❓ A parliamentary question regarding an incident where a woman with a pram was unable to board a Transperth bus. The response details the investigation, findings, and actions taken by Transperth and Path Transit.
AnsweredQoN 3156Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(a) was this matter investigated officially and, if so, who by;
(b) what conclusions or findings were made subsequently;
(c) what is being done to ensure that bus drivers take all reasonable steps to help passengers with prams to board, including asking passengers occupying priority seating to relocate; and
(d) has the woman in question received an apology and, if not, will an apology be forthcoming?
(b) what conclusions or findings were made subsequently;
(c) what is being done to ensure that bus drivers take all reasonable steps to help passengers with prams to board, including asking passengers occupying priority seating to relocate; and
(d) has the woman in question received an apology and, if not, will an apology be forthcoming?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 April 2008
Responded by
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
28 days
(a) Yes. The matter was investigated by both Transperth and its service provider Path Transit, which is one of Transperth's three contracted bus companies.
(b) The bus used on the route 21 service in question is licensed to carry 60 passengers, which would constitute a full load of seated and standing passengers. Details taken from the ticketing system indicate that the bus had 46 paying passengers at the Museum stop, 16 of which boarded at that stop. However, the ticketing system passenger count does not take into account the number of Free Transit Zone (FTZ) passengers, who are eligible to travel on any Transperth bus for free in the CBD area which extends for FTZ purposes to Newcastle Street. The driver stated that he recalled the incident and that the bus was nearly full. He says he asked passengers to make room for further intending passengers and to move down the bus for the family; however the passengers already on board could only move a few centimetres. The driver says he then advised the lady that he did not have room for the pram and rejects the assertion that he was rude towards her. At the time the bus already had another pram on board, which was occupying one side of the accessible area. Transperth and Path Transit have accepted that the driver endeavoured to try and make room for the family, and accept that he is highly unlikely to be rude to an elderly lady. The driver in question has an impeccable record with Path Transit and has a number of commendations from previous Transperth customers. Another finding was that the article claimed that the next service available was forty minutes way; this is incorrect as the next route 21 service was due in 24 minutes.
(c) The driver of the route 21 service in question followed all reasonable means in encouraging passengers on board the service to make room for lady and the pram. Transperth has no control over the social skills displayed by the members of the public. While, drivers of a bus can utilise certain areas of the Public Transport Authority Act and Regulations 2003, there is no part of the Act that gives the driver the power to require other passengers to vacate their seat for someone else. In this case and in the driver's opinion the bus was at or very near capacity and while the family may have been able to fit onto the bus, there was no room for the pram.
(d) The driver states that he apologised to the lady at the time of the event and the lady has since been contacted by Path Transit officers and advised as to why she could not be accommodated on the bus. They also apologised for the inconvenience, but as stated in the article, there were many school children away from school on this day and this has impacted upon the loadings of normal Transperth services.
N.B. This information was provided by me to the author of the report shortly after the article was published. It is understood that the author of the report is related to the complainant.
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(b) The bus used on the route 21 service in question is licensed to carry 60 passengers, which would constitute a full load of seated and standing passengers. Details taken from the ticketing system indicate that the bus had 46 paying passengers at the Museum stop, 16 of which boarded at that stop. However, the ticketing system passenger count does not take into account the number of Free Transit Zone (FTZ) passengers, who are eligible to travel on any Transperth bus for free in the CBD area which extends for FTZ purposes to Newcastle Street. The driver stated that he recalled the incident and that the bus was nearly full. He says he asked passengers to make room for further intending passengers and to move down the bus for the family; however the passengers already on board could only move a few centimetres. The driver says he then advised the lady that he did not have room for the pram and rejects the assertion that he was rude towards her. At the time the bus already had another pram on board, which was occupying one side of the accessible area. Transperth and Path Transit have accepted that the driver endeavoured to try and make room for the family, and accept that he is highly unlikely to be rude to an elderly lady. The driver in question has an impeccable record with Path Transit and has a number of commendations from previous Transperth customers. Another finding was that the article claimed that the next service available was forty minutes way; this is incorrect as the next route 21 service was due in 24 minutes.
(c) The driver of the route 21 service in question followed all reasonable means in encouraging passengers on board the service to make room for lady and the pram. Transperth has no control over the social skills displayed by the members of the public. While, drivers of a bus can utilise certain areas of the Public Transport Authority Act and Regulations 2003, there is no part of the Act that gives the driver the power to require other passengers to vacate their seat for someone else. In this case and in the driver's opinion the bus was at or very near capacity and while the family may have been able to fit onto the bus, there was no room for the pram.
(d) The driver states that he apologised to the lady at the time of the event and the lady has since been contacted by Path Transit officers and advised as to why she could not be accommodated on the bus. They also apologised for the inconvenience, but as stated in the article, there were many school children away from school on this day and this has impacted upon the loadings of normal Transperth services.
N.B. This information was provided by me to the author of the report shortly after the article was published. It is understood that the author of the report is related to the complainant.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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