn't following the operating procedures and the actions expose a giant liability risk. So for this hypothetical situation, we see that good intentions could lead to a gigantic mess.

I'm pleased things didn't go wrong but if one of my co-workers did something similar without approval from a supervisor/ dispatch, termination would probably follow (maybe severe suspension followed by complete re-training at the best scenario).

Exactly. What if something awful happened and a few of those kids died? The company would be looking at paying out tens of millions of dollars and their insurance company would tell them to shove it. This is a perfect example of lower level employees not being able to look past the tree in front of their face to see the forest. This is why the company has policies in place; so people like this don't have to make decisions that put the lives of kids in jeopardy. Any bus driver that would drive around with kids in the very back of an SUV without seat belts on shouldn't be trusted any longer. If she made this poor of a decision once, it's only a matter of time until it happens again. maybe with dire consequences.

I would also suspect that we are only hearing half of the story. People that are wrong love to leave out incriminating details or exaggerate the truth to make themselves look better. News outlets are more than happy to assist in leaving out the facts as well.

I feel that she got what she deserved and would have canned her ass in a second.

[Wormius]

^^^ I somewhat agree. It may have been wiser to at least drop those kids back off at their homes and call the parents, than drive around without seatbelts, regardless of them distance. Though, buses themselves have no seatbelts, so.. meh.

[psicodude]

But school buses are designed to not require seat belts. Escalades are not.

She should have just sat there with the car running and called either the school or the head office. The second she picked up a kid at a bus stop and drove away, she was screwed.

[Northendzone]

Good grief, this woman made a mistake, nobody was hurt. The school bus company went over the top in firing this woman.......a special thanks to the anal retentive parent who complained, it must be nice to be perfect.......

[jayswin]

nm

[Red Ice Player]

I could see some kind of reprimand, but unless this woman was reckless or a horrible human being, outright termination is ridiculous. Its pretty clear she cares, and her employers will take a massive pr hit. Not that they give a damn, since they have no competition.

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by psicodude

But school buses are designed to not require seat belts. Escalades are not.

She should have just sat there with the car running and called either the school or the head office. The second she picked up a kid at a bus stop and drove away, she was screwed.

Excuse my ignorance but how are school buses designed to not require seat belts? I remember riding a school bus as a kid and it didn't seem like it was designed in any special way to not cause injury. It actually seemed more of a death trap than a vehicle with seat belts.

[Ironhorse]

^ I believe it has to do with the spacing between the seats as well as the size and construction of the seats.

[Wormius]

I seem to recall that taxis are also exempt from seat belt laws - or maybe just from regulations surrounding children's car seats. Not sure what the difference is between a cab and any other vehicle.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

Excuse my ignorance but how are school buses designed to not require seat belts? I remember riding a school bus as a kid and it didn't seem like it was designed in any special way to not cause injury. It actually seemed more of a death trap than a vehicle with seat belts.

The design of the seats and the weight of the bus basically. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-r...t-belts-2012-9

[Daradon]

I'm surprised the school itself didn't let the kids stay inside, for at least 30 minutes or so.

I remember when things got really bad when I was a kid, the teachers would allow us to stay warm inside (within reason).

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

.a special thanks to the anal retentive parent who complained, it must be nice to be perfect.......

Did it say the parent called to complain? If I saw my son get picked up in an suv under those circumstances, I am wondering the WTH is going on. If I recognized the bus driver, I'm sure I'd at least call the school to find out what was going on.

[Northendzone]

^ so you would let your son get in the vehicle and then call the school to ask questions while your son was driven away?

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

^ so you would let your son get in the vehicle and then call the school to ask questions while your son was driven away?

If I saw it was the bus driver, that would be my first call, i think. You are calling the parent anal retentive because they called the school and not 911? Would calling 911 have worked out better for the driver?

[fundmark19]

She was on the radio this morning and said that the kids were all friends with her son. These kids come over to her house on weekends and play on her sons hockey team. I know when I was stranded for the bus growing up random school friends mom's came and picked us up and nobody questioned anything.

So I don't fault the kids for getting into the car with someone they have known for quite a long time. If she would have called in sick for work and did this she would be a good Samaritan but because she was technically still working that is what all the hoopla is about. Definitely not getting fired worthy since nothing happened sure it could have went extremely bad but it didn't.