Boy, Four, Left On School Bus Tried To Walk Home

[mikey4444]

Narrow escape for this little lad....glad the driver got the sack.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-42365641

[mikey4444]

BHG....

We don't know if the school didn't tell the driver/bus company about the drop-off or not. But we are still left with the fail-safe check of the bus, that plainly wasn't done.

[gness]

Gromit....the boy was usually driven the five miles to school but the parent's car had broken down so he had to travel in the coach firm's minibus picking up from the school.....and from home in the morning.
I doubt all the children using this transport would be allowed an accompanying parent who'd then have to use another means of transport to return home in the morning....or to work....and back before close of school in the afternoon.

He should have been dropped at his house where his dad was watching for him....this didn't happen so bad parenting isn't a nice thing to say about them unless you know for sure that they are bad parents...

[hc4361]

It is obviously standard practice that the buses ARE checked before the driver leaves it. This driver got the sack because he was negligent and didn't.

[mikey4444]

Gness....common sense post !

[jennyjoan]

Where I live there is a young lady of 42years old with Downs - she is picked up at the door whereby one of her parents are at the door. Door opens and a chaperone helps her onto the bus. Driver drives away. Same for coming back. In fact I have noticed one time when the lady had to let herself in - driver waited until she was actually in the house.

[murraymints]

chaperones are usually provided on a bus run with disabled youngsters.. not with normal school runs... but driver should have been provided with a list of drop offs!

[hereIam]

My God, this could have gone so horribly wrong. Poor mite.

[Gromit]

Sorry, did not realise it was a door to door service, so I am happy to take back what I said about bad parenting.

The driver actually failed TWICE.
1. He did not drop the child off. Possibly because he had done the route hundreds of times and it was possibly the first time he had carried the child. (The Bus Company could be at fault for this if they had not alerted the driver to changes to his route.
2. All buses (every route, every bus company) should be checked at the end of a journey. It is a very basic requirement and this driver did not do it.

[gness]

That's nice, Gromit.....:-)....x

[sapelesam]

If the driver was expected to check the minibus at journey's end, why is the company introducing a Driver's Awareness Course. I can for foresee an unfair dismissal claim on the horizon. PS. Not for one second am I defending the driver.

[mikey4444]

Thanks Gromit, for clearing that up !

[murraymints]

the company are at fault too for not providing a list of drop offs... a friend does these school runs for kids near here and each morning he gets a print out of pick ups and drop offs..pupils have to ensure they are on the list 24 hours in advance if using it as an ad hoc arrangement... usually same kids each day unless parents call in advance to add or remove a wee one...

[tiggerblue10]

Thankfully he is still alive but will be scarred by this memory, unlike the other little lad who was left to freeze to death by members of his own family. Poor little mite :(