A run-in with a Transperth bus driver last month left several young Court Grammar students fearful of stepping foot on another bus.
But the Public Transport Authority (PTA) is backing the driver’s actions in the face of “poor behaviour” from some students.
During the after school run on July 17, all students on the route 253 service towards Jarrahdale were ordered to get off the bus along Watkins Rd when the driver became frustrated with students incessantly pushing the stop button.
“Despite this, the poor behaviour continued and the driver then repeated his actions,” PTA spokesman David Hynes said.
This time, all remaining students were evicted from the bus along Jarrahdale Rd.
“At no point did the driver get out of the cage or verbally abuse the students, and no student was left behind during either stop,” Mr Hynes said.
But parents have told the Examiner that several children – some as young as seven – were left in tears after the driver’s ‘aggressive’ and disproportionate reaction to the mischief of one or two children on the bus.
“The way this guy reacted was just totally inappropriate,” one parent said.
“Some of the young ones were in tears because the driver was screaming at them.
“And the threat of being left on the side of the road in an unfamiliar place was traumatic for my kids. They refused to go the next day.
“It took a couple of weeks to encourage the youngest back on the bus.”
Some parents have decided not to let their children catch the green and silver buses anymore.
While others reached out to Transperth to ask for answers, and for reassurance that any future situations would be handled with more professionalism.
“While the misbehaviour of passengers is concerning, I believe it is crucial for adult drivers to maintain professionalism and emotional control,” another parent said.
We asked PTA if the driver would face any consequences, and if he would be allowed to return to that route in future.
But their response indicates they are washing their hands of the matter, after referring it to the school.
“Students travelling on Transperth buses agree to the same behaviour management guidelines that apply on all our public transport services,” David Hynes said.
“Misbehaviours, including being a nuisance and non-compliant behaviour (i.e., failing to follow directions, distracting the driver) may result in a student being suspended from using the bus service.”
Up until January this year, Jarrahdale-bound Court Grammar students used the orange buses from School Bus Services.
Students and their parents signed behaviour agreements, and drivers developed a personal relationship with school principals and their young passengers who they dropped off at their doorsteps each day.
Despite a heated campaign to save the orange bus services in Jarrahdale, the contracts were wound up last year, and replaced by public transport.
We spoke to a number of orange bus operators who were appalled at the behaviour of the Transperth driver.
“If we did that, we would be in serious trouble,” one driver said.
“Turfing kids out onto the edge of the road – I wouldn’t even consider it. The only way you can keep them totally safe is on that bus.”
They said the PTA’s reply was a “typical politician’s response”, and that the driver had plenty of other options up his sleeve.
“He could have radioed to get help from the Transperth security guards. Worst case scenario, he could have called the police,” one operator said.
“If it was me, I would have stopped the bus, refused to go anywhere, and called the headmaster to sort out the behaviour.”
“When I had troubles, I’d bring the misbehaving kids up the front of the bus – nothing puts them in their place faster,” another said.
“Unfortunately, no one will ever give the service to those kids that they got under the small contractors.”
Many local private schools have instead opted to contract their own private bus service.
